Craving - intense experience of wanting the "high" that the addict wants and needs.
Cravings are different from dependency and from compulsion in terms of the strength of the desire.
Cravings are often the cause of a slip, or a relapse if not attended to.
Cravings are not predictable - but they need to be understood in order to avoid a relapse.
Cravings usually are relatively short-term - from a few minutes to an hour or so.
Like dependency issues - cravings are both:
When the cravings are not indulged, the body begins its own adaptation process, which will eventually result in the reduction of receptor sites. All receptor sites will not be eliminated, so there will always be cravings, but their duration and intensity will be diminished to the point where they are passing annoyances instead of life-threatening confrontations between the addiction and health.
These sudden impulses to indulge in the "forbidden fruit" may be with the addict for the rest of his life.
Many sex addicts compare their cravings to the intense urges that cocaine addicts report - even after relatively long periods of sobriety. Usually sex addicts experience a feeling that may seem to overwhelm them at least momentarily, and at this point they need to act quickly to ensure their abstinence. A craving that is entertained for long in the body or mind usually becomes a reality in terms of being acted out.
See also: