Exchanging addictions

[Kate18]

After quitting smoking in February of year-Covid (2019), about four or five months later I began having a beer in the evening. I am still having a beer or two in the evenings. I'm thinking I've exchanged one addiction for another. Hmmm.

I Googled for something else to be "addicted" or deeply involved with. All I got when I Googled was a long list of Help Lines.

Any thoughts about what happens when people exchange addictions and what could be better substitutes?

No chewing on carrots. No chewing on straws. An "addicting" hobby. Substitution.

Sigh

[Kate18]

One more thing...

I've been thinking about learning to skateboard. I won't do jumps or anything wild, but it does seem kinda cool. 

But...

I'm 70 years old. Sigh. Why didn't I think of this 50 years ago. Well, to be fair, I don't remember there being any skateboards then.

I emailed my doctor about it. She didn't recommend against it, she just said that my bones won't heal if I fall and break something. So that's a "no."

And it seemed like such a good idea.

[jillar]

@Kate18, I thought you were enjoying your stocks buying and selling? That was your "why" remember

I wouldn't recommend skateboarding at even my age of 57 lol. How about fishing? Or walking shelter dogs? 

[AceWhite]

indoor skydiving or underwater basket weaving would be better choices than skateboarding at 70

just sayin'

Check your local junior college or community center for classes on all types from dancing to arts n crafts to volunteering

 

[d2e8b8]

How about a skateboarder?  could be quite addictive.

[Katgirl]

Kate, I, too, am 70, and I wouldn’t try it. And, yes,  they had skateboards 50 years ago. I twisted my ankle back then, trying to learn on my little brother’s. If you want exercise, get a treadmill. That’s what I just did. I just may start running competitively again, like I was 5 years ago. I was running 5 k’s and placing in top 3 in my age group. Good for the body and the mind. 

[Doreensfree]

Skateboarding Wow !!!!!.....

There are plenty of other things to do Sweetheart without risking life and limb...

Us in the 70,s Club seem to have taken up power walking ...

Go on you tube ....and find someone you enjoy walking with ....I walk miles in my own Living room ..

I like your motivation though ...good for you ...

[Steven Drojensky]

I'm almost 58 and I just stick to walking. I like the occasional exercise bike, too.

[Katgirl]

I am switching to indoor power walking/ jogging indoors in 2 days, when my treadmill is set up.I think it will be a game changer. I am excited to participate in virtual hikes through Europe and Asia, with personal trainer at the helm.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Katgirl

[jillar]

@Kate18, I know something super fun you can do and its totally in right now. Rock painting! There's all kinds of FB groups where members paint rocks and then hide them throughout town. They even have a rock snake. Maybe look into that?

[Boo]

On 7/30/2021 at 4:29 PM, Kate18 said:

Any thoughts about what happens when people exchange addictions and what could be better substitutes?

No chewing on carrots. No chewing on straws. An "addicting" hobby. Substitution.

 

I did a deep dive into health and fitness after I quit.

 

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing.  Reading books about strength training and nutrition occupied my mind.  The exercise helped calm me down when I was craving a smoke.  The new commitment to health and fitness was antithetical to the addiction I was leaving behind; that really helped solidify my quit.

 

I traded a deadly addiction for a healthy addiction.  No regrets.

[Dianne]

I with Boo and others here I found exercising is a great substitute. A bonus of my new found passion. My 83 year old mother also became motivated and started walking and doing exercises in her walker chair. There many Youtube channels to help in that.

 

Came across this article on the subject https://www.newdirectionsforwomen.org/substituting-one-addiction-for-another/

 

and this https://www.mydomaine.com/hobby-ideas

 

Google "hobbies to keep you busy" or "things to do while in isolation" lots of things came up that way. Heck I found things that interested me just looking for you lol

Edited August 3, 2021 by Dianne

[Wayne045]

I did skateboard as a teenager, wouldn’t call it an addiction.  I didn’t wake up in the night and have the urge to grab my skateboard and hit the streets or have to sneak out during a TV commercial to do a few spin kicks on my board.

[Kate18]

On 7/30/2021 at 2:04 PM, jillar said:

@Kate18, I thought you were enjoying your stocks buying and selling? That was your "why" remember

I wouldn't recommend skateboarding at even my age of 57 lol. How about fishing? Or walking shelter dogs? 

Jillar, I like the fishing idea. I used to go fishing in Puget Sound on a boat. Usually caught flounder. 

