Handling Cravings at Work

Handling Cravings at Work | Authentic Recovery Homes

Work is good for recovery. It gives structure, income and a reason to get up. It also puts you in rooms with deadlines, difficult people, tired colleagues and, sometimes, a happy hour invitation. Cravings do not check your schedule. They can arrive during a meeting, a break or the ride home.

This article offers peer-level ideas for getting through a workday when a craving appears. It is not clinical advice. If cravings are frequent or strong, talk with your counselor, therapist or another professional on your care team.

Cravings at work are common

Many people in early recovery expect cravings at night or on weekends. Then one hits at ten in the morning, and they feel confused or ashamed. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Work brings stress, pressure and long stretches of the day when you cannot just leave.

A craving is a signal, not an order. It tells you that something is going on: stress, tiredness, a reminder, a feeling you do not want. Your job in that moment is not to win a fight. It is to get through the next few minutes safely and use the skills you have practiced.

Know your workday triggers

Before you can handle a craving, it helps to know what sets it off. Walk through a normal day on paper. When do you feel most stressed? When are you most tired? When are you alone? Which colleague or task makes your jaw tighten?

Look at the edges of the day too. Many people find the commute, lunch and the drive or ride home are tougher than the work itself. Payday can be a trigger. So can a bad review, a rushed deadline or a coworker who talks about weekend drinking. Once you see the pattern, you can plan for it.

Skills you can use at your desk or on the floor

Most work settings do not allow a long break, so the best skills are small and quiet. Slow your breathing: in through the nose, out through the mouth, a few times. Drink cold water. Press your feet into the floor and notice the chair holding you. Name five things you can see in the room. These take under a minute and nobody will notice.

Change what you are doing. Stand up, stretch, walk to another room or fill a water bottle. If your job allows, step outside for a few minutes. If you can, text or call a person on your support list. Many people keep a short note on their phone with names and one line about what to say, such as "Having a hard moment, can you talk for five minutes?" Those new to the subject may find Cheesman Park helpful as a reference.

Different skills suit different jobs. A person on a loading dock may need something different from a person in a call center. Experiment, and keep what works.

Build a cravings plan before the shift

A plan beats improvising. Write a short one with these parts: what you notice, what you do first, who you contact, and what you do afterward. Keep it to a few lines. Save a copy where you can reach it during the day.

Practice the plan on easy days, not only hard ones. If you have housemates in recovery, share it with one of them and ask them to check in around the time you usually feel tired. People who live in structured sober living often have this kind of daily accountability close at hand. You can ask Authentic Recovery Homes about a cravings plan for the workday when you talk with the team, and ask how residents in the homes balance work with recovery commitments.

Handling coworkers and invitations

Colleagues often invite each other out. A short, calm answer is enough. "I can't tonight, but thanks" works. So does "I'm good, I have plans." You do not owe anyone a long explanation, and you do not have to share your recovery at work.

Some people choose to tell one trusted coworker or a supervisor. That is personal, and it depends on your workplace. If you do not want to share, you can still say no. Have your line ready before the invitation arrives. Practice it out loud in the shower if that helps.

When the whole team heads to a bar after hours, you can offer a different plan, like coffee, or you can simply leave on time. Look for coworkers who also skip happy hour. They are usually easier to find than you expect.

Commuting in Denver

Many residents in recovery housing get to work by bus, light rail or on foot. Denver has RTD service, and a good commute plan matters. If a stop or a stretch of the ride brings up old memories, choose a different route when you can. Bring headphones, a book or a call to a friend.

Location counts too. Homes close to bus lines, groceries and jobs make it easier to keep a steady routine. The South Cherry Creek sober living for residents managing cravings on commutes page describes a residential Denver setting near transit and jobs. Ask any home you consider how residents get to work and what the typical mornings look like.

After a hard day

When the shift ends, the craving may not. Plan the first hour at home. Eat something. Change clothes. Talk to a housemate. Go for a short walk or head to a meeting. Many people find that if they get through that first hour with support, the evening gets easier.

Look back at the day, too. What worked? What would you do differently? Write it down in a sentence or two. Over weeks, those notes will show you patterns and skills you can trust.

When you need more help

If cravings are getting stronger, if work stress feels unmanageable, or if you are thinking about hurting yourself, do not wait it out. Reach out to your counselor, a sponsor or a trusted person right away. A bad day at work is never a reason to face this alone.

If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911 or the find out more 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Recovery housing can be a steady base while you rebuild your work life. Read more about the leadership story behind our workplace cravings skills, or call (720) 766-9093 to ask about an open bed.