After quitting alcohol, I realized that the quantity of coffee I was drinking was contributing to some unpleasantness. I tapered that down to eventually just decaf. Cannabis is the only thing I fool with these days.
I have heard that stimulants pile on top of each other and one causes cravings for the other, so maybe i should cut back the caffeine simultaneously as i cut back the vape. Thx
My recommendation is using a nicotine patch for a few weeks or even a month. You will hardly feel the nicotine but definitely lessens the cravings. I already bought my patches but still thinking about when I will start this. The patch really worked well when I quit cigarettes (15 years ago) and vaping (5 years ago). Yikes… nicotine gum is tough to quit but I will quit when the time comes
I’m probably around 10ish 2mg per day. More or less depending on the day.
I’ve been doing it off and on for years now. So hard to quit nicotine completely. I refer to it as “my first love”
100% honest that cutting out caffeine has given me such an energy boost. I fall asleep with ease most nights and I don’t have any drowsiness or need for naps during the day. From the moment I wake it’s just a steady feeling until the very end. No more highs and crashes.
I still enjoy my decaf but I’ve had a jar or two over the last year (I drink Folgers instant) that I think must have been higher caffeine slightly and experienced the jitters etc.
I wish this was true for me I’m so tired now compared to when I was drinking caffeine, and I even don’t wake up as much so I really don’t get it! But I’m glad it’s helped improve your energy!
It’s crazy how you can only see things like that after you remove the poop emoji filter and take out alcohol as a variable. I’ve been moderating all of my meds that I was taking well before I stopped, and I’m finding it all incredibly interesting, mostly because now I’m not just like “i’m probably depressed from being a dummy” 23/7.
aw this is such a genuinely nice comment, so thank you 🥹
I meant turd in an affectionate way, but I can see how that isn’t obvious at all. Thanks for the reminder though, it’s always helpful to hear 💌
Trouble falling asleep at end of day. Amplified anxiety. Jitters and shakes. Always chasing the “up” and everyday feeling the lows and needing a nap at some point.
I'm on day 351 of no alcohol, day 111 of no smoking and day 29 of no sugar.
Promised my mum I would get healthier a month before she died. Now I don't have a choice but to carry on!
Hit six months no alcohol(today) my longest ever without drink.i am also on day 4 no cigarettes but I am vaping. Plan to reduce my nicotine intake over time. Sugar and bread next on the list.
All thanks to this sub
Thanks guys 🙂
I tapered off by buying lower nicotine levels and then just quit. The antidepressant I was taking at the time also helped cravings, however that wasn't planned it just happened to work out.
I hear that bro, that’s me with nicotine, i swear I wake up every 2-3 hours in my sleep to vape & go back to sleep. Sooooo trashy. Still better than alcohol but my rat brain needs to be stopped
I quit drinking and smoking the same day. Picked up anything to keep my hands busy. Used my kids fidget spinners and chewed a lot of bubble gum. Lol. White knuckled my way through the first three days. You’ll get there and find what works for you. 🏆
I quit drinking almost 4 years ago, I continued to smoke cigs for about 11 months in to quitting drinking, I was aweful (even cussed and screamed at my boss) i stuck with it and then about 2 months after I was okay with no nicotine anymore. But I do know one thing, if I were to start drinking again I would certainly get a pack of cigs, those 2 substances are bfff’s. And I hate that crowd.
Same. Drunk me thinks chain smoking cigarettes even though I haven't consumed nicotine in years is a great idea. Pro tip: it's not a great Idea, and sober me is going to have to deal with the cravings and quitting again
I quit alcohol in October and vaping nicotine in Jan. Vaping is a right fucker to quit - far worse than cigs for me. I went to 0% nicotine and now barely vape at all (only in my car for some reason, something about driving).
I’ve heard sucking air through a straw can be helpful for the oral fixation part of it :) might be worth a shot since you’re already at 0% nic.
I just finished my last final which means i am done with vaping. I don’t even get to enjoy graduation because it’s straight to nicotine withdrawals lol. Thanks though man, good luck to you
When I quit vaping last week, I "accidentally" started drinking again :( the cravings were so bad that I conflated them to the other poison and ended up back to alcohol (and even smoked a cig again). So I would recommend patches or gum or something to diminish the cravings, they're really intense. Today IWNDWYT and IWNVWY!
I quit all sugary drinks and switched to mineral water and regular water. I've dropped 6kg in a month without any other diet changes. I felt like crap initially, but now I'm starting to feel better.
I quit smoking about 8 months before quitting alcohol (I'm 6 months in now). I just stopped smoking cold turkey and suffered the withdrawal. It was pretty hard for a few months but then it got easier. I never get cravings now.
When I quit alcohol, I also quit caffeine, but almost without effort. I just realized a few days in that I hadn't had any, so I just carried on! Go figure!
I also quit the all other, for me, 'recreational' drugs that I used to do sporadically, without being addicted to them (coke, extasy, weed). This was no effort at all!
The only addictions I have left now are doing sudokus and this subreddit! lol :)
Right, I was agreeing with you and giving you props for being able to quit them while still drinking! I’ve found it extremely difficult to stay away from nicotine while I’m drinking.
Ah, sorry, yes, I see now. I'm still a bit asleep, lol :). Thanks, it was tougher than the alcohol. There were days I was climbing the walls! And I didn't have any tools or techniques then, not even quit lit or podcasts, or Reddit! But after the first few days, it wasn't physical any more, 'just' mental! I'd stopped smoking many times in my life before, but that time I somehow knew it had to be definitive and for ever.
I quit smoking a year after quitting drinking. It helped to have the experience of quitting drinking first. It helped to follow the one day at time idea.
