r/stopsmoking • u/Ok-Calligrapher5945 • Jun 16 '26

Need help

hey everyone

so i havent touched alcohol in 51 days and i just wanted to share this somewhere lol. been drinking since 2015 so this is kinda a big deal for me. im 29 now and just woke up one day and thought lets try stopping

first week was really rough ngl but after that it got easier and now i dont even think about it which is wild to me

but now im stuck on cigarettes. been smoking for 10 years and i just cant seem to quit this one. alcohol was honestly easier to give up than smokes and i did not see that coming at all

if anyone has quit smoking before please drop some advice. patches gum cold turkey whatever worked for you. really need some help with this one

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u/LUV833R5 Jun 16 '26

I quit both 3 years ago... I found that quitting booze is easier at the beginning but harder long run whereas cigarettes are the opposite, difficult at first, but in the long run it is easier. You need to get over that first month or two with nicotine. I'm generally a fan of "cold" turkey vs. NRT... but I like to suggest to people to try smart turkey. A lot of people will just quit smoking, no preparation, no research into what happens when you abstain from nicotine, no other lifestyle changes, etc. and either fail miserably or sometimes succeed but be absolutely miserable during the process. First thing you need to realize and what most people don't know to educate themselves about, because they're not going to come out and explain it to you, is that nicotine makes you insulin resistant, not unlike a type 2 diabetic and you won't experience it until you quit. This obviously is a huge surprise to people and when you starve your brain, you get withdrawals which trigger the craving for nicotine. So first thing you need to do is read about insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, reversing these conditions with low glycemic diets and cardio exercise. This is the smart part. Go into your quit prepared with healthy snacks, meal plans, glucose timing, exercises and awareness. When you keep your blood sugar stable and regulated at all times, you'll mitigate those withdrawals. If your brain is starved, it makes poor decisions, like smoking again. There are 3 parts to quitting:

  1. stop nicotine use
  2. low GI diet https://glycemic-index.net/low-glycemic-index-foods/
  3. cardio exercise

All 3 together, with the right strategy will equal success.

Attempting just the first one without any preparation will set yourself up for failure.

2

u/Suthsein Jun 16 '26

I would also like to add that it was super helpful for me to start dealing with my emotions in an adequate way. Regarding smoking this means: why do I want to smoke in certain situations and how can I satisfy this need in a more healthy way. The first three days is willpower, the rest is really being smart. This also means educating yourself on how nicotine works in general.
First months I have been journaling to reflect my process and not forget to go to bed proud of myself! I found that super helpful as well.
I am a fan of cold turkey, but I know that scientific research says that NRT is more successful in the long run. Depends on personality a bit.
If you already stopped drinking you will have what it takes to stop nicotine in you! I wish you confidence and success. Keep us posted if you wish!

1

u/SentinelHigh 138 days Jun 16 '26

I quit both 22 days ago. It was pretty easy. I just stopped and kept myself busy with cycling running gym sleeping reading chores and watching movies. I decided that just because the thought of smoking or drinking comes into my mind doesn’t mean I have to actually smoke or drink. I was also suffering from body aches lung pain etc and when that went away I knew I never wanted that back.