Strategy to keep off the cigs while drinking?

ruffles

I'm only on my 3rd day off the fags and its going really well, hardly any cravings, even though i had a 20 a day habit. I'm delighted its going so well but i have a night out planned this weekend where i will be drinking a bit and as we all know thats the hardest scenario for someone who has just given up.
I can predict that after a couple i will be gagging for one especially when i see friends getting up to go out for one. Can anyone suggest anything i can do mentally or physically so i can resist? i really really want to succeed this time and i see the nights out as the major hurles to me achieving my goal. thanks

nc6000

I think the best strategy for this is to avoid going out at all at least for the first few weeks. If you do go out and feel like you're going to smoke you should take yourself home. It would be a shame to stay off them for 4 or 5 days (which are the hardest days apparently) to only go back on them at the weekend because you went out. If I were you I'd stay in to make sure you're not tempted to smoke again.

She Devil

I became a real wet blanket when i gave up the ciggs!
Do me a favour.. run into your nearest bookstore tomorrow and buy the alan carr book. I swear by it .. i kept it beside me at all times and rushed to it when feeling weak, i smoked 30 a day and off them now two years!
You can do it ...

Pal

go out and enjoy yourself.
worrying about it makes no sense.
you will find it more enjoyable socialising without smokes.
relax, theres no problem. just in your mind. thats the addiction.

rstans

When your friends go out for a smoke go with them. It's more the ritual of going out and having the chat and the laugh that you'll miss. Go out but keep your hands in your pockets.

oh well , okay

I had the same quandry when coming off my 40 a day 20 year old habit - thank you Alan Carr !! I can remember the lads heading out for a smoke and me sittin on me hands in the pub waiting for them kinda half wishing I was out there meself . As soon as they came back in and I could smell the stale smoke of 'em all the feeling soon passed and I reckon that was the moment I really decided I was never gonna smoke again .

I head out with 'em now for the chit-chat but I'm glad I got the whiff off 'em all that first time .

Philomena

Go out and enjoy yourself. I'm off the cigs now for 5 years and its fantastic. I went on a one day Alan Carr course (work paid for it which was great) I knew it was my last chance to give up "now or never" and I have not looked back since. The smoking ban in pubs I think helps a lot, just make sure you dont go outside when your friends are smoking - big mistake (found out the hard way-had a drag of cig, nearly died the next day and now never go out with the smokers).

The first few weeks are the hardest. I found the Alan Carr book very good, just stuck my head in that book when I wanted a cig. Now the downside was that I gained 2 stone :eek: but well worth it.

Best of luck. Just think of how much money you will have

Just to let you know that the only time I think of cigs now is when I have a few drinks on me, hence dont go outside with smokers. The rest of the time never think of them - so keep going well worth it in the end (just lost Dad to lung cancer so need I say more?) good luck!

Clareman

I'm off the smokes just over a month now, the 1 thing I was sure not to do was to put anything off, I thought that that would just make things seem like big occassions rather than just normal events.

I swear by the nicorette gum for the first few nights out, if you feel a pang, chew 1, put it between your gum and jaw, when you feel a pang, go back to it.

If you do feel like a smoke, just say to yourself that you don't need it that it's just a habbit that you have, you don't need heroin, and take another mouthful of beer. I noticed the first few nights that I couldn't get the beer into me quick enough.

Pal

noticed that too. drink very fast now.