Is alcohol more difficult to give up than nicotine?

[Braznor]

I kicked cigarettes a few months ago and never looked back. But I'm not able to do the same with alcohol. Dunno why?

 

[mattocs]

They say nicotine is the hardest to quit. Harder than heroin.

I have never really had an addiction...so I don't really know.

 

[Dimmu]

Definitely not, at least not for me. I can go without drinking for an extended period of time, but not smoking. No sir.

 

[maxster]

Man bummer.

Alcohol does bad things to me. Very bad things. Can't drink it anymroe.

 

[jagec]

IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

 

[JohnCU]

I've smoked before but never got addicted to it, but got addicted to alcohol. Don't know about nicotine and its effects on the "addiction" chemicals/pathways in the brain, but it's probably similiar to alcohol.

 

[Eeezee]

Nicotine is definitely harder. Have a bad night of drinking and quitting isn't so hard anymore. You can't do that with nicotine (unless a smoke a LOT really quickly, but even chain smoking isn't bad enough that you can compare it with binge drinking)

I only drink alcohol if others want to drink too. I have a bottle of Patron that I got in March 07 that still hasn't even been opened.

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Nicotine is definitely harder. Have a bad night of drinking and quitting isn't so hard anymore. You can't do that with nicotine (unless a smoke a LOT really quickly, but even chain smoking isn't bad enough that you can compare it with binge drinking)

I only drink alcohol if others want to drink too. I have a bottle of Patron that I got in March 07 that still hasn't even been opened.

Not true. The craving for alcohol outweighs the negative reinforcement of a hangover. Hence the reason everyone has said "I'll never drink again" after a bad night and yet still drink again.

 

[Farang]

Alcohol.. maybe because I have no desire to quit drinking and I had the desire to quit smoking.

 

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

Never heard of the Indian thing, although I have heard of the asian problem with drinking...

 

[ChaoZ]

It depends on the person. Sometimes I forget that I still have a bottle of rum that I opened 6 months ago. My grandpa smokes *one* cigarette a year. He only does it when his kids visit.

 

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

Never heard of the Indian thing, although I have heard of the asian problem with drinking...

Perhaps Indians are more prone to diabetes, would that be it?

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

 

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

Thanks

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

I think that's a problem with any peoples in a poor situation.

 

[TheChort]

Originally posted by: mattocs
They say nicotine is the hardest to quit. Harder than heroin.

I have never really had an addiction...so I don't really know.

:laugh:
Try getting addicted to heroin

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

I think that's a problem with any peoples in a poor situation.

Alcoholism affects everyone from the homeless to doctors.

 

[shortylickens]

The main reason Alchohol and Tobacco are so hard to give up is they are legal and easily accessible.
And despite all the hate on drinkers and smokers, you are still much more likley to get dirty looks if you shoot up in a McDonalds rather than light up.

People who dont use any substances see a person smoking and say "oh, gee another smoker, shame on them, OH SHIT! 25% OFF EVERYTHING AT THE GAP! HOT DAMN!"

When they see a person snorting coke their reactions are a little different.

 

[Throckmorton]

I have no clue how people get addicted to alcohol

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

I think that's a problem with any peoples in a poor situation.

Alcoholism affects everyone from the homeless to doctors.

Obviously anyone can be an alcoholic but he's saying that poor people are more likely to become alcoholic.

 

[invidia]

Breaking the WoW habit is just as hard as giving up nicotine.

 

[DainBramaged]

Depends. Each person is different.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I haven't tried to give up alcohol, nor do I plan to. Giving up sodas (well, all carbonated beverages) has been harder than cigarettes. I haven't smoked in over a year now.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: jagec
IIRC nicotine is at least mildly (physiologically) addictive for almost everyone. Alcohol isn't addictive for most people, although if you have a family history of alcoholism, you might want to avoid drinking. Same story if you have Indian ancestry.

Can you tell me more about this particular point? I'm Indian.

I think he meant native american, especially among cherokee, genetically, alcoholism is an epidemic.

Yup, I was just being lazy.

I heard that there is somewhat of a genetic weakness to alcohol among that population. A quick google search seems to back me up:
http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v17n3/p18.html

The quest for genes that influence alcohol abuse follows two paths. One goal is to locate genes that predispose a person to alcoholism. The other is to identify genes that help to prevent this from happening. Li and his coworkers have made important advances in this latter category. "We have identified two genes that protect against heavy drinking, and these are particularly prevalent among Asians," Li says. "We have shown that Native Americans, who have a high rate of alcoholism, do not have these protective genes. The one that is particularly effective is a mutation of the gene for the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, which plays a major role in metabolizing alcohol. The mutation is found very frequently in Chinese and Japanese populations but is less common among other Asian groups, including Koreans, the Malayo-Polynesian group, and others native to the Pacific Rim. "We've also looked at Euro-Americans, Native Americans, and Eskimos, and they don't have that gene mutation," says Li. Thus, incidentally, the study of genetic mutations and alcoholism links native North-American populations to central Asian ancestors, not to those from China and Japan.

Yes, I know that isn't a super-authoritative site, I just posted the first link that explained what I had heard.