SMART Recovery Tool: Urge Log
Point 2: Coping with Urges
Identifying your triggers is an important part of your recovery. Awareness gives you the power to understand and deal with urges; however, even with awareness and planning, you will experience urges. It’s a normal and natural part of recovery.
An awareness and understanding of urges is crucial to recovery. You identified what triggers them, but do you know how long they last? How intense they are? How frequent? Most people with addictive behaviors don’t realize that urges usually last only seconds to minutes and then pass.
One way to understand your urges is by recording them in an urge log.
An urge log is a table in which you record specific information about your urges. After a few entries, you may notice patterns and similarities about your urges. The log then becomes a road map that will help you anticipate situations and emotions that may trigger urges. You also may notice certain thought patterns associated with your urges, which are helpful in self-management and problem solving (Point 3).
Tips & Tools for Recovery that Works!
All About Urges
Urges are a natural part of life. But what ARE urges, and what AREN’T they? When it comes to successful recovery, we need to better understand the basic mechanics.