I am 30 years and addicted to alcohol and smoking. Please advise treatment and medicine ?

Question

The combination of alcohol and smoking is deadly for your health. I am so glad that you are seeking to get rid of these habits and that will play a major role in your recovery. You must stop them both, abruptly and immediately. If you think that you will find it very difficult, then admit yourself to a hospital and go for de-addiction: which normally lasts for about two weeks. Then follow that up with addiction counseling from a professional for at least three years to completely get rid of this habit. If this is also not enough, then admit yourself into a de-addiction center and stay there for at least 6 months and after that attend counseling with a professional. There are medicines that help with the smoking and drinking just to ease the initial craving. Ultimately, it is your will power and the support that you receive from the medical fraternity and your close and dear ones. You must also learn to substitute and deal with the oral need, a rigid value system, the script issue, and of course look at all the genetic factors to plan a strategy not to get into what is called? cross addictions? i. E. Another form of addiction that may appear alright but is in fact as bad as your primary addiction. The center or hospital and the counselor will advise and guide you on several measures and precautions you will need to take to stay with your resolve. I congratulate you on this fabulous decision that will benefit you firstly, and your entire family. You are taking action that will have major bearing to many lives.

Saul Pereira · Accepted Answer

The combination of alcohol and smoking is deadly for your health. I am so glad that you are seeking to get rid of these habits and that will play a major role in your recovery. You must stop them both, abruptly and immediately. If you think that you will find it very difficult, then admit yourself to a hospital and go for de-addiction: which normally lasts for about two weeks. Then follow that up with addiction counseling from a professional for at least three years to completely get rid of this habit. If this is also not enough, then admit yourself into a de-addiction center and stay there for at least 6 months and after that attend counseling with a professional. There are medicines that help with the smoking and drinking just to ease the initial craving. Ultimately, it is your will power and the support that you receive from the medical fraternity and your close and dear ones. You must also learn to substitute and deal with the oral need, a rigid value system, the script issue, and of course look at all the genetic factors to plan a strategy not to get into what is called? cross addictions? i. E. Another form of addiction that may appear alright but is in fact as bad as your primary addiction. The center or hospital and the counselor will advise and guide you on several measures and precautions you will need to take to stay with your resolve. I congratulate you on this fabulous decision that will benefit you firstly, and your entire family. You are taking action that will have major bearing to many lives.

Naresh Vadlamani · Answer

If you are an occasional smoker - with public messages, health awareness programs and your own doctors advice, you can quit. If you are a regular smoker, motivational therapy with a trained psychotherapist or a psychiatrist and enormous will power will help you quit. If you are a diseased smoker, consult a de addiction psychiatrist at the earliest. He may give you anti-smoking medications and de addiction treatment. The same applies to alcohol dependence disease also.

Nitin Mehra · Answer

You need to assess your addiction for severity and accordingly go ahead for the prescribed treatment. Its less about medication which helps withdrawal symptoms but more about self understanding how addiction develops and learning skills to come out of it.

K V Anand · Answer

Dear, tobacco is addictive. Cigarette also contains 4000+ carcinogenic chemicals other than nicotine. The best method is to leave it and continue with your will power. There are other methods like nicotine replacement therapy and pharmacotherapy combined. But still you will need will power. For alcohol de-addiction treatment also, you should go to a rehabilitation center. You may consult a physician or deaddiction therapist or a rehabilitation facility for further advise. Take care.