The craving log in the Relapsd app is the most underused feature by new users and the most valued feature by experienced ones. The reason is simple: cravings feel undifferentiated in the moment. The log reveals structure that isn't visible when you're inside them.
What to Log
Time of day: The first and most reliable pattern that emerges. Most users have 2-3 predictable craving windows.
Trigger: What preceded the craving? Context (location), emotional state, activity, social situation. "Stressed" is too vague-"received a difficult email at 2pm" is useful.
Intensity (1-10): Absolute intensity relative to your worst craving experience.
Duration: How long from onset to resolution? This will surprise you-most cravings are shorter than remembered.
Outcome: Resisted, partial (used less than craving demanded), relapsed.
What worked: If you resisted-what did you do? Cold water, walk, called someone, used the app protocol?
What the Data Reveals
Time patterns: After 2 weeks, most users can identify their peak craving windows with 30-minute precision. These windows can be proactively defended-supplements timed to their onset, activities planned during them, availability of support during those hours.
Trigger hierarchy: Which triggers produce 8-10/10 cravings? Which produce 3-5/10? The high-intensity triggers need specific, prepared responses. Low-intensity triggers can be managed with general tools.
Duration reality: New quitters routinely overestimate craving duration. The average craving in the log is 6-12 minutes. This data, visible in the log, is one of the most useful reassurances during a difficult craving.
Intensity trajectory: Charting craving intensity over weeks reveals the pattern of recovery-typically high and frequent in week 1, declining but intense in week 2, lower frequency in weeks 3-4. Seeing this trend in your own data is motivating in a way that reading about the general pattern is not.
What works for you: The outcome data identifies your personal most effective interrupt strategies. What works varies significantly between individuals.
The Review Protocol
Weekly review (5 minutes every Sunday):
- What were my top 3 triggers this week?
- Which time windows were highest-risk?
- What was my average craving intensity vs. last week?
- What one thing will I do differently next week based on this data?
This is cessation management, not passive endurance. You are working on a specific problem with real data. The log is your primary instrument.