lovemesomeokra

I started smoking when I was 13 and drinking when I was 14. That was back in the days when we still used dinosaurs for transportation so, yeah, I've got some serious time in. I've tried to quit both off and on over the decades, never successfully. Whenever I've tried to give up alcohol before I've hung on to the smokes thinking it would be too stressful to do both at once.

This time my thinking is different. I'm on day four of sobriety and I'm thinking that as long as I'm gonna have to suffer through dealing with my evil AV for a while, wouldn't it make sense to kill two birds with one stone and just let my NV (nicotine voice) have at it at the same time? Am wondering y'all's experience with quitting both at the same time?

Dee74

You'll get a wide variety of views on this one

I did both at once - it seemed to make sense to me as I mainly smoked when I drank anyway.

Others find that too hard, and thats fair enough too.

Try the both, and if you become a gibbering wreck, reconsider?

D

IOAA2

For myself the pains of stopping drinking were almost overwhelming for a couple weeks. If I added stopping smoking I can't imagine the side effects combining. I was smoking 3 packs a day for a few years and tried stopping many time but don't do pain well. A couple of years after drinking was no longer part of my life, using the programs actions I stopped one day out of the blue with NO withdrawal symptoms. Go figure! That was over 30 years without a desire for either.

BE WELL

Ghostlight1

Weird you would mention this. I started drinking at 14, too. Didn't smoke a cigarette until I was 22, but got hooked. I'm 54 now and just stopped smoking ten days ago. I'm using Nicotrol and it helps greatly.
I've been sober three years three months now, so I didn't quit both at the same time.
I think yours is a good idea, if you can do it. Or maybe the old one vice at a time if it gets too overwhelming.

I wish you luck.

Ruby2

Good for you. I wish I had done both. Still smoking and have to quit. Haven't been able to wrap my head around not smoking.

resolute50

I quit smoking 17 years ago and just recently quit drinking last July.
At the time I thought that smoking was having a bigger impact on my health.
Besides when it got to $2 a pack it was crazy to pay that much to kill myself.
Besides,I'm cheap.

LBrain

I quit tobacco in rehab. On the way home I stopped at the first convenience store and reloaded. If they would have left me stay longer I maybe would have had a better hold on it. But IT IS MY NEXT ENEMY TO CONQUER! It does terrible things to the body.

rove27

I know what you are going through because I struggled with both addictions for years. I quit smoking and drinking replaced it, then I quit drinking and I would pick up smoking, the best was doing both! The two go hand in hand, I think it is the same part of the brain that deals with addiction/rewards.
I have been sober for almost three months, and I think about cigarrettes all the time. I quit smoking several times, the last time was the least painless and easiest. I bought this book called the easy way to quit smoking, by Allen Carr commited to a date and quit. I next tackled my drinking and stopped. Wishing you luck on stopping these evils!

KateL

I did one thing at a time. Drink first and then after some decent sober time cigarettes.xxxx

DG0409

I didn't quit them at the same time, but within a couple of months of each other. I think when we have the momentum in our lives from making one positive change it can be easier in some ways to use that momentum to tackle the next positive change.

I read an article that said that drinkers who quit drinking but continued smoking showed less improvements in brain function than those that quit drinking and smoking. So quitting both together will help your brain to heal faster and you'll probably start feeling better sooner.

This thread may be of help to you or any others quitting or looking to quit smoking: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-part-4-a.html

Holli

Both at once sounds HARD!! Do you seriously love okra -- lol, it is one of those vegetables I don't care for. :-)

Low

I stopped both at once. For me, cigarettes were just another addiction that I stuffed my feelings behind, and I wanted to be sober AND clean...but the main reason was that smoking was a huge trigger for alcohol for me as I did them both so much together, and I was willing to go to any lengths to stop drinking, so no smoking triggers...SO glad I did it that way....All the best.

lovemesomeokra

Y'all are terrific, this feedback is so helpful! Thanks for the link, DG, I'll check it out. And yes Holli, lol, I def love me some boiled okra. Is my fave veggie. I know that grosses like 90% of people out but, hey, it is what is it

Dan1888

I gave up smoking years ago. However when I drink i crave cigarettes and ALWAYS end up smoking when im drinking. When Im sober I dont feel like smoking at all, strange but true.

So if I dont drink I dont smoke. The hard part is not drinking of course but I think I might be starting to deal with my urges to binge drink and im managing to keep the AV under control so far.

DG0409

Have you ever tried it fried with ranch dressing? It's the only way I've ever had it and I thought it was pretty edible.