Author Topic: SKOAL MONSTER  (Read 9309 times)

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Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #57 on: February 22, 2010, 01:59:00 AM »
Green Eggs and Lies



Down the hall, the addict runs looking for an out .Check the windows, check the doors, find the easy route. Any lie will do, he reasons , to use his killing love. I drank too much, I couldn't think, The drive was much to long. I didn't take it seriously, I didn't have a plan, Such fairytale excuses to spread throughout the land.

Each lie he tells he finds rebuffed. We've heard it all before. The voices of his brothers scream back the truth and more. In unison they'll show him what he refuses to admit. Each lie can be dismantled, each reason shown as false. Nothing helped by using it except to keep you hooked. To relax, to think, just when I drink, the fish won't bite, when I drive at night, just at work, if I don't I'm a jerk. The song goes on and on. All these things he did before, the drug just stole his soul. Thoughts came easy because no fix was needed to clear the poisoned mind. You never were so angry until nic and all her tricks.

Funny thing about us addicts, like dogs that chase their tails. While nic burns a hole in our hearts and steals everything that we hold dear. We don't stop taking the posion, in that there is much fear. Instead, we try to fill the void in such a backwards way, we simply use more and more of our drug each and every day. The thing that made the void is what we crave to fill it. Such a stupid mistake I felt the need to spill it.

The windows closed, he stumbles on and considers for a bit. A lie won't work to get my fix, perhaps I'll use the truth. My job is lost, my love is gone, my so and so has died, my car is broke, my health it fails , my joy, my loss, my triumph and my pride . For these I need "my old friend", my pesticidal love.

He tells himself because it's true, it's good enough to work. To question such a slip you'd have to be a jerk. My pains so great that I must fail and my my who could blame me. They'd fail too if they were me, and not one of them will flame me.

The addict tries each "truth" in turn, he assumes it must be real. How could they fault me now he thinks , for anyone would know, such sorrows are too great to bear. A little fix to get me thru , to get me here to there. No one could blame me for this slip I doubt they'll even care.

But at every door a brother stands to block the addicts path. The brother knows the lies of truth, he sees the addict eye to eye, he's said and heard it all before. The grief is understandable but not the slip you see. You will not get a pass from me.

"There is no truth that I'll believe that makes it fine to fall, not one thing gets better with your slip at all. Lies you tell and truths you tell are all the same to me, there is no true excuse for failure, not one you'll ever see." Each lie or truth so cleverly concieved, is nothing but a useless con the addict wants believed.

Now the addict gets quite mad, " how dare you call me out!!" I'll run away because you don't believe, I'll leave because your mean, I'll leave because you called me names, or you like the color green. The addict thinks that we don't know, he thinks that lifes too hard, he thinks because we treat his "truths" just the same as lies. That he can yell "INSENSITIVE" and sever all his ties.

But in reality it is just another door. One only he can lock. No brothers from KTC can hold the addict here. Should he choose to run away and use this one excuse. He'll not believe we mean to help he'll believe it's as he thinks. Convinced we are a bunch of jerks throwing kitchen sinks.

The addict doesn't know he's spinning his own lie. I hope to God he finds it out before he has to die. Deep down he wonders how on earth all his brothers are so wrong. Why can't they see how special he is, how hard it is for him, how it is he's different. Stronger,weaker, more addicted, has more stress or wears a dress, needs it more than a dollar whore, can't stop because he's scared. But I digress that list is much too long.

He exits out the hallway and back into the cold, a world of guilt and shame and fear , a patchwork built of lies. He'll believe his illusions for longer now until he clears the haze . A chance once more at the hallways door? or the burn of cancers sting. Either way a change must come it only ends two ways.

A crack in the door or a voice from a friend will show him this hall again.
he'll look a long way down it with hesitation and chagrin.
Perhaps this time he'll walk straight thru and not try all the doors.
Perhaps he'll heed his brothers words. you see, they know the way ,they've walked this hall before .
Perhaps he'll pull the veil from covering his eyes
Perhaps he'll learn that truth and lies are really all the same. That there is no Godly reason to continue with this game.

and then at last my addict friend, you'll see what you've forsaken, when 100 speak the truth, and yet you disagree, then maybe your mistaken.


