Exhibit 3: Coping With Cravings and Urges

Reminders:

• Urges are common and normal. They are not a sign of failure. Instead, try to learn from them about what your craving triggers are.
• Urges are like ocean waves. They get stronger only to a point, then they start to go away.
• If you don't use, your urges will weaken and eventually go away. Urges only get stronger if you give in to them.
• You can try to avoid urges by avoiding or eliminating the cues that trigger them.
• You can cope with urges by -
  • Distracting yourself for a few minutes.
  • Talking about the urge with someone supportive.
  • "Urge surfing" or riding out the urge.
  • Recalling the negative consequences of using.
  • Talking yourself through the urge.

  Each day this week, fill out a daily record of cocaine craving and what you did to cope with craving.

  Example:

  Date/Time	Situation, thoughts, and feelings	Intensity of Craving (1-100)	Length of Craving	How I Coped
  Friday, 3 pm	Fight with boss, frustrated, angry	75	20 minutes	Called home, talked to Mary
  Friday, 7 pm	Watching TV, bored, trouble staying awake	60	25 minutes	Rode it out and went to bed early
  Saturday, 9 pm	Wanted to go out and get a drink	80	45 minutes	Played basketball instead

  
  

  Daily Record of Cocaine Craving

  Date/Time	Situation, thoughts, and feelings	Intensity of Craving (1-100)	Length of Craving	How I Coped

  Adapted from Kadden et al. 1992.

   

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