2023-11-15 16:15:00
1. Take stock of your consumption
The simplest is to write down in a notebook what you actually smoke/drink. This diary has two benefits: we evaluate the situation objectively, someone who thought they were smoking three cigarettes may realize that they smoke ten from time to time, and by evaluating it, we begin to treat it.
“You can also make several columns and write what you were thinking about before having a drink or a cigarette, how many you had, and what you felt during and after,” advises Marie de Noailles, psychologist.
Alcohol: advice from a general practitioner can already make a difference
Published on October 14, 2021 in the scientific journal Addictiona meta-analysis of some 116 scientific studies carried out since the 1990s reveals that advice from general practitioners, outside the hospital environment, can already encourage people to reduce their alcohol consumption.
Bringing together 64,439 participants, this study indicates that brief interventions on alcohol, such as short, one-on-one conversations between doctor and patient can result in a reduction of one day of alcohol consumption per month. Note that this beneficial effect of a medical intervention on alcohol consumption has only been observed in general medicine settings, in general practices in particular, and not in emergency or trauma departments. You should therefore not hesitate to talk about it with your GP if you wish to take action on your alcohol consumption.
2. Identify risky situations
“This consumption inventory also allows you to identify the situations and reasons that push you to smoke or drink and then find other ways to respond,” says Professor Lejoyeux.
- Accurately identify when you smoke or drink : at home, at work, on break, alone or with someone and who, during what activity (while working, on the phone, etc.).
- Then, replace this habit. Some people will do a little sport in intervals, others will do away with coffee or go for a five-minute walk after a meal, others will still take a bath when they come home from work rather than an aperitif, or go shopping when they are not. are not in good spirits, read if they are bored… Everyone will draw on their personal resources.
A constant: “During parties, it is preferable to decide in advance what you are going to consume, to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, not to drink one drink after another, and to eat, warns Dr. Karila. If this is difficult to maintain, it is better to leave. »
3. Challenge preconceived ideas
Contrary to popular belief, quitting smoking or drinking makes life more beautiful. A recent study indicated that the morale of ex-smokers is better once the first weeks of deficiency have passed, which can be compensated for with nicotine substitutes. As for alcohol, although it can have an anti-stress effect at first, it ends up depressing when you drink a lot and for a long time.
4. Read other people’s experiences
Do you tell yourself that you will never succeed? Reading the experiences of those who have successfully quit can then be very beneficial,” listening for similarities and not differences, insists Marie de Noailles. By going to the forums of people who have stopped drinking or smoking, we often recognize ourselves. It helps, gives courage, we feel less alone, and we find advice there. »
5. Wait 7 minutes before cracking
« Le craving, that is to say the urgent need to consume, neurologically lasts seven minutes. Exceeding this period of time helps keep the immediate desire away,” says Marie de Noailles. Or even forgetting it. Everything is good for this: drink a large glass of water, go get the mail from the mailbox, play with your dog, launch a game on your smartphone, empty a cupboard, take a chewing gum…
6. Dare to refuse
Are you being tempted while you’re trying to quit? “ Respond with a big smile and as many times as necessary: I don’t smoke. It’s the broken record technique,” advises Michel Lejoyeux.
Refusing a drink is more difficult.
If you don’t smoke, no one will insist. On the other hand, if you do not consume alcohol at a dinner, you will have to defend yourself. He who drinks is normal, he who drinks a little too much is a bon vivant, he who does not drink is sick, warns Professor Lejoyeux. It is better to prepare for it, and repeat: “No thank you, this evening, I am not drinking”, without having to justify yourself and giving as little explanation as possible.
7. Lean on your friends
“Seeing someone who is getting better distresses those who are still dependent,” says Professor Lejoyeux. It is preferable, during this period, to see friends who don’t smoke, drink or push you. »
8. Write about your addiction
Dear cigarette, dear alcohol… “Start your letter as if you were writing to someone unique, and let yourself be carried away by what you feel,” suggests Marie de Noailles. By putting things down on paper, you fight the irrational part of you that is tempted by the product. » Often we realize that we are angry with him. When you feel ready, it can also be a farewell letter.
9. Discover other pleasures and vary the pleasures
To take your mind off things, be imaginative and daring! Treat yourself, for example treat yourself to a boat trip, plan a cinema or a nice dinner, notice the effects on your sex life, you are coming back to life! “Your partner will prefer to have a relationship with someone who does not smell of alcohol or tobacco,” says Michel Lejoyeux.
10. Set an achievable goal
The more successful you are, the more you will believe in your abilities. To do this, you have to make it as easy as possible: if you prefer reduce your consumption rather than stopping everything, well, start by decreasing. If setting a date helps, do it.
“It’s a matter between you and yourself,” says Professor Lejoyeux. “It’s very stupid, but it works,” confirms Marie de Noailles. At home, buy just one bottle and set a goal, for example, that it lasts three days. Drink each glass more slowly, in small sips… For tobacco, it is best to quit overnight, but cutting back over a period of time can ease pre-cessation anxiety. »
Finally, don’t fear relapse. “He who relapses has progressed. He is no longer in denial of I don’t have a problem. He is doing much better than the one who did not try to stop,” insists Professor Lejoyeux. Learn to congratulate yourself!
In the event of alcohol dependence, it is strongly recommended to consult your doctor or an addictologist. It is also possible to obtain information or help from Alcool Info Service, at 0 980 980 930.
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