Craving vs. urge

A craving is the pull toward a substance or old behavior; an urge is the felt pressure to act on that pull. They often arrive together, but separating them helps: a craving can be present without becoming an action. Switchback uses both words plainly because the practical work is the same in either case: notice what is happening, interrupt the sequence, and reach for one next step.

See also

• Urge surfing
• Trigger
• Playing the tape forward

Sources

• NIDA - Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: Treatment and Recovery