Surf the urge
Urge surfing: notice the craving in your body and ride it like a wave until it passes, without acting on it.
5:00
How to do it
- Notice where the urge sits in your body. Chest, stomach, hands, mouth?
- Describe it without fighting it: tight, hot, buzzing, pulling.
- Picture it as a wave. It rises, peaks and falls. Urges tend to pass even when you don't act on them.
- Keep breathing and watch it change until the timer ends.
Get the right tool at the right moment
In THE Habit Breaking App, Urge Rescue asks how you feel and suggests the tool that fits, then checks how it went so it learns what works for you.
Other tools
- Slow your breathing
- Delay for 15 minutes
- 5-4-3-2-1 grounding
- Change where you are
- Reach out to someone
- Reality Check
- Move for 5 minutes
- Meet a body need first
- Play a song that steadies you
If you're not safe right now, call 999 or Samaritans on 116 123.