Dual Victory: Triumphing Over Alcohol And Nicotine Dependencies

Many people who struggle with alcoholism also battle with nicotine addiction, and vice versa. However, overcoming both addictions with the proper support and resources are
possible.

Joanne was a resilient woman determined to overcome her smoking and drinking habits. Despite recovering from Covid and facing severe breathing problems, Joanne reached out to the stop smoking service for help. However, her journey was not without its challenges.

Initially, Joanne was optimistic after her first telephone consultation. However, she found it hard to quit over the coming months and was constantly relapsing. Joanne discussed the
situation with her practitioner and took a break to get motivated. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to quit during the lockdown.

Joanne made a face-to-face appointment with the stop smoking service after the clinics re-opened, but for her first few consultations, she did not attend. Eventually, she became very distressed during one of her appointments and revealed that she had been an alcoholic for over 20 years and had reached her breaking point. She was determined to quit smoking and alcohol simultaneously and would stay at her daughter’s place to detox.

Her practitioner explained the difficulties of quitting both habits simultaneously, but Joanne was determined. They decided that Joanne would transfer to telephone consultations to make it easier for her during her detox. Throughout her journey, Joanne
struggled with quitting smoking, but every week she answered the phone and was proud
of her alcohol-free status and reduction in cigarette consumption.

In December 2022, Joanne was admitted to the hospital with severe pneumonia and her
family was told to prepare for the worst. However, Joanne fully recovered, and this
kick-started her quit attempt. With the help of telephone consultations and NRT
deliveries, Joanne was able to quit smoking in November and was determined never to
smoke again.

Despite the difficulties, Joanne returned home and remained smoke and alcohol-free. She
was still on the stop smoking program and attended a face-to-face clinic today. Joanne
felt tremendous and looked well, and she was determined to keep going. Joanne’s process
was a testament to her resilience and determination, and her family was proud of her achievements.