How Can I Help Myself to Cut Down or Quit from Smoking and Alcohol?
Posted By : Author on 23-04-2019
How Can I Help Myself to Cut Down or Quit from Smoking and Alcohol?

Most individuals with alcohol use disorders are dependent on both alcohol and nicotine, and combined use of both substances is more damaging to health than use of either alone. Although research indicates that alcoholics can quit smoking, discrepant results have been reported regarding whether smoking cessation is associated with increased risk of alcohol relapse. The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationship between smoking cessation and alcohol consumption. Smoking and drinking reinforce each other to multiply health problems. Find out how to break the habit and successfully quit both for an addiction-free lifestyle. Regular smoke and alcohol can increase your risk of cancer in the lungs and liver. The damage to your body starts from smoking just one cigarette. Some people think alcohol is good for the heart but it’s not true. In fact the red wine does contain natural antioxidants, this is in small amount and the risks of alcohol outweigh the benefits. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to productivity reduction, risky behaviors such as drink driving and even violent behavior.

If you hang out with friends who smoke and drink, here are a few ways that you can still cut down on your smoking and drinking consumption:

  • Break the association of cigarette with alcohol. By not engaging in both sets of behaviors at once, you can focus on stopping one habit at a time, instead of both, which can be daunting in the beginning.
  • Cut back a little each day e.g., have one less cigarette or drink per day so that every day you cut down is a small success to be celebrated.
  • Consider alternative activities for future social gatherings: sports/games, social gatherings in non-drinking/smoking areas.
  • Have smaller-sized drinks.
  • Drink water as a ‘spacer’ between drinks.

For smokers aiming to quit smoking completely, quitting cold turkey is known to be one of the most effective methods. But if you feel that you are not ready to quit immediately, you can consider these methods:

  •  Gradual reduction method i.e. start by cutting down the number of cigarettes each day
  • Delay method i.e. put off having a cigarette as long as possible
  • Nicotine replacement therapy e.g., nicotine gum, skin patches, or lozenges
  • Enlist the support of family and friends in your journey to quit. Method of quit smoking can be very effective.

Summary – Life is very precious. By following some steps, you can help yourself to Cut Down or Quit from Smoking and Alcohol. Quit addiction and leave your life on your own conditions.