Quitting

[Zoe'sDad]

Day 150. The past 50 days since HOF have flown by. Trust me guys, it does get better. And it's worth it. I quit with you all today.

[eric71]

100! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thanks to everyone who supported me in this journey. Now for 200!

Congrats brother on your HOF milestone. It's a milestone you should be proud of. I've enjoyed reading your intro as well as your daily roll call promises. You've made my quit stronger! Stay the course. Proud to be quit with you today!

Congrats on your HOF ZoesDad!! Thanks for being such a solid August quitter!

Belated congrats brother, well done. One day, one step, one promise at a time. Quit with you every day forward.

[pky1520]

100! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thanks to everyone who supported me in this journey. Now for 200!

Congrats brother on your HOF milestone. It's a milestone you should be proud of. I've enjoyed reading your intro as well as your daily roll call promises. You've made my quit stronger! Stay the course. Proud to be quit with you today!

Congrats on your HOF ZoesDad!! Thanks for being such a solid August quitter!

[Mike1966]

100! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thanks to everyone who supported me in this journey. Now for 200!

Congrats brother on your HOF milestone. It's a milestone you should be proud of. I've enjoyed reading your intro as well as your daily roll call promises. You've made my quit stronger! Stay the course. Proud to be quit with you today!

[Zoe'sDad]

100! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thanks to everyone who supported me in this journey. Now for 200!

[eric71]

Day 86 - I had no idea the feeling of elation that was awaiting me. Starting to see some of our group cross the 100-day line gives me such great joy. Deep down, make your brain buzz, joy. Now 2 weeks of promises gets me in the winner's circle, too. Fuck yes. ODAAT.

I wanted to come on here and post that looking back on my "Introduction Journal" Day 61 was probably my lowest point. I got on here and talked about it. Read up and got motivated. Since then I can say I truly turned a corner. Celebrating Day 69 (which beat the record for longest I had stayed quit in my 12 years of use) really put things into overdrive for me. If and when I hit 100 I'm going plug in my promise for 200. Why would I quit doing what works?

When I went to go write this I hadn't planned on writing this much. More for me than for anyone else. But damn, there it was, "1 user reading this thread (Anonymous)".
That's me.
I was that guy 86 days ago.
I was the lurker: reading, reading, reading.
"Is it possible?"
"Can I be like them?"
"Can I actually quit this god-forsaken weed that has such a strangle hold on where I can go, what I can do, how I feel, how I treat others?"
"This expensive shit I pack my lip with that could prevent me from being there for my daughter as she is growing up and when she is grown!"
"I've tried so many times before, how could it be a fuckin' website that finally gets me there?"
I was wondering: Can that be me?"

I was that Anonymous user 86 days ago.

Let me tell you, Anonymous user, Yes. Yes it can be you. I am living proof that cold-turkey is the way to do it. I'd done the gum, the patch, quitting for others, quitting without accountability or support or education, you name it.....

Yes, the nicotine god dam C10H14N2 3-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine, was the chemical that was chemically responsible for my chemical addiction...... but there was so much more to it than that. Breaking associations, breaking habits, routines, escapes, breaking attitudes that it had fostered and fed. The void had to be created and then the void had to be filled, with new, good, vibrant things of life and freedom and gladness. Self-care was a concept I became aware of and embraced. I must care for myself. This is very different than being self-centered.

I find it so much easier now to love and serve my wife when she needs help, even with simple things. Her existence no longer interferes with my perfectly laid plans to not go more than 180 minutes without a dose (or be punished by a grueling headache all day). I find myself considering her, what she might need, in advance of her asking for it. Because my quit is slowly "freeing up space" previously occupied with dipping. Mental space, emotional space, TIME space...... This space is allowing me to fill the void with things that make me become less of a selfish, moody bastard-addict who is no longer intent about planning perfectly a routine and life that allows the next maintenance fix.

At first I drank more, to replace the void, now I drink less. At first I ate more, to fill the void, now I eat less. I can't say I have started the exercise regime I need to start but I feel I will. I have seen nothing but steady, good things, flow from this deeply impactful change that quitting has brought about.

