Introduction Post

[DjPorkchop]

Pharm! What happened bud?

In and gone already? Please tell me everything is ok. I have high hopes for you man. Is the ninja quitting to hard to do? It is all but impossible to do and get away with. I hope that is not it.


Anyway, I REALLY hope all is well man. If not, jump back in and lets talk. I'm always here man.

Ray

**EDIT**

I see you lurking site now. Nice! Post, even if it is a status update. We HATE status updates. We LOVE promises.

The situation I find myself in is of my own doing. I failed those who have supported me, but my time is not over.

1. What happened? Day 3, first day back to work since I quit. Woke up late but made it to work on time, didn't have time to post role. Spent the first 4 hours in an agitated fog and after contemplating it I bought a can on my lunch break...

2. Why did it happen? I didn't post role. I allowed myself to contemplate caving. I fooled myself into believing that my day and week would be miserable without a dip. I started to doubt whether or not I would ever be able to quit for good. I think the concept of "forever" and "never again" scared me. I bought into the illusion that buying a can would offer pleasure when in reality it only relieves the very cravings that it creates.

3. What are you gonna do differently? Post role. Get numbers/text. Regain my focus and rebuild my willpower. Spend more time on the site. Take it one day and one hour at a time. I'm also thinking about leaving my ID at home since I look young enough to get ID'd most of the time; but this is could create other issues so I'm not too sure if this is smart.

I realize this is pathetic. This was a pathetic day. I feel like this is going to be harder as I have to work the next 3 weeks straight. It seemed like time was standing still at work; minutes seemed like hours. I will be browsing the site on my breaks. Drinking plenty of water. I have some numbers and will reach out if needed.

Pharm, you need to copy and paste these in your group and talk it out with them. They won't come to the intro man.


I have major issues with the questions and answers but we can talk about it in the group.


Take care man

[Stranger999]

We don't quit "forever" here. That is way too long of a timeframe to think about. We just do it 24 hours at a time. Early on we quit by the hour, minute, and second.

[PharmD]

Pharm! What happened bud?

In and gone already? Please tell me everything is ok. I have high hopes for you man. Is the ninja quitting to hard to do? It is all but impossible to do and get away with. I hope that is not it.


Anyway, I REALLY hope all is well man. If not, jump back in and lets talk. I'm always here man.

Ray

**EDIT**

I see you lurking site now. Nice! Post, even if it is a status update. We HATE status updates. We LOVE promises.

The situation I find myself in is of my own doing. I failed those who have supported me, but my time is not over.

1. What happened? Day 3, first day back to work since I quit. Woke up late but made it to work on time, didn't have time to post role. Spent the first 4 hours in an agitated fog and after contemplating it I bought a can on my lunch break...

2. Why did it happen? I didn't post role. I allowed myself to contemplate caving. I fooled myself into believing that my day and week would be miserable without a dip. I started to doubt whether or not I would ever be able to quit for good. I think the concept of "forever" and "never again" scared me. I bought into the illusion that buying a can would offer pleasure when in reality it only relieves the very cravings that it creates.

3. What are you gonna do differently? Post role. Get numbers/text. Regain my focus and rebuild my willpower. Spend more time on the site. Take it one day and one hour at a time. I'm also thinking about leaving my ID at home since I look young enough to get ID'd most of the time; but this is could create other issues so I'm not too sure if this is smart.

I realize this is pathetic. This was a pathetic day. I feel like this is going to be harder as I have to work the next 3 weeks straight. It seemed like time was standing still at work; minutes seemed like hours. I will be browsing the site on my breaks. Drinking plenty of water. I have some numbers and will reach out if needed.

[DjPorkchop]

Pharm! What happened bud?

In and gone already? Please tell me everything is ok. I have high hopes for you man. Is the ninja quitting to hard to do? It is all but impossible to do and get away with. I hope that is not it.


Anyway, I REALLY hope all is well man. If not, jump back in and lets talk. I'm always here man.

