ShineLove

Hello! I quit drinking seven months ago, and now I want to quit smoking. However, I'm scared of feeling any sort of craving. I have tried to quit drinking two times prior and I lasted two months each time. During those times I quit smoking and drinking together, and when I relapsed, I relapsed back onto both. This time, I decided to just quit drinking and tackle smoking later thinking that my smoking would decrease without drinking, but it hasn't. I've tried quitting smoking a couple of times this week with a patch and gum, but I still had cravings. As soon as a craving hit, my first thought was how much I wanted a beer. I caved and bought cigarettes, but at least it wasn't beer. It's weird b/c I was craving nicotine, but I wanted beer. I'm scared that any feeling of addiction/craving is going to precipitate a relapse onto alcohol.

Has anyone else felt this way? How did you handle it? How long did it last?

I feel positive and strong in my seven months of recovery, but I know I'm still vulnerable. I appreciate you taking your time to give me your insights. Thank you!

Joe Nerv

I smoked 2 and 1/2 to 3 packs a day, for years, and started smoking in the 5th grade. When I got sober I really wanted to quit. People told me not drinking needed to be my top priority no matter what. I listened, yet tried to quit - over and over and over again. As with drinking, I couldn't make a single full day without a cigarette. Read books, bought gadgets, tied my cigarette pack up in rubber bands, did all kinds of things - it was impossible for me to stop. Eventually I quit quitting, and accepted that for whatever reason my HP wanted me to continue smoking for the rest of my life. About 6 months after making that decision, I put cigarettes down in a contest with a friend to see who would last longer, and I never picked one up again. I was 5 years sober.

I don't know the moral of this story . Probably, if the will is there, you will quit when the time is right. I say have a go (or 100 gos) at it. Just keep not drinking as your number one priority, and I believe the smoking will eventually follow.

Just my ESH. Good luck.

Soberintexas007

I think that it is great that you want to quit smoking and encourage you to do so, as smoking can cause major health complications just like alcohol. I did smoke at one time in my life but never got fully addicted. However, I am now 14 days sober from my other addiction - gambling - so alcohol and gambling are my two addictions that I am working on.

QuietToday

I'd really like to quit cigs once I become more comfortable with quitting drinking. I'm a 30-40 a day, and I'm definitely feeling it from the 8 years I've been a smoking.

I was able to quit for a month by going with an E-Cig, but for whatever reason that thing really started to hurt my heart. I don't know why, but it was seriously painful. I tried to just go cold after that but didn't last long.

But hopefully soon I can try again

Either way; good luck to you!

Gottalife

I gave up smoking in early sobriety for a girlfriend. It was easy. She left, I started smoking just for the hell of it. It wasn't until 20 years later that I gave up again. It was hell, three years of it, just like early sobriety.

If you can quit now, go for it.

Pipping

Smoking was a major issue for me and I had several attempts at giving up, once for two years but much like drinking an emotional upset triggered cravings and I started back on 20 a day. When I quit drinking 18 months ago I also quit smoking and so far so good. I think you need to be utterly sick and tired of smoking like you were with drinking. I was having chest pains, shortness of breath and was sick of the smell. I felt better quite quickly in terms of my breathing which motivated me to keep on keeping on so to speak. It can be done. My next project is quitting sugar which I am not looking forward too but my waistline and teeth are. All the best xxx

totfit

While one can certainly function better smoking than drinking, more alcoholics die from smoking related diseases than drinking. The two cravings are totally unrelated physically, so it is a "mental" battle you are facing. Quitting smoking may be the most difficult addiction to conquer, but it is also one of the best things you can do for yourself to prolong not just your life, but quality of life. If you really want to quit, don't give up. Smoking can actually make it more likely one will relapse on alcohol, not less likely despite some opinions. Personally, I think the patch is the best method as it does not mimic the craving/response mechanism as gum or an e-cig does. Whatever method you can try though that is effective for you is best. A doctor can prescribe and anti-depressant "Zyban" Wellbutrin that may help you also.

zjw

i was a chimney. smoked 2-4 packs a day. I always had one in my mouth. I actually quit smoking first for a few weeks to see if it would help with the panic attacks and help me feel better. when it didnt i figured whats the use and lit back up again. then a few weeks later I thought I guess I can try quiting booze and see if that helps *sigh* and it did!

6 months after I got sober I thought I still dont feel 100% I thought maybe if i quit smoking i'll feel a little bit better? So I quit smoking and the very next day started exercising and fixed my diet. I lost weight got fit and that was over 3 years ago. This is hte longest stretch I've ever had without cigarettes or booze. being able to run and exercise makes me not wanna light up again.

I get the craving tho. For some reason cigarette cravings or booze cravings can present themselves as either or to me as well. I guess they went very hand and hand for me. I always had a beer in one hand and a smoke in the other.

