Most of us have habits that we want to quit but are struggling to take action on. Tobacco, whether you’re smoking or chewing it, may be one of those habits for you. And you’re not alone. More than 67% of adults in the U.S. who smoke cigarettes reported wanting to quit in 2022. But less than 10% successfully quit in the previous year.
It’s incredibly common to have a co-occurring addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD), alongside tobacco use. Up to 90% of people with an SUD use tobacco.
Even if you want to quit tobacco, you may not feel quite ready. And that’s understandable. However, if you’re trying to seek treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), it can be helpful to understand how your tobacco use can make your recovery journey more difficult.
Read on to learn about the link between tobacco use and SUD and the benefits of cutting down or quitting tobacco while on your recovery journey. We’ll also discuss Groups’ tobacco cessation support and how it’s incorporated into OUD treatment.
How SUD and tobacco use are connected
People with a substance use disorder, such as opioid use disorder, are just about five times more likely to smoke cigarettes than people without one.
Not only are people with SUD highly likely to use tobacco, but nicotine dependence itself is a substance use disorder. It’s known as tobacco use disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision.
You may be dependent on nicotine if your tobacco use interferes with your everyday responsibilities or if it takes up a large amount of your time. You may also have a hard time cutting back. Talk to your provider about a potential diagnosis.
There are a few reasons why people who have an SUD are likely to smoke or chew tobacco, including:
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Genetics
It’s possible that you have a risk of developing an addiction due to your genetics. If there have been certain gene variations that have been passed down from older generations, it could put you at risk of experiencing more than one type of addiction at the same time, such as opioids and tobacco.
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Shared brain reward
Whether you’re using opioids or tobacco, the same neurotransmitters in your brain are affected. These neurotransmitters are involved in your brain’s reward system, meaning they cause you to experience pleasure. You can form habits that lead to opioid use disorder and tobacco use disorder by trying to always chase those feelings.
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Temporary stress relief
Having opioid use disorder can bring a lot of stress and negative emotions, such as sadness and irritability. You may turn to tobacco as a type of coping mechanism to reduce some of the heavy feelings that are weighing on your mental health.
4 ways quitting tobacco can help your SUD recovery journey
You may be planning to quit tobacco, whether you have an SUD or not. But if you’re trying to make progress on your substance use disorder recovery, quitting tobacco can be a huge help.
Here are a few reasons that quitting chewing or smoking tobacco is helpful for your SUD recovery:
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It increases odds of recovery success.
If you’re seeking treatment for substance use disorder, taking whatever steps possible to reach long-term recovery is likely one of your priorities. If you quit or reduce your tobacco use, you’re increasing the odds of getting the results you’re looking for.
People who go through the process of tobacco cessation (quitting tobacco) increase the likelihood of long-term recovery from illicit substances by 25%.
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It can improve your mental health.
Your mental health takes a toll when you’re experiencing a substance use disorder and regularly smoking/chewing tobacco. By quitting tobacco while on your SUD recovery journey, you’re improving your overall mindset. You can:
- Reduce symptoms of depression (sadness, hopelessness)
- Increase your ability to manage your emotions
- Manage everyday stressors
- Improve your confidence by recognizing what you’re capable of achieving
Improving your mental health can have a positive impact on your everyday productivity. You can also strengthen your relationships with others.
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It can decrease your cravings.
When you’re going through substance use disorder recovery, cravings are often one of the biggest challenges. They’re also a withdrawal symptom that’s treated through medication at the beginning of your treatment. Some people may turn to tobacco as a distraction from the cravings as a way to still experience similar hormones in the brain. However, smoking or chewing tobacco is linked to increased cravings for the substance you’re trying to resist, such as opioids.
If you quit smoking while going through SUD treatment, you can reduce the severity and frequency of cravings for the other substance.
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Interaction with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) can affect how well MOUD works.
Medication plays an important role in helping you through your substance use disorder. For example, if you’re treating opioid use disorder, you may be prescribed Suboxone. It’s a medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) that helps to manage your withdrawal symptoms. However, it’s possible for tobacco to interact with your medication, impacting how the ingredients affect your body.
You should discuss your tobacco use with your provider. If you smoke or chew tobacco, it can accelerate your metabolism. This can cause some medications to have a lower concentration in your blood, decreasing its effectiveness. You may also need to have your dosage adjusted to reach the intended effects of the medication.
These benefits don’t include the benefits of quitting tobacco on its own. Quitting tobacco can reduce the risk of lung cancer and heart disease and also save you money.
Groups provides tobacco cessation support to help you along your recovery journey
When you’ve decided to start your recovery journey, it helps to put other parts of your life into perspective that may be connected to your OUD. Tobacco use may be one of those things.
Deciding to treat tobacco use disorder at the same time as opioid use disorder sounds challenging, and it can be. At Groups, we’re here to help you with all aspects of your substance use. We want to make sure that you’re able to work toward the future that you want, including sustaining your recovery. That’s why we offer tobacco cessation resources and support.
At Groups, we can help you quit tobacco while you’re on your OUD recovery journey in several ways, including:
- Safe and effective medicines
- Practice interventions
- Referrals to your local/state quit line
If you’re ready to quit tobacco as part of your OUD journey, talk to your provider or your Recovery Support Specialist about potential options. While we don’t provide tobacco cessation as a primary service at Groups, we do offer it in addition to an existing OUD treatment plan.
Other aspects of your Groups treatment that can help you to quit tobacco include weekly group support meetings. You can participate in them through our app or in person. You can open up to other people on their recovery journey to discuss your challenges, such as tobacco use, and find shoulders to lean on.
We also provide custom life-goal assistance to help you set and work toward achievable goals in your life, which may include quitting tobacco.
Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today at 888-858-1723 for more information or to begin your recovery. We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our 130+ local offices. If Groups does not offer treatment in your area, you can locate other treatment options here.
