← Back to Coping strategies
Coping strategies
4 min readUrge surfing
Ride out intense emotions or cravings without acting on them.
Urge surfing comes from mindfulness-based relapse prevention — but applies to any intense urge or emotion.
Notice the urge — Name it: "I'm feeling an urge to…" or "A wave of anger is here."
Observe without acting — Urges rise, peak, and fall like waves — usually within 15–30 minutes if you don't feed them.
Breathe through the peak — Use a breathing exercise if it helps. Remind yourself: "This will pass."
Track the wave — Rate intensity from 1–10 every few minutes. Watch it change.
Celebrate riding it out — Each time you surf an urge, you strengthen your capacity.
If urges involve self-harm, please use crisis resources immediately.