Hello all, I am here to quit the habit that has become a staple in my life for more than I can remember.
I still remember getting my first dip, I was 15 years old. It was during a summer league baseball game, and a college player who was on my team offered me my first dip. I thought nothing of it, as my head coach would always have one of the biggest fattys in (and would be known to spit half of it on you if he was yelling at you) and my dad was chewing Levi Garret as though it was going out of style.
I would then dip every so once in a while through out that summer. I didn't really consider myself addicted until the next summer where I started to bum dips and have my older teammates buy me cans.
Being addicted at the age of 17 was pretty tough, as I didn't want anyone to know, but yet I had to buy my own cans. The 18 year old age limit was a pain in my ass. I still remember my little plan if you will. I would go to the local 7-eleven where they had their smokeless tobacco in one of the aisles for anyone to grab what they needed. So I would promptly pick up two cans of KODIAK WINTERGREEN. One can would mystically find my pocket while I would attempt to buy the other can. If I didn't get carded, I would have two cans. It wouldn't work today as many of the Smokeless tobacco stands are behind the counter.
I remember doing my homework on the computer one night in High School. I was sitting at my desk looking at the computer. My dad walked up to talk to me. He stood at the door to my room which was about 90 degrees to my right from the way I was sitting looking at the computer screen. I had a dip in on my left cheek. He must have talked to me for what felt to be an hour about what I don't even remember. But I was sitting there swallowing the dip as I didn't want to blow my cover. Needless to say, he didn't suspect a thing. My stomach didn't feel too good later that night though, that would be the first of many campaigns of having to swallow the juice as to not let it be known that I am dipping.
Turning 18 was great, I could now buy my KODIAK and have no problems. I remember skipping classes in the middle of the day in high school where I would promptly put in a fatty (even though I had braces at the time). The braces were no big deal to me, just a little more washing out my mouth was needed. If anything, the braces allowed me to put in bigger dips because it helped keep the tobacco in one spot.
Around this time, I would meet someone who would eventually become my wife. I still remember her coming over one time to find one of my hidden dip spitters. I didnÂ’t even remember I had a dip spitter where she had found one, that should tell you that I had multiple ones that I would always hide and sometimes I would forget about one or two of them.
That same summer I was 18, before I went off to college, I still remember getting the nerve to decide to throw in a dip in front of my parents. There I was in the family room, just pulled out my can, and boom threw in a dip. I donÂ’t exactly remember what my parents said, as I was more overwhelmed with the free feeling I was getting about coming forward with my dipping in front of my parents.
Now, it was on to college, where my addiction just grew. I was always around other users as I played college baseball. I was probably the worst of the group though. The next 5 years (1 year injured) I was in college many things would happen:
I would dip in all the lecture classes, I would learn how to dip in even the smaller classes and not get caught. I would learn to drink alcohol without having to take my dip out. Manage to pass out with a dip in, have many dip spitters spilt (usually not by me). I would study with a dip, play baseball with a dip, party with a dip or smoke instead. I am sure there is plenty I am leaving out, just these were the first to jump to mind.
I had a dip in every waking hour. In fact, to this day I can not think of a 8 hour span that I went without a dip that I wasnÂ’t asleep. My sleeping pattern was way off, mostly due to the fact that I would be up all night due to my addiction and having one more dip.
The only people that I still try to hide my addiction from are my in-laws. This is the major reason I am always so happy to leave their presence, as it is time for me to dip again.
I donÂ’t hide it from my wife. I havenÂ’t since college. She hates it, she refuses to have anything to do with me when I have a dip in.
I dip at work, non-stop. I am mostly on the road, and I must have a dip in when driving.
I play tons of online poker now, which is what my avatar represents here, and I always have a dip in when playing.
I even had to take a 5 minute break on my wedding day, just so I could go have a cigarette to cool off my addiction for a little bit.
In fact, the only thing that has changed over the past 12 or so years since I was addicted is the brand in which I dip. I used to always dip Kodiak, and bum anything from Copenhagen to Rooster. About 1 year ago I switched to Skoal Mint Pouches, thinking this was cutting back.
When it came to Kodiak, I was dipping about ¾ of a can a day. With Skoal Mint Pouches, I easily finish a can a day and I usually put in two pouches at once. I have always put my dips in random places to help with the gums: in front, sides, back, upper deck, etc.
It is an expensive habit and when I do quit, I plan to put the money that would normally be spent on my habit in a envelope that will continue to grow.
As of today, I know I want to quit. I really just donÂ’t know where to start. I have been reading this site heavily over the past 24 hours, and I think it would be best for me to quit on this Friday (1/25), as I will have the weekend to go through what seems to be the worst 3-4 days of the process. I know someone will chime in and say, ah just quit today. Maybe I need some convincing on that note. I think I have already made a big stride just by describing my habit to anyone who wants to listen.
(the main reason I wanted to share so much, even though I still could have added more, is because I couldn’t completely find it all written out like I know it to have happened to me…..maybe I can also help bring someone on to the “better side”)