You most likely won't like what you hear when it is not so queitly explained to you that your full of shit. Addicts lie, to others, but mostly to themselves. What makes KTC work is the wisdom of large groups. When you participate here you open yourself up so the collection of misfits saints and fellow addicts can gain access to your mind. If your off target someone WILL point it out. Others will agree or disagree. If the whole collection of tards decides your a dumbass, well then you better just buy the T-shirt because you are infact a dumbass. Question is what will you do with that info?

I got mad and wanted to leave. I realized I didn't have a choice but to stay. When I stayed long enough I realized that I was wrong about the issue, I was infact a dumbass. I realized why I had never been successful before, and I realized how to quit. I'm still learning, but I walk down the center of the hallway and don't check locks anymore to see if doors might be open. I'm going to keep whistling dixie and walking down the middle one day at a time. Follow the foot steps and listen to the group, if you can't hear anything, sing out,We'll answer. its like an echo that only comes back with honesty.


skoal Monster
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #56 on: January 15, 2010, 04:57:00 PM »
Quote
My Friend (The Enemy)
My Story

I was introduced to my friend (The Enemy) when I tried to quit smoking. It seemed like a safer alternative right? I did not have the cough or the other so called side effects of smoking right? After several failed attempts on June 28th 1996 my friend (The Enemy) helped me quit smoking forever. (9 year habit) My friend (The Enemy) told me several times I would not be nearly as addicted to it as I would smoking so I figured I would use my friend (The Enemy) and then quit that. Well, my friend (The Enemy) began to turn on me. Numerous times over the next 4 years I tried and failed to quit. My friend (The Enemy) was making me feel horrible every time I tried to quit. It was making me feel worse than the days I tried to quit smoking. I was starting to hate my friend (The Enemy)
Finally, on July 21st 2000, (One day before my wedding) I made the decision to live my married life without what I will now just call my enemy. After all, my soon to be wife does not even know I have this enemy. Things went well for awhile but for some reason in late October in 2000 the enemy worked its way back into my life. I can just have one right, I said to myself? I am used to living without it and one won’t hurt?? Well, one became two and then three and so on. The enemy was back but with a vengeance. The enemy and I decided to keep it from my wife so she still won’t know.  Well, that October decision has led to another almost 10 years with the enemy. The wife of course over time found out I have this enemy. I still hid it from her but she knew. You might say the enemy even kept me from my wife. After all, why else would I want to stay up when she goes to bed? So I can spend time with the enemy over her. Over the 10 years I tried to kill this enemy, after my child was born, when I turned 40 etc...My six year old son even called it “yuck stuff” and swore he would do the same thing when he got older. (Should that not be motivation or what?)
Well, here I sit on January 11th 2010. I have now lived 6 days without the enemy. The longest I have gone without the enemy since my wedding. I do not feel great but I am working on it. I wrote this just to capture some of my thoughts as I go through this. Tomorrow, I have a dentist appointment that I was scared about over the weekend. See, on the last day before I quit I got a sore on my lower lip. (Was not the reason I quit as I had already made the decision to quit) It did help me cut down on another chew marathon for that last day before the quit. Over the next several days it got bigger and hurt a lot more. Luckily, yesterday it faded and today is pretty small. I guess you worry more and are more aware when the enemy is not inside you influencing your thoughts. I have had some sores in the past and disregarded them. 
If all goes well tomorrow I will be feeling much better about the quit. Wish me luck, and I will hopefully write more in the future.

Steelers (I am in the April quit group, Quit on December 16th originally but caved on the 18th)
Steelers, your doin well at 6 days keep it up. This is a good history, you ought to post it on YOUR intro page so you can keep track of it.
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline Steelers

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #55 on: January 15, 2010, 04:02:00 PM »
Quote from: kdip
Nice thought provoking post as usual SM!!! thanks for sharing!!!
Quote
My Friend (The Enemy)
My Story