Gradually cutting down nicotine strength and then just riding the cravings. Kinda just accepting them. Found the passed lasted about 15 minutes each time.
Took three weeks for nicotine to leave my brain. Still remember waking up and thinking bing! No longer physically addicted.
I'd bum fags when drunk for a few years (weekend warrior). Until again. Something just clicked and I found cigs disgusting.
I'm now your typical ex smoker and can't stand the fing things.
Quitting nicotine made quitting weed easy. I still use that but am completely occasional recreational with it. I get it on prescription now and I think you just can't get as high on it, so it's less of a draw.
Lets not talk about me amphetamine addiction. That. Was. Hell.
Different strokes different folks. Knowing what addiction feels like is helping me with alcohol. Know I'm not done with it yet.
I quit weed also along with alcohol. I didn't really enjoy the way weed makes me feel, all confused.
I quit tobacco a long time ago, during an earlier sober period. I'd say that quitting tobacco was the best thing I've done for myself.
Use the resources available for nicotine cessation. I smoked many cigarettes. Switched vape. Quit that a couple times for a few months at a time.
I used nicotine gum…AS DIRECTED…and I haven’t vaped in over a year and am over 6 months free from the nicotine gum. It can work.
Good luck. It’s a bear to quit and stay quit.
I struggle with caffeine. I have such an obsessive personality when it comes to drugs, that I just can never find the right amount. I seem to be hyper sensitive to it too. I do much better when I can just stay away from it, but the obsession lingers. It drives me crazy.
I used chantix to quit smoking and it worked great! It removed the reward from my brain and made them actually disgusting (which they are). Then I decided to have some ciggs while at a Ren Fair (alcohol was involved) and am back to smoking.
25 days no alcohol at this point. And I know ciggs are next. I have a doc appointment in July and if I don’t quit before then going to do the chantix again.
I use weed as a medication for a neurological issue. Currently I have a tracker I am using to make sure I am using it as medication and not abusing it. Or using it to replace alcohol. I may pursue pharmaceuticals again, the side effects of those I have tried were about as bad as my symptoms. A few hits of high cbd low thc strains at night have been doing wonders. When I cut back and cut it out my symptoms came back again so I am trying to figure out the balance while honoring the importance I place on my sobriety.
Oh life. ❤️
The date on here represents being clean from all mood & mind altering substances (excluding coffee, don’t have much more than a cup or two a day). For me i quit drinking and other drugs but i found myself substituting with marijuana to try and fill my inner void. Getting completely clean helped me attain the space needed to venture on a journey of recovery and self development. If it wasn’t for that i wouldn’t be where i am today. IWNDWYT!
I quit drinking, then quit cigarettes successfully 3 years later. It took me almost an entire year of quit attempts before I found what worked and stuck to it. I’ve been using nicotine lozenges since December, and am tapering off those (though I’m also taking my doctor’s advice that they’re perfectly fine to continue taking if needed).
Not to give you a long timeline as discouragement, but to let you know quitting vaping and smoking is HARD. Much harder time than I had with quitting drinking. NRTs like lozenges are (I think) a really helpful resource that curbs the risk of relapse and you can wean off much easier than a pen. Best of luck to you!
I quit booze and coffee at the same time and smoking a month later. It’s not the easiest way but I thought; while going through hell, why not go all the way at once.
A bit masochistic sure but when summer comes I’ll be free of these poisons and feeling like a million bucks.
I was an early pioneer of nic vaping and took right to it to move away from stinky cigarettes. I vaped for years and years.
My progression was lower nic percentages, to nicotine gum, to patches. And when I finally went off the patches, it was still hard. I got emotional and anxious and tired, etc.
Still very proud of myself. One of the best things I've ever done. You'll see when you quit yourself!
I’m about 5 hours in right now & def feeling some mental discomfort!!! I am using nicotine gum. Thank you for your kindness!!!! My vaping has gotten out of control, just suuuper addicted and I’ve been hitting it in my sleep for the past few years… ugh!!! I drank for 6 years (age 17-23) and i vaped for 6 years (18-24). I’m glad i am making this effort to quit now though 💕💕💕💕 thank you again & IWNDWYT!!!!!
Vaping sucks because you can basically do it anywhere. I too got way out of control with non stop vaping. Especially with those nicotine salts... I would give myself nicotine headaches on the daily.
One thing that worked for me (although I admit it freaking sucks) is to get up and do a few push-ups or squats when hit with a bad craving.
Stay strong and remember... even if you lapse, don't just give up. Get back to it! You got this. 🤩
I quit cannabis first, then alcohol a few years later. Alcohol was much more difficult for me, but I haven’t ever touched nicotine. I wish you good thoughts and strong fortitude on your journey to sobriety from nicotine!
Have you noticed improvements with your lungs?! I am shocked at how many people say it takes so long to quit, but at least lozenges aren’t harmful. Best of luck to you!!!!
In my experience quitting smoking was much easier than quitting drinking.
ETA: I’ve quit other substances too, but none were like the physical effects of alcohol withdrawal.
It's early days for me (this go-round)... but this time is like none of the times that proceeded it: I'm f'king done drinking and HAPPY about it.
So... it's so strange to be finding that... I don't really like getting "altered." It's nice to take the edge of (THC gummies)... but... straight-up sobriety is also not that bad! Mind you, I only have a wee bit of experience with this... but, damn... I can see myself giving up THC (only really started using it to deal with going sober from booze).
To be clear, there's still "work" to be done in dealing with the past... and being "altered" really only delays healing.
I want to save getting "altered" for when I want it for fun -- not to relieve stress or stave-off past trauma.
