Let’s be honest: Recovery would be a whole lot easier if cravings didn’t exist.

If it was just make a decision, never want it again, most of us would’ve been done years ago. But that’s not how addiction works, and it’s not how our brains work either.

Cravings are part of recovery.
They don’t mean you’re failing.
They don’t mean you’re going backwards.
They mean you’re human, and your brain is still rewiring.

This blog is for those moments when it hits you out of nowhere:

• Driving past the old bar
• Getting a stressful text
• Sitting alone at night and feeling that itch
• Feeling happy and thinking, “I deserve a little something…”

Let’s walk through what cravings really are, why they show up, and some real ways to handle them without picking up.

What a Craving Really Is (And What It Isn’t)

A craving is your brain remembering what used to bring quick relief.

That’s it.

It’s not a prophecy.
It’s not a command.
It’s not proof you’re doomed.

It’s your brain saying, “Hey, when we felt like this before, we used ___ and it worked fast.” Your brain is still catching up to your new life.

Cravings are:

• Temporary
• Triggered by people, places, things, and feelings
• Strong, emotional, and sometimes loud as hell
• A normal part of healing

Cravings are not:

• A sign you’ve lost your sobriety
• A sign God has left you
• A reason to beat yourself up
• Stronger than your ability to choose

You might not control when a craving shows up, but you do have power over what happens next.

Common Triggers: Why It Hits “Out of Nowhere”

A craving almost never comes “out of nowhere.” There’s usually a trigger. Sometimes it’s loud and obvious. Sometimes it sneaks in through the back door.

Some common triggers:

1. Feelings (Good and Bad)

• Stress, anger, sadness, grief
• Loneliness, boredom, feeling rejected
• Even happiness: birthdays, holidays, good news, celebrations

We didn’t just use when life was bad. We used when things were good too. So our brain connects any big feeling with getting high or drunk.

2. People

• Old using buddies
• Family who trigger you emotionally
• People who pressure you with “just one”
• Even seeing someone who reminds you of your past

3. Places

• Bars, houses, streets, parking lots
• Bathrooms, bedrooms, cars where you used
• Towns or neighborhoods that hold a lot of memories

4. Things

• Certain songs or playlists
• Movies or shows you always watched drunk or high
• Text threads, pictures, old messages
• The time of day you usually used

If you can start to spot your triggers, you can start to prepare for cravings before they blindside you.

The Wave: Understanding How Cravings Work

Cravings usually come in waves:

1. They rise up and feel huge.
2. They peak.
3. They calm back down.

Most intense cravings last anywhere from 10–30 minutes. It feels like forever when you’re in it, but it will pass.

Think of it like this:

You don’t have to win the whole war today.
You just have to ride this wave without using.

If you can stay sober through one craving, you’ve proven something important to yourself: I don’t have to obey every urge my brain throws at me.

What to Do in the First 5 Minutes of a Craving

When a craving hits, you don’t need a 50-step plan. You need something simple and real.

Here’s a basic 5-minute survival plan:

1. Say it out loud (or in your head)

“I’m having a craving. This is a feeling, not a command.”

Just naming it takes away some of its power.

2. Change your position

If you’re sitting, stand.
If you’re inside, step outside.
If you’re in the bathroom, get out of the bathroom.

Move your body. Cravings love stillness and isolation.

3. Breathe on purpose

Try this:

• Inhale for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Exhale for 6–8 seconds
• Repeat 5–10 times

You’re not just “calming down.” You’re telling your nervous system: We’re safe. We don’t need the drug to survive this moment.

Tools for Riding Out a Craving

These aren’t magic tricks. They’re small, practical things that can keep you from picking up.

1. Play the Tape All the Way Through

Your brain will only show you the highlight reel:

• The buzz
• The comfort
• The escape

It won’t show you:

• The shame
• The lies
• The withdrawals
• The disappointment in your kids’ eyes
• The sick feeling the next morning
• The way it almost killed you last time

So force yourself to watch the whole movie, not just the first five minutes.

Ask yourself:

“If I pick up right now, what does the next 24 hours really look like?”

Let your mind go there honestly. Not to punish yourself—but to protect yourself.

