What To Do When You Have An Urge To Get High

Our learning sessions and materials, and the support of the group, are meant as your main tools to reduce craving and speed your recovery to a satisfying, drug and alcohol free lifestyle. But if and when you do have significant drug or alcohol urges, take these additional steps:

Remember the Principles of "de-addiction"
Craving means you are not fully "de-addicted". Experiencing drug urges but not giving in to them brings you closer to ending them. (This is "starving" the cat.)

Think About the Consequences of Using - Drug or Alcohol use will:
- Prolong your addiction
- Make your urges stronger and harder to handle next time
- Cause guilt and shame
- Cost a lot of money
- Increase your contacts with other users
- Risk a full-blown relapse

Consider What's Causing the Urge
Are you in one of your dangerous situations, such as anxiety or bad feelings, cash in hand, the presence of drug users or drug offers or old drug settings, war stories, loneliness, or boredom? Are you depressed? What else is going on inside or around you?

Change or Leave the Situation Immediately
Go somewhere else, or do something else you like to do; eat, see a movie, listen to music, work out, or get together with other people who don't use alcohol/drugs. As long as you don't dwell on it, the urge is likely to last no more than a few minutes. Wait it out.

Get Help
Contact someone who is drug free, strong, and dependable. Be honest with them and listen to them.

Adapted From:Zackon, F., McAuliffe, W., & Ch'ien, J.