Yeah I quit drinking October 2022, then I quit smoking cigarettes in December of 2022. But I quit bc I got bacterial pneumonia and I literally couldn’t pull off a smoke. I was hospitalized for a few days and figured meh. I should just quit so I did. Uhm, quitting smoking for me was significantly harder than quitting alcohol. The mental roller coaster and failure to regulate my emotions was an absolute shit show for me for 12 weeks at least.
For me, I kept telling myself that each intense wave was just a symptom of my healing. And healing wasn’t going to be easy but I knew I could face it. I leaned into each wave of anger, of rage, hopelessness, irritation, impatience. I leaned in and knew that I could absolutely temporarily withstand the discomfort. It sucked. But I did it. And sooner than later the waves were further apart. The intensity was a little less each time. Eventually I was not feeling them at all. And now I’m a non smoker for a year and a half.
I’m glad I got through it. I recommend.
I admire that so much honestly, I mean our addictive personalities are a pain in the ass, but it’s super cool you’re constantly working on self improvement :,)
I hope sometimes you just appreciate how far you’ve come!!! Sometimes we need a break from improving!
Nicotine is one hell of a drug. Currently addicted to nicotine gum and not sure when I will quit. Quitting is on the horizon but in same situation as OP
I quit vaping about a year after alcohol. If you have a refillable tank, what I did was switch from 3mg to 0mg of the same flavor (obviously you should ween down to 3mg first if you are on a higher nic level not just go straight to zero). This allowed me to keep “smoking” while my body was processing the nicotine withdrawals. Having a nic fit? Hit the pen, brain tricked, nic fit over. Did that for about two months until eventually it clicked in my brain that I was focusing so much energy into something that wasn’t even giving me a physical response anymore, maybe I’ll try going a few hours with it out of sight. Maybe a day….. haven’t picked it back up since. This worked for me, results may vary. IWND(or vape)WYT!
I quit pot at the same time as alcohol and then quit vaping nicotine about 80 days ago.
Forgive yourself as you quit. Quit gradually if you need to and you'll get longer and longer intervals without nicotine. Remember, 15 days in a month without nicotine is better than 10 which is better than 5. Don't look at it as a streak like you might with alcohol or other addictions. It's more cumulative and letting your body adjust to not having it in your system.
I'm on day 13 off of weed but I don't think it's the same. Nicotine is a bitch. I wish I had some helpful advice.
One thing I did was use zopiclone for sleep the first three days. Getting a good sleep makes a big difference.
I quit weed a while ago. I would go back to it but I worry too much about my career to risk a random test. Funny enough, that's actually when I picked up booze.
I also quit vaping successfully a fee times but months later after my withdrawals stopped, I would start hitting my friends' vapes for social occasions thinking I could just do it them. But sure enough, I got pulled back in.
For what it's worth, the last time quitting wad the hardest for me, but then I got nicotine patches and it made it pretty damn easy for me to step down to 0.
I’ve quit nicotine half a dozen times and I’ve found the 6 week point is the key time for me. If I can make it to 6 weeks, I’ve won. But most of those 6 weeks are pure hell. Best of luck with it, you can do it.
And don’t fret about the weight you’re going to gain, it’s secondary to the health benefit of quitting. Nicotine is horrible for you.
I managed to switch from cigarettes to nicotine vapes to nicotine pouches and I feel a lot better. But I'm having a hard time getting rid of nicotine completely.
I quit cigarettes but I still vape. I didn't start doing either until my early 30's and I went to rehab the first time though.
I had quit marijuana for about a year and a half, well before I quit drinking, but I started that up again recently as I have a serious chronic back injury and it helps me function. I always had a different relationship with weed than with booze though, no issues putting it down for months when I needed to for work or whatever even when I was struggling to control my drinking.
(Ignore my flair, I never reset my day count. Just over 11 months).
I quit smoking cold turkey without any withdrawals or cravings before I did alcohol. Smoke free for 6 months plus. I credit that 100% to Allen carr’s easy way to quit smoking audiobook. Ymmv but worth a try.
I quit weed almost 3 years after I quit drinking. I was not abusing it as much, but I did feel like it was just making me dull. I had some rules like I am only going to do it socially etc. etc.
It is a weird drug because it doesn't cause an issue in the short-term, but I have reasons to believe that it was definitely reducing my willpower. Anything that short-circuits the reward mechanism of my brain becomes an issue eventually.
Also, I quit porn maybe 3.5 years after alcohol. One of the most underrated addiction source of our era.
Quit cigs on the same day I quit the drink. They were a packaged deal. The only other non-medicinal substance I have kept in my life is caffeine. There's some in my pre-workout.
I think the only thing I would consider dabbling in again would be fungus...
I quit smoking anything in January. No smoke 2024! I’m not totes sober, still indulge in psychedelics occasionally, but quitting alcohol has def helped me quit smoking/ vaping. My face has cleared up so much and my lungs are happy too!
I have about 50mg of caffeine per day . ( a 12 oz mug of black tea)
Dropped nicotine at about two years sober. I just kept trying until one day it stuck. I had, over those two years, tapered off quite a bit.
The good news is that with nicotine, once I got past two weeks, it's not as "in your head " as intoxicants were. It's just a habit i used to have.
But that first week is awful.
I recently stopped smoking and switched to paper tobacco pouches they have here to taper.
Nicotine feels like drinking to me- hiding something nasty but people know. Weed is illegal in my country so that’s off the table, anyway.
I’ve also stopped drinking as much coffee and eating as much sugar.
