10 Everyday Coping Skills for Cravings and Stress

Life is full of surprises. While some moments may be great, some may feel heavy and unexpected. Our daily experiences frequently put our emotional resilience to the test — from the heartbreak of a relationship ending to the stress of a pending deadline at work, or even the profound loss of losing a loved one. These testing times require us to handle our emotions and decisions. They need us to have a coping strategy so our emotional and mental well-being is not compromised. 

What Does “Coping” Mean?

The term coping refers to the way we face and manage the challenges in our daily lives. Whether it is a minor stress of traffic on the way to work or a major grief of losing a loved one or the end of a relationship, we all use tools that help us face, manage, ensure, and overcome these situations. 

The Need for Health Coping Strategies

When emotions go unprocessed or unsupported, the body looks for relief. Stress tightens the nervous system, emotions feel heavier, and the mind starts searching for something that will make the discomfort stop. This is often where cravings enter the picture. 

In the absence of healthy coping skills, stress and emotional discomfort can quickly turn into cravings. The brain remembers what once brought fast relief and reaches for it again, even when we know it’s not helpful. Understanding this connection is the first step toward responding with compassion instead of shame.

So here are 10 everyday coping strategies that you can use to manage cravings and stressful situations healthily:

Coping Skills for Cravings and Stress

1. Accept your craving

When craving strikes, most people either ignore or try to run away from it. But it helps to understand your cravings and catch them as soon as they occur. While cravings can feel like a physical sensation to some people, to others, it is more of a thought or urge to have the substance right away. 

2. Breathwork always helps

Stress enters the body much before it enters our thoughts. Breathwork directly calms your nervous system and helps reduce stress. Longer exhales in breathing sends calming signals to your brain. As your breathing slows down, so does your heart rate, allowing the urge for substance to pass. 

3. Change your environment

Staying stuck in the same physical space makes the cravings go stronger. As soon as you feel the cravings appear, try to:

• Move to a different room
• Step outside
• Take a walk
• Wash your face
• Hold something cold
• Sit near a window

Even a small change in your physical environment can signal the brain - “something is different”.

4. Name the feeling

Cravings often hold big emotions underneath them. So, before you give in to your craving the next time, ask yourself what you are feeling.

Are you:

• Lonely?
• Tired?
• Overwhelmed?
• Anxious?
• Angry?
• Sad?
• Bored?

Naming the emotion can lower the intensity of cravings by lowering the activity in the emotional brain. 

5. Delay the urge, not deny

Telling yourself “NO” can feel unbearable and intensify the urge. But, telling yourself “not right now” can seem doable. So, the next time a craving hits, try to delay it for 30 minutes. 

Say:
“If I still want this after 30 minutes, I’ll decide then.”

Most cravings peak and fade within that window. And even if they don’t fully disappear, they usually lose their urgency.

6. Try a grounding exercise

When you are in a stressful situation, your mind automatically jumps to the future or past. A grounding exercise is an excellent way to bring you back in the moment:

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method:

• Name 5 things you can see
  
• 4 things you can fee
  
• 3 things you can hear
  
• 2 things you can smell
  
• 1 thing you can taste
  

This small exercise can be done anytime and anywhere, and allows the brain to stay in the present. Cravings don't survive long enough in the present. 

7. Try gentle movements

Movement is another healthy way to deal with cravings and everyday stresses. You do not need an intense workout – a gentle walk, slow yoga, stretching, dancing alone, or shaking your body is enough. 

Movement releases stored stress hormones and increases feel-good chemicals naturally. Think of it as helping your body discharge what it’s holding.

8. Talk to someone

Isolation has a way of making cravings louder and harder to ignore, while connection gently takes the edge off. You don’t need a long or deep conversation — even a simple “How was your day?” can calm your nervous system and bring you back into a sense of safety. And if no one is immediately available, try sending a voice note, texting someone, joining an online support group, or even writing the message you wish you could send. Human connection reminds your brain that you’re not alone, and when the brain feels safe, the urge to escape naturally begins to soften.

9. Replace the habit

If something once brought you comfort, your brain will keep looking for it. So, instead of asking – “How do I stop it?”, try asking – “What do I replace it with?” Healthier substitutes like warm tea, calming music, a hot shower, journaling, deep breathing, holding a blanket or pillow, or stepping into sunlight still offer your nervous system a sense of relief. Replacement works far better than restriction because your brain isn’t being deprived. 

10. Be kind to yourself

This is more important than most people realise. After the craving passes, many people get into self-criticism, thinking:

“Why am I like this?”

“I should be better by now”

But it helps to respond with kindness rather than judgment. It rewires your brain to make healthier choices. 

A gentle reminder

On some days, one skill will be useful, but on others, another will be more effective. There will be times when simply getting through the day is sufficient, and that is also important. Cravings and tension are not symptoms that something is wrong with you; rather, they indicate that something within you requires care, relaxation, connection, or understanding. The more you practice responding rather than reacting, the quieter those urges become with time. 

Read Also: Menopause, Hormones & Cravings

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Sources:

14 healthy coping strategies and skills to cope with real life — Calm Blog

10 Evidence-Based Coping Skills for Managing Stress and Anxiety - Pima Behavioural Health

Tips to Cope with Stress & Anxiety

10 Simple Coping Skills to Improve Your Mental Health Daily

10 Strategies for Coping with Cravings

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