intro post - Day 1

[Zeus]

Welcome, Professor.

Another quitter in October '19 had similar concerns about dip and studying. We had a 'conversation' about it. I will provide a link that has all the comments in the thread...

https://ktcforum.org/index.php?topic=14624.msg7399363#msg7399363

1 problem + nicotine = 2 problems

[RottenTeeth]

Really happy to be in your group Prof.  It seems like we have the same problem where the dip helps concentration, but we both really know that's just an illusion and we're setting ourselves up for death. I'm sure it will take time, but real mental clarity will be better than the fake kind from dip.

[RDB]

Welcome professor. Once you’re past day three, you’re through the worst of it.

That ginger ale sounds like a great idea.

[professor]

Thanks @ChristopherJ  and @Judaculla. Appreciate it.
About 1.5 days into my quit now. A little worse than I thought but not as bad as what other ppl on here have described, so I'm thankful.

Fortunately I started this while visiting my parents back home in the south for a few days. They don't have a car for me here so I can't easily drive myself to the gas station.

Tried to get some school work done but about given up on that for now because of the mental fog. Woke up last night after like 3 hours and couldn't get back to sleep. So I've just been helping my parents with stuff around the house yesterday and today.

I have an urge to have something with some bite in my mouth. Down here in Alabama we have this really strong ginger ale called Buffalo Rock that i've been drinking. I do think I will get some of the snus/dip replacement products y'all review on here.

[ChristopherJ]

Congrats on a brilliant decision professor!  By finding KTC you are on the path to freedom one day at a time. You definitely can do this. I just posted day 1790 and am grateful every day to be free of nicotine.

Spend time on this site. Learn about the physical affects. And know that you are not alone. When the nic bitch comes calling (the term we use for the cravings) remember that she has the Nobel prize for mental manipulation and will try to convince your foggy mind that “it’s ok to have just one . . . “.   Sometimes people with advanced degrees are especially susceptible to her mangled logic.  But there is a simple retort - Stand by the promise you made to yourself and us just for today.

Congrats prof.

CJ

[Judaculla]

Hey professor, glad to be quitting with you and to see that you posted roll. It’s really simple, just post roll every morning when you wake up [Wake Up Piss and Post (WUPP)] and reach out to folks for support and to also help others with their quit. Your story caused me to chuckle as I kept a dip in all day long for 15 years — during lecture (engineering), administrative meetings, conference presentations, product design meetings with military/industry folks, with the chancellor - didn’t freaking matter who or where, and I did a remarkable job with concealment except for a few of those foul up moments. I’m just on day 24, feeling fairly strong with the quit - she is still a nasty bitch, but please feel free to reach out via PM if you need help or just to vent.

Juda

[professor]

Hi yall,
Today is my first day of quitting. I hope i'm using this forum right.

I am a relatively new engineering professor at a big state school (hence my screen name).

Earlier this week I went to our campus tobacco cessation counseling session, but unfortunately all the material was about cigarettes. So I started to hunt around online and found this forum. I appreciated the descriptions of mental fog and emotions that I think are more particular to dip than cigarettes.

For me, nicotine is all about getting myself to focus on my work...especially dull work like grading papers, writing grants, etc. I was put on ritalin as a kid and stayed on it for my whole adult life. When I was wrapping up my phd though, I finally managed to quit that stuff during a lull in the work. Unfortunately, after a while I found solace in long cut, which my brother introduced me to. I liked dip because it let me power through things. That was about 3.5 years ago and now I want to quit and just not be on effin drugs all the time (except coffee).

I like that this forum has a "no nicotine" policy. I myself have alternated between dip, snus, vaping and---most recently---these new things called Zyns.  But  I have just decided I am sick to death of being addicted to nicotine. For example, I lift weights, but I find it hard to gain real muscle because I don't eat that much, because I have so much nicotine in me. I also feel kind of tired and unemotional a lot.

I remember a real embarrassing incident that motives me to quit. When people knock on my office door, I'll hide my cup behind my computer monitor. Well, one day we had a guy visiting to interview for a new job, and I'm supposed to be answering questions. Well, right before he comes in, I'm straightening up my desk, and I knock over this week-old cup I had forgotten about. It smells so bad! So then I had to make him wait outside my office while I cleaned it up, and when he came in it still smelled bad.

I am trying to get through the worst part of the fog soon before we get too far into the semester.

Anyway, I guess I am w/o nicotine for about 8 hours now.