SelfhelpMagazine

by Reid K. Hester, Ph.D.

That depends in part on:

• how much you were drinking and smoking before you quit
• how psychologically and physically dependent you were on these drugs before you quit
• what sort of diet you're on
• what you're doing to achieve the desired effects you used to get from drinking and smoking

If you've quit drinking and smoking and have not done anything to replace them with other activities that provide some sense of escape, chilling out, or way to adjust your attitudes, you're going to stay pretty high strung and tense at times. Consider some alternative ways to manage your stress in a positive way (e.g., meditation, playing music, gardening).

Also consider the type of diet you're on. What you eat can have a big impact on how you feel and if you're on a low-fat, low protein, high carbohydrate diet, you may be making matters worse. Educate yourself about nutrition, develop a long-term goal of reasonable fat loss, and begin an exercise program (after consulting with your physician).

Using nicotine replacement therapy, the nicotine gum, patch, nasal spray etc. can also be a big help toward staying nicotine free, and maintaining healthy weight.

You seem to be making good decisions about drinking and smoking. However, without knowing you I cannot determine whether a fat loss program is necessary. However, how you're going about managing yourself, your stressors, and your food intake may need to be reconsidered. So keep up your efforts to make your lifestyle changes have a more positive impact on your life. Good luck!

About the Author:

Reid K. Hester, Ph.D., Director, Research Division, Behavior Therapy Associates, 9426 Indian School Rd NE, Suite 1, Albuquerque, NM 87112. Phone: 505.345.6100.

Dr. Hester is has developed an evidence-based, web application called ModerateDrinking.com to help heavy drinkers be successful in changing their drinking. A video demo of the program is available at www.behaviortherapy.com