EXM6

I'm sure this has been asked a thousand times over the years -- but lets give it one more go haha...

I'm a smoker and I also drink a ridiculous amount of caffeine... To the point that I almost wonder if I substitute caffeine for the alcohol. I would like to also cut these things out of my life right now. Good idea or bad? Experiences?

OneLessLonely

That's a tough one, I personally don't have experience with quitting more than one habit at a time. I quit smoking years before I even thought about quitting drinking. I think it's easier to fight one demon at a time rather than multiple demons coming in from different angles. I've heard people say once you relapse on one then you can relapse on the others because the other "sobrieties" are just as new and not any more solid. Even though the smoking, imo, is way unhealthier than the caffeine, I think the caffeine can fuel nervous energy/anxiety which can lead to the need for the old familiar ways of smoking or drinking to relax/calm down. On the other hand, rather than quitting a bunch of bad stuff, if you turn this into an overall health/wellness makeover and wanna take up yoga and mediation and healthy eating, then that would a great defense to the AV when it kicks in. But that seems like a huge undertaking. I'm sure others will be posting from actual experience, but those are thoughts to ponder while you wait.

suki44883

There are differing opinions on this. Some people think it's best to just quit it all at once and be done with it. Others believe it's best to take it one at a time.

When I was in medical detox, the doctor there told me not to attempt to quit smoking until I had a good six months of continuous sobriety under my belt. He said that many people overload themselves by trying to quit more than one thing at a time and end up relapsing on all of it. That made sense to me, so I didn't attempt to quit while I was in early sobriety.

Of course, this month will be 4 years of continuous sobriety for me and I still haven't tried to quit smoking.

Sapling

Yeah...Same thing for me..They told me in detox/rehab not to quit alcohol and ciggs at the same time. Doctor told me I had enough on my plate with alcohol. I told myself I would quit at the one year mark. Positive thinking. I have just over 11 months and I haven't had a cigarette in a week today. I drank and smoked since I was a kid. I got one of those electronic cigarettes and I love it. You can smoke it anywhere. I picked a tobacco flavor and it has no smoke...Just steam...It's awesome. No ashes...No smell...No withdrawals. I hit on it in the grocery store...Restaurants....The bank...Meetings...In bed....Anywhere. Pretty cool. Lot cheaper too..Once you buy one. I don't have a problem with coffee...I like my two cups in the morning...That's it. But I have seen guys in AA that replaced alcohol with coffee...And energizer drinks...I'm high strung enough as it is without that.

Healthyfood

EXM6

I like coffee, I drink it like water. Im trying to quit smoking now. Not easy. I don't like smoking in public, so I do it at home by the window. Since it gets warm outside my neighbors have their windows open, so I can't smoke. I wait till its late in the evening and then have some.
So I will quit when my neighbor leaves the window open all night.

dr4t7

I am a smoker (about a pack a day) I just recently quit drinking. It has been difficult and I'm not sure that it would be any easier if I tried to quit smoking at the same time. I agree with the earlier post that it would probably be easier to relapse on the drinking if I relapsed and had a smoke while trying to quit both. So I am sticking with just cutting out the booze for now.

CaiHong

I like onelesslonely's idea,
a complete wellness program. I also gave up smoking years before I quit drinking, I would definitely be doing the e cigarettes though as Sapling suggested.

I found giving up smokes the same as giving up alcohol in that you really have to decide that you hate it, what it is doing to your health,the expense and so on.

My only vice is coffee, I notice I am starting to use it like I would alcohol. I am very aware of this though and am observing myself, what is happening when I want a coffee apart from the usual morning one, how it effects me, anxiety levels, too many and I am hperactive and off the deep end.
At 9 months sober I went onto a raw food diet, lost weight felt good and energized, cut out coffee altogether, did this for 4 weeks. It got me over eating cakes, ice creams and chocolates which I was doing to excess.
I am a year sober and I enjoy a healthy lifestyle, smoking and junk food are not rewards or pleasures, just as alcohol is not a reward or pleasure for me now.

