Mindfulness Practices for Cravings

If you’ve ever felt a craving hit, you know the feeling isn’t just in your head. It might show up suddenly and quickly: a tightness in your chest or gut, a racing thought, an almost magnetic pull toward a familiar habit. The substance could be alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, or any other drug, and the craving can feel urgent, persuasive and deeply uncomfortable. That said, cravings are real, powerful and above all, human. 

It’s easy to feel like you’re fighting yourself when a craving hits. And often, the strategies we turn to, distraction, avoidance, powering through, only offer temporary relief. But what if the craving itself wasn’t the enemy? What if, instead of running from it, you could stay with it gently, and learn to move through? That’s where mindfulness comes in. 

Mindfulness isn’t about forcing your way through cravings or pretending they don’t exist. It’s about approaching them with presence and remembering that you are not your craving. Over time, this approach helps you build real-life resilience, the kind that lasts longer than any distraction and empowers you to choose what is right for you in each moment. 

What is a craving, really? 

A craving is an intense urge to use a substance, often accompanied by physical sensations, mental justifications, and emotional surges. It’s your brain’s reward system lighting up, often in response to stress, memory, or routine. 

Cravings can vary by substance: 

• Nicotine: Cravings peak and fade quickly. 
• Alcohol or cannabis: Cravings may feel tied to routine or emotional relief. 
• Other substances: It may trigger intense and long-lasting urges. 

But here’s the good news: Cravings always have a beginning, middle, and end. 

How distraction works

t’s common to use distraction as a wave to ride out challenging moments or intense cravings. You can call a friend, watch a show, or take a walk. These can help, especially if you are overwhelmed. But too much distraction can backfire. Why? Because it doesn’t teach you how to sit with discomfort and it can lead to other habits like doomscrolling or stress eating.  

Distraction can sometimes keep your emotions bottled up, making it challenging to understand what’s really going on. Mindfulness offers something different. It helps you stay with the feeling and move through it, instead of running away from it. 

Mindfulness: A way through cravings

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and compassion. For example, if you’re experiencing a craving, instead of fighting it or giving into it, you observe it: “Oh, here it is. This is what having a craving feels like.” 

Several studies, including those from the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) program, have shown that mindfulness can reduce substance use and improve emotional regulation. That’s because it helps you respond with awareness instead of impulse. 

Mindfulness in practice 

But how can we practice Mindfulness if we’ve never done it before? Here are a few strategies to help you move through a craving. 

1. Breathwork:
   When cravings hit, your body tightens. This is where breathwork comes in. It calms the nervous system and creates space for choice. 
2. Try the 4-7-8 breath: This activates your body’s nervous system and helps you stay grounded.
   – Inhale for 4 seconds
   – Hold for 7 seconds
   – Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
   – Repeat 3–5 rounds 
3. Journaling: Naming the need
   Writing helps you understand what’s beneath the craving. It turns the moment into a reflection, not a reaction.
   
   – You could start by writing this: 
   “Right now, I’m craving _____. I think it’s because _____. What I actually need is _____.”
   The simple act of naming can help shift you from impulse to insight. 
4. Urge surfing: Riding the wave
   Urge surfing is about observing a craving like we would do a wave: rising, peaking and falling. Follow these steps, and you may begin to notice subtle shifts, without needing to act on them.
   – Sit quietly and breathe.
   – Notice where the craving shows up (chest? stomach? thoughts?).
   – Remind yourself: “This is temporary.”
   – Keep breathing. Stay curious. 

Building resilience 

Resilience isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you practice. The more you practice when things are calm, the more skilled you’ll be when cravings come. The truth is, resilience is built in the in-between spaces:

– When you pause before reaching for your phone.
– When you take a slow breath between meetings.
– When you ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” instead of numbing out.
– When you decide to wait through craving, instead of acting on it immediately. 

These micro-moments matter. They are like reps at the gym, tiny, consistent acts that build your strength over time. Here are a few mindfulness-based ways to build resilience daily: 

• Micro check-ins: Pause and notice what you are feeling, what thoughts are looping and what is it that you need right now. 
• Mindful transitions: Use everyday shifts like waking up, starting work, eating, and ending the day, as anchors to check in. Take a breath and arrive in the next moment fully.  
• End-of-day reflections: Each evening, journal or mentally review a moment where you felt present, a craving or a stressor you noticed, or something you did today that was aligned with your goals. 
• Gentle defaults: Keep a short list of healthy “go-to” strategies that help you regulate:  stretching, drinking water, stepping outside, or texting a supportive friend. 

By practicing mindfulness in the small, uneventful parts of your day, you build inner trust. You prove to yourself, moment by moment, that you can sit with discomfort and still make choices that align with your values. Resilience isn’t about being unshakable. It’s about returning, again and again, to your breath, your body, your values, and your intention.  

ALAViDA Substance Use, a product of LifeSpeak Inc., is here to help you change your relationship with substances, including how to move through a craving. We have a Craving Kit on the TRAiL full of helpful tips ready for you to explore. Wherever you are on your journey, we offer a range of support options to help you make meaningful, positive changes. Access this link to explore further.