 

I love dogs, but I have a medically challenged dog who is occupying my time and thoughts a lot just now. She just had an expensive abdominal surgery to remove a "foreign object" from her small intestines. It turned out to be a wad of string about the size of an apricot. I have no idea where she could have picked that up. She rarely chews on anything, let alone string. Oh well, so I'm having my fill of dogginess. She'll be convalescing for the next six months.

 

Thanks for bringing up fishing. I like that.

 

On 7/30/2021 at 3:13 PM, AceWhite said:

indoor skydiving or underwater basket weaving would be better choices than skateboarding at 70

just sayin'

Check your local junior college or community center for classes on all types from dancing to arts n crafts to volunteering

 

LOL! The images those two suggestions conjure up are so funny! I like the idea of classes. I'll look into it.

[Katgirl]

@Kate18, fishing is so relaxing. I like to surf fish, or fish off a dock. No boats for me. It has an instant calming effect on the psyche. I recommend it to anyone who needs to turn down the noise in their mind…..

 

 

[Kate18]

On 7/31/2021 at 3:59 PM, Katgirl said:

I am switching to indoor power walking/ jogging indoors in 2 days, when my treadmill is set up.I think it will be a game changer. I am excited to participate in virtual hikes through Europe and Asia, with personal trainer at the helm.

OK, I'm interested in the home treadmill idea. I live in a small apartment, so I'll have to measure for one to see if I can shove stuff out of the way. What brand did you get? You said you were setting it up...is it like a kit? Can you hire someone to set it up? What happens if it malfunctions? Is there a warrantee or something? I'm afraid I'll get one in my apartment, it'll go on the fritz, and I'll be stuck with it. I'm very interested in this one. It rains a lot here in Seattle; we're famous for it. I really need exercise.

On 7/31/2021 at 4:41 PM, jillar said:

@Kate18, I know something super fun you can do and its totally in right now. Rock painting! There's all kinds of FB groups where members paint rocks and then hide them throughout town. They even have a rock snake. Maybe look into that?

That is seriously awesome!!! I'd love to do that. As a matter of fact, I have acrylic paints and some brushes. I can't paint here in my apartment because of poor lighting and no space, but I just couldn't get rid of my canvasses and paints. Ha! Great idea!

[Kate18]

On 8/2/2021 at 11:48 AM, Boo said:

 

I did a deep dive into health and fitness after I quit.

 

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing.  Reading books about strength training and nutrition occupied my mind.  The exercise helped calm me down when I was craving a smoke.  The new commitment to health and fitness was antithetical to the addiction I was leaving behind; that really helped solidify my quit.

 

I traded a deadly addiction for a healthy addiction.  No regrets.

Yeh, I'm going to get back to my plant-based diet. I watch the videos of a physician-turned-nutritionist named Michael Greger. He has a site called Nutrition Facts. I also watch Youtubes on plant-based diets. I'm not fond of vegetables, so it'll take discipline to get back to eating properly. It was great, though. Before Covid, I'd lost about 20 lb. Part of that crept back up with eating comfort foods when we were in lock-down. You're right, getting back to studying nutrition and strength training is a great idea. Thanks!

[Kate18]

On 7/30/2021 at 2:04 PM, jillar said:

@Kate18, I thought you were enjoying your stocks buying and selling? That was your "why" remember

Yes, still with stocks. Just bought WYNN and CRSR. (Don't anybody buy those just because I did. I don't have a crystal ball.)

I'm also learning to day trade. That's not going so well, but I'm determined. My kids complain that it's just another way to stay indoors, that I need to go outside and meet people. Meh. I have a dog. She's good company.   

 

[Kate18]

On 7/31/2021 at 12:36 AM, Doreensfree said:

Skateboarding Wow !!!!!.....

There are plenty of other things to do Sweetheart without risking life and limb...

Us in the 70,s Club seem to have taken up power walking ...

Go on you tube ....and find someone you enjoy walking with ....I walk miles in my own Living room ..

I like your motivation though ...good for you ...

You know, Doreen, I may have just made a friend. It's a coworker, very quiet. She asked me whether I'd like to hang out some evening and drink beer (beer, again).  She saw me buying a can after work and said that it was her favorite. OK, we can ditch the beer. But she has asked me over to hang out on Friday. I'm hoping she wants to go hiking. Power walking sounds great, too.