May as well quit...

[Gertiegirl]

Hi there!

Brief outline - Im an alcoholic and a smoker. My two remaining vices. I hate the addictions, and I really dislike the finacial burden that smoking in particular places on my family. I could light up $10 per day and watch it burn for the same effect and less trouble on my lungs. On the 21st July I begin a medically managed alcohol detox. Im doing a diazepam detox. I kinda figure that if Im medically supported through the alcohol withdrawal - it makes sense to kick the cigarettes to the curb as well, Ill get to give up smoking without feeling the desperate cravings I usually do halfway through the first day. My community detox nurse is putting me on a medication that reduces the alcohol cravings and offered me a medication to reduce nicotine cravings after the detox too. So I may as well make a decent go of it whilst Im well supported and have the medications that make it somewhat easier.

My only concern is more long term. If I relapse in one - will it make me vulnerable to relapse with the other? Getting alcohol out of my life is my PRIMARY goal at the moment... and if I fall back to smoking, will I be more likely to fall with alcohol too?

Does anyone have any experience or advice with this?
Thanks heaps - Gert.

[historyteach]

Are you planning on falling back on smoking?
Are you hedging your bets?
Or, are you going into this with a "take no prisoners" attitude?

If you plan on quitting, then, quit.
Think NOPE! Not One Puff Ever!
(As our dear Cess is fond of saying! )

And if there is a slip, get right back on that horse, and start again.
But, don't plan for it before you've begun.
Otherwise, you're planning to fail.

My smoke cessation counselor said that it's actually easier, and statistically more successful, if people quit all their addictions at once. He's the expert. I'm just relaying his message. And it makes sense. Start a whole new healthier way of living. Because quitting booze and tobacco is all about lifestyle.

I wish you luck. Let us know how you're doing.

Shalom!

[cess101]

Hello Gert, Warm Welcome and Congratulations,

How are the quits going? As historyteach mentioned, I love the NOPE word/thinking "Not One Puff Ever!" It's catchy and hopefully will catch on for you and replace the drinking and smoking when the urge strikes.

The other advice I have to offer to you is to think of quitting in the sense of "one day in time." It is only, one day in time and..... you can do it!

Break it down into even smaller increments (say, one hour at a time, 2 hours at a time, and so on) if you think that will work better for you, especially in the beginning/first couple weeks.

I used the taperdown method to quit smoking and it worked! I have been nicotine-free for 1 year and 7 months now. Whoot-Whoot, Hurray!!

What I did was, I put rations in baggies, one baggie for each day of the week, and no more! I chewed lots of gum and drank lots of liquids (from water to hot chocolate) and munched on sunflower seeds. Best of all were straws...straws of all sizes...try to breath through one sometime and think to yourself how that may be what it'll be like to breath if you keep smoking, pretty labored breathing, or think of breathing through an oxygen tube in your nose. I'm sorry to be so blunt but it works. If you can distract your thought in some, or any way away from the craving to smoke for only a minute, you won't smoke. So begin brainstorming now..... write down as many things as you can think of that will distract you for a minute or so.

Posting on and reading these community bulletin boards for smoking cessation works wonders. The more support, the better even while you are contemplating to quit smoking. It's important to weigh out the pro's and con's of smoking and how it stands for you.

I know you can do this and I think it takes a lot of courage to tackle both the drinking and smoking. Combined with your medical treatment and counseling group/therapy, posting here will help too.

Thinking of you andhope to hear from you again soon. You Can Do This!!!

[Izzadawn]

biggest part of this battle is finding the right way for you to quit.... I tried the cutting down, the Patch, and Zyban, but I needed the 72 hours of withdrawls (Cold Turkey) to insure I would ****never have another puff*****

[splendra]

Just remember to be gentle with yourself!!