Hell, this kinda feels like a HOF speech now that I've gone on and on, but it's all good. Maybe it will help me keep up my quit until I've earned the right to write my official HOF speech. It's good practice..... Most importantly, maybe I can help someone. Lord knows how much this site has helped me.

Oh, and Mr. Anonymous, God sent me here to tell you that this message is for you and you're supposed to go register for KTC right now, when this post ends and find your Quit Group because today is your day and this is your moment to claim your freedom from the slavery of the chemical and the habit which owns you. That this life is not the life He created for you. He made you to thrive and breathe deep peaceful joy and you can, if you use the free-will He gave you, right now, to make that leap. It's gonna suck, it's gonna suck harder, it's gonna suck some more, and then it's going to amazingly, magically, rock. It's Day 86 and I am rockin'. We'll be here for you on your Day 1 and every step of the way.

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

All good things brother. Keep rolling with the quit train! I'll drive the Karma bus and flatten the nic bitch everyday she tries to get up from her beat down!

[danojeno]

Day 86 - I had no idea the feeling of elation that was awaiting me. Starting to see some of our group cross the 100-day line gives me such great joy. Deep down, make your brain buzz, joy. Now 2 weeks of promises gets me in the winner's circle, too. Fuck yes. ODAAT.

I wanted to come on here and post that looking back on my "Introduction Journal" Day 61 was probably my lowest point. I got on here and talked about it. Read up and got motivated. Since then I can say I truly turned a corner. Celebrating Day 69 (which beat the record for longest I had stayed quit in my 12 years of use) really put things into overdrive for me. If and when I hit 100 I'm going plug in my promise for 200. Why would I quit doing what works?

When I went to go write this I hadn't planned on writing this much. More for me than for anyone else. But damn, there it was, "1 user reading this thread (Anonymous)".
That's me.
I was that guy 86 days ago.
I was the lurker: reading, reading, reading.
"Is it possible?"
"Can I be like them?"
"Can I actually quit this god-forsaken weed that has such a strangle hold on where I can go, what I can do, how I feel, how I treat others?"
"This expensive shit I pack my lip with that could prevent me from being there for my daughter as she is growing up and when she is grown!"
"I've tried so many times before, how could it be a fuckin' website that finally gets me there?"
I was wondering: Can that be me?"

I was that Anonymous user 86 days ago.

Let me tell you, Anonymous user, Yes. Yes it can be you. I am living proof that cold-turkey is the way to do it. I'd done the gum, the patch, quitting for others, quitting without accountability or support or education, you name it.....

Yes, the nicotine god dam C10H14N2 3-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine, was the chemical that was chemically responsible for my chemical addiction...... but there was so much more to it than that. Breaking associations, breaking habits, routines, escapes, breaking attitudes that it had fostered and fed. The void had to be created and then the void had to be filled, with new, good, vibrant things of life and freedom and gladness. Self-care was a concept I became aware of and embraced. I must care for myself. This is very different than being self-centered.

I find it so much easier now to love and serve my wife when she needs help, even with simple things. Her existence no longer interferes with my perfectly laid plans to not go more than 180 minutes without a dose (or be punished by a grueling headache all day). I find myself considering her, what she might need, in advance of her asking for it. Because my quit is slowly "freeing up space" previously occupied with dipping. Mental space, emotional space, TIME space...... This space is allowing me to fill the void with things that make me become less of a selfish, moody bastard-addict who is no longer intent about planning perfectly a routine and life that allows the next maintenance fix.

At first I drank more, to replace the void, now I drink less. At first I ate more, to fill the void, now I eat less. I can't say I have started the exercise regime I need to start but I feel I will. I have seen nothing but steady, good things, flow from this deeply impactful change that quitting has brought about.

Hell, this kinda feels like a HOF speech now that I've gone on and on, but it's all good. Maybe it will help me keep up my quit until I've earned the right to write my official HOF speech. It's good practice..... Most importantly, maybe I can help someone. Lord knows how much this site has helped me.

