Smoking and drinking. After 50 years
May 9th, 2011
To stop smoking (ten weeks in now) I used nicotine inhalers supplied for free on the National Health. they were much better than patches or other cures (for me) as they have an instant effect and did not, of themselves form a new habit.
But I'm now drinking more at the pub and at home – which cannot go on as I become both tired and anti-social.
Has anyone had this experience and, more important, how did you manage to cut down?
For those still on the weed good luck on Sunday – I hope it isn't raining again!!!
Why do you drink a lot? – what deep issues do you have?
Think about that one.
I reccomend you go to a spa in Austria for a week.
Well firstly well done on stopping smoking. after so many years of it that is quite an achievement.
There's nothing wrong with a wee drink every now and then but if you want to cut down then you have to limit your visits to the pub – maybe 2-3 times a week and when you go try and stick to a limit of say 2-3 pints only. when at home try drinking a glass of red wine with your evening meal – it's very good for you and you do aquire a taste for it even if you initially don't like it! Don't keep any drink in the house otherwise you will probably end up just drinking it! Why not get a hobby that doesn't involve drink? try going out a walk and testing your newly freshened lungs or take up swimming – many places do an over 50's only hour at the pools so it's a great place to meet other people like you.
Congratulations! You must have terrific will power, so I'm sure that will help you reduce your alcohol intake too. How about setting yourself weekly targets – e.g this week no more than (say) four alcoholic drinks a day, next week three and so on. If you meet your target give yourself a treat – e.g.a meal out, a sports outing. get your friends to support you – or even sponsor you for charity – that's always a good motivator. Good luck!
Congratulations on quiting the smokes!!!! i quit 11 months ago & i smoked for far too many years & i used patches for 5 months & the last box i got i cut the patch into 4 so thats why 5 months but i still feel like one now & then but i just love the extra money & yes its said habits are not broken they are only replaced & you took to the grog well i took to here the internet but this site now i have found it lol my hubby hated the way he was when he was drinking so he just quit so you can do likewise & just stay on here its very addictive hahah 
good luck
nobody likes a quitter, you need to see this addiction through, it has made you the man you are today
good luck
cool for giving up, i know it can be hard.
you need to get out and do other things really, maybe join a club of something that you enjoy that has regular meets.
maybe Skydiving or something?
Congratulations on the smoking. fantastic achievement. I'm one of the many that will be giving up tomorrow – just hope it sticks this time!
Just an idea, but I'd take up something else, something new. perhaps join a gym (and go regularly – it becomes easy after a couple of weeks), take up a new hobby or even come up with an idea for a small business that you could run for a few hours a week. theres lots of other things to do – you just have to pick one.
I chose going to the gym and after 6 months, my life is altogether more healthy and my waistline is 6 inches better.
Well done you, i have been of the weed nearly a year and a half,the drinking is still unhealthy to say the least,but like the fags for me i should stop drinking now,but i do not know what i would do instead.I am very lazy.think how long you want to live that might help.
Why are you drinking more? do you really find it necessary. If you can't just say, 'to hang with it', maybe you are getting a dependancy on that as well. Talk to your doc or try AA (not the road rescue )
It's easier to replace a habit with a habit than it is to lose a habit.
The thing nicotine inhalers have in common with cigarettes & alcohol is that they're taken orally.
If I were you – and I acknowledge that I'm not – I would either look into reasons why I find putting things in my mouth to be enjoyable/ comforting/ stimulating/ affirming/ whatever it is you are getting from it.
Or I'd start chewing gum.
Helen
Ten weeks, 3 hours and 4 minutes….I know the feeling but well done you. do you feel fitter? If you can quit smoking then you can quit boozing by doing something else instead of going to the pub. And be careful not to replace smoking with another vice. I think smoking is by far the most addictive thing, people give up hard drugs but they still remain on the cigs. All the ex-smokers I know seem to be compelled to go to the gym or go jogging. I wonder why people just can't stop smoking and not have to replace it with something else?
I went to see this lady for reducing alcohol and stopping smoking. she reduced my alcohol so easily and well that I went back for stopping smoking!! She is amazing. in two hours I was 'cured'. honestly, I cant say enough good about her. She uses NLP and clinical hypnosis. She will sort you out, seriously.
check out real-changes.com
Smoking and drinking. After 50 years
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Posted in Stop Smoking | 
Tags: Good Luck, habit, National Health, nicotine, nicotine inhalers, patches, pints, smoking, Spa, weed