Like one thing I still cant get used to is when i burn trash. I know this will sound redneck but oh well. When i burned trash I always drank beer and smoked cigarettes so there i'd stand hucken trash in the barrel big fat guy with a smoke in one hand and a beer in the other. It was very enjoyable to me too and now a days when i burn I still feel well empty handed and like somethings missing. But whatever.

sugarbear1

For help with quitting smoking, please visit Smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW

Tobacco Prevention and Control <--Idaho

Lots of help out there!

LBrain

Or, you could try the fork method.

Every time you light up a cigarette, stab yourself in the eye with a fork. Eventually you will not want to light another cigarette. And then when the cravings hit, stab yourself in the eye with a fork. Your cravings will disappear.

If you don't wish to go blind, you can stab yourself in that soft area just below your ear behind your jaw joint. That works too.

I would just make sure you are solid in not drinking before you stress yourself out too much. Some people wait 6 months to a year before they try to tackle nicotine. Some can do both at the same time. It depends on you and how well you are able to beat down the cravings if you don't want to use the fork method.

freshstart57

I quit in August 2014 after about 35 years. I quit drinking in August 2011.

I guess I handled those thoughts of smoking the same way as I did the thoughts of drinking. Recognize them, and separate from them, Accept that you are going to get them once in a while and that they are no big deal really, especially when you consider what you are giving up to smoke.

I decided I wanted to live large until I die, not gasping and wheezing for the next 30 years.

greens

I always quit the two at the same time! They are like peanut butter and jelly for Me, can't do one with it the other. ....well.....I can, but it's not as enjoyable. There r lots of quit smoking progrsms and tools have u been checking any out

greens

I seriously can't even emphasize in words how good it feels to quit smoking.....the sleep, the breathing, my hair gets shinier, SO MUCH extra energy I wasn't used to

NYCDoglvr

I was told it wasn't a good idea to stop smoking in the first year and I quit at 18 months. Was a heavy smoker and it was torture for some time. Used the gum and it helped a lot.

soberlicious

I quit smoking about 6 years after I quit drinking. That's way too long. I was told not to do both at once and man did my addiction love that!! That's crap and kept me smoking.

As for the cravings, don't be afraid. EXPECT THEM. Be ready, cuz they will come. But if you're ready then you're safe.

I did that. I fortified myself with a plan and then when I quit I was like "bring it, b*tch". Never caved once and it's been almost 3 years.

It's feels AMAZING to be a non smoker. I smoked for almost 30 years and convinced myself I loved it. That was a lie. I'm not a slave to anything.

You're more than capable of doing this if you so desire. Best to you. xo

uncle holmes

I quit smoking after 5 years of sobriety. I used the nicotine gum to help me quit and it definitely helped me quit. I also went on an intense physical workout routine and took up powerlifting.

But I had a compulsive habit of oral fixation after I quit. I was always sucking on tic tacs and other candies for many years after quitting smoking.

And that lead to many trips to the dentist for cavities, fillings and root canals!

I finally got wise and now only chew sugarless gum.

gaffo

I quit smoking long before I quit drinking. Smoking just made me feel like an idiot and it was very expensive, even twenty years ago. Quitting was horrible but I have some tips/observations:
*You absolutely will feel better. The cravings will go away. Just give it time. Just don't smoke. Like quitting drinking, the key is really just don't take that first smoke. Ride it out. The craving will pass. Each craving will get a little easier to deal with than the last.
*I got patches but gave them to a friend, who still smokes! The good thing about the patches was that at the time I had to get a prescription for them so I had to go tell a doctor that I was quitting smoking. I don't know why but that made it official. In general, though, I don't like the idea of more nicotine.
*Get mad at smoking. It is trying to kill you. It is NOT your friend. It is trying to kill you. Don't let it whisper sweet nothings to you. It doesn't make you look cool and it never did. It makes you look dumb and trapped. Once you break through it gets easier to see how bad smoking is. Most of us started when we were young and dumb and now we can't quit.
*If you can quit drinking you can quit smoking.

Jeni26

Yes, and I'm very nearly 2 years smoke free now. I quit using AVRT and I've never looked back.

I never thought I could do it but it really is possible.

BwanaWill

Hi, It may well be too much to quit both at the same time, that's certainly what they have told my GF who's in rehab at the moment for her alcohol dependency but I have recently switched from smoking to vaping and found the transition fairly easy and feel much better for it. Currently cutting back the nicotine level with a view to giving up. Determined not to get too into vaping though. It's about breaking cycles. I know smoking is a trigger to drink for my GF and am encouraging her to try vaping but she's relucant to do so at the moment. She's been advised to wait 2 years before she tackles her smoking. good luck

George89

It feels weird to be both a non smoker and a non drinker. Its like, what the hell do I actually do? That's what people tend to ask. Its like, almost an impossibility to neither drink nor smoke, because its just so radically healthy to do so that it is almost some kind of social derision.

The smoking is just like the drinking in that it brings us no real benefits, and its just that we are caught up in a trap, and become so used to it we completely forget how disgusting a habit it really is.

Its certainly a strange world we live in. For me, they go hand in hand, either I'm doing both or doing neither. Its just a shame that my social life has revolved around drinking and smoking for long, as you suddenly wonder what the hell you are going to do instead.