Oh, and Mr. Anonymous, God sent me here to tell you that this message is for you and you're supposed to go register for KTC right now, when this post ends and find your Quit Group because today is your day and this is your moment to claim your freedom from the slavery of the chemical and the habit which owns you. That this life is not the life He created for you. He made you to thrive and breathe deep peaceful joy and you can, if you use the free-will He gave you, right now, to make that leap. It's gonna suck, it's gonna suck harder, it's gonna suck some more, and then it's going to amazingly, magically, rock. It's Day 86 and I am rockin'. We'll be here for you on your Day 1 and every step of the way.

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[Zoe'sDad]

Day 86 - I had no idea the feeling of elation that was awaiting me. Starting to see some of our group cross the 100-day line gives me such great joy. Deep down, make your brain buzz, joy. Now 2 weeks of promises gets me in the winner's circle, too. Fuck yes. ODAAT.

I wanted to come on here and post that looking back on my "Introduction Journal" Day 61 was probably my lowest point. I got on here and talked about it. Read up and got motivated. Since then I can say I truly turned a corner. Celebrating Day 69 (which beat the record for longest I had stayed quit in my 12 years of use) really put things into overdrive for me. If and when I hit 100 I'm going plug in my promise for 200. Why would I quit doing what works?

When I went to go write this I hadn't planned on writing this much. More for me than for anyone else. But damn, there it was, "1 user reading this thread (Anonymous)".
That's me.
I was that guy 86 days ago.
I was the lurker: reading, reading, reading.
"Is it possible?"
"Can I be like them?"
"Can I actually quit this god-forsaken weed that has such a strangle hold on where I can go, what I can do, how I feel, how I treat others?"
"This expensive shit I pack my lip with that could prevent me from being there for my daughter as she is growing up and when she is grown!"
"I've tried so many times before, how could it be a fuckin' website that finally gets me there?"
I was wondering: Can that be me?"

I was that Anonymous user 86 days ago.

Let me tell you, Anonymous user, Yes. Yes it can be you. I am living proof that cold-turkey is the way to do it. I'd done the gum, the patch, quitting for others, quitting without accountability or support or education, you name it.....

Yes, the nicotine god dam C10H14N2 3-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine, was the chemical that was chemically responsible for my chemical addiction...... but there was so much more to it than that. Breaking associations, breaking habits, routines, escapes, breaking attitudes that it had fostered and fed. The void had to be created and then the void had to be filled, with new, good, vibrant things of life and freedom and gladness. Self-care was a concept I became aware of and embraced. I must care for myself. This is very different than being self-centered.

I find it so much easier now to love and serve my wife when she needs help, even with simple things. Her existence no longer interferes with my perfectly laid plans to not go more than 180 minutes without a dose (or be punished by a grueling headache all day). I find myself considering her, what she might need, in advance of her asking for it. Because my quit is slowly "freeing up space" previously occupied with dipping. Mental space, emotional space, TIME space...... This space is allowing me to fill the void with things that make me become less of a selfish, moody bastard-addict who is no longer intent about planning perfectly a routine and life that allows the next maintenance fix.

At first I drank more, to replace the void, now I drink less. At first I ate more, to fill the void, now I eat less. I can't say I have started the exercise regime I need to start but I feel I will. I have seen nothing but steady, good things, flow from this deeply impactful change that quitting has brought about.

Hell, this kinda feels like a HOF speech now that I've gone on and on, but it's all good. Maybe it will help me keep up my quit until I've earned the right to write my official HOF speech. It's good practice..... Most importantly, maybe I can help someone. Lord knows how much this site has helped me.

Oh, and Mr. Anonymous, God sent me here to tell you that this message is for you and you're supposed to go register for KTC right now, when this post ends and find your Quit Group because today is your day and this is your moment to claim your freedom from the slavery of the chemical and the habit which owns you. That this life is not the life He created for you. He made you to thrive and breathe deep peaceful joy and you can, if you use the free-will He gave you, right now, to make that leap. It's gonna suck, it's gonna suck harder, it's gonna suck some more, and then it's going to amazingly, magically, rock. It's Day 86 and I am rockin'. We'll be here for you on your Day 1 and every step of the way.

