So Now What?
You've finally made the decision to quit. .............. Well, let me be the first to congratulate you.
Umm, so now what?
It's not easy as you know and all of us before coming here have tried quitting several times only to fail again and again. Truthfully, your quit here will be so much different than any of your last attempts.
First, you have what's called your quit group. These are men and women quitting their addiction to the same substance that brought you here to begin with. Your group will enter the Hall of Fame (HOF) after 100 days. Within your group you'll be able to share, vent and yes argue amongst one another. This creates your bond, ..... your brotherhood.
Second, accountability is used here just like in any other recovery atmosphere. When you post your user name and quit date, you are pledging for that day ONLY you will remain free from any form of tobacco/nicotine. Remember your pledge is for that day! Do not think ahead. I promise you the first days are hell but they are doable. You'll go through many physical, mental and emotional withdrawals. Day 1 to 3 more physical. Headaches, body aches, stomach cramps, constipation, jaw pain, mouth sores .. heck, I could go on and on. But believe me it's normal. Drink lots of water to flush out your system. All that nicotine that was once cycling itself rapidly through your veins has diminished.
On Day 4 to ?, you unfortunately are about to begin with what I like to call "Mental Pursuit". You are about to pursue your sanity. Believe me there were times I thought I had the good me on one shoulder and a bad me on the other. And yes, both were constantly bickering on why I should or shouldn't buy a can of snuff or take just one dip. It does seem little funny now but during the time I almost said screw it - - JUST GIVE ME A CAN! But I didn't. You know why? Accountability to my quit group. I posted that day!
Also you'll be less likely to concentrate. (The Fog) You may feel somewhat lost or confused. You will experience dip dreams. A dream as if you've taken a dip and betrayed your group. Some of these dreams seem very real but they are normal to have.
The mind games I hate to say will last through out your recovery but they do thankfully become less and less frequent. During the next few months you'll start to gain confidence and then that's when the emotional part comes into play. You'll have feelings of loneliness and abandonment. You might also feel as if you've lost a friend or the death of a loved one. This is the beginning of your healing. During this time you'll retrain your brain. Remember those every day activities you did with dip? Well, you now can do them without it. It's hard! But it can be done. And it takes time .. try not to be hard on yourself. It doesn't happen overnight or within a few weeks. I never thought I would be able to write again yet I started to realize I didn't need a big wad of dip to write. I just needed my confidence.
Last but not least, you'll need the support and resources. That's where all the others here and I come into play. In order to be successful you must be willing to make friends, get phone numbers and chat. Honestly, we're not shy! .. umm, k .. maybe I am a bit .. =) Yeah right! .. And don't be afraid to read! Educate yourself because knowledge is your strength!
Some final footnotes:
Never underestimate the power of addiction.
After 100 days (HOF) don't let your confidence get the best of you.
Your recovery is a progress in work.
Never look ahead. Think only of today. You can make it through.
You'll constantly have high and low points in life but none of which is worth putting a dip in for.
Dipping will not get rid of or get you a job, spouse, money, a Lamborghini, mistress, promotion or for that matter the execution of a co-worker who got your promotion. - - - - Just Deal With It! =P
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I hope this in some way will familiarize you to what the site is all about!
... Helping you stay quit!
-mylilsecret
