Urge surfing, explained

An urge can feel like it will keep building until you give in. Urge surfing starts from a different idea: that urges behave more like waves. They rise, reach a peak, and then — if you don’t act on them — they tend to fall away.

Urge surfing is a mindfulness technique used in relapse prevention, usually alongside other support. Rather than fighting a craving or trying to distract yourself from it, you turn towards it with curiosity and ride it out. People use it with cravings for alcohol, nicotine, other substances, gambling, and other habits they’re trying to change.

How to surf an urge

You can do this sitting, standing or lying down — wherever you are when the urge arrives.

1. Notice the urge. Name it to yourself, plainly: “I’m having an urge to drink.” You’re not agreeing to act on it — just acknowledging that it’s here.
2. Locate it in your body. Where do you feel it? It might be tightness in your chest, restless hands, a dry mouth, or a pull in your stomach. Notice its size, whether it’s still or moving, whether it feels warm or tense.
3. Breathe. Take slow, easy breaths and use them as an anchor. Think of your breath as the board that keeps you steady on the wave.
4. Watch it rise. The urge may get stronger for a while. That’s normal. Keep observing the sensations without judging them — or yourself.
5. Ride the peak. At some point it will be as strong as it’s going to get. Remind yourself: this is the top of the wave.
6. Watch it fall. Notice the sensations shift and soften. When the wave has passed, take a moment to recognise that you rode it out.

Many people find that an urge passes if they can wait it out. Each time you surf one, you gather a little more evidence that you can do it again.

Tips for getting started

• Practise on small urges first. The pull to check your phone or grab a snack can be good practice for bigger ones.
• Stay curious, not critical. Having an urge isn’t a failure. It’s something to notice, not a verdict on you.
• Give it a set time. Some people find it helps to set a timer for a few minutes and commit to waiting until it goes off before deciding anything.
• Change your surroundings if you can. Surfing works well alongside practical steps, like leaving a situation or putting some distance between you and what you’re craving.
• Be kind to yourself if you slip. Recovery is rarely a straight line. One day at a time.

When to use it

Urge surfing is useful whenever a craving shows up, and it can be especially helpful:

• the moment an urge appears, before you decide what to do
• at times of day you know tend to be difficult
• after running into a trigger — a place, a person, a feeling
• when you’re stressed, bored, lonely or tired, and old habits start calling

Keeping a note of what sets urges off can help you see them coming. Over time, you may notice the same triggers again and again — and plan for them.

Urge surfing in the app

The Urge-surfing guide in yournotalone walks you through the steps in about 8 minutes. It’s free for everyone, always — no subscription needed. With Premium, the recovery toolkit also includes a Daily pledge (1 min) and a Trigger log to log what sets urges off and learn from it.

A note on safety

Urge surfing is a skill, not a treatment, and it tends to work best as part of wider support — from a doctor, a counsellor, a support group or people you trust. If you’d like to talk to someone, you can request a session with a licensed therapist in the app, and “Addiction & recovery” is one of the topics you can choose.

If you’re struggling right now, see our crisis support page.