[wildirish317]

I'm at the point where I don't want to keep thinking about my quit but if I don't keep thinking about my quit I will stumble. It's weird, because I don't necessarily want dip, or to feed the absence of nicotine. At this point I know better.

But I do feel like something is missing.... I think the problem is I had this major part of my life, something I thought about constantly, and arranged my life to feed. It was something to do while doing other things. Yes, I've addressed the oral fixation with gum, mints, fireballs, food, fake stuff, whatever. But that's not really the crave. The crave is not really for nicotine, (so I think) but it is for something. I just don't know what....

I'm right there with you ZD
Every night at about 7:00 I start getting these nagging feelings of need and emptiness. I used to dip all day long but around this time in the evening was my favorite time to dip. Most of other times I was just dipping to avoid withdrawal.

Now, during this time, I try to read intros and posts here and articles on quitting. One website I found extremely helpful in the last couple of days is this one https://www.verywell.com/will-i-miss-sm ... er-2824756 it is for quitting smoking, but there are many similarities,you might find it helpful too.

Since I've quit I've noticed that I've gone through a couple of different phases of quitting:
1 There was the initial withdrawal and intense craving period,
2 Then there was a period of feeling like I'd give anything if could just stop thinking about quitting and think about anything else(I still think about it a lot but back then it seemed like someone was screaming at me though a bullhorn "YOU'RE QUITTING YOU'RE QUITTING! YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY NIC TODAY!) as well as feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate.
3 And now the nagging feelings of need every night around 7:00

I can remember when I was contemplating quiting, wishing I could skip the withdrawal portion of quitting. That wasn't realistic though, and the same is true of the other phases and periods of quitting even the ones in the future that I have yet to experience. We can't skip them any more than we could skip that period of withdrawal

We are a society of people who are use to and demand instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. But with nicotine addiction recovery, there is no substitute for time, no shortcuts we can take. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, people don't quit nicotine in a day either. A lot of us spent 30 years or more of dipping before we quit. Quitting is not a single event that took place on April 18th (for me) it's a process of breaking free of the mental associations I built over years and years of reinforcement.

Now I'm trying to walk through these various phases of quitting, instead of trying to take a shortcut around them, I'm trying to use some advice I've gotten here at KTC. Now during these 7:00 urges/empty feelings, I remind myself to be patient with my quit, that Rome wasn't built in a day and take the advice Gone Cruising has posted,"stop trying to feel better, stop fighting it, accept it, live with it and move on with your life as if it's part of your life now and it will slowly fade away in time!"
And I'm trying to apply the advice from the website above "Accept and Let It Go - Relax into your quit program and embrace cravings to Smoke as they come. Don't fight them. Instead, try leaning into urges emotionally and let them run their course. Most cravings last 3-5 minutes. Think of them as signs that your body is healing, because that is just what they are." Embrace them? I'll admit I haven't quite mastered that one yet but I'm trying.

Sorry to run off at the mouth on your Intro brother! These were some things that I've been mulling over in my head the last couple of days that I've wanted to put in my intro. When I read your intro it all came gushing out!

One other thought before I go . . . .As for nicotine relieving stress. I've used it time and time again as a stress reliever, but now, I truly believe that the only stress it relieves is the stress that it created in the 1st place. I've conditioned myself over time to believe that it relieves stress because I've used it time and time again to relieve the stress of withdrawal.

Mike1966 on a rambling rampage on day 91!
I quit with you today!

Mike,
Thank you so much for coming by and dropping such sweet, succulent, sorely needed knowledge on me, broseefus. I really benefited alot from your thoughts. So much of what you said resonated with me and is helping me. Thank you.

Guys, I promise you that this gets better and easier. Mindset is key. Try to think of these mental challenges as reminders that you are winning.

They will fade with time.

You are both killing it!

The positive takeaway is that you recognize a void. That may sound ass backwards, but it most definitely is not. You have made an empty space by removing a negative in your life. Replace it with a positive. What is something positive your life is lacking? Quality time with family, spouse? Communicating with them? Helping with homework, chores? Religion? Meditation? Exercise? Hobbies? The quit journey is about transforming yourself from what you were to what you want to become. Do not stop trying to become the best version of yourself.

