Can Vaping Help You Quit Drinking?

Before you say “no” outright, let’s explore the issue! We discussed this idea at length on the Own Life Vapor Podcast, and we got a lot of feedback. I decided to research the issue more thoroughly, and my findings are below. Let’s see if vaping really can help you quit drinking alcohol!

Drinking alcohol is as old as civilization itself. Many historians claim alcohol is responsible for early agriculture, mathematics, the pyramids in Egypt, pasteurization, refrigeration, and modern medicine.

Alcoholism at a Glance:

Alcohol is a source of joy and relief for many people, but it is also the source of a lot of conflict. Around 42 percent of men and 19 percent of women have abused alcohol at some point in their lives, according to a new government survey. The NCAAD reports upwards of 100,000 deaths attributed to alcohol in 2015. Alcohol abuse has destroyed careers, families, communities, and unfathomable livers. No matter the reason, millions have made the decision to quit drinking, and many are unsuccessful. Like quitting smoking, it requires some intense dedication.

Before I proceed, let’s make something clear:

If you have a drinking problem, help is available. I am NOT a medical professional, but here is a list of great resources to help you quit drinking.

Roots of Addiction:

Genetics make some people more prone to alcoholism. It’s no secret that drinking too much runs in families, and the chain of abuse is hard to break. The Dopamine receptor D4 gene on chromosome 11 can determine a “novelty seeking” brain, which is much more likely to abuse alcohol. This is hereditary.

Environmental, behavioral, and societal causes drive some folks to the bottle. Many are conditioned to use alcohol as a pain/stress reliever.

Notably, in the nature versus nurture debate, Sigmund Freud rears his head.

Freud and Fixation

Sigmund Freud is credited as the father of modern psychoanalytics. Though controversial and a constant source of modern objection, Freud proposed the concept of “psychosexual fixation” in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, published in 1905. According to Freud, there are five stages of psychosexual development:

Oral Stage: Birth to 24 months. The infant experiences the world through the mouth and lips. Conflict occurs in relation to weaning. Anal Stage: Age 2 to 4. Associated with toilet training. Conflict occurs in relation to bowel control behaviors. Phallic Stage: Age 4-5. Associated with developing libido. Conflict occurs in relation to sublimation of fledgling psychosexual urges. Latent Stage: Age 6-puberty. Ego and superego develop, resulting in a period of calm. Genital Stage: Puberty onward. Sexual attractions and urges mature, and follow the individual indefinitely.

If these stages trouble you, worry not. Freud has been roundly recanted for his over-emphasis on sexuality in development. His theory of fixations, related to trauma at these key stages, has been carried into modern psychological theory.

The importance lies in the Oral Stage, when trauma is associated with overindulgence and/or neglect in relation to weaning. Orally fixated individuals are preoccupied with eating, drinking, smoking, biting nails, and verbosity. Not surprisingly, orally fixated people tend to be heavier drinkers.

The Cure for Oral Fixation?

Psychology has evolved quite a bit since the early 1900s. The prevailing school of thought is “behavior analysis,” which has its roots in conditioning (think of Pavlov and his dogs). Behaviorism acknowledges an individual’s history as a complicated whole that determines current and future actions.

There is not a universal cure for orally fixated behaviors. The complex legacy of one’s past has no catch-all treatment, so the context of a person’s life has to be dealt with on a case-to-case basis. However, a staggering amount of evidence (scientific and anecdotal) suggests trading a harmful oral habit with a less harmful one.

Breaking Bad Habits

Whether you believe Freud’s psychosexual theories or not, alcoholism is a habit. A tried and true method for breaking bad habits is replacement. Operant conditioning can be used to curb unhealthy behaviors; associate drinking with negative consequences, and replace it with something that gives you positive consequences. If you need that oral stimulation, many problem smokers and drinkers turn to chewing gum, lollipops, drinking water, and, yes, vaping.

Electronic cigarettes may attribute some of their success to ex-smokers’ need to satisfy a restless mouth. Couldn’t the same idea apply to drinking? Of course, psychology is a relatively young science, and years of research are needed. Even then, science is a messy process.

Don’t think of vaping as a prescription for your drinking problem. It isn’t. Vaping can be a pleasant distraction from the urge to drink. At zero nicotine, it can satisfy your potential oral fixation the same way chewing gum or singing can. With nicotine, perhaps the stimulant/relaxant effects can ease your worried mind.

In my opinion, the hobby aspect is the best part of vaping. It just so happens that hobbies are widely recommended as a replacement for drinking. Get a new mod, get into building your own coils, experiment with DIY e-juice, check out some great wraps… The list goes on and on.

In Summation

I can’t stress enough: if you have a deep problem with alcohol, get help. Sooner, rather than later. Talk to professionals. They walk among us. For those of us looking to cut back a bit, maybe step up your vape game. I will never say vaping is a universal cure-all, but it was a wonderful distraction for me.

You may also like our article on whether or not vaping causes heart attacks!