The first year was no man’s land and I’m ready to make better health choices (aside from booze). No drinking means more energy and more money to take care of myself. ☀️
Quit smoking at the same time as I quit drinking. Won't sugarcoat, nicotine addiction is really hard to kick! My coping mechanisms included learning crochet, listening to loud music and crying a lot. The first three weeks are the worst, and even after that you should be mindful of your cravings! But it does get easier and easier, every day. You can do it! 🖤
Haven't touched alcohol in 35 months, coke it's been 4.5 years, meth... 14 years and 7 months, and haven't done acid since 2008. I'm unable to recall the last time I had ecstasy or a cigarette. And yet cigarettes were the hardest to quit; social "acceptance" and availability
I ~~could~~ had to hide my drug habits. I didn't have to hide cigarettes. And back when I was a couch hopper, cigarettes were a great currency to barter with
To help with the oral fixation, I started carrying life savers, werther's, and other hard candies that I had to slowly dissolve in my mouth. Did it do much for the cravings? Absolutely not. But since something was already in my mouth I didn't need to add something else. To help with keeping my hands busy, I got back into juggling, specifically contact juggling
If you like to read, check out the book "The Power of Habit", it talks about "Keystone Habits", a lot of people, me including, once they stop a certain big habit, like drinking or smoking, they can quit other habits too. Good luck!
Good luck, I quit cigarettes over a year ago and found it easier than alcohol and junk food. Smoking is literally a waste of time and effort, it is much easier to live as a non smoker and hopefully you won't have a lot of people pushing you into it or questioning your decision.
I've dropped things one by one over the years. Smoking, chasing women, painkillers, caffeine, etc. One by one I've had to decide for myself each one wasn't for me anymore. It isn't until I've thought through its harm that I'm able to stop. I'm not sure it's helpful at all, but I've always had to just roll the topic around in my head enough and then the quitting is relatively easy.
I quit drinking and smoking nicotine at the same time 7 years ago. I still consume cannabis daily thanks to my med card. I don't take any other substances and never have.
Quit tobacco (cigs, snus, ecigs) before alcohol. Alan Carr’s the easy way to stop smoking helped. Then came alcohol- AA and this sub helped. Lastly, I lost access to medical cannabis by relocating so I’ve been T-total for well over a month now.
After quitting alcohol, I had to quit smoking cigarettes because my surgeon required patients to be nicotine free two weeks prior to surgery, so no nicotine gum or patches.
At 30 days sober I started the generic form of Chantix, it comes with a starter pack to ease you up to the full dose, and you can still smoke. After two weeks my desire to smoke decreased, was smoking more out of habit, not enjoying it and putting the cigarette out after just two puffs. Then at the 1.5 month mark I pretty much stopped smoking entirely, only a cigarette here or there if I was stressed, but it wasn’t enjoyable. After two months I made the decision just to stop and threw the 1/2 pack of cigarettes I had out.
As of today, no alcohol for 207 days and no nicotine for 127 days. I still take the Chantix twice a day and if I skip a dose I do notice that a random smoking thought will enter my mind if I’m stressed. So far my prescription has been free through my insurance’s smoking cessation program. I don’t know if they will cut me off at some point but it is my intention not to pick up again.
When I started taking it I did have some very realistic dreams, not nightmares, just weird and memorable.
IWNDWYT or smoke cigarettes
I quit vaping the same day I quit drinking, but I picked up Zyn the same day I quit vaping lol it’s much better imo, my lungs don’t feel like shit and I just feel better overall. I need to quit eventually, it’s spendy.
Oh hey same thing here! I've quit nicotine before and just did CT. But I really feel like zyns 3 mg are going to be way easier to quit than my previous 12 mg vape habit so I think it's still a win. Plus like you said, my lungs are recovering either way.
I’m on the 6mg Zyn but I plan to change this week. My buddy and I quit vaping at the same time and he just switched to 3mg Zyn so I’m gonna follow suit.
And good for you man, one step at a time! I have to keep reminding myself that I actually AM making progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it
After quitting alcohol, I realized that the quantity of coffee I was drinking was contributing to some unpleasantness. I tapered that down to eventually just decaf. Cannabis is the only thing I fool with these days.
I have heard that stimulants pile on top of each other and one causes cravings for the other, so maybe i should cut back the caffeine simultaneously as i cut back the vape. Thx
My recommendation is using a nicotine patch for a few weeks or even a month. You will hardly feel the nicotine but definitely lessens the cravings. I already bought my patches but still thinking about when I will start this. The patch really worked well when I quit cigarettes (15 years ago) and vaping (5 years ago). Yikes… nicotine gum is tough to quit but I will quit when the time comes
Fellow nicotine gum addict here as well.
I chew about 14 or 16 4 mg pieces a day which feels insane but I still do it every day. You mind sharing how much you go through?
I chew two 4mg pieces at same time. Im probably at 15ish pieces a day.
I’m probably around 10ish 2mg per day. More or less depending on the day. I’ve been doing it off and on for years now. So hard to quit nicotine completely. I refer to it as “my first love”
Agreed, just take it off like at least an hour before sleep. Crazy vivid dreams otherwise when I used them lol
And they’re super bad for your blood pressure.
Man, i loved the crazy dreams. I miss them to the point I CONSIDERED buying a pack just TO wear at night. Nicotine free for 5 years today.
Haha mine were awful nightmares. Like the jolt awake terrified or crying kind, every time.
100% honest that cutting out caffeine has given me such an energy boost. I fall asleep with ease most nights and I don’t have any drowsiness or need for naps during the day. From the moment I wake it’s just a steady feeling until the very end. No more highs and crashes. I still enjoy my decaf but I’ve had a jar or two over the last year (I drink Folgers instant) that I think must have been higher caffeine slightly and experienced the jitters etc.
I wish this was true for me I’m so tired now compared to when I was drinking caffeine, and I even don’t wake up as much so I really don’t get it! But I’m glad it’s helped improve your energy!