I think you guys are on the right track with this. There is a void. Right now, I'm filling a lot of it with time on KTC. I'm purposely not thinking too far into the future, taking things one day at a time.

[eric71]

I'm at the point where I don't want to keep thinking about my quit but if I don't keep thinking about my quit I will stumble. It's weird, because I don't necessarily want dip, or to feed the absence of nicotine. At this point I know better.

But I do feel like something is missing.... I think the problem is I had this major part of my life, something I thought about constantly, and arranged my life to feed. It was something to do while doing other things. Yes, I've addressed the oral fixation with gum, mints, fireballs, food, fake stuff, whatever. But that's not really the crave. The crave is not really for nicotine, (so I think) but it is for something. I just don't know what....

I'm right there with you ZD
Every night at about 7:00 I start getting these nagging feelings of need and emptiness. I used to dip all day long but around this time in the evening was my favorite time to dip. Most of other times I was just dipping to avoid withdrawal.

Now, during this time, I try to read intros and posts here and articles on quitting. One website I found extremely helpful in the last couple of days is this one https://www.verywell.com/will-i-miss-sm ... er-2824756 it is for quitting smoking, but there are many similarities,you might find it helpful too.

Since I've quit I've noticed that I've gone through a couple of different phases of quitting:
1 There was the initial withdrawal and intense craving period,
2 Then there was a period of feeling like I'd give anything if could just stop thinking about quitting and think about anything else(I still think about it a lot but back then it seemed like someone was screaming at me though a bullhorn "YOU'RE QUITTING YOU'RE QUITTING! YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY NIC TODAY!) as well as feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate.
3 And now the nagging feelings of need every night around 7:00

I can remember when I was contemplating quiting, wishing I could skip the withdrawal portion of quitting. That wasn't realistic though, and the same is true of the other phases and periods of quitting even the ones in the future that I have yet to experience. We can't skip them any more than we could skip that period of withdrawal

We are a society of people who are use to and demand instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. But with nicotine addiction recovery, there is no substitute for time, no shortcuts we can take. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, people don't quit nicotine in a day either. A lot of us spent 30 years or more of dipping before we quit. Quitting is not a single event that took place on April 18th (for me) it's a process of breaking free of the mental associations I built over years and years of reinforcement.

Now I'm trying to walk through these various phases of quitting, instead of trying to take a shortcut around them, I'm trying to use some advice I've gotten here at KTC. Now during these 7:00 urges/empty feelings, I remind myself to be patient with my quit, that Rome wasn't built in a day and take the advice Gone Cruising has posted,"stop trying to feel better, stop fighting it, accept it, live with it and move on with your life as if it's part of your life now and it will slowly fade away in time!"
And I'm trying to apply the advice from the website above "Accept and Let It Go - Relax into your quit program and embrace cravings to Smoke as they come. Don't fight them. Instead, try leaning into urges emotionally and let them run their course. Most cravings last 3-5 minutes. Think of them as signs that your body is healing, because that is just what they are." Embrace them? I'll admit I haven't quite mastered that one yet but I'm trying.

Sorry to run off at the mouth on your Intro brother! These were some things that I've been mulling over in my head the last couple of days that I've wanted to put in my intro. When I read your intro it all came gushing out!

One other thought before I go . . . .As for nicotine relieving stress. I've used it time and time again as a stress reliever, but now, I truly believe that the only stress it relieves is the stress that it created in the 1st place. I've conditioned myself over time to believe that it relieves stress because I've used it time and time again to relieve the stress of withdrawal.

Mike1966 on a rambling rampage on day 91!
I quit with you today!

Mike,
Thank you so much for coming by and dropping such sweet, succulent, sorely needed knowledge on me, broseefus. I really benefited alot from your thoughts. So much of what you said resonated with me and is helping me. Thank you.

Guys, I promise you that this gets better and easier. Mindset is key. Try to think of these mental challenges as reminders that you are winning.

They will fade with time.

You are both killing it!

