Originally Posted by
Carlotta 
One common denominator is that it always got triggered by me being very stressed and feeling suddenly overwhelmed. Not so much "a" thoughts as a cyclone of thoughts and not being able to quiet my mind.
OK, thoughts plural then
I was reading something recently on the Western tradition of meditation, or contemplation as it used to be called - monks basically! - and in medieval times thoughts and feelings were regarded as being pretty much on the same 'level'. I think we often think that feelings are somehow deeper than thoughts but that wasn't the case then. The mind (the seat of thoughts) and the heart (the seat of feelings) were thought of as pretty much the same thing: as mental events in your conscious awareness. Being monks of course they did think there was a deeper level to people and that was the spirit. I only say all that because perhaps it supports the idea of cravings as a mass of unpleasant thoughts and feelings, and impusles, sensations and so on, rather than as an external force out there somewhere that we have no control over and just have to be it's passive victim.