Ray

**EDIT**

I see you lurking site now. Nice! Post, even if it is a status update. We HATE status updates. We LOVE promises.

[CavMan83]

PharmD,

Nice intro. You've already been given a boatload of advice from some BAQs. Let me just offer a couple more nuggets.

1. Strap in and hold on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. Learn to embrace the suck (that condition caused by your brain shutting down millions of additional dopamine receptors it built during the five years you were on a nicotine drip, ingesting enough poison daily to kill a small rodent). NEVER forget how bad the cravings can be. A vet told me a long time ago, "You forget day one, you lose".

2. Remember during your worst cravings.....as much as it feels like you're gonna die if you don't get a dip right now, as far as I can tell from available medical documentation, nicotine withdrawal has never actually killed anyone.

3. The physical withdrawal symptoms, as bad as they can be, are NOTHING compared to the mental games your addict brain will continue to play with you, months after (years after), you quit. You seem to already have a handle on that, logically. Make sure you're prepared for that mentally and emotionally as well. Your addict brain (what they call the nic bitch in these pages), NEVER sleeps, and is always whispering sweet bullshit in your ear. Pay no heed to that, just as you stated in your intro.

4. WORK this system (great job, BTW on your first post --- nailed it). I don't know too many that actually get it perfect first cracker out of the barrel. Make it a priority to establish a pattern so you post as soon as practicable after rising. Posts later in the day are not as effective (they're more of a "status update"....we don't do those here). You have to make this quit one of, if not THE most important thing(s) you do. As the days progress and you start to gain some traction on your quit, you will have a tendency to become complacent, like you "got this". THAT is the point you need to be the most vigilant against the whisperings of your addict brain. Another truism you want to tuck away in your brain housing group: "Quits are like Cats; Complacency is like Curiosity". Do NOT allow yourself to get lulled into a sense where you have a handle on this. You get complacent, you lose. Don't lose. Stay Vigilant.

5. Build up a web of accountability now. Get to know other quitters. May sound silly at first, but over time, October '16 will become like an extended family to you. Get as many numbers as you think you may need to contact in a moment of doubt or weakness, then double it. You may never need it (the accountability), but if/when you do, you'll be damn glad it's there. Invest in others, because it does come back to you.

You're off to a great start. Keep it up. You need some additional support in your quit bag, PM me.

[FISHFLORIDA]

Pharm D, great opening and thanks for sharing. As a relative newbie here, just 63 days into my quit here, it can be a bit uncomfortable at first to share such intimate details about ourselves. Especially for those of us that were ninja dippers and lived with such a secret. Your story resonates with many of us here as we all chased that buzz for years as well. You've made the best decision you can possibly make with quitting and happy to hear you are making this decision at such a young age. Wish I had made the decision to quit in my twenties as opposed to my fifties.

There is one thing I'd like to highlight though, it is paramount that you are quitting for yourself. I appreciated your reasons you mentioned for wanting to quit but it'll go a long way if you preface your reasons with how you are sick of chewing for those reasons. It's a subtle change but will go a long way in building a rock solid quit foundation.

Djporkchop said it perfectly above and I can't add anything to that. I never thought I'd be able to stay quit for a few days and I am looking at day 63 of my quit today. It's amazing to me and due to my desire to stay quit along with the inner workings and support of the great folks on this site.

Welcome, WUPP, early and every day. Drink lots of water and read accounts of others quits here. Dive into this site with the passion and tenacity you had with taking that next chew. It is what works! Quit here with you today!

Paul-San is right sir! He was the first one to point that out to me at the beginning of my quit and I had to look deep inside and reflect on that (that almost sounds Oprah-ish). Once I realized I am quitting for me, it kinda changed the way I looked at my quit. Quite frankly, after that, I realized that I had been failing myself.
You got this man!

[Steakbomb18]

Pharm D. - welcome. This is Steakbomb, R.Ph. M.B.A. 18 year dipper, liar, and hypocrite. I work in the corporate world of pharmacy after having 14+ years of dispensing experience. You want pathetic - I was pathetic. But you know what, every quitter on this site will look back on their addiction and see that it is pathetic. No matter the walk of life, we all are addicts, we all behaved like addicts, and we're ashamed (in some way, shape, or form) of our addiction. So, as you can see, you are among those who have walked in your shoes.

