[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Just one question though to successful quitters, how do you deal with not smoking during that occasional alcohol session with friends or at an office party/outing?

Congratulations and keep it going. If you see your friends light up just think of them being the fools. This is what Allen Carr says and it works.

[heydj]

Had quit smoking almost 9 months back. Happy to say i am no longer a smoker.

Now even standing with someone smoking is okay and so is parties. While everyone smokes, I enjoy coffee!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Smoking in certain circumstances is just a habit thing. Breaking it is part of the whole giving-up thing.

If you keep at it (and congratulations so far) you'll gradually find it easier to be a nonsmoker in all circumstances.

Oddly, my biggest thing was smoking and fresh air!

[atnyia]

Originally Posted by Oxy

have smoked my last stick on 30th September (hopefully). Been 3 full days now and counting...

How are you doing now? The first week is hard due to cravings. The first month is the test of the resolve as there will be a lot of triggers - the place/time/event that triggers you to light up. It affects mood as well. It makes one crankier, snappier for a while. You might feel the urge to light up when you are stressed, because of your bad moods. So, it's not easy. The key is to identify that you are having a trigger and then replace the pattern. i.e get a coffee, get to munch some snacks. Perhaps, the best way is to take WFH for a month and remain underground.

Just one question though to successful quitters, how do you deal with not smoking during that occasional alcohol session with friends or at an office party/outing?

Ideally, avoid partying for a while. Not long, but maybe 3-4 weeks. You won't get the urge to smoke while drinking. Then still, you need to say no to people who might offer repeatedly.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by atnyia

Ideally, avoid partying for a while.

Wise words. Of all the people who started smoking again (after quitting), an alcohol-fuelled situation was part of 50% of them.

[goswami.j]

Nice & useful thread indeed. This is why the community is so useful to all its members, it is not just about vehicles.
On a related note, wanted to know if any member have successfully broken the alcohol addiction. I am not talking about the weekend binge but regularly habit forming consumption even by well off , highly educated , cream of society members.
Would be quite helpful to share lessons if any. Believe councelling is most effective & joining AA if it exists in your city.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by atnyia

How are you doing now?

Turned out exactly how GTO said. Ended up smoking a couple yesterday.

So the clock has reset. A day completed today without one.

Will stay away from alcohol now at least for a month.

[Thad E Ginathom]

You haven't given up giving up. Good. A relapse and a smoke is certainly not desirable when giving up, but it is a lost battle, not a lost war.

But you have to know that, soon, that just-one mustn't happen, and you'll be... A non-smoker.

As to the alcohol connection, I offer you a two for one deal: give up both. Seriously? Not really . I didn't: I drank for several years after giving up smoking, and when I gave up drinking, there was no health issues, no addiction, I just stopped liking it.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by atnyia

Ideally, avoid partying for a while. Not long, but maybe 3-4 weeks. You won't get the urge to smoke while drinking. Then still, you need to say no to people who might offer repeatedly.

Yeah, true. When I quit cold turkey, a BIG factor in being able to stay off cigarettes was not even meeting my friends for 3 months after I quit. I would just go to work and come back home. Stayed in during weekends too. After a few months, I started meeting them, but outside of situations where I knew I'd start again. I would refuse to meet them at pubs or at chai addas or at their homes. Was really tough at the time, because that was during the peak of our 'partying' days! Watched a lot of movies with them instead, and am grateful that my smoking buddies understood and stayed my buddies. All of them have now quit too, I was the first.

But it worked. From a pack-a-day guy on weekdays (2 packs on pub-hopping and after-party Saturdays), I haven't had even a single puff for 14 years (and a month) this October.

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Turned out exactly how GTO said. Ended up smoking a couple yesterday.

So the clock has reset. A day completed today without one.

Will stay away from alcohol now at least for a month.

The way I dealt with it was by going even more to places or events which made it very hard to control. Took it as a challenge to come out of it without smoking and felt good.

A couple of challenges won like this and voila, you are in control.
Important thing is, to visit these instances with the intent to come out unscathed.

It always is different for different people. See what works out best for you.