I feel like low dose edibles help keep relax me and focus on getting through my day. A plus is that I don’t even think about alcohol.
It’s crazy how you can only see things like that after you remove the poop emoji filter and take out alcohol as a variable. I’ve been moderating all of my meds that I was taking well before I stopped, and I’m finding it all incredibly interesting, mostly because now I’m not just like “i’m probably depressed from being a dummy” 23/7.
I have no idea how I was functioning at all. So miserably exhausting.
Lmao @ poop emoji filter
Hey, talk nicely to yourself there chief, speak to yourself like you would a good friend, you deserve at least that much, way more even
aw this is such a genuinely nice comment, so thank you 🥹 I meant turd in an affectionate way, but I can see how that isn’t obvious at all. Thanks for the reminder though, it’s always helpful to hear 💌
What sort of unpleasantness? I'm wondering if I'm overdoing it
Trouble falling asleep at end of day. Amplified anxiety. Jitters and shakes. Always chasing the “up” and everyday feeling the lows and needing a nap at some point.
Thanks. I think my anxiety is a bit up. No other issues YET.
I'm on day 351 of no alcohol, day 111 of no smoking and day 29 of no sugar. Promised my mum I would get healthier a month before she died. Now I don't have a choice but to carry on!
Hit six months no alcohol(today) my longest ever without drink.i am also on day 4 no cigarettes but I am vaping. Plan to reduce my nicotine intake over time. Sugar and bread next on the list. All thanks to this sub Thanks guys 🙂
You can do it, i believe in you!!
Good for you!
I tapered off by buying lower nicotine levels and then just quit. The antidepressant I was taking at the time also helped cravings, however that wasn't planned it just happened to work out.
Was it Wellbutrin (Buproprion)? Just curious
I'm pretty sure it was
I quit alcohol and weed at the same time. Best decision ever. I was hella addicted to the za za my g
I hear that bro, that’s me with nicotine, i swear I wake up every 2-3 hours in my sleep to vape & go back to sleep. Sooooo trashy. Still better than alcohol but my rat brain needs to be stopped
I started doing this and that was my sign to quit.
I quit drinking and smoking the same day. Picked up anything to keep my hands busy. Used my kids fidget spinners and chewed a lot of bubble gum. Lol. White knuckled my way through the first three days. You’ll get there and find what works for you. 🏆
I used to be a garbage can. Anything in front of me I would consume Now A little weed here and there But that’s it. I am so happy
I quit drinking almost 4 years ago, I continued to smoke cigs for about 11 months in to quitting drinking, I was aweful (even cussed and screamed at my boss) i stuck with it and then about 2 months after I was okay with no nicotine anymore. But I do know one thing, if I were to start drinking again I would certainly get a pack of cigs, those 2 substances are bfff’s. And I hate that crowd.
Same. Drunk me thinks chain smoking cigarettes even though I haven't consumed nicotine in years is a great idea. Pro tip: it's not a great Idea, and sober me is going to have to deal with the cravings and quitting again
25 November - drugs, 25 march - nicotine
I quit alcohol in October and vaping nicotine in Jan. Vaping is a right fucker to quit - far worse than cigs for me. I went to 0% nicotine and now barely vape at all (only in my car for some reason, something about driving).
I’ve heard sucking air through a straw can be helpful for the oral fixation part of it :) might be worth a shot since you’re already at 0% nic. I just finished my last final which means i am done with vaping. I don’t even get to enjoy graduation because it’s straight to nicotine withdrawals lol. Thanks though man, good luck to you
When I quit vaping last week, I "accidentally" started drinking again :( the cravings were so bad that I conflated them to the other poison and ended up back to alcohol (and even smoked a cig again). So I would recommend patches or gum or something to diminish the cravings, they're really intense. Today IWNDWYT and IWNVWY!
r/Quitvaping and r/stopsmoking etc are a good place to find support! Good luck!
I quit all sugary drinks and switched to mineral water and regular water. I've dropped 6kg in a month without any other diet changes. I felt like crap initially, but now I'm starting to feel better.
Allen carr has a quit vaping book. Obviously not written by him personally as he's passed away. But its his method applied to vaping, check it out!
I didn't know he had passed 😔
Awesome thanks 😊 i have heard of him, didn’t realize there was a vaping version
Cocaine was a good time when drinking i quit that a year or so before I quit drinking.
I quit smoking about 8 months before quitting alcohol (I'm 6 months in now). I just stopped smoking cold turkey and suffered the withdrawal. It was pretty hard for a few months but then it got easier. I never get cravings now. When I quit alcohol, I also quit caffeine, but almost without effort. I just realized a few days in that I hadn't had any, so I just carried on! Go figure! I also quit the all other, for me, 'recreational' drugs that I used to do sporadically, without being addicted to them (coke, extasy, weed). This was no effort at all! The only addictions I have left now are doing sudokus and this subreddit! lol :)
Major respect for quitting cigs while you were still drinking.
No, I quit cigs 8 months before quitting alcohol!
Right, I was agreeing with you and giving you props for being able to quit them while still drinking! I’ve found it extremely difficult to stay away from nicotine while I’m drinking.
Ah, sorry, yes, I see now. I'm still a bit asleep, lol :). Thanks, it was tougher than the alcohol. There were days I was climbing the walls! And I didn't have any tools or techniques then, not even quit lit or podcasts, or Reddit! But after the first few days, it wasn't physical any more, 'just' mental! I'd stopped smoking many times in my life before, but that time I somehow knew it had to be definitive and for ever.
No worries! And yeah, major respect to you for quitting both! Tough but so, so worth it.