That, my friend, was a fine intro. I was particularly taken by your quick grasp on cold turkey quitting versus the weaning method. The dosage form is irrelevant, nicotine is a drug and it is as addictive as heroin. You mention cravings after 100+ days. Think of it like coffee addicts. Your body craves caffeine and has a physical reaction in preparation for an exogenous stimulant. Remove the stimulant, the reaction continues (i.e. dependence). Although the dependence will dissipate, the years of wiring your brain to think a cup of coffee in the morning is just what you need doesn't go away quickly. Especially in addicts. That's why an alcoholic can never have just one. It's why we can't ever have just one. (quick side note - Chantix is a complete farce too. Current labeling and new proposed labeling on the cusp of FDA approval offer "flexible quit dates"...i.e. you can start the drug and within the first 3 months of using it, start to wean off the cigarettes. F'ing joke).

So, what do you do from here. You post roll, every freakin' day like your life depended on it...because it does. You read up, get active in your quit group, make friends and build an accountability matrix so great that the second you feel a slip, they are there to catch you. Never stab these new friends in the back - the only price of admission is posting roll and not using nicotine.

You're not the first pharmacy student to come in here. Others have come and failed. Some have quit, only to cave ...even after close to 2 years quit. Not this guy though. Shoot me a PM if you're interested in gaining a rock in your foundation. I don't just give my number to anyone, hence you need to initiate the PM. Door is open.

[paul-san]

Pharm D, great opening and thanks for sharing. As a relative newbie here, just 63 days into my quit here, it can be a bit uncomfortable at first to share such intimate details about ourselves. Especially for those of us that were ninja dippers and lived with such a secret. Your story resonates with many of us here as we all chased that buzz for years as well. You've made the best decision you can possibly make with quitting and happy to hear you are making this decision at such a young age. Wish I had made the decision to quit in my twenties as opposed to my fifties.

There is one thing I'd like to highlight though, it is paramount that you are quitting for yourself. I appreciated your reasons you mentioned for wanting to quit but it'll go a long way if you preface your reasons with how you are sick of chewing for those reasons. It's a subtle change but will go a long way in building a rock solid quit foundation.

Djporkchop said it perfectly above and I can't add anything to that. I never thought I'd be able to stay quit for a few days and I am looking at day 63 of my quit today. It's amazing to me and due to my desire to stay quit along with the inner workings and support of the great folks on this site.

Welcome, WUPP, early and every day. Drink lots of water and read accounts of others quits here. Dive into this site with the passion and tenacity you had with taking that next chew. It is what works! Quit here with you today!

[DjPorkchop]

Way to post roll PharmD! I quit with you today man!

[zquitter]

A little over 5 years ago at age 19 is when I started dipping. Up until that point in my life I had never drank alcohol or used any sort of tobacco/drugs. In college my older roommates offered me alcohol once in awhile and I enjoyed the buzz. When I came home from school one weekend I was bored and could obviously not buy alcohol so I began to think of other possible ways to get a buzz. After my family went to bed I decided I'd try a pinch of my dad's skoal that he had sitting on the counter. I threw it in and didn't have any clue what to expect. I played a round of Call of Duty on xbox and decided to walk upstairs and I remember becoming really light headed and actually kneeling down for a little bit halfway up the stairs. Looking back I didn't particularly love the feeling but I did it because I was in part bored/curious and admittedly felt like a badass. I ended up sneaking pinches for the rest of the weekend and then bought a can on my way back to school on Sunday night.

After a week or two of dipping Skoal daily, I bought a can of Grizzly Wintergreen and ran through the McDonald's drive through. I parked my car in the parking lot and tried a pinch. This is probably the moment when a true addiction started... it was as if I could feel the nicotine flow through my veins. This was probably the "best" buzz that I ever had and it would be fair to say that this is the feeling I have spent the last 5 years "chasing".

