Purpose 🎯

Help patients practice responding to cravings without immediately acting on them.

Riding the Craving Wave 🌊

Invite the patient to rate craving intensity from 0–10 and notice where the craving is experienced in the body.

Explore:

• Where do you notice the craving physically?
• What thoughts come with the urge?
• What happens if you observe the urge without acting on it right away?
• What coping strategy could help you ride out this wave?

Practice observing the craving as a changing experience rather than a command that must be followed.

Coping Strategy Practice 💡

Pair the activity with a chosen coping strategy such as breathing, grounding, distraction, movement, contacting support, urge surfing, or delaying use for a set amount of time.

Telehealth / Whiteboard Version 💻

Draw a wave and mark craving intensity at the beginning, middle, and end of the exercise. Track what helped the urge shift.

Why This Works 🌱

Cravings often rise, peak, and decrease over time. Learning to tolerate the urge can increase confidence and reduce automatic substance-use responses.

Clinical Pearl 🧠

Start with mild or moderate cravings when possible. If cravings are severe or safety concerns are present, prioritize support, safety planning, and appropriate level-of-care assessment.

Documentation Language 📝

Patient practiced a craving wave activity to observe craving intensity, identify physical and emotional cues, and use coping strategies to delay or reduce urge-driven behavior.

Clinical Focus: Craving Management, Distress Tolerance, Coping Skills