SDH73

I'm on day 12 with no alcohol. I've been smoking cigarettes over the last few months, though. I'm up to almost a pack a day. For the last few years I've smoked during the fall and winter months and then just stop sometime in the spring and don't smoke at all during the summer. I want to stop now for my health and because cigs are ridiculously expensive here ($9-10 a pack). Would like to see that money I would be spending on booze doing something productive, not feeding another habit.

My question is this: does quitting smoking stand to threaten my sobriety?

For the last couple of months I've thought that since I'm quitting drinking I could allow myself this crutch for a while, but it's just so unhealthy and expensive! And, a pack a day?! That's more than I've ever smoked in the past and am concerned that if I don't nip it in the bud this will be the year that I don't quit in the spring.

Any thoughts or comments on this topic would be helpful. Thanks!

SDH73

Follow up. I was thinking that I would quit smoking after a month of sobriety when I'm feeling more confident. But I just smoked the last cig I have and thought maybe I should just go with it now.

ScottFromWI

The addiction is the same, but nicotine withdrawals are a lot different than alcohol. You don't have to worry about much of the physical withdrawal that you get when quitting alchol, it's a lot more mental.

I would say if you feel like you can do it why not? I quit nicotine before alchol and i'm very glad that I did.

ru12

Cigarette smoking is deadly. Tobacco kills more people than alcohol and all other drugs combined.

SDH73

Thanks for the input!

I think I'll make this a "loose quit". Meaning that I won't buy another pack before work tonight. Then, I'll be at work until at least midnight. If I ABSOLUTELY need a smoke after that then maybe I'll relent. Hopefully not.

I don't think I have a physical addiction to nicotine, but the act of smoking is definitely habit now. In the past it's just been white-knuckling through about 3 days and then I'm in the clear. The problem as I see it is that this time I can't drink over it.

brynn

Sdh....that is exactly how I quit smoking almost a year ago! Ran out of cigarettes and just didn't buy anymore. It wasn't this big planned out event or date marked on the calendar...I was just sick of smoking. I got through the first few weeks chewing lots of gum and keeping hard candy and blow pops around. I haven't smoked since!
And with the money I saved not buying cigs I bought a new car!!

I say go for it!!

omenapt

i quit over a year ago after brief stint in rehab so at least i am not dealing with that as well as the alcohol. With the health issues that have arisen over the year, had i still smoked, i probably would have already croaked!

Soberwolf

My brother is on day 6 no ciggarettes and he said its just a mental thing

No i dont think it would harm your sobriety