The Subjective Experience of Craving: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

Craving is a motivational state associated with a variety of addictive behaviors. To date no studies have systematically asked substance misusers to describe their subjective experience of craving. The aim of the present study was to examine the common themes found in descriptions of craving and the situations that give rise to the experience of craving in a sample of substance misusers (N = 23). Analyses of the interview text revealed that the subjective experience of craving is heterogeneous. Eight dimensions were found to be associated with the subjective experience of craving: specificity, strength, positive outcomes, behavioral intention, thoughts, physical symptoms, affect, and cues. Individual differences in the extent to which each of these dimensions is experienced across substance misusers was evident in the interview text. Implications of these results for the development of a multivariate theory of craving are discussed.

Key Words:

• Craving
• Substance use
• Phenomenology
• Qualitative