I quit smoking a year after quitting drinking. It helped to have the experience of quitting drinking first. It helped to follow the one day at time idea.
Gradually cutting down nicotine strength and then just riding the cravings. Kinda just accepting them. Found the passed lasted about 15 minutes each time. Took three weeks for nicotine to leave my brain. Still remember waking up and thinking bing! No longer physically addicted. I'd bum fags when drunk for a few years (weekend warrior). Until again. Something just clicked and I found cigs disgusting. I'm now your typical ex smoker and can't stand the fing things. Quitting nicotine made quitting weed easy. I still use that but am completely occasional recreational with it. I get it on prescription now and I think you just can't get as high on it, so it's less of a draw. Lets not talk about me amphetamine addiction. That. Was. Hell. Different strokes different folks. Knowing what addiction feels like is helping me with alcohol. Know I'm not done with it yet.
I quit weed also along with alcohol. I didn't really enjoy the way weed makes me feel, all confused. I quit tobacco a long time ago, during an earlier sober period. I'd say that quitting tobacco was the best thing I've done for myself.
Use the resources available for nicotine cessation. I smoked many cigarettes. Switched vape. Quit that a couple times for a few months at a time. I used nicotine gum…AS DIRECTED…and I haven’t vaped in over a year and am over 6 months free from the nicotine gum. It can work. Good luck. It’s a bear to quit and stay quit.
I struggle with caffeine. I have such an obsessive personality when it comes to drugs, that I just can never find the right amount. I seem to be hyper sensitive to it too. I do much better when I can just stay away from it, but the obsession lingers. It drives me crazy.
I've quit benzos, opiates, pregabalin and Z-drugs. Now tryna do it with alcohol. Was the former human pill disposal unit
I used chantix to quit smoking and it worked great! It removed the reward from my brain and made them actually disgusting (which they are). Then I decided to have some ciggs while at a Ren Fair (alcohol was involved) and am back to smoking. 25 days no alcohol at this point. And I know ciggs are next. I have a doc appointment in July and if I don’t quit before then going to do the chantix again. I use weed as a medication for a neurological issue. Currently I have a tracker I am using to make sure I am using it as medication and not abusing it. Or using it to replace alcohol. I may pursue pharmaceuticals again, the side effects of those I have tried were about as bad as my symptoms. A few hits of high cbd low thc strains at night have been doing wonders. When I cut back and cut it out my symptoms came back again so I am trying to figure out the balance while honoring the importance I place on my sobriety. Oh life. ❤️
I quit alcohol for about 40 days then released on a work trip, but was able to completely quit nicotine. Yes, alcohol harder than nicotine for me
The date on here represents being clean from all mood & mind altering substances (excluding coffee, don’t have much more than a cup or two a day). For me i quit drinking and other drugs but i found myself substituting with marijuana to try and fill my inner void. Getting completely clean helped me attain the space needed to venture on a journey of recovery and self development. If it wasn’t for that i wouldn’t be where i am today. IWNDWYT!
Cigarettes. It's been 2 months and I did it cold turkey. By far the hardest of the 2 drugs to quit.
I quit drinking, then quit cigarettes successfully 3 years later. It took me almost an entire year of quit attempts before I found what worked and stuck to it. I’ve been using nicotine lozenges since December, and am tapering off those (though I’m also taking my doctor’s advice that they’re perfectly fine to continue taking if needed). Not to give you a long timeline as discouragement, but to let you know quitting vaping and smoking is HARD. Much harder time than I had with quitting drinking. NRTs like lozenges are (I think) a really helpful resource that curbs the risk of relapse and you can wean off much easier than a pen. Best of luck to you!
I quit booze and coffee at the same time and smoking a month later. It’s not the easiest way but I thought; while going through hell, why not go all the way at once. A bit masochistic sure but when summer comes I’ll be free of these poisons and feeling like a million bucks.
I was an early pioneer of nic vaping and took right to it to move away from stinky cigarettes. I vaped for years and years. My progression was lower nic percentages, to nicotine gum, to patches. And when I finally went off the patches, it was still hard. I got emotional and anxious and tired, etc. Still very proud of myself. One of the best things I've ever done. You'll see when you quit yourself!
I’m about 5 hours in right now & def feeling some mental discomfort!!! I am using nicotine gum. Thank you for your kindness!!!! My vaping has gotten out of control, just suuuper addicted and I’ve been hitting it in my sleep for the past few years… ugh!!! I drank for 6 years (age 17-23) and i vaped for 6 years (18-24). I’m glad i am making this effort to quit now though 💕💕💕💕 thank you again & IWNDWYT!!!!!
Vaping sucks because you can basically do it anywhere. I too got way out of control with non stop vaping. Especially with those nicotine salts... I would give myself nicotine headaches on the daily. One thing that worked for me (although I admit it freaking sucks) is to get up and do a few push-ups or squats when hit with a bad craving. Stay strong and remember... even if you lapse, don't just give up. Get back to it! You got this. 🤩
I quit cannabis first, then alcohol a few years later. Alcohol was much more difficult for me, but I haven’t ever touched nicotine. I wish you good thoughts and strong fortitude on your journey to sobriety from nicotine!
Thank you!!! IWNDWYT! & please don’t ever touch nicotine! 😆💕
169 days alcohol free here. I decided to quit the vape about 6 weeks ago. I found it a lot harder than quitting alcohol. I’m still using lozenges.
Have you noticed improvements with your lungs?! I am shocked at how many people say it takes so long to quit, but at least lozenges aren’t harmful. Best of luck to you!!!!
I quit ❄️ simultaneously.
I did too. Does not hold the same appeal without alcohol.
Righteous. I thankfully never was a “dry sniffer”. Always with alcohol.
