Day 3 almost done

[MRL1984]

I knew I wasn't alone...

Don't think I'll try the white strips though.

3rd addition, That was good for a much needed laugh.

[Gump]

Actually I do have an oral fixation also, so when I can't eat pussy (it happens sometimes) I'm currently enjoying having whitening strips on my teeth. Benefits include whiter teeth and something to do with your tongue when your sexual partner is drained of fluids and neurotransmitters. ^_^

[MRL1984]

Ok cold turkey, but I have something to occupy that space at the lower lip where chew goes. Unfortunately I don't think its just nicotine, I am addicted to having something in the lower lip too. Have to get over the nicotine hump before getting over the fake matters.

I'm bored and angry. I probably picked the ultimate time to quit chew concurrent with quitting my girlfriend of almost 4 years. 'bang head'

Starting a new I guess.

[Gump]

Thanks for the good words. Woke up back to normal the last two days. Haven't been in an asshole mood either. Have noticed some of the foggy feeling that is mentioned though. Last night especially, I was floating along pretty good.

The next question becomes, how am I going to get quit the fake stuff or do I just keep using it? Its almost too good. I also feel the need to have something thats why I knew cold turkey was not the way to go.

Don't worry about quitting the fake stuff. Without the nicotine to reinforce it, the urge to use it will go away eventually. I used it pretty consistently for the first 200 days, then the "need" to use it just went away almost overnight (250 days today). Haven't touched it in a month or so now and it was painless to let it go. Keep using it as long as it is helping you.

As long as you completely stopped using nicotine when you said you did, you ARE going cold turkey.

fake stuff...on day 64 i keep a small supply of the fake stuff, just in case i need it, haven't in a week. somehow i feel better knowing i have it as an option

I agree, though I don't use the fake stuff, I think it's fine. You're not addicted to having something in you mouth, you're addicted to nicotine.

If you were using the nic-gum, or the patch, or the pills or whatever, THEN I'd say you're still using nicotine, but since you're not using ANY nicotine, just like NKT said, you did go cold-turkey, forsooth.

Hang tough.

[cdforecheck]

Thanks for the good words. Woke up back to normal the last two days. Haven't been in an asshole mood either. Have noticed some of the foggy feeling that is mentioned though. Last night especially, I was floating along pretty good.

The next question becomes, how am I going to get quit the fake stuff or do I just keep using it? Its almost too good. I also feel the need to have something thats why I knew cold turkey was not the way to go.

Don't worry about quitting the fake stuff. Without the nicotine to reinforce it, the urge to use it will go away eventually. I used it pretty consistently for the first 200 days, then the "need" to use it just went away almost overnight (250 days today). Haven't touched it in a month or so now and it was painless to let it go. Keep using it as long as it is helping you.

As long as you completely stopped using nicotine when you said you did, you ARE going cold turkey.

fake stuff...on day 64 i keep a small supply of the fake stuff, just in case i need it, haven't in a week. somehow i feel better knowing i have it as an option

[nkt]

Thanks for the good words. Woke up back to normal the last two days. Haven't been in an asshole mood either. Have noticed some of the foggy feeling that is mentioned though. Last night especially, I was floating along pretty good.

The next question becomes, how am I going to get quit the fake stuff or do I just keep using it? Its almost too good. I also feel the need to have something thats why I knew cold turkey was not the way to go.

Don't worry about quitting the fake stuff. Without the nicotine to reinforce it, the urge to use it will go away eventually. I used it pretty consistently for the first 200 days, then the "need" to use it just went away almost overnight (250 days today). Haven't touched it in a month or so now and it was painless to let it go. Keep using it as long as it is helping you.

As long as you completely stopped using nicotine when you said you did, you ARE going cold turkey.

[MRL1984]

Thanks for the good words. Woke up back to normal the last two days. Haven't been in an asshole mood either. Have noticed some of the foggy feeling that is mentioned though. Last night especially, I was floating along pretty good.

The next question becomes, how am I going to get quit the fake stuff or do I just keep using it? Its almost too good. I also feel the need to have something thats why I knew cold turkey was not the way to go.

[Gump]

MRL, you touched on a couple of REALLY important things that I want to address.

The sadness/depression:

It's real. Your brothers and sisters here KNOW it's just as real as you describe, you're not making it up, or being a wuss, or any of that. I personally started having death dreams on my second night, which went away two days later, and I've had only one since.

