Is alcohol more difficult to give up than nicotine?

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Ika

Lifer
Mar 22, 2006
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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...

If by "asian problem" you mean "asian glow", then yeah. That actually makes asians less prone to alcoholism, though...
 

Dunbar

Platinum Member
Feb 19, 2001
2,041
0
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Originally posted by: 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.

Wow, what a bunch of nonsense. Would you say the same thing about fast food or coffee? Because they're just as hard to "quit." I'm not including alcoholics when I make that statement.
 

AliasX

Senior member
Jan 29, 2006
508
0
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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.

Alcoholism on native american indian reservations and trailer parks is such a massive problem. It was taught in the school curriculum a few years ago.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
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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.
Of course, but that's not contrary to what I said, now is it?
 

aplefka

Lifer
Feb 29, 2004
12,014
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Not for me.

Besides, doesn't your body naturally produce something found in nicotine and when you add the nicotine of smokes your body shuts down that chemical since it no longer needs to make it? I thought that's why it was so hard to quit. That and the fact that the buzz you get from chewing after not having any nicotine in your system for a while is superb.
 

QUOTH

Senior member
Jan 17, 2008
288
0
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Research has been done into addiction and genes. They can sortof tell you if you should get addicted to cigarettes these days, but it's ongoing. I think alcohol isnt chemically adictive, only mentally. Can someone clear that up?


1st thing that jumps to mind is why does one drink? Is it a crutch, make it easier to relax in potentially stressful situations [chatting up women], or blocking out stressful thoughts [depression]? Or is it just a learned habit. Alcohol=relaxed, therefore you tell yourself you "need" a drink to relax.

My father is an alcoholic, so I've always avoided alcohol as a rule. Ocassionally I drink at parties, but never with friends and never on my own. Apart from the fact it can take control of your life, it's not necessary, not good for you and a waste of money.

We have some strange alcohol laws over here.

Whatever, have fun :)
 

xeno2060

Golden Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,518
4
81
Originally posted by: 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?

Vice versa for me gave alcohol up now gotta kick the smokes.
 

FallenHero

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2006
5,659
0
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Overall, Nicotine is harder to quit. However, watching a full blown alcoholic go through alcohol withdrawal is very very frightening.
 

Kyle

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 1999
4,146
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Originally posted by: QUOTH
Research has been done into addiction and genes. They can sortof tell you if you should get addicted to cigarettes these days, but it's ongoing. I think alcohol isnt chemically adictive, only mentally. Can someone clear that up?


1st thing that jumps to mind is why does one drink? Is it a crutch, make it easier to relax in potentially stressful situations [chatting up women], or blocking out stressful thoughts [depression]? Or is it just a learned habit. Alcohol=relaxed, therefore you tell yourself you "need" a drink to relax.

My father is an alcoholic, so I've always avoided alcohol as a rule. Ocassionally I drink at parties, but never with friends and never on my own. Apart from the fact it can take control of your life, it's not necessary, not good for you and a waste of money.

We have some strange alcohol laws over here.

Whatever, have fun :)

Alcohol can be chemically addictive- so much so in fact that the withdrawls can kill you if you're a heavy drinker and just quit.

 

QUOTH

Senior member
Jan 17, 2008
288
0
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[Damn, mispelled addiction] Can? I thought it was a yes or no thing. Do you only become chemically addicted if your a very heavy drinker, or does it depend on the biology person in question?

Thanks.


Thinking about it if alcoholism is [partially] genetic then a trick of evolution will increase the number of people born who are alcoholic. Say two people go out to a bar. One of them has a couple of drinks, the other gets verry drunk. And now lets say both of these people have a one night stand. It's possible that the alcoholic is more likely to have a one night stand, and less likely to use protection. Therefore 1 more alcoholic is born into the world :p. I know this is pretty much nonsense, and is probably true less than 1% of the time.

No offence ment to anyone, just a random idea floating throught my head.
 

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
nicotine is much harder to quit. Alcohol isn't very difficult to quit. What kind of alcohol do you drink, and why do you drink it?
 

homercles337

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2004
6,340
3
71
Originally posted by: 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?

Here come the puritan protestants! Full charge, ho!
 

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: 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?

Here come the puritan protestants! Full charge, ho!

A bit redundant? I'm pretty sure puritan is good enough, they are defined to be protestants :)

:beer:
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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True addiction to alcohol is rare - those of you who say you gave up drinking easily probably weren't a "real" alcoholic. It's bad - it's a chronic addiction, and quitting cold turkey can literally kill you.
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
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I think it could go either way depending on the person.

I drink often... pretty much need at least a few beers every single night (not to get drunk, I just like it I guess), so I guess I'm addicted to that. I smoke up to a half-pack a day, so I'm addicted to them too. I've not tried to quit either of them, so I don't know what would be harder. I'd imagine it's harder to give up smoking when you drink. I'd quit drinking then quit smoking.

So for myself, I'd say alcohol would be LESS DIFFICULT to give up than nicotine, definitely. I could go without my standard 3-4 beers tonight no problem, but it'd be tough to not smoke anymore cigs today (only had one thus far). But I don't see myself completely stop drinking alcohol. I'd just need to make it 1-2 times per week, not 7x per week, to say I gave up my "drinking problem". If I quit smoking, I'd quit for good. Quitting opiates is much harder than both of those though, IMO.
 

JohnCU

Banned
Dec 9, 2000
16,528
4
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Originally posted by: Deeko
True addiction to alcohol is rare - those of you who say you gave up drinking easily probably weren't a "real" alcoholic. It's bad - it's a chronic addiction, and quitting cold turkey can literally kill you.

So true. People tell me to just stop drinking and liken it to telling a homosexual person to just go straight. Not that easy.
 

Dunbar

Platinum Member
Feb 19, 2001
2,041
0
0
Originally posted by: Kyle
Alcohol can be chemically addictive- so much so in fact that the withdrawls can kill you if you're a heavy drinker and just quit.

True, but even hard core drugs like heroine or meth are out of your system in a matter of days. Virtually all rehab programs focus on treating the mental and emotional aspects that lead people to use. If it were just a matter of getting over the physical addiction than why do so many people relapse after being sober for months?
 

JohnCU

Banned
Dec 9, 2000
16,528
4
0
Originally posted by: Dunbar
Originally posted by: Kyle
Alcohol can be chemically addictive- so much so in fact that the withdrawls can kill you if you're a heavy drinker and just quit.

True, but even hard core drugs like heroine or meth are out of your system in a matter of days. Virtually all rehab programs focus on treating the mental and emotional aspects that lead people to use. If it were just a matter of getting over the physical addiction than why do so many people relapse after being sober for months?

It's not that the alcohol is still in your system, it's what it does to your system that lasts forever, like messing up all the neurotransmitters. That takes more than a couple of days to fix. In an alcoholic brain, it's permanently rewired. It changes how you think.