AlcoStudent86

Ok, so basically since the 5th of April, I've only drank once (a bit of a slip up), but otherwise I've been hardly thinking about it. And yet I decided about 20 hours ago that I'd be giving up smoking too, I've already mucked that one up. The cravings are so intense and powerful - including the psychological aspect of using my hands, the inhaling sensation, seeing other people with cigarettes etc. and getting the jitters. Seriously, I feel alcohol though tempting is a walk in the park comparing to trying to quit smoking - which is ironic given that alcohol gets you drunk, whereas cigarettes do nothing.

Has anybody else found this to be the case?

freshstart57

The 10 Hardest Drugs to Kick | The Fix

Alcohol is not at the top, or even in the top 5.

Dee74

I found the opposite.
I could give up the smokes, and any other drug I tried, and literally not look back.

Alcohol...no way.
I guess we're all different

D

Rupert

I feel like cigarettes are what hold me over until I can get stoned at night. Then weed is what holds me over until I can get drunk on the weekend, although I usually don't make it past Wed or Thurs without getting black out drunk. I think all my addictions should be kicked at once. But, with drinking and weed, I can hold it together a few days no problem. With tobacco, I literally panic when I have 5 cigarettes left. Although I am far from quit, in the past, sunflower seeds were my thing. Gum when its less socially acceptable to be spitting every few seconds, and toothpicks(cinnamon). Most important thing though is to stay busy. Nicotine is worst that heroin according to some. Good luck.

NapsteR1

I agree Dee, some people are unfortunate to have a "detonator switch" when it comes to a particular substance, smoking weed I've always been able to take it or leave it and have left it for several years. One or two old mates of mine just couldn't put it down, one still cant' and it's wrecked his life (caught for possetion three times and then banged up, now can't get a job). Funnily enough he's never had a drink problem.

LonerMan

Nicotine was tough because it was everywhere when I quit 13 years ago. At least with booze, I was able to avoid it completely.

The physical withdrawal of nicotine is intense, but it goes away after a few weeks. Now, I can't stand the smell of it.

kiki26

I quit smoking over a year ago and still get deep cravings for cigarettes. It was really tough to quit and almost weekly I contemplate buying a pack. The price of cigs here in Washington has kept me away.

Sudz No More

Cigarettes were harder for me in the first 60 days but once I got past that I never craved again. Until of course I made the stupid decision to start again LOL. The second time I quit seemed easier but those first few days were still rough.

Here's the kicker for me though, while drinking seems easier to quit for the first 60 days the mental impulses I have do not go away. These never ending thoughts about drinking have brought me back to drinking on many occasions. I find that you just need to avoid thinking at all about it. Even the slightest moment of an impulse and I divert my attention. I no longer feed into it as I used to let myself. I don't fight it, I just ignore it.

So yes, smoking is harder to quit in the short term but Alcohol is harder in the long term. At least for me...

silentrun

Exactly how I feel. I am glad to hear that the cigs crave will go away with enough time. I think I stopped just short of being physically addicted to alcohol. I did however go through a physical recovery period. With the drinking I just got to the point where I was utterly defeated by it and wanted nothing more of that life. I still get craves but that reality is still fresh in my mind. I will never feel that way about smoking. Maybe if we could go through chemo every morning after smoking we would get the hint. I am setting up my final quit on the 17th at 8pm. I do know the first 72 hours are hell.

gaffo

Quitting smoking was awful. I drank a lot of bad beer. Weed is a terrible sub for cigs. I was such a nicotine fiend that once I quit I NEVER was tempted to start again. I think it gave me some tools for the battle of the bottle. Now I just have to watch my smoking friends kill themselves. Ugh.

silentrun

I wish I could get to that point with the cigs. I have quit for months at a time and can't seem to hold out. I am going to check out the AV thing people talk about on here. I am going to need a plan for the booze anyway once my fear wears off. So ready or not I am giving up the cigs.

neferkamichael

I'm 10 months no cigarettes and yes they were harder than anything else. What I am most afraid of is if I slip with cigarettes I'm gonna slip all the way. Rootin for ya.

freshstart57

The idea of the urge to smoke coming from your nic addiction instead of you might be a good idea for you. While the term AV refers to Alcoholic Voice, you might as well understand it as Addictive Voice with no loss of oomph. Check out the Rational Recovery website, more info there, and also in our Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information forum. SR has a nicotine/smoking forum as well. Nicotine/Smoking - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

TheEnd

Smoking was pretty easy for me to quit, compared to drinking. If I wanted to, I could pick up a cigarette and smoke it and not worry about it. If picked up a drink, all bets are off.

slimjim30

I found the same as Dee74. I smoked for 14 years and when I decided to quit I just did it. I had tried maybe 2-3 times before and failed within a few days, but on the 4th I just stopped by using patches.

That was 7 years ago.

I've been quit so long now that I don't think about it much at all. I even seem to be able to have the occasional causal cigarette with no ill effects. That said I've only done that a few times and don't plan on making it a regular thing.

Alcohol on the other hand is insidious. I tried at least 50 times to quit before I made any real progress. Even then it took another few shots to get some real time under my belt.

On the other hand, if you fail at quitting smoking it only affects you. When you fail at quitting drinking it can affect your loved ones as well. Not many people have 10 cigarettes and then tell their boss to go shove it on email at 2am

Jeni26

I am the same. I cannot seem to quit smoking.

Drinking was hard yeah, but smoking...well that seems IMPOSSIBLE. I've tried countless times and do it for a short while but I get overwhelming cravings and develop a severe personality change. Anger like you wouldn't believe it...and I'm not the least bit angry for the rest of the time.

Think I'm going to look at AVRT for this, follow Freshstarts suggestions.

I hate smoking, but I need to change my mindset with this one.

DarkDays

Smoking for me was easy to pack up , 30 a day to zero thanks to mr Alan Carr. 9 years free from this most ridiculous of addictions.