29 years alcohol free. 23 years smoke free. I smoked 2 1/2 packs a day for over 15 years. Compulshion to drink left me quicker than the compulsion to smoke did. 6 months in AA was a sort of landmark for me. Things started to really kick in after that. I'd say it took about a year before I had no deisre whatsoever to drink. Pretty sure the steps had a lot to do with that.