Urge Surfing
A mindfulness skill for riding out a craving like a wave: noticing it rise, peak, and fall without acting on it, until it passes on its own.
About this tool
Urge surfing is a mindfulness technique developed by Alan Marlatt for handling cravings without giving in to them and without exhausting yourself fighting them. The image at its heart is a wave. A craving, like a wave, rises, builds to a peak, and then falls. It feels as though it will keep climbing forever, but it will not. If you can stay with it and ride it out, it will crest and subside on its own, usually within minutes.
Most of us respond to a craving in one of two ways: we give in, or we tense up and battle it. Both feed the urge. Giving in strengthens the habit, and fighting creates a tug of war that often makes the craving louder. Urge surfing offers a third way. Instead of fighting or following the wave, you watch it with curiosity. You notice where the craving lives in your body, how it changes moment to moment, and the thoughts that ride along with it, all without acting.
This works because cravings are temporary by nature, and observing one teaches your brain that you can feel an urge without obeying it. Each wave you surf weakens the automatic link between trigger and use. The skill takes practice, and the first few waves feel uncomfortable, but over time urge surfing becomes a reliable way to let even strong cravings pass through you and dissolve.
- Marlatt GA, Gordon JR. Relapse Prevention: Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors. Guilford Press; 1985.
- Bowen S, Chawla N, Marlatt GA. Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Addictive Behaviors. Guilford Press; 2011.
- Bowen S, Marlatt A. Surfing the urge: brief mindfulness-based intervention for college student smokers. Psychol Addict Behav. 2009;23(4):666-671.
Urge Surfing FAQ
What is urge surfing?
A mindfulness skill for riding out a craving like a wave. Instead of fighting or giving in, you observe the urge as it rises, peaks, and falls, until it passes on its own.
How long do I have to surf an urge?
Usually just a few minutes. Cravings build to a peak and then subside, and most pass within minutes if you stay with them rather than acting on them.
Why not just fight the craving?
Fighting a craving often creates a tug of war that makes it louder, and giving in strengthens the habit. Urge surfing offers a third way: observe it without acting, which teaches your brain that an urge can be felt and not obeyed.
Is my information saved?
No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is uploaded. The PDF is created on your own device.