I was introduced to my friend (The Enemy) when I tried to quit smoking. It seemed like a safer alternative right? I did not have the cough or the other so called side effects of smoking right? After several failed attempts on June 28th 1996 my friend (The Enemy) helped me quit smoking forever. (9 year habit) My friend (The Enemy) told me several times I would not be nearly as addicted to it as I would smoking so I figured I would use my friend (The Enemy) and then quit that. Well, my friend (The Enemy) began to turn on me. Numerous times over the next 4 years I tried and failed to quit. My friend (The Enemy) was making me feel horrible every time I tried to quit. It was making me feel worse than the days I tried to quit smoking. I was starting to hate my friend (The Enemy)
Finally, on July 21st 2000, (One day before my wedding) I made the decision to live my married life without what I will now just call my enemy. After all, my soon to be wife does not even know I have this enemy. Things went well for awhile but for some reason in late October in 2000 the enemy worked its way back into my life. I can just have one right, I said to myself? I am used to living without it and one won’t hurt?? Well, one became two and then three and so on. The enemy was back but with a vengeance. The enemy and I decided to keep it from my wife so she still won’t know. Well, that October decision has led to another almost 10 years with the enemy. The wife of course over time found out I have this enemy. I still hid it from her but she knew. You might say the enemy even kept me from my wife. After all, why else would I want to stay up when she goes to bed? So I can spend time with the enemy over her. Over the 10 years I tried to kill this enemy, after my child was born, when I turned 40 etc...My six year old son even called it “yuck stuff” and swore he would do the same thing when he got older. (Should that not be motivation or what?)
Well, here I sit on January 11th 2010. I have now lived 6 days without the enemy. The longest I have gone without the enemy since my wedding. I do not feel great but I am working on it. I wrote this just to capture some of my thoughts as I go through this. Tomorrow, I have a dentist appointment that I was scared about over the weekend. See, on the last day before I quit I got a sore on my lower lip. (Was not the reason I quit as I had already made the decision to quit) It did help me cut down on another chew marathon for that last day before the quit. Over the next several days it got bigger and hurt a lot more. Luckily, yesterday it faded and today is pretty small. I guess you worry more and are more aware when the enemy is not inside you influencing your thoughts. I have had some sores in the past and disregarded them.
If all goes well tomorrow I will be feeling much better about the quit. Wish me luck, and I will hopefully write more in the future.

Steelers (I am in the April quit group, Quit on December 16th originally but caved on the 18th)
6 time champs

Offline Kdip

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #54 on: January 15, 2010, 10:53:00 AM »
Nice thought provoking post as usual SM!!! thanks for sharing!!!

Offline loot

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #53 on: January 14, 2010, 07:35:00 PM »
good shit SM

good shit

not as entertaining as Jan '10

but much more thought provoking

*LOOT makes sign of cross in SM's direction*

Church of LOOT

Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #52 on: January 14, 2010, 04:29:00 PM »
THE VOID

Silly rabbits, nicotine wasn't filling the void it was creating it.

What exactly is it that your foggy mind imagines you lost? The only thing that chew is good for is to keep you addicted to chew.

You think you miss it? Is it the morning ritual of scraping the dead skin off your lip? Did it make you a better husband, father, son. Perhaps you miss being tethered to a dripping sewer of a spitter. I know!!! It made you smarter and the lump in your lip was a real hit with the ladies . You didn't lose anything , instead you have gained everything, perhaps your very life.

Nothing to miss thats all illusion created by the addiction

"Bullshit" you say "I remember that it was good and I liked it"
You miss that good dip? the perfect wedge that you think you remember. I bet you have a romantic memory , mine is of dipping in the bleachers at the highschool game on Friday night. (Secret for you) That's not the dip you get when you cave. Ohhhh nooooo buttercup, you get a dip that was just like your LAST ONE. Remember that lame chew? The one you had to have just to feed your habit, you had to think about where to put it because everywhere else hurt. Except this dip will be full of guilt and shame and failure. How could you start again when you have read the Tom Kern story? or looked at ODT's cancer surgery, or spent any time here at all?

Don't romanticize your addiction, if it was so great why did you want to stop in the first place.