The positive takeaway is that you recognize a void. That may sound ass backwards, but it most definitely is not. You have made an empty space by removing a negative in your life. Replace it with a positive. What is something positive your life is lacking? Quality time with family, spouse? Communicating with them? Helping with homework, chores? Religion? Meditation? Exercise? Hobbies? The quit journey is about transforming yourself from what you were to what you want to become. Do not stop trying to become the best version of yourself.

[worktowin]

I'm at the point where I don't want to keep thinking about my quit but if I don't keep thinking about my quit I will stumble. It's weird, because I don't necessarily want dip, or to feed the absence of nicotine. At this point I know better.

But I do feel like something is missing.... I think the problem is I had this major part of my life, something I thought about constantly, and arranged my life to feed. It was something to do while doing other things. Yes, I've addressed the oral fixation with gum, mints, fireballs, food, fake stuff, whatever. But that's not really the crave. The crave is not really for nicotine, (so I think) but it is for something. I just don't know what....

I'm right there with you ZD
Every night at about 7:00 I start getting these nagging feelings of need and emptiness. I used to dip all day long but around this time in the evening was my favorite time to dip. Most of other times I was just dipping to avoid withdrawal.

Now, during this time, I try to read intros and posts here and articles on quitting. One website I found extremely helpful in the last couple of days is this one https://www.verywell.com/will-i-miss-sm ... er-2824756 it is for quitting smoking, but there are many similarities,you might find it helpful too.

Since I've quit I've noticed that I've gone through a couple of different phases of quitting:
1 There was the initial withdrawal and intense craving period,
2 Then there was a period of feeling like I'd give anything if could just stop thinking about quitting and think about anything else(I still think about it a lot but back then it seemed like someone was screaming at me though a bullhorn "YOU'RE QUITTING YOU'RE QUITTING! YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY NIC TODAY!) as well as feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate.
3 And now the nagging feelings of need every night around 7:00

I can remember when I was contemplating quiting, wishing I could skip the withdrawal portion of quitting. That wasn't realistic though, and the same is true of the other phases and periods of quitting even the ones in the future that I have yet to experience. We can't skip them any more than we could skip that period of withdrawal

We are a society of people who are use to and demand instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. But with nicotine addiction recovery, there is no substitute for time, no shortcuts we can take. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, people don't quit nicotine in a day either. A lot of us spent 30 years or more of dipping before we quit. Quitting is not a single event that took place on April 18th (for me) it's a process of breaking free of the mental associations I built over years and years of reinforcement.

Now I'm trying to walk through these various phases of quitting, instead of trying to take a shortcut around them, I'm trying to use some advice I've gotten here at KTC. Now during these 7:00 urges/empty feelings, I remind myself to be patient with my quit, that Rome wasn't built in a day and take the advice Gone Cruising has posted,"stop trying to feel better, stop fighting it, accept it, live with it and move on with your life as if it's part of your life now and it will slowly fade away in time!"
And I'm trying to apply the advice from the website above "Accept and Let It Go - Relax into your quit program and embrace cravings to Smoke as they come. Don't fight them. Instead, try leaning into urges emotionally and let them run their course. Most cravings last 3-5 minutes. Think of them as signs that your body is healing, because that is just what they are." Embrace them? I'll admit I haven't quite mastered that one yet but I'm trying.

Sorry to run off at the mouth on your Intro brother! These were some things that I've been mulling over in my head the last couple of days that I've wanted to put in my intro. When I read your intro it all came gushing out!

One other thought before I go . . . .As for nicotine relieving stress. I've used it time and time again as a stress reliever, but now, I truly believe that the only stress it relieves is the stress that it created in the 1st place. I've conditioned myself over time to believe that it relieves stress because I've used it time and time again to relieve the stress of withdrawal.

Mike1966 on a rambling rampage on day 91!
I quit with you today!

Mike,
Thank you so much for coming by and dropping such sweet, succulent, sorely needed knowledge on me, broseefus. I really benefited alot from your thoughts. So much of what you said resonated with me and is helping me. Thank you.

Guys, I promise you that this gets better and easier. Mindset is key. Try to think of these mental challenges as reminders that you are winning.

They will fade with time.

You are both killing it!

