Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 6: The Commitment to Stop Drinking and Smoking
• Part 2 of 6: Preparing for Change
• Part 3 of 6: Coping with Smoking and Alcohol Cravings
• Part 4 of 6: Coping with Withdrawal
• Part 5 of 6: Treatment
• Part 6 of 6: Finding support
• Tips

Drinking alcohol and smoking often go hand in hand, and it can be very difficult to quit two bad habits at the same time. However, when you can master these habits, you will surely feel more freedom, and you will be able to maintain an optimistic attitude and a desire to live long and free from addictions.

Steps

Part 1 of 6: The Commitment to Stop Drinking and Smoking

1. 1 Write down how tobacco and alcohol affect you. If you write down the negative effects of alcohol and tobacco, then you will have a constant reminder of why you need to quit drinking and smoking. Post this list where you can see it so you stay motivated.
   • Alcohol and tobacco negatively affect physical and mental health. Have you gained weight or decreased athletic performance after drinking and smoking? Do you get angry if you haven't drunk alcohol for a long time? Do you feel anxious if you haven't smoked?
   • Many people decide to get rid of addiction because they get tired of feeling sick and tired, and addiction has more negative than positive effects.
   • Think about how alcohol and tobacco affect your relationships and social life.
   • Think about the financial cost: how much do you spend on alcohol and tobacco.
2. 2 Find your triggers. Keep a small notepad close at hand and write down when you drink or smoke.Write down your feelings or situations prior to alcohol and tobacco use. Try to avoid similar situations in the future.
   • The trigger or trigger can be a quarrel with a relative or failure at work.
   • Since alcohol and nicotine are often linked to each other, one can be a trigger for the other. For example, when you have a drink, you may want to smoke.
3. 3 Set goals. Be honest with yourself and decide if you want to quit drinking and smoking right away, or get rid of bad habits gradually. Some people decide to quit drinking and smoking for social or health reasons, while others need to do so for medical reasons because they are already addicted. Identify your reasons why you want to quit drinking and smoking, and then set goals. If you suffer from alcoholism, then it is most likely best to stop drinking immediately, rather than gradually.
   • People who smoke are much more difficult to quit drinking and are more likely to start drinking again compared to people who do not smoke. Set goals that relate to both smoking and drinking.
   • Write down a timeline, a kind of milestone, for each goal.

Part 2 of 6: Preparing for Change

1. 1 Get rid of household stocks of cigarettes and alcohol. Throw away all cigarettes and pour all alcoholic beverages into the sink. Ask family or friends with whom you live to support you and get rid of all alcohol and tobacco products at home so you will not be tempted to drink or smoke.
2. 2 Throw away anything that reminds you of alcohol or smoking. Do not store your favorite lighter, flask, or glasses. These major lifestyle changes are much easier to get used to if you get rid of all the reminders of old habits.
3. 3 Avoid places where people smoke and drink. Being in places where people smoke and drink alcohol, when you are trying to get rid of bad habits, can be dangerous. Try not to go to bars or other places where people consume alcohol or tobacco.
   • Sit in restaurants and cafes in the non-smoking area, or opt for rooms in non-smoking hotels.
4. 4 Stop hanging out with people with whom you regularly drank or smoked for a while. Try to stay away from people who might make you fall back on old habits. Explain that you have decided to stop using alcohol and tobacco, and try not to involve yourself in activities where you used to drink or smoke. Stay away from people who do not support you in your decision to quit drinking and smoking.
5. 5 Avoid risky situations. Extremely risky situations in which you can break loose can be situations where you feel lonely, tired, angry, or hungry. It has been proven that in such situations people are more likely to drink or smoke. Watch your feelings and analyze them, try to predict situations in which you may experience the above, and prevent them.
   • Get enough sleep, eat well, and don't isolate yourself from social life to avoid risky situations. If you are angry with someone, force yourself to relax and let the negative emotions go away on their own, without alcohol or tobacco.

Part 3 of 6: Coping with Smoking and Alcohol Cravings

1. 1 Replace alcohol and tobacco with more harmless things. Remember that alcohol and tobacco have some positive effects when you use them, as they relieve stress and tension. Try to track these positive effects from using these substances, get a feel for how alcohol and tobacco affect you, and learn to get the same effect without them. Deep breathing techniques, a simple conversation with another, or a simple walk can be helpful.
2. 2 Go in for sports. Exercise can help relieve withdrawal symptoms by allowing you to be distracted when you want to drink or smoke.In addition, exercise reduces stress levels. Go for a bike ride, do yoga, walk your dog, or jump rope.
3. 3 Find a new hobby. By choosing a new hobby, you can redirect your energy in a positive direction and even find a new meaning in life. Try something that you find interesting or fun.
   • You can surf, knit, play guitar, or even start writing books.
4. 4 Take a break from the urge to drink or smoke. If you have withdrawal symptoms or have a strong urge to drink or smoke, learn to be distracted by something else. Distract your mind and body by chewing gum, taking a walk on the phone, opening a window, or doing something.
5. 5 Learn to relax. To get rid of bad habits, it is imperative to learn how to relax. Tension and stress can lead to relapse. If you feel like you won't have time to relax, think about how much time you spent on alcohol and smoking before, and just use the free time for other ways to relax.
   • Activities such as walking, reading and meditation are effective in relaxing.
6. 6 Allow yourself small pleasures. All people need some kind of joy and reward - just try to make these joys more useful. Indulge yourself with ice cream or soda from time to time. While it's important to take care of your health, give yourself some freedom so you don't feel deprived of all the old joys in life.
7. 7 Stay motivated. The better you cope with your cravings for alcohol and tobacco, the less risk you run out of. People who quit drinking and smoking at the same time are less likely to experience withdrawal symptoms and are less likely to "break out."

