Episode 68: Craving Relief: Uniting Behavioral Therapy and Buddhist Wisdom for Addiction Recovery

Discover the Buddhist concept of craving (tanha) as a source of suffering and how this ancient wisdom, combined with behavioral therapy, can help you break the cycle of addiction.

What if your cravings weren’t something to fight—but something to understand?

In this episode, we explore the Buddhist concept of tanha (craving) as a root cause of suffering—and how combining this ancient wisdom with modern behavioral therapy offers new possibilities for addiction recovery. Whether you're navigating substance use, emotional triggers, or patterns of avoidance, learning to work with your cravings mindfully can unlock real freedom.

Watch now to learn:

• Why craving leads to suffering, not just behavior

• How awareness transforms our response to urges

• How to use Buddhist principles alongside therapy tools for daily support

What is Tanha — The Root of Craving?

In Buddhist psychology, craving—or tanha—is described as the thirst that fuels our suffering. It’s not just a desire for substances or behaviors, but a compulsive pull toward anything we believe will relieve discomfort: a feeling, a distraction, a sense of control.

When we try to satisfy craving blindly, we reinforce the cycle of suffering. But when we observe it, we weaken its grip. Buddhism teaches that healing begins not by denying craving, but by understanding it.

Where Buddhism Meets Behavioral Therapy

Modern therapy meets ancient wisdom in surprising ways. In behavioral therapy, we learn to observe thoughts and urges without acting on them. In Buddhism, we’re invited to do the same through mindfulness and meditation.

By combining these tools, you can:

• Pause before reacting

• Observe thoughts as passing events, not commands

• Choose aligned responses over automatic ones

This is the foundation of our Addiction Recovery Intensive—a program that blends mindfulness, emotional processing, and recovery coaching to help you stay grounded in real-time.

3 Ways to Work with Craving Right Now

1. Name it to Tame it
   Just saying “this is a craving” activates your observing brain. It interrupts automatic patterns.

2. Pause and Breathe
   Use breath as a grounding anchor when the urge arises. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for four.

3. Ask: What’s the real need beneath this urge?
   Craving often masks a deeper emotional need—connection, rest, control, validation. Identifying this gives you new ways to meet it without reinforcing addiction patterns.

Support That Meets You Where You Are

If you’re ready to stop fighting cravings and start understanding them, we’re here to help.
Our Addiction Counseling and Recovery Intensive programs offer a holistic approach grounded in mindfulness, science, and human compassion.

Let’s explore what recovery could look like for you. Contact us today to get started with counseling, coaching, or our integrative addiction recovery programs.

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