Throughout the last 5 years I have kept this addiction a secret from literally everybody. Nobody knows that I dip except the person at the counter who sells it to me. My roommates never found out and I have managed to hide it from my family. They would be crushed if they found out.

I have tried to quit literally dozens of times on the past 5 years. The reasons being that I cannot hide it forever, it is damaging to my health (particularly my teeth; they look terrible), and it costs me over $2,000 a year burning through 2 cans a day. I am also working on my doctorate in pharmacy at a medical school on a tobacco free campus. I will be doing rotations in hospitals and I know they will be drug testing me, even for nicotine. Also, what kind of pharmacist uses tobacco? It would be pathetic.

I have tried to quit cold turkey and with nicotine replacement products in the past. When I quit cold turkey I was under the illusion that I was giving something up. This made quitting 10x more difficult. Though I now believe that cold turkey is the best method to quit, I was brainwashed into thinking that nicotine actually did something for me. When you believe that you are giving up something pleasurable, you will second guess yourself. Why do people who have been over 100 days clean of nicotine cave? They have moved beyond the physical withdrawal but still are brainwashed into thinking that they are missing out on something. They still believe that dip is pleasurable. As long as a part of you believes that nicotine helps you in any way you will be susceptible to caving. This, in my opinion, is why cutting down before quitting is the worse thing someone can do. If you cut yourself down to 3 dips a day, all you will be thinking about is your next dip. The withdrawal will be very significant by the time you take your next dip, giving the illusion that that dip is very pleasureable. This method essentially reinforces the idea that nicotine does something for you. It's like wearing a pair of shoes that are 3 sizes too small just to feel the relief of taking them off.

Up until I quit, I paid special attention to how I felt when I took a dip. In reality it gave me no pleasure, it simply removed the withdrawal. An illusion of pleasure. So when you take a dip you feel normal, and when you are not dipping you feel like crap. How is this good? The dip you are taking to relieve yourself of withdrawal is the dip that causes the very withdrawal that you are going into. It's like taking a $100 dollar loan to pay off a $100 debt. You may move your due date to a later time but you are still in the same amount of debt. Taking a dip removes the current withdrawal but causes the withdrawal that will occur in the future.

Nicotine replacement, in my opinion, is a failure for the same reason as cutting down. You are extending your period of misery. How is giving yourself a dose of nicotine going to cure you of nicotine addiction? I have not personally used Chantix or Zyban/Wellbutrin but I wouldn't personally object to someone using these.

Anyways I am on day 1 and I don't mean to act like I know the secret to quitting or as if I know more than the posters of this site. I am simply expressing my way of thinking and approaching my quit and I hope to get feedback/support/comments. I could quit cold turkey with pure willpower or I could quit cold turkey knowing that I am giving nothing up. I know now that nicotine does nothing for me; I have placed strong focus on the feeling I get when I take a dip over the last few days and it does nothing more than reduce withdrawal. In some cases, I still feel withdrawal even after I am done with the dip. Where is the pleasure in that? Nicotine is just a monster that begs to be fed; a cruel joke. It will still require a great amount of willpower to make it through the first few weeks but knowing that I am giving nothing up will be my foundation.

Hi PharmD

Welcome to the site. You have come to the right place if you are truly looking for support and doing it the cold turkey method.

One thing about your post that stuck out was you mention will power. There is an old saying that says Self will run riot. Your self will is what got you to where you are today. In a deep hole you are looking to climb up out of. Nicotine is a nasty addiction, notice I didn't say habbit, to break. Will you ever be cured? No. Once an addict always an addict. But you can quit!

You need to know and do a few things.

1. As you probably already know from reading, no nic replacement at all. Nothing.

2. Fake dip suck as smokey mountain or hooch is ok to use for oral fixation. It is all natural and contains no nic.

3. Less caffein and a lot more water!

4. Loose the alcohol for a while.

5. WUPP! Wake up Piss Post in that exact order. EARLY every single day.

6 Exchange numbers with your quit group brothers or anyone who offers. I know .... But I don't know them! To bad! They are your lifeline.