[doxinboy]

OT: Guys, I need help regarding drinking. Is this thread doubles up for drinking issues, if not is there a dedicated thread for drinking issues.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by doxinboy

... ... ... drinking issues.

Are you talking about maybe drinking less to loose weight or to be fitter? Giving up or reducing a bad habit? Or facing something worse than that? One just takes a little willpower, the other is a much more serious problem.

If this is threatening to become an addictive problem, you need to get help urgently. Beat it before it beats you.

I can only tell a story, which I got from sitting next to a guy on a train, with whom I shared beating addiction stories: me, tobacco, him alcohol. I was very moved by his success.

He told me that it was a problem he had for years, and it had got so bad that he got more-or-less drunk before even getting up in the morning. Eventually, he took that essential step step of admitting he had a problem, and deciding to do something about it. He started to gather information, sources of counselling, treatment, methods of giving up... and thought, "OK, never mind all that, I'll just stop." He did. That's no small thing: "cold turkey," with alcohol, can be more like the origin of the term which comes from giving up heroin.

I just googled AA Bangalore: those people may be able to help you. Please also consult a medical specialist if one is available. Alcohol can kill you too, but it can ruin your life much quicker than nicotine does. I suppose I could tell stories about that too.

There is a fine line between regular drinking and addiction. Anyone who suspects that they are at, or over that line, should get help urgently.

All the best!

[doxinboy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Are you talking about maybe drinking less to loose weight or to be fitter? Giving up or reducing a bad habit? Or facing something worse than that?

Thanks Thad, I dont smoke, but used to drink hard liquor with "friends" two or three times a week, but it had become a habit and, drained my energy to the hilt. So, I quit drinking with friends, for almost 2 months now, and added gym regularly.

But, I am feeling weakening of my will power for being sober. Recently I drank 3 glass of wine two times within a week with my family, I didn't feel good about. Again yesterday evening, we were on a tour, and after my family slept, I went and gulped 3 large whiskey, alone. I am worried I may slip back to old days and I dont want that.

Again when I am with 'friends' they push me to consume, but I held my ground and sipped only water. Just last week, the day I posted on this thread, I was with this guy and he made a glass for me and pushed in front of me to drink. I almost grabbed the glass, but did not lift it. I was there for almost 2 hours in front of a glass full of whiskey, but I held my horses and feel proud about it.

The question is, I want to completely give up on this habit, it is not helping me in anyway, it is making my life miserable when I drink. Should I seek help through AA or is there any forum or thread that helps me to strengthen my will to abstain. For God's sake I want to quit. I almost feel like crying for touching whiskey yesterday, I shouldn't have done it.

Sorry for the long post

[Thad E Ginathom]

I am no expert, and certainly not a medical man, but many people drink alcohol every day (eg with food) and are not alcoholics.

It sounds to me like you just need a little willpower over the temptation, and even then, only when it is put in front of you.

My experience... First, I reduced drinking because I much preferred the freedom to drive myself home when I wished. Britain was very strict about such things. Later, I found that, more often than not, I got a headache rather than feeling good. Why pay money to get a headache? You say it takes your energy: just tell people you don't drink because you don't like the effect!

You can give up because you want to, rather than because you need to. You can also consider the health aspect: Not every drinker rots their liver or suffers any of the other ill effects, but, never mind the marketing folk, no amount of alcohol is good for you.

You may need to avoid the peer pressure by avoiding the drinking places for a while.

[Sanetrucker]

Feb 2018
Had a throat swelling which wasn't getting cured by OTC medicines of any sorts since 45-50 days. Throat was so bad I barely able to speak with lot of pain. Googled my condition and the images I saw of throat cancer were similar to what I was seeing in my throat when seeing the mirror.
Got really scared. Went to the doctor and literally asked her as how much time I have and at what stage I am on.
She examined and told to my relief that its Pharyngitis and not what i feared. But could turn into it if I don't quit smoking. Left smoking that day and switched to Nicotine gums.
Its another story that still on these gums even after almost 2 years.

Had been smoking for last 12 years. I am 36 as of Now.

Ashutosh