I've been smoking on and off for 20 years. I have stopped (and relapsed) many times, so I believe I can compare. This was a lot easier. I mean, I had cravings, but they weren't really that bad, and while the first week is generally the difficult part, I only had a couple of days with issues. I did not lose weight that month, though, which is fine as I would normally gain a lot due to compensating for cravings.
I increased the dose again and started losing weight. I guess some people gain weight when they stop using GLP-1. Even if that happens, I'm fine with stopping smoking without weight gain.
I started a GLP-1 in February of 2025. Lost a bunch of weight, etc.
What I wasn't expecting was that I'd have such an easy time dropping the daily drinking habit. I'm not convinced GLP's will help if you're truly addicted to alcohol to the point where you need AA and structured programs to break free. But I do think GLP's have the potential to give you the initial "kick" you need to drop the habit if you're otherwise motivated to.
In the first few months of starting the GLP-1, I remember losing enjoyment for eating (and drinking) a lot of things, especially unhealthy stuff (unhealthy foods/drinks tend to not combine well with GLP's). The taste of a cocktail wasn't as appetizing or appealing as it used to be, hard to explain.
I'd love to see more research around this.
This was largely portrayed as a great result in the popular press although personally I think it was a bit of a disappointment given all the amazing anecdotes https://dynomight.net/glp-1/
> I’d already understood addiction to be a treatable disease, not a personal failing. Still, these scans helped me appreciate how deeply addiction is rooted in neurobiology. A mere photograph of alcohol—to say nothing of a sip—was enough to send a person’s reward centers into a frenzy.
Ban alcohol advertising now and I’m not kidding or being hyperbolic.
I saw a thread on reddit where a GP chimed in and mentioned that he was giving urusodiol to all his patients at the same time as GLPs, to help prevent the associated issues.
Either way, modern science is great. Just do your research.
I would love for it to be miracle it appears to be, since I hate trying to maintain my desired weight. I don't qualify for GLP-1 due to my BMI being too low, but I sure would like to stop the constant cravings for food and my love of beer. Everyday feels like a struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
now, alcohol has become the least interesting thing in the world, I just can't make myself drink it, it is so strange
That said, there are some that have reported it also lessens desire for things they want to desire.
Did a writeup on this back in summer '25:
https://glp1guide.substack.com/p/glp1s-vs-addiction-a-quick-...
Paywalled so direct links to notable papers through the years below:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8517504
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8820218
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36031011
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10684505
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39764175
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39032839/
https://www.science.org/content/article/obesity-drug-cuts-op... https://www.statnews.com/2024/02/17/opioid-cravings-glp1-wei... (The science.org article is paywalled IIRC)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39535805/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39937469/
Addiction comes up in anecdata all the time so I've written about it a few times but these papers are a good place to start to find more rigorous data points.
Eli Lilly has taken to calling GLP1s "anti-hedonics" as well
Is India about to make Ozempic-like weight-loss drugs a whole lot cheaper? - https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/07/india/india-semaglutide-p...
During this same period, I left an abusive marriage and started exercising extensively. While the causes are complex, I attribute the loss of desire to drink primarily to the GLP-1. Subjectively, I now see drinking as a distraction from programming and other things I enjoy. This feels like my early 20s, when I saw getting drunk as a waste of time, rather than later years when I pushed for another round.
- Intermittent fasting (16x8 or at least stop eating after sun down)
- Daily morning pranayama (or 'breath work' if you prefer that term)
- Daily morning intake of copper utensil stored water (~8 hours or overnight)
- Weekly oil pulling for gum health.
This approach feels a bit stoic and neanderthal initially, less attuned to our modern and progressive society, but as effective as Ozempic in long-run (minus the side-effects or addiction).