Learning to cope with your cravings is an important step to your drug or alcohol recovery. These coping methods can be used for any sort of addiction, to help you manage your addiction and avoid relapsing.

Set a timer

An urge to fall into the hands of your addiction usually lasts about 30-45 minutes. Set a timer for half an hour, to help you kill time while that urge is active. An urge or craving is like a sprint; it may be intense but it will run out of steam quickly. You just have to outlast the craving.

Substitute

This is most effective in the beginning of your recovery days, because replacing the craving with something significantly less harmful is an absolute win. Instead of a drink, grab a can of coke. Get an essential oil vape to use when you feel like smoking a joint. Find a way to substitute your craving in a healthier way.

Distract yourself

This is one of the most powerful coping methods that we can recommend to you during your addiction recovery. Do something that requires your attention. Go for a drive, head to the gym, take your dog on a walk, call a friend, count backwards, start making dinner, etc. Distracting yourself is as simple as seeing how many pushups you can do at once, or calling your mom back.

Breathe

Breathing exercises are powerful and can help provide you clarity as you try to push through the craving. Take deep, slow breaths, to help oxygenate your blood. This will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm you down. It’s strictly science, that taking deep breaths will calm you down. Set a timer. Count at least 6 breaths a minute for at least 3 minutes. As long as you have a positive mindset, you’ll feel calmer and the urge will be less intense.

Talk to someone about the craving

Naming your addiction, saying it outloud, is powerful. It takes the power away from your craving. Stop by a friends house, or give them a call, and tell them what you’re experiencing. This will not only help you distract yourself, but it will prevent you from keeping these feelings bottled up. Keeping these feeling to yourself isolates the power of the craving, and makes it harder to control.