Into the strange new world

[Steakbomb18]

It is great to come back to my intro page and find new comments, new support and realizing how similar all of our stories are. I emailed a high school buddy of mine who I started dipping with 30 years ago and told him about the site. I forget how I found it - I'm sure searching for cancer symptoms or some other neurotic bullshit. The amazing thing I shared with him was that I had no intention of quitting when I came to the site.

What actually got me on board was the "100 Great Things About Quitting" list and the realization of how real this site was. Not a bunch of shrinks or self help gurus - just a group of guys (and gals) that have lived it for years. When I realized how much of my life was recounted in that list it was clear this site was meant for me. Even though it is anonymous, there is something strangely powerful about the accountability. I imagine I was like many first timers reading about posting roll and thinking 'that's stupid'. After just 5 days I can say that nothing has helped as much a posting first thing in the AM.

While only 5 days in, it was a week of pretty major firsts. With 25 years of Navy, Airline Pilot and now national account manager I have spent literally months in hotels. Wednesday night was the first ever without a can of skoal. No one there, no one to know but positing and reading kept me clean. Last night was the first Friday night without a dip. It was weird, but the weight of the brotherhood kept me focused.

Thanks again to everyone here, especially the long timers that keep posting. this place is truly a life saver.

Jim

Another solid post and account of your revelations after 1 week. Reading that 100 great thing list offered some comedy, but made me realize how pathetic my behavior was since I could relate to about 90% of it.

You're absolutely right about this website. The trust it embeds in one another to honor our word, that daily promise to stay quit, creates an accountability that we cannot replicate in our everyday lives. Outside of KTC, who are you accountable to? Yourself and any friends and family that you've shared this ride with. Now you tack on KTC and all of those thousands you make a promise to. No where in our everyday life can we make such a promise to so many. And if one caves, now you must explain yourself to so many more; the humility is so much greater. One reason people fail, is because usually they're only accountable to themselves. KTC fixes that. When you post roll every day, you are proclaiming your freedom from nicotine to all these people. Outside of KTC, how many do you get to proclaim that freedom to? A few, Â…well with KTC you may as well put it on your shirt every day for the world to see. Feels freakin' awesome when you make that proclamation. This is why I love this community and brotherhood. Not to put words in your mouth, but I would venture that these are some of the reasons you love it too.

[lovethelip]

It is great to come back to my intro page and find new comments, new support and realizing how similar all of our stories are. I emailed a high school buddy of mine who I started dipping with 30 years ago and told him about the site. I forget how I found it - I'm sure searching for cancer symptoms or some other neurotic bullshit. The amazing thing I shared with him was that I had no intention of quitting when I came to the site.

What actually got me on board was the "100 Great Things About Quitting" list and the realization of how real this site was. Not a bunch of shrinks or self help gurus - just a group of guys (and gals) that have lived it for years. When I realized how much of my life was recounted in that list it was clear this site was meant for me. Even though it is anonymous, there is something strangely powerful about the accountability. I imagine I was like many first timers reading about posting roll and thinking 'that's stupid'. After just 5 days I can say that nothing has helped as much a posting first thing in the AM.

While only 5 days in, it was a week of pretty major firsts. With 25 years of Navy, Airline Pilot and now national account manager I have spent literally months in hotels. Wednesday night was the first ever without a can of skoal. No one there, no one to know but positing and reading kept me clean. Last night was the first Friday night without a dip. It was weird, but the weight of the brotherhood kept me focused.

Thanks again to everyone here, especially the long timers that keep posting. this place is truly a life saver.

Jim

[Krazystu]

I have no idea where this journey will lead but I know I'm tired of compulsively stretching my face to see the latest mark, bump or cut in my mouth, sure that it is cancer - only to greedily gobble a big dip as soon everything looks back to normal.

That's the same thinking I had. Man my throat is sore, probably getting cancer from this stupid chew. Two days later it feels alright, I might as well get back to that early morning nic with my diet moutain dew. It must have been something I ate, chew wouldn't do this. I was in a daze for 2 days and am early in my quit but couldn't feel better with the decision I've made. Done with the lies. Stay strong ODAAT. I quit all day today with ya bro.

[ZillahCowboy]

LTL, I am with you in the May 2014 quit group. Ive been burning a whole in my mouth for 25 years. I too have a wife and two kids and pathetically my love of kodiak always came first. Im walking around in a haze and im proud to quit with you

Embrace the suck. It will pass...

[mike70]

LTL, I am with you in the May 2014 quit group. Ive been burning a whole in my mouth for 25 years. I too have a wife and two kids and pathetically my love of kodiak always came first. Im walking around in a haze and im proud to quit with you

[apogeeammo]

You posted roll again on Day 4 my friend! That means that you are +1 on kicking the nicotine slut out of your life!

Way to go! 'oh yeah'

Quitting with you today!

AA 'jedisith'

[apogeeammo]

Nice job posting roll on Day 3! Keep it going!

Quitting with you today!

AA

[Grizzlyhasclaws]

Thanks for all the intros and support. Destiny led me to the site but the people here and postings are what got me logged on. From the great '100 benefits to quitting' to the various posts and HOF speeches it was apparent that this was a group of real guys who had walked daily in my shoes. No touchy feely bullshit, just raw passion and understanding.

