How to stop smoking when drinking?

D'Agger

waitinforatrain wrote: »

Have a little story that might help you. Started new job a while back. No shop there so I decided not to bring cigs to work and I wouldn't smoke.

As you know, it's really easy to develop associations with tobacco. When I'd drink coffee at work, I'd get this INTENSE urge for a smoke, but there were none around to smoke. This went on for about two weeks. I didn't notice it stopping, but after a while I've unlinked the association. I guess my brain just gave up when it knew it wasn't happening.

I've had the same experience as yourself - tried to stop when I went working for the summer in an office job - when you don't have them it's just a case of get over it!! Chewing gum helps the cravings too...unfortunately I've gone back to them! I've been outa football for about 2 years with injury but & I quit when I was able to start training - (going to the gym helps too FYI), then fractured a bone in my leg playing tag rugby of all sports - was in A&E for 4/5 hours with no ipod or book going out of my mind - got my mate to get me cigarettes stating I'd hobble for them if needs be! That said when I can start working in the gym again after this injury - I'll have learned alot on how to get a system that works in place!

stevie1122

Thought I would post here rather than starting another thread. I recently gave up smoking I wasn't a big smoker just 3 - 4 a day. But my main problem now is stopping when im drinking I find it so difficult I have only managed to drink once in the last 10 years without smoking and I was crawling out of my skin that day all I could think about was having a smoke. If that's how ill feel now every time I drink without smoking then its just simply not worth it.

I know people say it's willpower which is what I used to give up smoking when sober but as anyone who drinks knows it's a different story when your drunk. Sure don't they say to people in NA not to drink because it's the most likely time you will have a relapse.

Anyway I just wondering if anyone from this thread has managed to give them up while drinking and if so how? I might try what another poster said weening myself off with patches or even those vapour things smokers seem to use now. But I don't think it's Nicotine I mostly crave it's just more the actual enjoyment of smoking the cigarette with a drink and the little head rush it gives you where you feel drunker for about 10 or 15 minutes more than you did before you started smoking.

Also I never really get hangovers but over the last few years I have started getting the fear but whats even worse is after a nights drinking I feel really down the next day similar to a very mild come down but it's starting to get worse i'm not a person that ever really gets depressed when sober so I also find this very hard to handle and it's getting to stage where I don't want to drink anymore because of the thoughts of the next day but that's not really an option because then I wouldn't be able to go out anymore to pubs and clubs because theres nothing worse then trying to have a conversation with a drunk person when your sober. Anyway I was just wondering if cutting out smoking will make this go away or a least lessen the effect of it so it's easier to handle.

And also I only drink socially I was out drinking last night I could be out drinking again tonight or I might not have a drink for another two months it just depends on what's going on. So the suggestion some people already made about staying off drink for 3 or 4 weeks won't work for me. Theres been time where I haven't drank for 6 weeks then after 3 or 4 pints the urge for a smoke comes right back again just as bad as before.

The Wild Bunch

As Bizarre as it sounds, I now drink bottles instead of pints of beer and I havent had a cigarette with a drink since April - that's 3 months.

Don't even get a craving and the hangovers are not nearly as bad.

Babooshka

Rocky7 wrote: »

I started eating crisps or peanuts instead. Anything to keep my hands busy.

Noty a good idea you'll pile on the weight and get high cholesterol from nuts. Why not take up worry beads or something? You're just swapping one bad addiction for another. Sorry I don't mean to sound preachy preachy but you're doing yourself wrong there.

I am off the smokes two years and while I have taken up eating a little more (I hardly ate when I smoked I was thinner but so unhealthy) I haven't gained that much, and you don't have to go back on them if you don't want to. I still sometimes crave one, but the trick is to just ignore it, it's like the little devil and the little angel on your shoulder. when you listen to the little angel and you wake up the next morning the feeling is amazing when you realise your didn't cave to your weaker side.

You can do it. I did it cold turkey while planning a wedding, if you can do it under stress you can do it and not go back on them, I say. It's up to you, you can do anything you put your mind to. Try not to get too drunk though while you're getting used to abstaining from them, keep your willpower high and your inhibitions switched on, for now!!