At the AToN Center, one of my roles is to conduct a “Psychology Group” with our residents. During one of these groups I engaged our residents in a brainstorming session to develop their coping strategies for cravings.
I stood at the dry erase board, had the residents yell out different things they would do rather than use and I furiously scribbled them down. Within about 5 minutes we developed an extensive list which included…
Walking, running, driving, yoga, walking the dog, throwing a ball against a wall, shooting basketball hoops, asking for a hug, calling a friend, calling another friend, calling a sponsor, calling a family member, calling a crisis line, deep breathing, meditating, preying, relaxation techniques, screaming into a pillow, crying, taking a shower, hot tub, sauna, swim, playing video games, solitaire, a crossword, doing Sudoku, eating a cheeseburger, eating an apple, drinking a glass of water, getting a massage, doing the dishes, laundry, cleaning out the car, starting a campfire, roasting marshmallows, listening to music, watching a funny movie, watching a sad movie, distraction techniques, cooking, shopping, reading, etc. etc. etc.