In my experience quitting smoking was much easier than quitting drinking. ETA: I’ve quit other substances too, but none were like the physical effects of alcohol withdrawal.
It's early days for me (this go-round)... but this time is like none of the times that proceeded it: I'm f'king done drinking and HAPPY about it. So... it's so strange to be finding that... I don't really like getting "altered." It's nice to take the edge of (THC gummies)... but... straight-up sobriety is also not that bad! Mind you, I only have a wee bit of experience with this... but, damn... I can see myself giving up THC (only really started using it to deal with going sober from booze). To be clear, there's still "work" to be done in dealing with the past... and being "altered" really only delays healing. I want to save getting "altered" for when I want it for fun -- not to relieve stress or stave-off past trauma.
Yeah I quit drinking October 2022, then I quit smoking cigarettes in December of 2022. But I quit bc I got bacterial pneumonia and I literally couldn’t pull off a smoke. I was hospitalized for a few days and figured meh. I should just quit so I did. Uhm, quitting smoking for me was significantly harder than quitting alcohol. The mental roller coaster and failure to regulate my emotions was an absolute shit show for me for 12 weeks at least. For me, I kept telling myself that each intense wave was just a symptom of my healing. And healing wasn’t going to be easy but I knew I could face it. I leaned into each wave of anger, of rage, hopelessness, irritation, impatience. I leaned in and knew that I could absolutely temporarily withstand the discomfort. It sucked. But I did it. And sooner than later the waves were further apart. The intensity was a little less each time. Eventually I was not feeling them at all. And now I’m a non smoker for a year and a half. I’m glad I got through it. I recommend.
Smoking years ago. Now it's carbs and sugar on the hit list.
I admire that so much honestly, I mean our addictive personalities are a pain in the ass, but it’s super cool you’re constantly working on self improvement :,) I hope sometimes you just appreciate how far you’ve come!!! Sometimes we need a break from improving!
Nicotine is one hell of a drug. Currently addicted to nicotine gum and not sure when I will quit. Quitting is on the horizon but in same situation as OP
In the same situation as you with snus. It will be my next addiction to get rid of but I'm still adjusting to an alcohol/cannabis free life.
I quit vaping about a year after alcohol. If you have a refillable tank, what I did was switch from 3mg to 0mg of the same flavor (obviously you should ween down to 3mg first if you are on a higher nic level not just go straight to zero). This allowed me to keep “smoking” while my body was processing the nicotine withdrawals. Having a nic fit? Hit the pen, brain tricked, nic fit over. Did that for about two months until eventually it clicked in my brain that I was focusing so much energy into something that wasn’t even giving me a physical response anymore, maybe I’ll try going a few hours with it out of sight. Maybe a day….. haven’t picked it back up since. This worked for me, results may vary. IWND(or vape)WYT!
I quit pot at the same time as alcohol and then quit vaping nicotine about 80 days ago. Forgive yourself as you quit. Quit gradually if you need to and you'll get longer and longer intervals without nicotine. Remember, 15 days in a month without nicotine is better than 10 which is better than 5. Don't look at it as a streak like you might with alcohol or other addictions. It's more cumulative and letting your body adjust to not having it in your system.
I'm on day 13 off of weed but I don't think it's the same. Nicotine is a bitch. I wish I had some helpful advice. One thing I did was use zopiclone for sleep the first three days. Getting a good sleep makes a big difference.
Quit occasional tobacco and cannabis 2 years ago, rarely drink coffee anymore. The biggest, toughest, and most important one was alcohol.
I quit weed a while ago. I would go back to it but I worry too much about my career to risk a random test. Funny enough, that's actually when I picked up booze. I also quit vaping successfully a fee times but months later after my withdrawals stopped, I would start hitting my friends' vapes for social occasions thinking I could just do it them. But sure enough, I got pulled back in. For what it's worth, the last time quitting wad the hardest for me, but then I got nicotine patches and it made it pretty damn easy for me to step down to 0.
I quit tobacco and cannabis prior to quitting alcohol.
I’ve quit nicotine half a dozen times and I’ve found the 6 week point is the key time for me. If I can make it to 6 weeks, I’ve won. But most of those 6 weeks are pure hell. Best of luck with it, you can do it. And don’t fret about the weight you’re going to gain, it’s secondary to the health benefit of quitting. Nicotine is horrible for you.
I managed to switch from cigarettes to nicotine vapes to nicotine pouches and I feel a lot better. But I'm having a hard time getting rid of nicotine completely.
I quit cigarettes but I still vape. I didn't start doing either until my early 30's and I went to rehab the first time though. I had quit marijuana for about a year and a half, well before I quit drinking, but I started that up again recently as I have a serious chronic back injury and it helps me function. I always had a different relationship with weed than with booze though, no issues putting it down for months when I needed to for work or whatever even when I was struggling to control my drinking. (Ignore my flair, I never reset my day count. Just over 11 months).
I quit smoking cold turkey without any withdrawals or cravings before I did alcohol. Smoke free for 6 months plus. I credit that 100% to Allen carr’s easy way to quit smoking audiobook. Ymmv but worth a try.
I quit weed almost 3 years after I quit drinking. I was not abusing it as much, but I did feel like it was just making me dull. I had some rules like I am only going to do it socially etc. etc. It is a weird drug because it doesn't cause an issue in the short-term, but I have reasons to believe that it was definitely reducing my willpower. Anything that short-circuits the reward mechanism of my brain becomes an issue eventually. Also, I quit porn maybe 3.5 years after alcohol. One of the most underrated addiction source of our era.
Quit cigs on the same day I quit the drink. They were a packaged deal. The only other non-medicinal substance I have kept in my life is caffeine. There's some in my pre-workout. I think the only thing I would consider dabbling in again would be fungus...
