Alcohol decreases the ability to resist theurge to smoke,so for many, drinking triggers smoking.
Despite the challenges, youcanquit successfully.
Simply being around cigarettes can make restraint a challenge.
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Planning your responses in such situations can be helpful.
Understanding Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine addictionhas two components: physical addiction and psychological dependence.
For many people, it is the psychological dependence of smoking that ties them most strongly to nicotine addiction.
Avoid Triggers
It’s perfectly OK to avoid a situation if you feel it’lltriggera cigarette craving.
During nicotine withdrawal, cravings can be intense.
You don’t have to feel bad about putting yourself first.
Start by asking family or friends to avoid smoking around you.
Let them know you’re serious about quitting and you would appreciate their support.
If they don’t respect your wishes, set somehealthy boundariesand spend less time around them.
Avoid bars after you quit smoking, too.
Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, so try practicing how you’ll behave at a bar beforehand.
For example,your health improves when you quit smoking.
You’re also not inhalingsecondhand smokeas you do when you stand near people who are smoking.
Making new associations when you quit smoking is important.
Reach out to a supportive friend orsupport quitline.
If this is the case, suggest to your friends that you go somewhere else instead.
Or, maybe you suggest that you try somewhere else altogether.
There are different ways people swap out a cigarette for a healthier option.
Practice will cement them in place.
Be patient and give yourself time to replace old associations with new ones that don’t include smoking.
Smoking even a few cigarettesis dangerous to your health.
If you are struggling with how much you drink, talk to your doctor.
There are resources available toassess your drinking leveland take action steps to reduce your drinking.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
The Takeaways
Remember: Many people take more than one attempt to quit smoking for good.
National Institutes of Health.Alcohol & smoking.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Quitting smoking with complementary health approaches: What you should probably know.
American Cancer Society.Help for cravings and tough situations while you’re quitting tobacco.
2015;135(2):323-331. doi:10.1111/jnc.13219