I look forward to joining the brotherhood and helping others while accepting help - not the easiest thing for me to do...

Great post and intro. My advice: focus in your quit first, get on solid footing. Helping others will strengthen your own quit, but help yourself first. This is about you saving your own life and leaving a deadly substance in the dust. Assemble your toolkit and utilize it daily.

[apogeeammo]

Thanks for all the intros and support. Destiny led me to the site but the people here and postings are what got me logged on. From the great '100 benefits to quitting' to the various posts and HOF speeches it was apparent that this was a group of real guys who had walked daily in my shoes. No touchy feely bullshit, just raw passion and understanding.

I look forward to joining the brotherhood and helping others while accepting help - not the easiest thing for me to do...

Are you quit now? If so, please post roll in the May 2014 quit group and commit to be quit again today!

[lovethelip]

Thanks for all the intros and support. Destiny led me to the site but the people here and postings are what got me logged on. From the great '100 benefits to quitting' to the various posts and HOF speeches it was apparent that this was a group of real guys who had walked daily in my shoes. No touchy feely bullshit, just raw passion and understanding.

I look forward to joining the brotherhood and helping others while accepting help - not the easiest thing for me to do...

[Steakbomb18]

This was a great intro; you are no stranger to nicotine and her wrath.

"Nicotine is special, magical evil that cannot be explained to those who have not been addicted and dippers are a special case, mainlining nicotine into the system at 2 or 3 times the rate of heavy smokers."

Pretty pathetic huh? Layer on top the behavior one engages in to feed the addiction (ninja dipping, garbage digging that tin you decided to quit on, convenience store runs to ensure ample supply, etc.) and this pathetic life is nothing less than shameful. We've all been there. Good news, that's in the past now. No more will you need to " compulsively stretching my face to see the latest mark, bump or cut in my mouth, sure that it is cancer - only to greedily gobble a big dip as soon everything looks back to normal." You are free, no longer a slave to the can that drives you to be a pathetic and shameful being. Again, we've all been there. You can stay free and you've been given the instructions how. Post roll and give us your word every day that you will not use nicotine in any form. We, in return, will promise to quit with you and make sure you don't lose this newly found freedom. Post roll and proclaim your freedom, every damn day.

[Wt57]

Let me say this and I will bow out, if you have pinched on your side, You are blessed. I have never witnessed so many fine quitters getting involved as I have recently. We have senior quitters like Evil, junior winners like Ginet, and in between ers like Wintergreen. All fine quitters that understand what it takes. If there is anyone that truly wants to quit,,,,, Here we are. Let's get to quitting.

The brotherhood definitely leads to success. Follow the plan one day at a time and the wins increase so fast you'll be amazed. I'm quit with you, pm me if you need anything.

[Mogul]

Let me say this and I will bow out, if you have pinched on your side, You are blessed. I have never witnessed so many fine quitters getting involved as I have recently. We have senior quitters like Evil, junior winners like Ginet, and in between ers like Wintergreen. All fine quitters that understand what it takes. If there is anyone that truly wants to quit,,,,, Here we are. Let's get to quitting.

[Krusty]

I started with Happy Days raspberry in the early 1980 (Thanks, RJR) and have been a consistent user most everyday since. 24 years give or take a couple months. By high school it was Skoal Fine Cut and has been since.

Growing up in Nebraska and working farms, ranches and construction through college re-enforced the habit and made it 'normal'. 20 years in the Navy fostered the same culture. I always knew I should quit, always knew that it would kill me if I didn't. But how to quit??? I love the description of the process on the site called the fog during the first days. I is literally like walking a strange new world.

Nothing is familiar. No ability to sit at my desk or watch some TV with a nice dip and relax. Hell, not even sure how to relax without nicotine. The addiction really shines through as you lose interest in everything except getting a dip. Hard to read a book or even watch a show without effort boardering on unbearable.

We all experience life through a series of complex chemical reactions and when you remove a chemical that has been in the mix for 20+ years it really does change everything.

I have a beautiful wife, two great kids (9 and 16) a super job and terrific house. There is really nothing for me to stress over or reason to need a crutch other than its always been there.

Nicotine is special, magical evil that cannot be explained to those who have not been addicted and dippers are a special case, mainlining nicotine into the system at 2 or 3 times the rate of heavy smokers.

I have no idea where this journey will lead but I know I'm tired of compulsively stretching my face to see the latest mark, bump or cut in my mouth, sure that it is cancer - only to greedily gobble a big dip as soon everything looks back to normal.

Thanks for the creative vision from the people that created this site and the support and participation to those who keep it running.

Here's to the quit and strength in numbers.

Welcome aboard, LTL -- nice to see you post roll and join the May brotherhood. The first step is the most difficult, and in hindsight will be the most obvious (once you've gotten acclimated to the site, gotten to "know" some of the impressive quit legends, and found your footing). Amazing community here that's not shy about administering some tough love as necessary, which just reinforces how much everyone is looking out for one another. As the fog thickens and the suck escalates, don't hesitate to reach out to anyone -- from newbies in May 2014 to the rockstars that have commas in their quit days. Get after it.

[LSUTiger]

We are quit together. Stand strong. Fight the urge. Win the battle.