Recovery from Nicotine Addiction in San Diego County
When asking an incoming client to our alcohol and drug addiction treatment program if they smoke and have they considered quitting, they respond with, “I can’t possible stop drinking and doing drugs, and stop smoking at the same time!”
Yet, it has been recently shown by researchers that quitting smoking and drinking simultaneously may aid sobriety.
Join Together, a newsletter advancing effective alcohol and drug policy, prevention and treatment recently reported that people trying to quit drinking experience more cognitive improvements when they simultaneously stop smoking, as well. Researchers studied brain scans of 37 subjects in treatment for alcohol addiction and found that smoking alcoholics compared to non smoking alcoholics, did not recover some cognitive functioning. Skills such as decision-making, speed thinking, 3-D visualization and short term memory continued to be impaired. While it isn’t clear what differences in brain functioning were present prior to the smokers first cigarette, it is known that a higher percentage of people with ADHD, anxiety disorders and bi-polar disorder, are smokers.
I smoked my first cigarette at age 10 and by age 14, I was a daily smoker. After trying to quit at least 50 times, I finally did it. But only after I was able to get off of a 10 year addiction to prescription drugs. Not an easy feat by any means. Now I understand why it was so hard…my decision making skills were eroding, I couldn’t think very fast and my short term memory was weak. No wonder I couldn’t stay quit. I couldn’t remember that I had told myself that I wasn’t going to smoke anymore. Seems that is the way of all addictions; we say we will quit, then forget what we said and start drinking or doing drugs again.
Join Together notes that experts say that a delay in addressing nicotine addiction could lead to chemical-dependency relapse if smokers try to quit while in early recovery. If clients aren’t ready to quit smoking and drinking at the same time, we encourage people to wait until they have developed several relapse prevention tools before they begin the quitting process. Relapse into smoking can take a person back to their active addiction whether it be alcohol or drugs. There is research to indicate that people who quit smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes have increased recovery rates as a result of not experiencing the triggering effects of a similar oral and physical sensations and class of drugs.
In San Diego county, with smoking bans in the workplace and restaurants, we see fewer of our clients who are still smoking by the time they come for treatment. Education and awareness of the effects of the drug nicotine addiction are important in overall health and wellness.
We are pleased to note that Art Farkas, Ph.D., our co-owner and co-director, published over 40 articles in peer reviewed journals related to smoking cessation while on the faculty of the School of Medicine, University of California San Diego. The facts speak for themselves.
Judy Saalinger
Yet, it has been recently shown by researchers that quitting smoking and drinking simultaneously may aid sobriety.
Join Together, a newsletter advancing effective alcohol and drug policy, prevention and treatment recently reported that people trying to quit drinking experience more cognitive improvements when they simultaneously stop smoking, as well. Researchers studied brain scans of 37 subjects in treatment for alcohol addiction and found that smoking alcoholics compared to non smoking alcoholics, did not recover some cognitive functioning. Skills such as decision-making, speed thinking, 3-D visualization and short term memory continued to be impaired. While it isn’t clear what differences in brain functioning were present prior to the smokers first cigarette, it is known that a higher percentage of people with ADHD, anxiety disorders and bi-polar disorder, are smokers.
I smoked my first cigarette at age 10 and by age 14, I was a daily smoker. After trying to quit at least 50 times, I finally did it. But only after I was able to get off of a 10 year addiction to prescription drugs. Not an easy feat by any means. Now I understand why it was so hard…my decision making skills were eroding, I couldn’t think very fast and my short term memory was weak. No wonder I couldn’t stay quit. I couldn’t remember that I had told myself that I wasn’t going to smoke anymore. Seems that is the way of all addictions; we say we will quit, then forget what we said and start drinking or doing drugs again.
Join Together notes that experts say that a delay in addressing nicotine addiction could lead to chemical-dependency relapse if smokers try to quit while in early recovery. If clients aren’t ready to quit smoking and drinking at the same time, we encourage people to wait until they have developed several relapse prevention tools before they begin the quitting process. Relapse into smoking can take a person back to their active addiction whether it be alcohol or drugs. There is research to indicate that people who quit smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes have increased recovery rates as a result of not experiencing the triggering effects of a similar oral and physical sensations and class of drugs.
In San Diego county, with smoking bans in the workplace and restaurants, we see fewer of our clients who are still smoking by the time they come for treatment. Education and awareness of the effects of the drug nicotine addiction are important in overall health and wellness.
We are pleased to note that Art Farkas, Ph.D., our co-owner and co-director, published over 40 articles in peer reviewed journals related to smoking cessation while on the faculty of the School of Medicine, University of California San Diego. The facts speak for themselves.
Judy Saalinger
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posted by Lasting Recovery | 10:07 AM
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