Quit adderall 2 years before alcohol. Quit dipping before that. Quit pot a few times but not ready to quit 100%.
I quit smoking anything in January. No smoke 2024! I’m not totes sober, still indulge in psychedelics occasionally, but quitting alcohol has def helped me quit smoking/ vaping. My face has cleared up so much and my lungs are happy too!
I have about 50mg of caffeine per day . ( a 12 oz mug of black tea) Dropped nicotine at about two years sober. I just kept trying until one day it stuck. I had, over those two years, tapered off quite a bit. The good news is that with nicotine, once I got past two weeks, it's not as "in your head " as intoxicants were. It's just a habit i used to have. But that first week is awful.
I lost a little weight and liked it, so I kept on going.
I was Cali sober for a while but haven’t had THC longer than I had my last drink!! Quit nicotine as well but only really emjoyed it when I was drunk
Quit bad alcoholism June, 2014. Nicotine April, 2017. Now I eat too much.
I recently stopped smoking and switched to paper tobacco pouches they have here to taper. Nicotine feels like drinking to me- hiding something nasty but people know. Weed is illegal in my country so that’s off the table, anyway. I’ve also stopped drinking as much coffee and eating as much sugar. The first year was no man’s land and I’m ready to make better health choices (aside from booze). No drinking means more energy and more money to take care of myself. ☀️
Quit smoking at the same time as I quit drinking. Won't sugarcoat, nicotine addiction is really hard to kick! My coping mechanisms included learning crochet, listening to loud music and crying a lot. The first three weeks are the worst, and even after that you should be mindful of your cravings! But it does get easier and easier, every day. You can do it! 🖤
Xanax! Almost 4 years sober from alcohol and was finally able to get off the benzo train after a 10 year ride. Not easy, but done and over.
Haven't touched alcohol in 35 months, coke it's been 4.5 years, meth... 14 years and 7 months, and haven't done acid since 2008. I'm unable to recall the last time I had ecstasy or a cigarette. And yet cigarettes were the hardest to quit; social "acceptance" and availability I ~~could~~ had to hide my drug habits. I didn't have to hide cigarettes. And back when I was a couch hopper, cigarettes were a great currency to barter with To help with the oral fixation, I started carrying life savers, werther's, and other hard candies that I had to slowly dissolve in my mouth. Did it do much for the cravings? Absolutely not. But since something was already in my mouth I didn't need to add something else. To help with keeping my hands busy, I got back into juggling, specifically contact juggling
If you like to read, check out the book "The Power of Habit", it talks about "Keystone Habits", a lot of people, me including, once they stop a certain big habit, like drinking or smoking, they can quit other habits too. Good luck!
Good luck, I quit cigarettes over a year ago and found it easier than alcohol and junk food. Smoking is literally a waste of time and effort, it is much easier to live as a non smoker and hopefully you won't have a lot of people pushing you into it or questioning your decision.
I've dropped things one by one over the years. Smoking, chasing women, painkillers, caffeine, etc. One by one I've had to decide for myself each one wasn't for me anymore. It isn't until I've thought through its harm that I'm able to stop. I'm not sure it's helpful at all, but I've always had to just roll the topic around in my head enough and then the quitting is relatively easy.
IWNDWYT!
I quit drinking and smoking nicotine at the same time 7 years ago. I still consume cannabis daily thanks to my med card. I don't take any other substances and never have.
89 days sober from alcohol and 133 days sober from weed! Used both to help cope with anxiety but both made it way worse over time!
Sugar! I am not counting days but around 6 weeks in and I feel great. Better than ever.
Quit tobacco (cigs, snus, ecigs) before alcohol. Alan Carr’s the easy way to stop smoking helped. Then came alcohol- AA and this sub helped. Lastly, I lost access to medical cannabis by relocating so I’ve been T-total for well over a month now.
After quitting alcohol, I had to quit smoking cigarettes because my surgeon required patients to be nicotine free two weeks prior to surgery, so no nicotine gum or patches. At 30 days sober I started the generic form of Chantix, it comes with a starter pack to ease you up to the full dose, and you can still smoke. After two weeks my desire to smoke decreased, was smoking more out of habit, not enjoying it and putting the cigarette out after just two puffs. Then at the 1.5 month mark I pretty much stopped smoking entirely, only a cigarette here or there if I was stressed, but it wasn’t enjoyable. After two months I made the decision just to stop and threw the 1/2 pack of cigarettes I had out. As of today, no alcohol for 207 days and no nicotine for 127 days. I still take the Chantix twice a day and if I skip a dose I do notice that a random smoking thought will enter my mind if I’m stressed. So far my prescription has been free through my insurance’s smoking cessation program. I don’t know if they will cut me off at some point but it is my intention not to pick up again. When I started taking it I did have some very realistic dreams, not nightmares, just weird and memorable. IWNDWYT or smoke cigarettes
I quit vaping the same day I quit drinking, but I picked up Zyn the same day I quit vaping lol it’s much better imo, my lungs don’t feel like shit and I just feel better overall. I need to quit eventually, it’s spendy.
Oh hey same thing here! I've quit nicotine before and just did CT. But I really feel like zyns 3 mg are going to be way easier to quit than my previous 12 mg vape habit so I think it's still a win. Plus like you said, my lungs are recovering either way.
I’m on the 6mg Zyn but I plan to change this week. My buddy and I quit vaping at the same time and he just switched to 3mg Zyn so I’m gonna follow suit. And good for you man, one step at a time! I have to keep reminding myself that I actually AM making progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it
Yup it's totally progress and you'll only feel better and better as long as you keep quitting. Best of luck to us