Stoogy

I just wanted to get a general group consensus on the topic of multiple addictions or dependencies? If we are successful enough to quit either alcohol or a drug addiction are we asking too much for a radicle life overhaul with regards to anything else? By that I mean what I read a lot of on this fine platform with regards to Caffeine and sugar intake. In an ideal world I would only ingest what I know my body thrives on but being realistic can we fully expect to do this?

Thoughts guys?

bigsombrero

I don't think it's asking too much - as long as you're working on the addictions individually at a reasonable pace. For example: I would not be able to quit drinking, smoking, and narcotics at the same time.

I think it's dangerous to put that kind of expectations on yourself, because you can quit one substance and still feel like a failure, which can lead you right back to where you started.

I actually picked UP smoking cigs again after quitting alcohol, then quit 1.5 years later. I gradually decreased my intake of sugars over time as well - it didn't happen immediately.

That said: I do agree that radical overhauls in all aspects of life is important to make a complete recovery. For example, you will see some people try and ditch alcohol, but keep the bar/pub scene. That won't work for me. I have opted to wipe the slate clean and start re-building from scratch, creating the person I want to be.

falseemperor

Most common alcohol plus smoke. Its why i quit both togather, one needs other to complate taste.

GreenColor

I wouldn't put generally benign substances like sugar and caffeine in the same category as alcohol and cigarettes.

Personally I have anxiety issues so I don't drink any caffeine, and I'm not a huge fan of sweet things, so I don't really eat things with added sugar (love fruit though).

I sure do love fatty foods though. I also snack on pickles which is a HUGE source of sodium. So damned good though.

Stoogy

Apologies for any confusion caused, I would never compare sugar or indeed caffeine to the illnesses mentioned at all, I was just considering the prospect of cutting any or indeed all of these things out from our day to day activities as many people mention the need for a complete life overhaul.

Soberpotamus

I don't think it's too much, no. But I think the radical overhaul can happen over some time, you know? I'm thankful I'm not a smoker, because I hear it's one hell of a habit to kick. So I have sympathy for recovering alcoholic smokers because they've got two incredibly hard habits to kick. Sugar... hey, it probably ranks way up there too. I hear it works in a similar way in the brain as heroin. Sugar and caffeine are things that I still consume but I try to moderate. And most times I can moderate it pretty well. I drink 3-4 cups of coffee per day, some days more, some days less. My goal is to get to 1-2 cups. I'm sober over a year now. And I've not put too much pressure on myself to cut that back yet. My husband does though But days that I go without caffeine and sugar... I usually feel better. So I do know that it would be ideal to get off both. I'm gonna try and experiment with the 1-2 cups of coffee and see if that's just a teaser or sustainable.

karate

While in the habit , might as well keep going .

I will be nicotine free as well

Stoogy

You are doing extremely will Karate.

I am not a big sweet eater or anything, and I've recently switched to decaf coffee but I love my Soda and will struggle to stop that I think. But if the worst thing I take is Soda I'm not doing too bad right?

Gottalife

Alcohol and nicotine for me. The alcohol went first as it was the major mind altering substance. Nicotine went twenty years later. The idea was that the smoke wouldn't kill me as quick as the booze.

However I had not realised the emotional dependence I had on nicotine. Giving it up set of three years of hell, almost like going back to step one. It had been my solution to anger and stress, and when I stopped I got stressed and angry. I didn't connect it to the smoking at the time but I met someone else about 5 years after, who went through the same thing. Then I was able to connect the dots.

The real truth of it was that I wasn't properly sober while I was smoking. I was using a chemical prop to manage my emotions. The doc thought it was depression at the time. I wasn't doing much AA either. It seemed to come right about the same time I got active in AA again.

Perhaps this is an extreme case.

Maybe it's my nature to be this way. But I have heard much the same story from many others when they talk about quitting alcoholic first, and then tackling other chemical props later. It appears the props, which are really used to reduce the pain that goes with early recovery, don't eliminate the pain, they just postpone it.