Impulses, compulsions, urges – we all have them. Many of them are purely biological, such as the impulse to eat when you’re hungry or drink water when you’re thirsty. Some of them are more mental-emotional, such as the impulse to cry when you are sad or yell when you are angry. Others are more behavioral, such as the impulse to spend money more freely when using a card or to snack mindlessly when we feel bored.
In some cases, an impulse can literally save your life, such as the impulsive swerve around a quick-stopping vehicle in front of you. In other cases, an impulse can nearly ruin your life, such as the impulsive decision to commit a crime in a moment of desperation.
When viewed through the lens of mental health and/or recovery, impulses play a central role in the symptoms many of us experience from time to time, with varying degrees of severity:
· The impulse to isolate and hide it from loved ones when we’re not okay.
· The impulse to self-harm when we’re feeling anxious or depressed.
· The impulse to stop at a liquor store, even after several weeks sober.
· The impulse to use a substance to chill out when we’re stressed.
The best way forward and through the many impulses we feel as part of our human experience is to learn to manage them in a healthy way. One such management technique is called “Urge Surfing.”
Urge Surfing is a form of mindfulness meditation that utilizes the metaphor of surfing on a wave to help the participant visualize the swell, peak, and dissipation that all impulses have. Starting with imagining oneself on a serene beach, watching the waves roll in slowly, the participant is invited to center and slow down their breathing rate, which immediately helps the brain get out of fight-or-flight reaction mode and back to normal stability.
Once the breath is slowed and the visualization is established, the guide of the meditation invites participants to notice and acknowledge the fact that their impulses may feel strong in this moment, just like the peak of the wave. But they do not have to act on their impulse – it will fade, just as waves fade and swell back down. “You don’t have to suppress your urge or try to change it. It will simply fade away on its own.”
This technique can be particularly effective if the trigger for certain negative impulses is unavoidable. You can practice it silently on your own in the restroom stall at work, or even in your car before stepping out into the next social situation. Even 3 minutes of this can lower the intensity of an impulse and bring you back to baseline.
If you or someone you know needs help managing impulses, The Willow Center is here for you.
Written by Chase Cotten, Community Director