Part 4 of 6: Coping with Withdrawal

1. 1 Pay attention to withdrawal symptoms. When a person quits drinking or smoking, the body may experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, depression, fatigue, headache, nausea, cramps, abdominal pain, and heart palpitations.
2. 2 Track the development of withdrawal symptoms. Tobacco withdrawal can be accompanied by physically and emotionally unpleasant symptoms, and alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous. The severity of alcohol withdrawal can vary depending on how much and for how long you drank, and your health condition. Some symptoms may appear within a few hours, reach a peak after a few days, but after a week, the condition of patients, as a rule, improves.
   • Alcohol withdrawal can lead to symptoms that cause severe mental and neurological disorders, including tremors, agitation, anxiety, fear, hallucinations, and seizures. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
   • If you have been drinking alcohol for a long time and in large quantities, then detoxification under the supervision of specialists is recommended.
3. 3 See your doctor. There are currently no prescription drugs available to cure alcohol and nicotine addiction, but there are treatments that can help reduce the negative effects of quitting alcohol or tobacco.
   • Some prescription drugs can be used to treat alcohol dependence. Drugs such as naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram can help with withdrawal and relapse.
   • Choose a withdrawal method to combat nicotine addiction. Several different products are available today that have been quite successful in helping to quit smoking. There are chewing gums, patches, nasal sprays, and prescription drugs (such as bupropion) to replace cigarettes that help the body better adjust to lowering nicotine levels.

Part 5 of 6: Treatment

1. 1 Find a doctor. It is very difficult to cope with addiction alone, and a doctor can be a reliable support in this matter. Working with a therapist can include discussing emotional triggers, finding strategies to cope with alcohol and tobacco cravings, preventing relapse, and exploring in depth the emotional causes of addiction.
   • It is very important to follow the course of treatment, especially in order to prevent relapses.
   • Addiction can accompany or contribute to the development of various mental disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Together with the right course of therapy, drugs can treat mental disorders that contribute to addiction to alcohol and tobacco.
2. 2 Get a medical examination. A small physical examination will help determine how much the cigarette and alcohol has affected the body. See your doctor to improve your health. The doctor will also advise on a remedy to reduce nicotine addiction.
   • Both alcohol and nicotine negatively affect the body. Be honest with your doctor and ask for a referral to check your liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs.
3. 3 Consider institutional care. If you are afraid that you will not be able to cope with the addiction on your own, consider taking a course of treatment in a specialized institution. They will help you cope with physical and emotional difficulties and allow you to get rid of addiction under the supervision of specialists and in a supportive environment. A special program will help you undergo detoxification and will allow you to monitor your physical and emotional state while getting rid of alcohol and nicotine addiction. Very often, treatment programs include intensive medical and psychological support.
   • Treatment most often includes intensive individual and group therapy aimed at maintaining mental health. Very often, doctors prescribe certain medications to help the patient cope with mental health problems during treatment.

Part 6 of 6: Finding support

1. 1 Ask friends and family for help. You will most likely quit drinking and smoking if you are supported by the people around you. Ask your family and friends for support, ask them not to drink or smoke in your presence.
2. 2 Track your progress with your friends. If you have friends who also want to quit drinking and smoking, then make something like a bet or a contract. Monitor each other daily and demand a full account.
3. 3 Find support groups. Reaching out to thematic support groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Smoking Cessation) can be helpful. Sometimes it is important to talk about your attempts to quit drinking or smoking, as well as to share your feelings in a society of understanding and supportive people, and then listen to the experiences of other people, perhaps find something useful in their stories.
4. 4 Live in a sober community. If you are worried that you are living with people that might make you drink and smoke again, consider moving to a community where alcohol and smoking are completely banned. All people who live in such sober communities are obliged to quit smoking and drinking alcohol.

Tips

• Avoid parties and events that consume alcohol and smoke.
• Do not go on "smoke breaks" with friends and colleagues.
• Try to plan activities where you are unlikely to be able to drink or smoke, and choose the company of people who do not use alcohol and tobacco.