You'll find TONS of information here on how to deal with it, different methods that different people use, etc. So my first recommendation to you is to come here every single day and do at least two things:

1. Post roll. Your welcome message from Chewie should have all the details on how to do it.

2. Read. Doesn't matter so much where you start, as long as some of it has to do with quitting nicotine (there are a few other areas of the forum that have other stuff, word games in Wildcard, etc). You'll learn about how others are going through the same shit as you, have gone through it, understand it, and are dealing with it.

My second recommendation is a technique that helps me sometimes. Have you ever been sad and just started smiling? Looking in the mirror and actually smiling, though you feel like shit. Just as feelings trigger actions, actions also trigger feelings. And the act of smiling actually can make you FEEL happier. I know that sounds like psychological bullshit, but it has to do with the way your nerves interact with the rest of your body. The nerves have no idea that you're doing it intentionally, they just feel you smiling, so they send the message on to your brain, which starts releasing those "feel good" chemicals into your body again.


The other topic, Being the Biggest Asshole

First of all, forget it...I'm the biggest asshole! Forever! Got my badge and everything. Second, you will find that people here will be willing to take an ENORMOUS amount of abuse from you, because they want you to stay quit, and they want you to make it as easy on your friends and family as possible. There's even a special section JUST FOR BITCHING.

So come here and lay it out, feel free to rag on me, bitch about your neighbor's barking dog, about your cravings, whatever you like, as long as you STAY QUIT!

We're here, and we're glad you are too. Hang tough.

[chewie]

Depression is a very real part of quitting dip for some people. It hit me pretty hard right around day 75 or so. For me it was the realization that I wasn't going to be a dipper anymore. It was -- for lack of a better term -- sad. I couldn't believe that this thing that had been a part of my life for so long was NEVER coming back.

In fact even now I don't focus on the concept of FOREVER. It's too big for me to get my head around. I'm past the point where I have to deal with "no tobacco today" -- I can look at a weekend, a week, even a month and not think about dip. But the concept of NEVER having a dip is still kind of frightening. Not sure what that says about me, but I know that it tells me that just cause I'm well into the Hall of Fame, I still need to be on the lookout.

Seeing so many HOFers cave and come back to us proves that to me...

Back to depression. Like I said, it hit me pretty hard, but like all of my other withdrawal symptoms I thought of one thing to get me through...

Withdrawal symptoms, whether they be depression, rage, crawling/tingling jaw, etc. are conclusive PROOF that you have begun the healing process.

If you're like me, you chewed for upwards of 6000 days. Your body is PISSED at you for taking away it's nic fuel. Embrace it and realize that the depression (like all of the other symptoms before) will pass.

(note that I'm not a doctor and I know that clinical depression is a serious issue. If symptoms persist I'd suggest going to see a doc. With that being said, my depression issues were gone in a few short weeks)

Stay strong and realize this... you are NOT alone. You're in a fight, but you've got brothers and sisters fighting with you.

chewie

[bman50317]

Hang in there MRL. I also experienced a sadness/depression when I first quit. Felt like I lost my best friend. I promise that the feelings will pass. Just keep going man! Hour by Hour, Day by Day, nic's grip on you will get a little bit less. You can do it. Use this site, create a Quit Plan, and keep moving forward. This can be done.

[Snoopy]

Stick with it and just find other things to keep you busy. I was pretty much on edge for the first week but kept the fake stuff going and it went by surprisingly fast.

If you need to call to talk through it, drop me a line.

Jack

[MRL1984]

I pretty much just decided today that I was probably going to need a little more outside help with giving up my chew. A can of snuff and a can of mint pouches a week was what I was up to. I think I just stretched them out a little longer than most. I had my last pouch on 09/13/09. I had one a day on the 9th 10th and 11th and nothing on the 12th. I started at 18 and as I approach my 25th birthday I know its time to quit.

I have at least a sample of all the fake chews to get me through. Until today I didn't think it was the nicotine I craved, but it appears to be a little more important than I thought.

This has been the hardest day this far. I woke up not feeling right today, I was overcome with a sense of sorrow that hasn't left me. I'm not sure if is a symptom of the withdrawl or not. The last time I tried to quit I was the biggest asshole I have ever been in my life, which led me to throw in a dip and relax. That was on day 4, three years ago.

Good luck to everyone else taking the plunge.