2. Call or Text Someone Who “Gets It”

This part is hard for a lot of us. We don’t want to bother anyone. We don’t want to be “weak.”

But isolation is where cravings grow.

Reach out to:

• A sponsor
• A friend in recovery
• Someone from a meeting
• A trusted family member or pastor

You don’t have to give a speech. You can literally say:

“Hey, I’m having a rough craving right now. Can you talk for a minute?”

If you can’t call, text. If you can’t text, even thinking about someone supportive can help shift your brain.

You were never meant to do recovery alone.

3. Use the 10-Minute Rule

Tell yourself:

“I won’t use for the next 10 minutes. After that, I can decide again.”

In those 10 minutes, do something different:

• Walk around the block
• Take a hot shower
• Put on a movie or music that doesn’t trigger you
• Clean a room or wash dishes
• Journal what you’re feeling, unfiltered

If the craving is still screaming after 10 minutes, do it again:

“Okay. I won’t use for the next 10 minutes.”

You’re not promising “forever.” You’re choosing right now. Recovery lives in right now.

4. HALT: Check What You’re Really Feeling

A lot of cravings are just this:

Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired

Ask yourself:

• Am I actually hungry? (When did I last eat?)
• Am I angry or frustrated about something?
• Am I lonely or feeling forgotten?
• Am I exhausted and pushing too hard?

If the answer is yes to any of those, deal with that need:

• Eat something real
• Write out your anger or talk to someone
• Reach out to a friend or go to a meeting
• Take a nap or go to bed early

Sometimes the craving fades when you take care of the basic need underneath it.

5. Pray or Ground Yourself Spiritually (If That Helps You)

If faith is part of your life, cravings can become moments where you lean in instead of checking out.

You can pray something simple like:

“God, I’m craving hard right now. I feel weak. I don’t want to go back. Help me get through this next 10 minutes sober.”

Or use a verse that anchors you:

• “Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble.” (Proverbs 3:23)
• “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

You don’t have to be perfect, holy, or cleaned up to pray. God isn’t shocked by your cravings. He’s not disgusted by you. He’s right there in the middle of it, willing to help.

When the Craving Feels Dangerous

There are cravings… and then there are dangerous cravings—the ones where you can feel yourself planning:

• You’re checking your money
• You’re rehearsing what you’ll say to the dealer
• You’re figuring out how to sneak or hide it
• You’re already picturing the first drink or hit in detail

If you’re in that zone, it’s time to take it seriously and act fast:

• Tell someone the whole truth. Don’t sugarcoat it. Say, “I feel like I’m about to use.”
• Get around safe people. Meeting, church, a friend’s house—anywhere but alone with your thoughts.
• Physically block the route. Delete the number. Give your cash or card to someone you trust. Stay away from your old spots.

If you ever feel like, “I don’t care what happens to me, I just want to use,” that’s a big red flag. That’s not a moral failure—that’s a sign you need serious support right now. Reach out to someone you trust, a sponsor, a hotline, or your therapist. Your life is worth that call.

After the Craving Passes: Give Yourself Credit

We don’t celebrate ourselves enough in recovery.

Once the craving passes, we usually just move on like nothing happened. But it did happen. And you stayed sober through it.

That matters.

After a craving, try to:

• Take a moment and thank God, your support, or just yourself
• Say out loud, “I got through that without using.”
• Notice what helped and what didn’t—that’s information for next time
• Add it to your recovery “wins,” even if nobody else sees it

Every craving you ride out is like another rep in the gym.
You’re strengthening a new muscle: the part of you that chooses life.

A Final Truth: Cravings Don’t Mean You’re Broken

If you’re in recovery and still get cravings, it doesn’t mean:

• You’re not doing it right
• You’re not strong enough
• Your faith is weak
• You’ll “never be normal”

It means your brain and body are healing from something that had deep hooks in you. Healing takes time.

The fact that you care enough to fight a craving instead of giving in?

That says a lot about you.

You are not your cravings.
You are the one watching them come and go and making different choices today.

If nobody has said this to you lately:

• I’m proud of you for staying in the fight.
• I’m proud of you for even reading something like this instead of chasing a fix.
• You are not alone in what you’re feeling.

— Josh Bridges