I have a dwindling supply of Vietnamese ground coffee that I just love, other coffee just doesn't have the appeal.
I used to be a tea drinker when I was drinking, I suspect I like the caffeine hit.

CaiHong

kricket68

Wow amazing. I wanted to post this exact same thing yesterday! Thank you. I will have to give up on caffeine in 3 days (rehab) but even my own doc told me (not advice for everyone else, ymmv) not to attempt to quit smoking till sometime after I get back. She just said "be mindful of how much you smoke in rehab". I was shocked. She is usually nagging me all the time to quit smoking.

~Kricket

Dee74

I gave up everything at once - drinking smoking and drugs - and that certainly worked well for me...but I think everyone needs to make up their own mind on this.

D

oldsoul1122

I ended an an addictive relationship with an abuser....sugar and junk food....unhealthy friendships....... about 7 weeks and feeling great!

jstar

i've been fighting the same issue. to quit or not quit smoking! i KNOW i should quit smoking but being so early in sobriety seems like not the right time to withdrawl on everything at the same time! besides hang outside after an AA meeting & you'll be standing around 20 smokers...makes it even harder! i have an e-cig too, blueberry & chocolate flavors are my fave, but it's hard to switch completely over. Guess i have to make up my mind to just switch!

Jeni26

Same here. I smoke and eat unhealthily, don't do any exercise and the only positive step I've taken is giving up alcohol.
I know what I SHOULD do, but I'm tackling it little by little. Really don't think I could do it all at once, and protecting my sobriety is the priority at the moment!

Sapling

Do it when you are ready jstar....Take care of alcohol first. I waited till I had done the steps and I had enough faith in my program that I was ready. That was 11 months for me....I had worked the steps by 3 months...But I wanted to be comfortable living in them before tackling another life long addiction for me. Give time time. Use the E cigg as much as you can...But take care of alcohol first...It will ruin you...Or kill you....faster than tobacco..

Luling

I don't know what it's like being addicted to cigarettes, but you guys who quit smoking and drinking at the same time amaze me!

I've cut out junk food for a while, allowing myself the occasional treat. I'm on this 21 day plan just to get jump start things, then I'll see what needs to be done after that. I don't know how much weight I've dropped, but yesterday I had to wear a belt to keep my shorts up.

I've also been exercising like a demon, but I've always been at least somewhat active. The exercising is really about trying to work off the craving though, not so much about changing a habit.

So, yeah. Not as difficult as giving up cigs.

Sapling

Like I said before...I waited because my doctor told me too....I listened to him. I'm finally figuring out why I have stayed sober for the longest time in my life....Since I was 12 or 13....I'm doing something I never did before...Ever. I'm listening to people that know more than I do...And I'm taking action on their suggestions...What a concept for me to grasp. I'm finally understanding it. My way doesn't work.

Luling

It does seem like a lot of stress to take on all at once. It was smart of you to listen to your doctor's advice and cool that you were brave enough to open up to him/her about this.

Sapling

How are you doing today Luling?...You hanging in there?....You only have to do one thing. Don't drink today...No matter what.

Luling

I'm fine, Sapling, thanks. My moods are swinging like mad, but I hear that's to be expected, so I'm being patient about it. And I won't drink today, no matter what.

EXM6

Thanks for all the advice guys... I think I'm gonna do it!

I just got the ok from my doctor to go jogging again, something I absolutely love to do... So I'm just going to get in there. I'm not going to be a stickler about the caffeine though. If I go out for dinner and want a Pepsi -- I'm going to do that -- it's better than the glass, or eight, of red wine I would have had before. But the smoking thing -- I'm gonna do it up. I have a few boxes of the patch from the last time I quit, might as well use them.

haha wish me luck!!

Sapling

Of course I wish you luck...I guess if you feel like you are going to cave in on one...Make it the tobacco....Not the alcohol.