Take charge! 10 tips to reduce Cravings

Dr Lachlan McPhail, psychiatrist with the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, has expertise in helping people who want to reduce or stop their drug use to manage cravings and triggers. Here’s his top tips.

1. There are two sides of dependency — the physical dependency and the psychological dependency - but time can help with both. If you aren’t taking any drugs, you may not have a physical dependency, but you may still feel like using or find certain situations hard to handle. If you are on an Opioid Treatment Program like methadone or bupe, you are getting help to control withdrawals, but you still may have cravings to use. When the mind is used to having something to help cope, it can take a while for the cravings to settle when you first stop using or first start having treatment. The good news is: the less you use, the fewer cravings you have, because you’re not reinforcing those cravings.

2. Cravings are time limited. It’s important to ride the feeling because they don’t last that long. You can distract yourself by doing something really simple like writing a letter, drawing, doing some exercise or meditation; or chatting or playing a game with someone. You may notice that the desire to use is there - you don’t have to deny it - but just ride the experience and distract yourself to get to the other side.

3. Knowing how you tick is very valuable information. For example, you might feel stressed and your usual coping strategy is to use drugs. It’s important to be aware that you are using to manage your emotions. Once you see your patterns and know what triggers you, you can find new ways to deal with the stuff that life throws at you.

4. Getting help is a short cut. You might be able to sort it out all by yourself, but why not take advantage of the skills of a professional - like a counsellor, psychologist, nurse or doctor. Psychologists and counsellors are trained to ask the right questions to help you know yourself better - like what bothers you or makes you feel like using. They can also help you identify your triggers and come up with new ways of coping, other than taking drugs.

5. If you’re vulnerable, try and stay away from your triggers. For some people anything associated with using could be a trigger. That could be seeing a fit, going somewhere you have used, seeing people using or hearing them talk about it, or knowing they are scoring. For some people it can even be seeing someone you know who uses. Try and steer clear of those situations and be conscious that they are just triggers - and you don’t have to buy into it.

6. Change who you are hanging around with. You may be worried about damaging friendships but sometimes you just have to make a choice. You can say to your friends, “It’s not about you, I’m just trying to get stable,” and a good friend should understand. You need to be assertive. Practice saying no. Rehearse what you will say to people if they ask you to use to prepare you for the moment when it comes.

7. Learn how to be more in control. Think about what is going on in your life and what parts are in your power to change. It might not be much, especially in jail, but you can learn how to respond to what is happening in a different way than you usually do. Identifying and managing triggers, as well as learning ways to manage cravings, are things that are in your control and can be very effective ways to help yourself. Distressing emotions can also be a trigger, but it is possible to learn to manage these. It’s all in your attitude.

8. You can calm things down quickly with 3 very helpful strategies.

→1. Use a breathing technique to calm yourself. Try box breathing - soldiers use it to control their thoughts in challenging situations. You breathe in through your nose while you count to 4; hold your breath, count to 4; breathe out through your mouth for a count of 4; hold your breath, count to 4; then repeat a few times.

→2. Exercise. It reduces stress hormones in your body and stimulates your body’s pain killers and mood lifters. If you aren’t big on the usual ways to exercise, try dancing like no-one is watching.

→3. Put a cold pack or ice on your cheekbones, splash cold water on your face or even have a cold shower. It’s called the ‘dive response’ and all mammals have it. It slows your heart rate to reset your body emotionally to a neutral state.

9. Be clear in your own head about the pros and cons of using. This can really help keep your resolve. Some people write them down. You can add to the list whenever you think of something else. Put down the pros as well as the cons, although you might find the way you feel about the pros changes over time. It might help to read your list over when you are triggered.

10. Look forward not back. Think about the person you want to be and the life you want to live. Look after yourself and put yourself first.