Help, I want to quit smoking but I just quit taking narcotics

[Firefaery1023]

Well I am 27 years ol and am ready to quit.  I have been smoking since I was 16 years old, I did manage to quit twice for 6 months but then ended up smoking againing.  Now for the past 4 maybe 5 years straight.  I am also a newly recovering addict from opiates (vicodin).  I want to make myself healthy all together but don't know where to start.  Right now I am through with the physical withdrawals of the opiate addiction but am still having cravings, so I am not sure if this is the right time to stop quitting smoking as well.  I just want to end all the addiction that I have, I am tired of feeling that my life is controlled by how many cigarettes or how many pills I have.  I figured my biggest problem was with the pills so I started there.  I am starting to get a grip on that, just some cravings, but I found that sex can control those cravings, lol (not joking actually) but now I want to stop with the cigarettes.  Where do I begin?  I went 2 days a month ado without smoking but then I had to go to work and bought a pack of cigarettes.  It seems that my worst time is is the car and I have a 31mile ride to work.  Any suggestions?  

[Mumjane]

I can't add much to the above excellent advice but, also as an addict I can understand your desire to be free. I agree totally with the tips offered so far.

I have found that stopping smoking was not physically hard for me but emotionally very tough ~ much harder than quitting drugs. Therefore  I also think it would be good idea to be completely comfortable with your emotional stability prior to a smoking quit. Just my opinion. You might also want to read Allen Carr;'s book "Easy Way To Stop Smoking" if you have any fear or anxiety around being a non-smoker - it really helped me.

Many successful recovering addicts have advised me to take one addiction at a time and to take all the time needed - Progress, not perfection! Good luck to you.
Mumjane

[kathyjo]

FMXSMKR has a great point and I second it. We all strive to get healthy and get rid of bad habits, but it is better to do it "one day at a time".......hmm...I suppose that is where they got that saying from : )
Make sure you take the time to thoroughly quit before you decide to take on the next addiction.
In addition to those very helpful hints from FMXSMKR you might want to visit the whyquit.com website and read the articles under "Joel's Library." It has saved my butt quite a few times and saved my sanity several hundred times : )
Good luck whenever you decide to quit....take your time and make sure you are really, truly ready.
Kathy Jo

[Jade59]

Hello!  Listen, from one addict to another, I can relate to wanting to stop all addictions at once and be comletely free.  Speaking from past experience, I would wait a little bit longer if I were you.  You say you are over the physical w/d, but still have the cravings.  I believe, if you quit right now, you would be setting yourself up for failure.  In my experience, quitting smoking is much harder than quitting opiates, and you have to be very strong mentally in order to be successful at quitting smoking.  You are very fragile right now and, in my opinion, still need to hang on to the smokes in order to continue being successful with your current quit.  

Here's what I would do if I were you.  Set yourself a quit date at LEAST a month from now.  Begin your quit by not smoking in the car.  Tell yourself you CAN get to point A to point B without a smoke because you can.  Try this for a few days and then graduate to not smoking the second you get out of the car and before you go into work.  You are getting yourself ready to quit smoking while protecting your current quit.  Read whyquit.com and educate yourself on the dangers of smoking and the reasons to quit.  Make a list of the positives of quitting smoking and put it on your fridge to read every day, or wherever.  Read about and decide if you want to use a quit smoking aid.  It might be a good idea, because the current w/d cravings can go on for a while.  A month will go by before you know it, and you will be stronger and more able to deal with the cravings for nicotine.  

You asked if this is the right time to stop smoking so this is just MY opinion.  Maybe it sounds silly, but this is what came to mind when I read your question.  I just think you would be more successful with BOTH quits if you give yourself more time to adjust to the first quit.  Don't be in such a rush.  There's plenty of time.  

We are here for you, no matter what you decide.  Today, tomorrow, next month or next year. : )

Good Luck!!!