7. Read everything on this site you can read. Hall of fame posts, words of wisdom, etc etc.

8. Chat regularly with your quit group and others. It will help a lot!

9. Ninja quitting never works man. You will fail. Own the quit. So if you hurt a few feelings, so be it. You are quitting and for that people should be thankful, not pissed off at you.

I just talked to a feller today about ninja quitting. What it does is makes it so you do NOT exchange numbers, you do NOT read the forums, you do NOT actively use the forums and support such as live chat. You don't want to get caught by all the nay sayers right? All you will do is post your daily roll and split.

What ever you decide to do, I hope you do it for the right reasons. We are here to help if help is wanted. All we ask is that you NOT use nic and that you post your roll daily and be accountable. if you can't make it online one day to post, text your roll in to a quit buddy. If no text (really??), then use groupme. Do what you have to to get on roll.

here is a video to learn how to post roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmDgTPJ6HyM Here is a link to your quit group: topic/11679548/126/

Get in there and post a day 1 and Ill come post my support right behind you.

Take care and stay quit man!

Ray 305

Welcome PharmD. There are a lot of great guys on this site who will help you save your life... if you let them.

[DjPorkchop]

A little over 5 years ago at age 19 is when I started dipping. Up until that point in my life I had never drank alcohol or used any sort of tobacco/drugs. In college my older roommates offered me alcohol once in awhile and I enjoyed the buzz. When I came home from school one weekend I was bored and could obviously not buy alcohol so I began to think of other possible ways to get a buzz. After my family went to bed I decided I'd try a pinch of my dad's skoal that he had sitting on the counter. I threw it in and didn't have any clue what to expect. I played a round of Call of Duty on xbox and decided to walk upstairs and I remember becoming really light headed and actually kneeling down for a little bit halfway up the stairs. Looking back I didn't particularly love the feeling but I did it because I was in part bored/curious and admittedly felt like a badass. I ended up sneaking pinches for the rest of the weekend and then bought a can on my way back to school on Sunday night.

After a week or two of dipping Skoal daily, I bought a can of Grizzly Wintergreen and ran through the McDonald's drive through. I parked my car in the parking lot and tried a pinch. This is probably the moment when a true addiction started... it was as if I could feel the nicotine flow through my veins. This was probably the "best" buzz that I ever had and it would be fair to say that this is the feeling I have spent the last 5 years "chasing".

Throughout the last 5 years I have kept this addiction a secret from literally everybody. Nobody knows that I dip except the person at the counter who sells it to me. My roommates never found out and I have managed to hide it from my family. They would be crushed if they found out.

I have tried to quit literally dozens of times on the past 5 years. The reasons being that I cannot hide it forever, it is damaging to my health (particularly my teeth; they look terrible), and it costs me over $2,000 a year burning through 2 cans a day. I am also working on my doctorate in pharmacy at a medical school on a tobacco free campus. I will be doing rotations in hospitals and I know they will be drug testing me, even for nicotine. Also, what kind of pharmacist uses tobacco? It would be pathetic.

I have tried to quit cold turkey and with nicotine replacement products in the past. When I quit cold turkey I was under the illusion that I was giving something up. This made quitting 10x more difficult. Though I now believe that cold turkey is the best method to quit, I was brainwashed into thinking that nicotine actually did something for me. When you believe that you are giving up something pleasurable, you will second guess yourself. Why do people who have been over 100 days clean of nicotine cave? They have moved beyond the physical withdrawal but still are brainwashed into thinking that they are missing out on something. They still believe that dip is pleasurable. As long as a part of you believes that nicotine helps you in any way you will be susceptible to caving. This, in my opinion, is why cutting down before quitting is the worse thing someone can do. If you cut yourself down to 3 dips a day, all you will be thinking about is your next dip. The withdrawal will be very significant by the time you take your next dip, giving the illusion that that dip is very pleasureable. This method essentially reinforces the idea that nicotine does something for you. It's like wearing a pair of shoes that are 3 sizes too small just to feel the relief of taking them off.