[Zoe'sDad]

I'm at the point where I don't want to keep thinking about my quit but if I don't keep thinking about my quit I will stumble. It's weird, because I don't necessarily want dip, or to feed the absence of nicotine. At this point I know better.

But I do feel like something is missing.... I think the problem is I had this major part of my life, something I thought about constantly, and arranged my life to feed. It was something to do while doing other things. Yes, I've addressed the oral fixation with gum, mints, fireballs, food, fake stuff, whatever. But that's not really the crave. The crave is not really for nicotine, (so I think) but it is for something. I just don't know what....

I'm right there with you ZD
Every night at about 7:00 I start getting these nagging feelings of need and emptiness. I used to dip all day long but around this time in the evening was my favorite time to dip. Most of other times I was just dipping to avoid withdrawal.

Now, during this time, I try to read intros and posts here and articles on quitting. One website I found extremely helpful in the last couple of days is this one https://www.verywell.com/will-i-miss-sm ... er-2824756 it is for quitting smoking, but there are many similarities,you might find it helpful too.

Since I've quit I've noticed that I've gone through a couple of different phases of quitting:
1 There was the initial withdrawal and intense craving period,
2 Then there was a period of feeling like I'd give anything if could just stop thinking about quitting and think about anything else(I still think about it a lot but back then it seemed like someone was screaming at me though a bullhorn "YOU'RE QUITTING YOU'RE QUITTING! YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY NIC TODAY!) as well as feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate.
3 And now the nagging feelings of need every night around 7:00

I can remember when I was contemplating quiting, wishing I could skip the withdrawal portion of quitting. That wasn't realistic though, and the same is true of the other phases and periods of quitting even the ones in the future that I have yet to experience. We can't skip them any more than we could skip that period of withdrawal

We are a society of people who are use to and demand instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. But with nicotine addiction recovery, there is no substitute for time, no shortcuts we can take. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, people don't quit nicotine in a day either. A lot of us spent 30 years or more of dipping before we quit. Quitting is not a single event that took place on April 18th (for me) it's a process of breaking free of the mental associations I built over years and years of reinforcement.

Now I'm trying to walk through these various phases of quitting, instead of trying to take a shortcut around them, I'm trying to use some advice I've gotten here at KTC. Now during these 7:00 urges/empty feelings, I remind myself to be patient with my quit, that Rome wasn't built in a day and take the advice Gone Cruising has posted,"stop trying to feel better, stop fighting it, accept it, live with it and move on with your life as if it's part of your life now and it will slowly fade away in time!"
And I'm trying to apply the advice from the website above "Accept and Let It Go - Relax into your quit program and embrace cravings to Smoke as they come. Don't fight them. Instead, try leaning into urges emotionally and let them run their course. Most cravings last 3-5 minutes. Think of them as signs that your body is healing, because that is just what they are." Embrace them? I'll admit I haven't quite mastered that one yet but I'm trying.

Sorry to run off at the mouth on your Intro brother! These were some things that I've been mulling over in my head the last couple of days that I've wanted to put in my intro. When I read your intro it all came gushing out!

One other thought before I go . . . .As for nicotine relieving stress. I've used it time and time again as a stress reliever, but now, I truly believe that the only stress it relieves is the stress that it created in the 1st place. I've conditioned myself over time to believe that it relieves stress because I've used it time and time again to relieve the stress of withdrawal.

Mike1966 on a rambling rampage on day 91!
I quit with you today!

Mike,
Thank you so much for coming by and dropping such sweet, succulent, sorely needed knowledge on me, broseefus. I really benefited alot from your thoughts. So much of what you said resonated with me and is helping me. Thank you.

[Zoe'sDad]

Day 69 - huge day for me. Today marks the longest I have ever gone without using dip since 2007. The last time I caved was due to some mental justification bullshit about how it wouldn't be safe for me to drive 8 hours to my buddy's bachelor party in Ohio without the "stay-awake aid" of dip. Well, poetically, today, I start another 8-week driving challenge. Granted, it is only 1 hour twice a day, but I am QLF and I ain't gonna throw it all away now. I see some of our bros are so close to HOF and I want to cross the "finish line" with them too. Pray for me today folks. I have Eclipse (not nic) gum, mints, and caffeine. I have digits. I got this. Thank you all for your support.

