October 18, 20178 yr I have read numerous posts about people losing their quit after drinking alcohol. But I am wondering if anyone has had an aversion to alcohol after their quit?? I use to enjoy a few drinks a couple of times a week. I have avoided drinking until now because I knew how much I enjoyed smoking when I have had a drink or four. Well tonight I caved and had 2 standard size (1oz) shots.... and I hate it!!!! Not only am I NOT craving a smoke.... But I hate how I feel!!! I in no way feel more calm or relaxed or buzzed or happy or any other feeling associated with drinking... I feel anxious and paranoid, I have heart burn, I hate this foggy head feeling and the idea of having another drink makes me feel ill. Has anyone experienced such a strong dislike for alcohol after they quit (and not because the crave got worse after drinking) Edited to reiterate it did NOT make me crave... It made me ill.. Not only do I never want to smoke.... But I never want to drink.... I can't believe I use to enjoy this feeling...
October 18, 20178 yr In my early quit, I never drank anyway..but..I didn't drink much to start with.. Your body is so messed up at the moment... It's been used to feeling a certain way..being fed hundreds of chemicals , So many times a day..and for X smoking of years.. I say.expect anything..but know its ALL temporary.. Be patient and kind to yourself..remind yourself. This is happening...because your flippin amazing...and cleansing your body of all poisions.. Upwards and onwards
October 18, 20178 yr I love my beer and my consumption levels have not changed as a nonsmoker. Having a couple of beers has never made me crave a smoke any more than without drinking. I guess I'm lucky in that respect. It can be a danergous activity for a lot of new quitters though, based on what I've read.
October 18, 20178 yr I had to relearn to drink. Took lots of practice. I can now gain a pound after one night of pizza and beer. Professional again
October 18, 20178 yr There's a temporal association between smoking and drinking in the brain. Both hit the same 'pleasure centers' in the brain along with caffeine, sugar, and 'fat' (as in high calorie, pure junk foods). Oh yeah...and exercise and sex. I'm sure you could Google all the Neurological Bio-psyche stuff for the complex and detailed explanations but somehow you managed to 'turn off' that Pavlovian stimulus and response not only mentally but physically. In essence you've changed your body and brain chemistry. Kudos for doing it with the smoking. Depending upon how you feel about it with the dinking and your thoughts on the effects of alcohol upon health---- congrats or not. Years ago I had a similar experience. I completely eliminated sugar from my diet. After 6 weeks of being a sugar Nazi and then trying to eat anything sweet (candy, cake, cereal, non diet soda or highly process foods, etc.) will make me sick. It has been 6 years and this stuff still nauseates me and gives me a headache and I'll spare you the rest. I've also noticed I can only drink about 1/3rd of what I used to be able to. I'm a wine and a Scotch or a Vodka drinker. Now I can only consume alcohol rarely because of the natural sugars in it and don't enjoy it the way I used to. Never liked beer.
October 18, 20178 yr I had to relearn to drink. Took lots of practice. I can now gain a pound after one night of pizza and beer. Professional again This is my current dilemma - drinking beer & weight gain, or at least bloating. After quitting smoking I am convinced my metabolism is operating in a considerably different manner. I was always the kind of person who could eat & drinking anything in any volume and never gain a pound. This no longer appears to be the case. That is my next challenge - developing a proper diet :(
October 19, 20178 yr Author I have a full bottle of Jack Daniels in the freezer (- the 2 shots I had the other night) normally it would be gone or almost gone by now, but I can't bring myself to even try one shot to test the waters. Just the smell of it makes me cringe and gives me goosebumps. Oh well,one less thing to cut out I suppose.... Now if I can only cut out the soda!
October 19, 20178 yr I have a full bottle of Jack Daniels in the freezer (- the 2 shots I had the other night) normally it would be gone or almost gone by now, but I can't bring myself to even try one shot to test the waters. Just the smell of it makes me cringe and gives me goosebumps. Oh well,one less thing to cut out I suppose.... Now if I can only cut out the soda! I read drinking fruit juice is good during the early part of your quit. Can't remember the reasoning behind it though. Didn't try it myself so can't really say. I think some believed it would help with the "brain fog" many get during the early days. I certainly had that :(
October 19, 20178 yr I read drinking fruit juice is good during the early part of your quit. Can't remember the reasoning behind it though. Didn't try it myself so can't really say. I think some believed it would help with the "brain fog" many get during the early days. I certainly had that :( Fruit juices raise blood sugar levels. Juices also contain high amounts of vitamin C, which is a vitamin that is severely depleted by smoking. And juices like cranberry juice increase the acidity of urine which helps eliminate nicotine from the system quicker.
October 20, 20178 yr Author Oooo.... I can do Crown, too....well use to.....I'm too chicken to try it after my latest experience....but I'm OK with not drinking.. I can do without the hangovers and so fourth.... Even if I wasn't hungover the next day, I always had a general feeling of blah the next day. I never drank because I enjoyed the taste..... It all tastes like sock sweat to me..... I drank for the buzz and general euphoric feeling. So I drank to alter my mood/have a good time..... Which is the addict in me..... Sooooo I think it's safe to say I'm pretty sure I'm giving up drinking as well.... And I'm OK with that.. Actually feel pretty darn good about it
October 25, 20178 yr Author It's official.... I'm also not drinking.... Ever. I had the last 2 days off so thought I'd try having a couple of drinks. I didn't get as sick as before, but still got sick. I got absolutely no pleasure whatsoever from it, nothing. I ended up dumping the rest down the sink.
October 25, 20178 yr I too love my beer and still do. And yes every now and then it would give me the urge but it isn't like you can smoke in doors anymore so there isn't a chance in hell I will head out side all by myself!
October 25, 20178 yr Your body is getting a great cleanse.....your lungs ,and now your liver...carnt be bad... Just think of all those hangovers your missing...!!!!
October 25, 20178 yr Author Your body is getting a great cleanse.....your lungs ,and now your liver...carnt be bad... Just think of all those hangovers your missing...!!!! So true!!! I rarely drank enough to have a hangover the next day, but I've had a few in my time. I had 2 standard drinks last night, same as before. Normally I'd feel all warm and fuzzy and good. Now I feel worse after 1 or 2 drinks then I did before I had them, no pleasure at all, zilch, nothing. Now my brain is like why bother??? You don't enjoy it anymore and your body clearly doesn't like it. Why do something that twice now has done nothing but make you feel like crap?? Sooooo goodbye alcohol, it was nice knowing you. Tell Cigarettes I said Bite Me!
October 25, 20178 yr Makes quitting the booze pretty easy if you feel like crap after having some drinks. Probably a good thing overall for your health.
October 25, 20178 yr Author That's what I figure. I'm gonna give it a couple of weeks then slowly start cutting out the soda from my diet. This will be extremely hard for me, but I know I'm stubborn enough to do it.
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