Up until I quit, I paid special attention to how I felt when I took a dip. In reality it gave me no pleasure, it simply removed the withdrawal. An illusion of pleasure. So when you take a dip you feel normal, and when you are not dipping you feel like crap. How is this good? The dip you are taking to relieve yourself of withdrawal is the dip that causes the very withdrawal that you are going into. It's like taking a $100 dollar loan to pay off a $100 debt. You may move your due date to a later time but you are still in the same amount of debt. Taking a dip removes the current withdrawal but causes the withdrawal that will occur in the future.

Nicotine replacement, in my opinion, is a failure for the same reason as cutting down. You are extending your period of misery. How is giving yourself a dose of nicotine going to cure you of nicotine addiction? I have not personally used Chantix or Zyban/Wellbutrin but I wouldn't personally object to someone using these.

Anyways I am on day 1 and I don't mean to act like I know the secret to quitting or as if I know more than the posters of this site. I am simply expressing my way of thinking and approaching my quit and I hope to get feedback/support/comments. I could quit cold turkey with pure willpower or I could quit cold turkey knowing that I am giving nothing up. I know now that nicotine does nothing for me; I have placed strong focus on the feeling I get when I take a dip over the last few days and it does nothing more than reduce withdrawal. In some cases, I still feel withdrawal even after I am done with the dip. Where is the pleasure in that? Nicotine is just a monster that begs to be fed; a cruel joke. It will still require a great amount of willpower to make it through the first few weeks but knowing that I am giving nothing up will be my foundation.

Hi PharmD

Welcome to the site. You have come to the right place if you are truly looking for support and doing it the cold turkey method.

One thing about your post that stuck out was you mention will power. There is an old saying that says Self will run riot. Your self will is what got you to where you are today. In a deep hole you are looking to climb up out of. Nicotine is a nasty addiction, notice I didn't say habbit, to break. Will you ever be cured? No. Once an addict always an addict. But you can quit!

You need to know and do a few things.

1. As you probably already know from reading, no nic replacement at all. Nothing.

2. Fake dip suck as smokey mountain or hooch is ok to use for oral fixation. It is all natural and contains no nic.

3. Less caffein and a lot more water!

4. Loose the alcohol for a while.

5. WUPP! Wake up Piss Post in that exact order. EARLY every single day.

6 Exchange numbers with your quit group brothers or anyone who offers. I know .... But I don't know them! To bad! They are your lifeline.

7. Read everything on this site you can read. Hall of fame posts, words of wisdom, etc etc.

8. Chat regularly with your quit group and others. It will help a lot!

9. Ninja quitting never works man. You will fail. Own the quit. So if you hurt a few feelings, so be it. You are quitting and for that people should be thankful, not pissed off at you.

I just talked to a feller today about ninja quitting. What it does is makes it so you do NOT exchange numbers, you do NOT read the forums, you do NOT actively use the forums and support such as live chat. You don't want to get caught by all the nay sayers right? All you will do is post your daily roll and split.

What ever you decide to do, I hope you do it for the right reasons. We are here to help if help is wanted. All we ask is that you NOT use nic and that you post your roll daily and be accountable. if you can't make it online one day to post, text your roll in to a quit buddy. If no text (really??), then use groupme. Do what you have to to get on roll.

here is a video to learn how to post roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmDgTPJ6HyM Here is a link to your quit group: topic/11679548/126/

Get in there and post a day 1 and Ill come post my support right behind you.

Take care and stay quit man!

