Marius76

Day 27 here, my plan was to quit both drink and cigarettes. I know the problem for me was alcohol, I was addicted, I smoked every time I drank, when I wasn't drinking I wasn't smoking... (following!?)

So now the problem is I have started having the odd cigarette here and there to take my alcohol cravings/thoughts away, and it kind of helps. But I don't want to smoke either, I am not a heavy smoker but just worry I'll become one again if I am to continue being sober.

My options seem to be:
1) Quit smoking and deal with the consequences
2) Smoke a little bit, try and give up in a month
3) Smoke and continue being a smoker

Maybe this seems a little trivial considering some have dealt with drug addiction on top of this - but I would love to hear from any of you who've successfully quit both drink and cigarettes AND how you did it!

justhadenough

I have no help but just wanted to say I am the same. An ex smoker who occasionally smokes. I don't like smoking whilst drinking and having a cig immediately takes away any craving for a drink.

My idea was that alcohol is worse than smoking in the sense that, whilst smoking is bad for my health, it is not a mind altering substance. My sole aim is to stop drinking, anything else is a bonus. So I told myself I could smoke if I needed to take the edge off the drink cravings. In my first week I had a few cigs but by week 2 I had lost interest -it was almost like a stepping stone.

Good luck!

newleaves2012

maybe you could keep some hard candy around. when I quit cigarettes I tried to have jolly rancher candy on hand to pop in. the cigarette urge comes and goes in a matter of minutes. great job on 27 days! don't let those cigs screw that up.

camedown

My smoking went up when I quit drinking too, but I didn't bother trying to quit smoking, the booze had to go at all cost. Good luck man.

Bikeguy

I quit drinking February 8th of 2011 & threw out the smokes on October 28th 2011. I knew I couldn't quit both at the same time and keep my sanity so I picked the less of the 2 evils (smoking for me) to hang onto for a while longer. I went cold turkey on the cigarettes. I did make sure I had gum and mints available at all times. The first week was the worst by far but for me it was easier than quitting alcohol. With alcohol I feared for my life during detox and with the cigarettes if was just a cranky jerk. The good thing is after going through all that hell I feel better now than I have for years. It's not easy but it is so worth it!

desertsong

I'm right with you, Marius. Day 28 for me and I'm smoking more than ever. I thought I would try giving up the cigarettes when I quit drinking but it was too much for me to handle at once. I'm a "give-up-one-addiction-at-a-time" kinda gal. So I figured I'd worry about my smoking once I had at least 3-6 months sobriety and not put too much pressure on myself. It was more important for me to quit the booze first.

saphira

I tried to quit both at the same time and it did not work! Not only did I give in to smoking but I started drinking again as well. I think it was just too much at once for me-- I felt completely empty. I'm usually an "all or nothing" girl, but this time I just need to do whatever I have to to COMPLETELY get rid of the liquor. If that means I need to smoke for awhile longer, than I will. I know that for some people they need to get rid of both at once; that psychologically their brain treats the addictions the same. For me, though...one thing at a time.

Fenris

I've been a pack-a-day smoker for twenty years and I'd like to quit this year, but I don't hate myself enough to have tried to quit the smokes at the same time as the booze. Maybe after nine months to a year of sobriety. Like Bikeguy said, the smoking seems the lesser of two evils to me (I've never been arrested or thrown **** across the house because I had one too many cigarettes).

--Fenris.

Marius76

So as I kind of hoped/thought it seems like the general consensus is to keep things as they are, bikeguy, fenris, saphira, dessertsong, camedown and justhadenough... I am CERTAINLY continuing with the sobriety, and continuing (for now) with the lesser of two evils, I'll tackle the smoking issue in a few months, meanwhile, has anyone seen my lighter?

Marius says a big thank you guys.

AnodyneShift

I've had a similar experience-- I was drinking myself to sleep every night, and smoking maybe a half a pack of cigarettes each day.

I'm happy and proud to say it's been over 5 1/2 months since my last drink...but I'm smoking closer to a pack and a half.

I hate it, want to quit, remember how happy I was during the 8 months I quit a couple years ago....
but my sponsor is part of that echo that tells me to just hang on to my sobriety and quit smoking in another couple months.

So it goes...

Good luck!

D

MustStop

Right there with you all. Smoked 7-9 cigs during the day then mow through 12 more when drunk at night. Now that I tossed the booze I was almost up to a pack a day as a coping mechanism. Although even that I feel is waning now but yes, its true that your smoking will increase during these times. So be it, just quit them later on.

Strangedays

totfit

Actually, the likely scenario is 1 or 3. Cigarettes are extremely addictive and well, we all know the end result. It is your choice though. Clean and sober or dry and smoking.

nel68

Marius, I smoked a lot when I drank.. like chained smoked.. but that was about the only time I smoked real heavy. Now I drink my coffee like I drank my alcohol and have about 4/5 cig.s in the morning and once in awhile one in the afternoon. It does seem to help my alcohol cravings. I remember years ago I was talking to this guy at work and he said "I think I drank just to smoke"(he had quit) I thought that was crazy at the time....now I don't.. cause the smoking went hand and hand when I drank.. I chain smoked!!. .. I don't think I can quit now...but gonna work on it soon. I had a friend that smoked for 50+ years and used a electronic cig. to help her.

Dee74

I was a smoker when I drank...by the end that was all day anyway but I was glad to give the two up at once, and had no trouble.

Other people I know have had great trouble.

The good thing is there's a lot of quit programmes around when you think it's time

D