[behappynow]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how to avoid drinking alcohol and smoking on a regular basis, sometimes excessively, to cope with my mood problems. I feel guilty when I do these things, especially because I feel like alcoholism runs in my family. I don't want to go down that path. I try to resist, but I'm not very successful at it.

[Mygrandjourney]

Hi: Thanks for asking for help. There is much shared wisdom here that you can benefit from if you're ready to make changes. The easiest place to start is with your environment, otherwise known as "people, places and things" Either rearranging the setting where you do most of the drinking and smoking or avoiding it altogether would be one place to start. Let us know.

[Angelique67]

Yes, you got some great advice already. I just would add, if it's hard to quit smoking, try vaping instead. Feel free to pm me if you want to talk more about that.

[SillyKitty]

An intensive outpatient program might help a lot.with the drinking at any rate. I also take Campril to help with the cravings. And there's meds that will make you violently ill if you drink while taking it. I'm still smoking, so I'm no help there.

[spondiferous]

I am an alcoholic, so for me the drinking had to go first. When I felt like I kind of had a grip on that, about 8-9 months after I quit, I attempted to quit smoking. I made it six months, then relapsed for 1/2 day, and haven't smoked since. It's been 7 1/2 years. It's different for everyone, but I think what really helped me was applying my newfound knowledge of addiction to my problem with smoking. There's a million books, programs, replacements, etc, to help people quit smoking, and I've quit successfully before (though I kept going back to it, largely because of drinking; I can't drink and not smoke, for me the two go hand in hand), but my true and final success came when I realized that I cannot smoke because I'm addicted to it, and because I can't control my smoking, ultimately; that's the nature of addiction.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. That's just what worked for me. Lots of people use gum, vapes, programs, patches. I say do whatever works. And really, really focus on the reason you do it, and change it. So like, not only take a look at what you feel when you would typically smoke/drink, but also your patterns in smoking/drinking, and begin to create new ones.
As for drinking, just like smoking, total abstinence has been the only way that's ever worked for me. I've tried cutting down, and I've tried all kinds of other things--changing where I drink, what I drink, how I drink, with whom I drink, when I drink--but the problem for me is twofold:

1.) just by knowing that alcohol is an option, it doesn't matter how long I go between drinks; I will eventually pick up again, and because alcoholism runs on both sides of my family, and, more importantly, I have a predisposition to choose alcohol before anything else every single time, well. You probably get the picture.

2.) as soon as I get one of anything in me I want more, and I won't stop until I am stopped by either inside or outside forces. I will take it as far as I possibly can and then some.

It can be really tricky with people with a mental health diagnosis. I am beginning to realize this now. When I quit drinking and smoking, I was yet to receive a diagnosis. I thought I was 'normal' other than just being an alcoholic/addict. If you need help, I really suggest you get it any way that you can, whether it's counsellors, groups, what have you. It is so important to reach out. Especially as you say if you're already struggling with it, but you're not at the point where it's a full-blown compulsion. I am always here to talk, if you need. There's not too much I haven't tried. Best of luck to you.

[kiwi33]

I am an in-remission alcoholic (psychologically, not physically addicted). I still get urges to drink, less commonly nowadays.

When that happens I use the "one day at time" approach. I say to myself "Tomorrow you can get drunk. But, not today though. Today you will be sober." I repeat that the next day and the next day and the next day..., until the urges subside.

[notz]

behappynow, are you drinking on top of your current medications?? Gosh, I hope not. That could be some seriously bad combinations with alcohol...does your prescriber know of your alcohol abuse?

Lithium 900 mg, Vyvanse 60 mg (twice per day), Clonazepam (Klonopin) 3 mg, Haldol 2-4 mg + Ativan (Lorazepam) 1-2 mg for facing specific phobias

[behappynow]

Originally Posted by notz

behappynow, are you drinking on top of your current medications?? Gosh, I hope not. That could be some seriously bad combinations with alcohol...does your prescriber know of your alcohol abuse?

Yes, he is aware. I am careful to not drink when I take benzodiazepines