Ray 305

[PharmD]

A little over 5 years ago at age 19 is when I started dipping. Up until that point in my life I had never drank alcohol or used any sort of tobacco/drugs. In college my older roommates offered me alcohol once in awhile and I enjoyed the buzz. When I came home from school one weekend I was bored and could obviously not buy alcohol so I began to think of other possible ways to get a buzz. After my family went to bed I decided I'd try a pinch of my dad's skoal that he had sitting on the counter. I threw it in and didn't have any clue what to expect. I played a round of Call of Duty on xbox and decided to walk upstairs and I remember becoming really light headed and actually kneeling down for a little bit halfway up the stairs. Looking back I didn't particularly love the feeling but I did it because I was in part bored/curious and admittedly felt like a badass. I ended up sneaking pinches for the rest of the weekend and then bought a can on my way back to school on Sunday night.

After a week or two of dipping Skoal daily, I bought a can of Grizzly Wintergreen and ran through the McDonald's drive through. I parked my car in the parking lot and tried a pinch. This is probably the moment when a true addiction started... it was as if I could feel the nicotine flow through my veins. This was probably the "best" buzz that I ever had and it would be fair to say that this is the feeling I have spent the last 5 years "chasing".

Throughout the last 5 years I have kept this addiction a secret from literally everybody. Nobody knows that I dip except the person at the counter who sells it to me. My roommates never found out and I have managed to hide it from my family. They would be crushed if they found out.

I have tried to quit literally dozens of times on the past 5 years. The reasons being that I cannot hide it forever, it is damaging to my health (particularly my teeth; they look terrible), and it costs me over $2,000 a year burning through 2 cans a day. I am also working on my doctorate in pharmacy at a medical school on a tobacco free campus. I will be doing rotations in hospitals and I know they will be drug testing me, even for nicotine. Also, what kind of pharmacist uses tobacco? It would be pathetic.

I have tried to quit cold turkey and with nicotine replacement products in the past. When I quit cold turkey I was under the illusion that I was giving something up. This made quitting 10x more difficult. Though I now believe that cold turkey is the best method to quit, I was brainwashed into thinking that nicotine actually did something for me. When you believe that you are giving up something pleasurable, you will second guess yourself. Why do people who have been over 100 days clean of nicotine cave? They have moved beyond the physical withdrawal but still are brainwashed into thinking that they are missing out on something. They still believe that dip is pleasurable. As long as a part of you believes that nicotine helps you in any way you will be susceptible to caving. This, in my opinion, is why cutting down before quitting is the worse thing someone can do. If you cut yourself down to 3 dips a day, all you will be thinking about is your next dip. The withdrawal will be very significant by the time you take your next dip, giving the illusion that that dip is very pleasureable. This method essentially reinforces the idea that nicotine does something for you. It's like wearing a pair of shoes that are 3 sizes too small just to feel the relief of taking them off.

Up until I quit, I paid special attention to how I felt when I took a dip. In reality it gave me no pleasure, it simply removed the withdrawal. An illusion of pleasure. So when you take a dip you feel normal, and when you are not dipping you feel like crap. How is this good? The dip you are taking to relieve yourself of withdrawal is the dip that causes the very withdrawal that you are going into. It's like taking a $100 dollar loan to pay off a $100 debt. You may move your due date to a later time but you are still in the same amount of debt. Taking a dip removes the current withdrawal but causes the withdrawal that will occur in the future.

Nicotine replacement, in my opinion, is a failure for the same reason as cutting down. You are extending your period of misery. How is giving yourself a dose of nicotine going to cure you of nicotine addiction? I have not personally used Chantix or Zyban/Wellbutrin but I wouldn't personally object to someone using these.

Anyways I am on day 1 and I don't mean to act like I know the secret to quitting or as if I know more than the posters of this site. I am simply expressing my way of thinking and approaching my quit and I hope to get feedback/support/comments. I could quit cold turkey with pure willpower or I could quit cold turkey knowing that I am giving nothing up. I know now that nicotine does nothing for me; I have placed strong focus on the feeling I get when I take a dip over the last few days and it does nothing more than reduce withdrawal. In some cases, I still feel withdrawal even after I am done with the dip. Where is the pleasure in that? Nicotine is just a monster that begs to be fed; a cruel joke. It will still require a great amount of willpower to make it through the first few weeks but knowing that I am giving nothing up will be my foundation.