A long-deserved Thank You

[pky1520]

From age 10 to 15, I chewed loose-leaf tobacco on occasion. A friend introduced me to Copenhagen before my 16th birthday, and I was hooked. That was the beginning of a 30 year, 1.5 can per-day addiction. Copenhagen was as much a part of me as my hands, feet, and individual personality. It had to be consulted and considered before doing anything else. It dictated my every waking moment. I will not elaborate further, because you understand what I am talking about. I did not truly realize all of this during that 30 year period, but I do now. According to this site's calculator, I am 1095 days quit. On June 24, 2013, I made the hardest decision I have yet to make, and that was to quit....FOR REAL. I found this site on day two or three, trying to cope (no pun intended) with the so-called fog and rage I was going through, by searching for advice or pointers. That is when I found KTC. I was hesitant to register, because I did not realize at the time that this quit was for good. However, I visited daily, read everyone's post, and used that to strengthen my own resolve. Quitting dip is something that I could not have done without the support of this website, even though I was in the shadows looking in. I am positive that there are more people reading these posts than are actually registered, and that is a whole lot of support and help to people who need this website. To all those who are going through the struggle of quitting....IT IS A FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE....NO ONE CAN FIGHT IT BUT YOU. However, draw from the strength of others who are going through it also and those who have been there. As everyone says later....it is well worth the struggle. I will never dip again. Everything you read on here is real. The fog....the rage.....the confusion.....inability to concentrate.....feelings of a lost cause...etc. However, once you embrace these truths and focus on the end goal....you will have achieved something no one can ever take away from you. I am happily married for the past 27 years with a family, and they are relieved that I made the journey. They deserve allot of praise for trying to understand, having patience, and not actually killing me in my sleep. However, they will never fully understand as much as someone else who has the nicotine addiction. As my three-year anniversary approaches, I am preparing to celebrate alone, because it was me, and no one else, who won the battle. (If this sounds like a negative attitude, you fail to see the point. Only YOU can quit for YOU. No one can quit for you, nor can you quit for someone else. When you get here, you will understand my point of view). I will grill my favorite steak, while consuming my favorite beverage, as I listen to my favorite music, outside under my shelter watching the sun go down. I owe this celebration to myself, and to ALL OF YOU who posted here 3 years ago. I will raise by beer Friday evening as a toast to all who made the journey, and I offer you A LONG-DESERVED THANK YOU. We will never meet or speak, but I know all of you and you know me, through this common ordeal. Again, I owe you everything. Thank you. To those of you going through the quit right now....stay the course. Something wonderful is about to happen..... 'archer'

Backer, 3 years is a huge accomplishment - Congratulations! I'm glad that KTC has meant so much to you and has helped you break free.

But I do want to make a note to others out there "in the shadows." If you're only reading and not getting involved with a group, you're only scratching the surface of what KTC can offer. By connecting with other quitters, committing to being accountable to others and posting a daily promise, you add significantly to the Quit tools you develop here.

Additionally, many of us feel that by helping others, we actually strengthen our own resolve. I've heard it called "selfish selflessness."

Backer, it sounds like you managed to do this pretty much on your own and you ABSOLUTELY deserve that steak 'Cheers' . But I can't help but think that the experience might be even more rewarding if you were sharing it with a network of people who were invested in you and had fought alongside you the whole way.

[Backer Worm]

From age 10 to 15, I chewed loose-leaf tobacco on occasion. A friend introduced me to Copenhagen before my 16th birthday, and I was hooked. That was the beginning of a 30 year, 1.5 can per-day addiction. Copenhagen was as much a part of me as my hands, feet, and individual personality. It had to be consulted and considered before doing anything else. It dictated my every waking moment. I will not elaborate further, because you understand what I am talking about. I did not truly realize all of this during that 30 year period, but I do now.  According to this site's calculator, I am 1095 days quit. On June 24, 2013, I made the hardest decision I have yet to make, and that was to quit....FOR REAL. I found this site on day two or three, trying to cope (no pun intended) with the so-called fog and rage I was going through, by searching for advice or pointers. That is when I found KTC. I was hesitant to register, because I did not realize at the time that this quit was for good. However, I visited daily, read everyone's post, and used that to strengthen my own resolve. Quitting dip is something that I could not have done without the support of this website, even though I was in the shadows looking in. I am positive that there are more people reading these posts than are actually registered, and that is a whole lot of support and help to people who need this website. To all those who are going through the struggle of quitting....IT IS A FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE....NO ONE CAN FIGHT IT BUT YOU. However, draw from the strength of others who are going through it also and those who have been there. As everyone says later....it is well worth the struggle. I will never dip again. Everything you read on here is real. The fog....the rage.....the confusion.....inability to concentrate.....feelings of a lost cause...etc. However, once you embrace these truths and focus on the end goal....you will have achieved something no one can ever take away from you. I am happily married for the past 27 years with a family, and they are relieved that I made the journey. They deserve allot of praise for trying to understand, having patience, and not actually killing me in my sleep. However, they will never fully understand as much as someone else who has the nicotine addiction. As my three-year anniversary approaches, I am preparing to celebrate alone, because it was me, and no one else, who won the battle. (If this sounds like a negative attitude, you fail to see the point. Only YOU can quit for YOU. No one can quit for you, nor can you quit for someone else. When you get here, you will understand my point of view). I will grill my favorite steak, while consuming my favorite beverage, as I listen to my favorite music, outside under my shelter watching the sun go down. I owe this celebration to myself, and to ALL OF YOU who posted here 3 years ago. I will raise by beer Friday evening as a toast to all who made the journey, and I offer you A LONG-DESERVED THANK YOU. We will never meet or speak, but I know all of you and you know me, through this common ordeal. Again, I owe you everything. Thank you. To those of you going through the quit right now....stay the course. Something wonderful is about to happen..... 'archer'