Advice on quitting social smoking welcomed
I have just decided to quit social smoking - smoking when I drink. I cannot imagine ever having a good time again when I drink. I have tried to do this many times and failed. Does anyone have any tips? Hypnotherapy? Visualisation? Meditation? Stopping drinking for a while or changing to a new drink? Any advice would be welcomed.
Very sound advice given Bron. Learn how to WANT to quit. Are you just kidding yourself when you claim to be a social smoker? Very few people can do that. I actually know one, but they are a rarity. Maybe you are still new at it and lucky enough to just walk away. If you have that simple choice, please do so. Read and learn how we get hooked, how to change your perception of smoking and believe that you can escape the tyranny. Learn how it controls you and your whole life......and doesn't do anything. It doesn't relieve stress, or boredom or give us confident. It does Nothing! Why do it for Nothing? Why take the chance of being addicted like the lot of us here who are so grateful to escape it after decades?
Does your cigarettes do tricks at the bar? How do they make drinking more enjoyable? Is it an image thing? Ask yourself why and be honest.
Welcome Bron, what is the pull for you to go out determined to have a drink and a smoke. Is it the drink? is it the smoke? is it the socializing with friends who do both?.
I can't help help but wonder why you still like to go outside somewhere for a smoke, or be only in the smokers circle,. To expand your horizons, your research needs to have all these questions answered. It could be Nicotine which is the addictive part of smoking, and keeps you being hooked....I had so many similar thoughts when I used this method.
When it came to actually wanting to give up smoking long term, my mind refused to accept this, because I had already said to myself I can take it or leave it. When you have asked yourself these questions and researched Nicotine more, then you will get your own answers.
Hi Bron, former social smoker here. Former in part because after 10+ years of having control and being able to have a cigarette occasionally while drinking eventually turned into a full on smoker last year and you WILL eventually find yourself there if you continue to be a social smoker.
I always had it controlled, always said I'd never let myself get to the point where I was having one everyday but, when stress and other factors piled up, having the occasional turned into, every so many days, then to every other day, and before I knew it, everyday. I let it go on for almost a year and just recently quit cold turkey on April 1st so, I'm only 11 days in and struggling HARD.
I'm also in the same boat as you, concerned about how I'll handle my next outing while others might be smoking. Is it going to ruin my entire time because I'll be so fixated on wanting one? My next concern is after a few drinks will I be as strong willed to continue declining the urge? Its hard to say but, what I do know right now is the anxiety and panic attacks I'm experiencing during my withdrawals from quitting far exceed my urge to want to place myself in a social smoking situation any time soon, if not ever again.
And to answer your question on if there's any drink options to help balance the smoking urge, I don't believe there is unfortunately. No matter what I've drank at gatherings where others were smoking, I always had at least one cigarette myself. I know I'll have a good time still while just drinking but, I'll be clinging to my best friend who doesn't smoke at all and avoiding ones who do to help me get through. I also know even the ones who do smoke are very understanding and know I've decided to do this and are willing to choose non-smoking environments or step away from me when they do smoke.
Hopefully this was even the tiniest bit helpful although, I'm sure it's not what you were hoping to hear. My closing advice is, if you're hoping to stop social smoking, avoid placing yourself in those environments for now.
Good luck mate,
-Abbie
Hi buddy. If your happy with yourself as an occasional smoker, well and good.
If your making excuses to smoke? you probably have an addiction!
Make a decision one way or another if your smoking is causing problems
You will decide before you die and its up to you, good luck also.
