RainingInMyHead

It's been a long time in the making, but it starts today. I just can't go on living like this, drinking nearly every day, not remembering chunks of time, cutting myself off from those I love... all for alcohol... which, to be honest, I don't even like the taste of and never have. I'm also quitting cigarettes and caffeine. I want to give my mind and body a clean start from all mind-altering substances. I need to get myself back and live the life I deserve to live.

I've been reading here for a few weeks and have already gotten so much from it. I welcome any and all thoughts, comments, suggestions. I know it will be a long road and I'm excited for this new and sober journey.

awuh1

I wish you all the best but to quit eveything at once would have been too much for me. Whatever you decide I hope it works out well.

rainyengland

From one rainy to another welcome ! :-)

Wow-that really is a tall order quitting all at once - I have been sober 8 days now and really tough going but being on here as helped me no end- I now have self belief :-)

Good luck and keep posting your progress :-)

RainingInMyHead

Thanks for the welcome. I know it's a lot to take on at once, but when I drink I want to smoke and when I smoke I want to drink... so it's better for me to stop both simultaneously. I quit smoking for almost five years until one drunken night I smoked one and here I am three years later... I'm just so sick of it all.

rainyengland

I'm the same - what I have found is now I'm not drinking I'm not smoking as much which is good!!

One day I'm gonna have a crack at smoking but first things first for me! :-)

Sazzle

I have up smoking back in September but used to have the idd one when out with alcohol. I am just 5 weeks without alcohol and I feel amazing. Please consider giving up caffeine in January. You may need the odd one and if its that, or alcohol, chose the Starbucks! I don't drink any soda so when I hear caffeine I think of my beloved daily coffee at 10:30!

I wish you all the best. Stick around and join in the class of December where others are starting their journeys this month.

Nice to meet you!

S x

Burt

Good luck

Geenie

Hi RainingInMyHead

I stopped smoking and drinking 11 weeks ago. I did both at the same time because they have always been linked for me. Any attempt in the past to stop smoking whilst having a drink has failed after a few days/weeks and vice versa.

I have been trying to stop smoking now for 30 years, and the drinking, once a binge every so often at weekends, became nightly over the last 10 years. I was getting trashed every night on white wine and chain smoking whilst doing so, and then needing the whole of the next morning to recover, so that I could drive to get more cigarettes and wine for that night.
The reason I bought only a day's supply at a time, was that every single day was going to be my last time of doing this, especially when I felt so ill I was almost fainting and dripping with sweat. Tomorrow I would definitely stop.

11 weeks ago I had enough. I was sick of the piteous and knowing looks from the checkout people every time I approached the till with my strong as I could find wine, or the shutters being pulled back on the cigarette kiosk, and my brand being pulled out before I even got to the till, as I was so well known in this very large establishment!
Mainly I was now scared of what was happening health wise from both and the fact that when I looked in the mirror, the changes to my face scared me. No amount of makeup was covering the fact that I looked like one of those old crinkled skin smokers/ drinkers I always thought I would never look like in my youth, complete with voice getting deeper.

It has been an incredibly difficult 11 weeks at times. Just when you think you are getting over one hurdle another gets in your way. I had the most awful anxiety come from no where at the start of this week, and couldn't stop crying for a few days, and times when I feel so down it is a struggle to get dressed. BUT, for all this I have never felt so free and happy in my life as I do now. The reason that this time has been different for me is that I have made myself mentally stronger to cope when the voices have come in my head. I will not accept them saying to me "you will always be an addict Geenie"

Among the many things I have done to stay stopped, I used NRT patches for the first few weeks, I read Allen Carrs book on smoking, I have read books by Thich Nhat Hanh on dealing with anger, mindfulness and meditation. I found forums, firstly a stop smoking one in the UK which helped but didn't unfortunately address the alcohol problem, and then about 7 weeks ago SR, which I have been coming on to every single day and reading the posts. I have a series of mantras in my head which I say over and over when I feel an urge coming, and have written several powerful sentences down in a little note book which I keep in my handbag when out and in need of some help.


And finally, I have avoided any situation where there could be a trigger for me, so I am not going to any Xmas parties this year and have no alcohol in the house. It has been and continues to be difficult, but each day I get stronger. My family thought I could never do this and so did I. Despite the anxiety and other feelings that creep up at at odd times, I have never felt so free and happy my entire adult life as I do right now, no longer a slave every hour of the day to smoke and drink.

rainyengland

Hi Geenie

Can I ask which forum you used for quitting smoking ?

Thanks :-)

Dts

Great job on deciding to quit drinking!!!!!!!!
And the others, but that's a tall order. I wish you the best in your choice.

Welcome to the next greatest day of your life!!!!!

Geenie

WeQuit, though this site and addressing the drinking has proved to be more usefu for mel. I think it is because smoking is not so visible in the UK now, what with shutters on the kiosk and none allowed inside venues any more. You feel more of a pariah lighting up, none of my friends still smoke, whereas alcohol is everywhere and impossible to avoid or think about every day.