Addiction glossary
Cue Reactivity
Cue reactivity is the automatic, physical response — racing heart, watering mouth, sudden craving — that fires when you meet something your brain has linked to using. The off-licence on the corner, a certain mate's name lighting up your phone, the smell of a particular night out.
The science
It's classical conditioning, the same wiring as Pavlov's dogs. Pair a cue with a dopamine hit enough times and the cue itself starts triggering anticipation and craving — before you've consciously decided anything. That's why triggers feel so bodily and so fast. Over early abstinence this reactivity can even intensify (see incubation of craving).
A craving from a cue is a reflex, not a decision. You didn't choose it — and you don't have to obey it.
How to retrain it
Two levers: reduce exposure and reduce power. Early on, avoid the heaviest cues where you can and plan around the ones you can't (trigger stacking is what happens when several pile up at once). Then use urge surfing to sit with the reaction without feeding it — each time you do, the cue loses a little of its grip. The wiring that built up can be worn back down.
Frequently asked questions
What is cue reactivity in addiction?
It's the conditioned craving response to triggers associated with using — places, people, objects, moods. The brain reacts automatically with anticipation and craving, often before you're consciously aware of it.
Can you get rid of triggers?
You can't erase every association, but you can reduce exposure to the strongest ones and weaken their power over time by repeatedly not acting on the craving. Triggers fade with distance and practice.
Why do cravings feel physical?
Because cue reactivity recruits the body — heart rate, salivation, tension — as part of the conditioned response. It's a reflex built by repetition, which is also why it can be unlearned.
More from the glossary: triggers · trigger stacking · urge surfing · or browse the full glossary.
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