[Mike1966]

I'm at the point where I don't want to keep thinking about my quit but if I don't keep thinking about my quit I will stumble. It's weird, because I don't necessarily want dip, or to feed the absence of nicotine. At this point I know better.

But I do feel like something is missing.... I think the problem is I had this major part of my life, something I thought about constantly, and arranged my life to feed. It was something to do while doing other things. Yes, I've addressed the oral fixation with gum, mints, fireballs, food, fake stuff, whatever. But that's not really the crave. The crave is not really for nicotine, (so I think) but it is for something. I just don't know what....

I'm right there with you ZD
Every night at about 7:00 I start getting these nagging feelings of need and emptiness. I used to dip all day long but around this time in the evening was my favorite time to dip. Most of other times I was just dipping to avoid withdrawal.

Now, during this time, I try to read intros and posts here and articles on quitting. One website I found extremely helpful in the last couple of days is this one https://www.verywell.com/will-i-miss-sm ... er-2824756 it is for quitting smoking, but there are many similarities,you might find it helpful too.

Since I've quit I've noticed that I've gone through a couple of different phases of quitting:
1 There was the initial withdrawal and intense craving period,
2 Then there was a period of feeling like I'd give anything if could just stop thinking about quitting and think about anything else(I still think about it a lot but back then it seemed like someone was screaming at me though a bullhorn "YOU'RE QUITTING YOU'RE QUITTING! YOU'VE NOT HAD ANY NIC TODAY!) as well as feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate.
3 And now the nagging feelings of need every night around 7:00

I can remember when I was contemplating quiting, wishing I could skip the withdrawal portion of quitting. That wasn't realistic though, and the same is true of the other phases and periods of quitting even the ones in the future that I have yet to experience. We can't skip them any more than we could skip that period of withdrawal

We are a society of people who are use to and demand instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now. But with nicotine addiction recovery, there is no substitute for time, no shortcuts we can take. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, people don't quit nicotine in a day either. A lot of us spent 30 years or more of dipping before we quit. Quitting is not a single event that took place on April 18th (for me) it's a process of breaking free of the mental associations I built over years and years of reinforcement.

Now I'm trying to walk through these various phases of quitting, instead of trying to take a shortcut around them, I'm trying to use some advice I've gotten here at KTC. Now during these 7:00 urges/empty feelings, I remind myself to be patient with my quit, that Rome wasn't built in a day and take the advice Gone Cruising has posted,"stop trying to feel better, stop fighting it, accept it, live with it and move on with your life as if it's part of your life now and it will slowly fade away in time!"
And I'm trying to apply the advice from the website above "Accept and Let It Go - Relax into your quit program and embrace cravings to Smoke as they come. Don't fight them. Instead, try leaning into urges emotionally and let them run their course. Most cravings last 3-5 minutes. Think of them as signs that your body is healing, because that is just what they are." Embrace them? I'll admit I haven't quite mastered that one yet but I'm trying.

Sorry to run off at the mouth on your Intro brother! These were some things that I've been mulling over in my head the last couple of days that I've wanted to put in my intro. When I read your intro it all came gushing out!

One other thought before I go . . . .As for nicotine relieving stress. I've used it time and time again as a stress reliever, but now, I truly believe that the only stress it relieves is the stress that it created in the 1st place. I've conditioned myself over time to believe that it relieves stress because I've used it time and time again to relieve the stress of withdrawal.

Mike1966 on a rambling rampage on day 91!
I quit with you today!

[DjPorkchop]

I get where you are coming from on the something is missing feeling. Something major is missing. The dip. I know that is not what I am after now though. I felt like that for a good little while. it has pretty much gone now. It was a big void in my life. I revolved around my dip. Literally.

I replaced it with food there for a bit and once I gained around 10 pounds that was enough and I started in on more water every day. Like I said eventually the feeling went away and now my days are just .... normal now. I don't rise and shine and think of dip, but I think about my quit all day. I am always on the guard for the old nic bitch. She is a tricky one.

Stick with it man and keep your tools close.