It isnt the one good chew you get when you fail , its the 10,000 shitty chews that will come with it. How long will it take you to get back to 30 days of freedom? How long did it take you this time? for me it was years in between quits. You can't risk that, how many chances until you look your son or daughter in the eyes and tell them you killed yourself? and you did it on purpose. The next dip could be the one
that kills you. It isn't likely but the possibility is there. Jenny Kern said the odds of getting cancer from chew don't matter if your the one that gets it. Just sayin

Still on the fence eh, " it was always there for me" and " it would calm me down" you mumble. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor it raises your blood pressure. It is also a stimulant. Sounds calming alright . More illusions of your nicotine soaked cerabellum. When you are angry you produce chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. These literally take the nic out of your blood stream. So you go into withdrawl. So....we...would have a dip, and feel better. The calm you felt... was only the relief from withdrawl.

But we all believed it was THE DIP that calmed us, it was in reality the DIP that caused alot of the stress. Nicotine creating a void (can you see it yet)

The feel better high you seek, the replacement for your so called void? I think PBkids shrink friend was close but not quite there. If you can admit the void is caused by nicotine and your addiction, then the opposite must be true as well. Recovery from the addiction will fill the void. You can see this prove out in your own group and those ahead of you. Posts such as it was great to hang out with my kid and not worry about a place to spit or a spitter. Posts on how nice it feels to not HAVE to lie and hide. How proud you feel, how proud your loved ones are. Those feelings of relief, calm , become more and more as your quit progresses. THAT my addict brethren will fill the void, THAT is the good and the positive stuff that your already working for. (another secret) it's worth it and it feels so much better than you do now.

your body has to heal, your mind needs to heal. Dip literally changes the way your brain works, and it changes how your body produces and uses all of its feel good chemicals. It effects serotonin and adrenaline. The fog in my opinion is created by a lack of chemical production when your brain is trying to figure out what the hell to do with out a steady stream of posion ( you knew that nicotine is a potent neurotoxin right). Anti depressants act on the same chemicals that nic did. Coincidence that Wellbutrin does the same thing? You may feel depressed, the funk, the fog, the blahs and the fuck its. It hits with a repeatable timing in all the groups. Common sense tells you that a pattern that occurs across every group could be reality.This is your brain healing. Literally nicotine receptors are dying and new neuro pathways are forming. This is the price you must pay to earn your freedom. Embrace it. Rkymtnman gave you the best piece of advice yet. Excercise, Yes you frito lay lovin pork rind munching fattys need to get off your collective asses and excercise. Walking counts if you put some distance there. Excercise works on your body just like the rest of the stuff above. Excercise releases endorphins that will help you feel better. It is scientifically proven that you will have less craves and less severe craves AND a larger number of you droolers will stay quit. Thor's Pajammer is correct with meditation, check out what meditation does to brain chemistry as well. Its all the same , help yourself and take a walk.

As Forest Gump says thats all I have to say about that. Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps. It is really just a collection of things I've picked up from those who helped me. Some is from posts you'll find if you dig hard enough. One day at a time buttercups. If I can do it so can you. Now seriously put the pickle down and buy a ab roller.

Quitting can really be the easiest hard thing you'll ever do. Or it can be the hardest easy thing. Depends on how you flip the switch in your mind.

sM
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #51 on: January 12, 2010, 12:26:00 AM »
I can't quit"

I've made it no secret over the years that my favorite Joel Spitzer article is the one entitled, "I Can't Quit or I Won't Quit."[20] It's about a lady who enrolled in one of Joel's two-week clinics, which involved six, two-hour sessions. She advised Joel up front that, "I don't want to be called on during this clinic. I am quitting smoking, but I don't want to talk about it. Please don't call on me."

Joel said, "Sure. I won't make you talk, but if you feel you would like to interject at anytime, please don't hesitate to." She grew angry. "Maybe I am not making myself clear, I don't want to talk! If you make me talk I will get up and walk out of this room. If you look at me with an inquisitive look on your face, I am leaving! Am I making myself clear?"

Surprised by the force of her reaction, he said he'd honor her request. Although he still hoped she'd change her mind and share her experiences with the group, Joel was no longer expecting it.

With approximately 20 participants, it was a good group except for two women in back who "gabbed constantly." Others were forced to turn around and ask them to be quiet. The women would stop for a few seconds and then were right back at it. Sometimes, when other people were sharing sad, personal experiences, they would be laughing at some humorous story they had shared with each other, oblivious to surrounding happenings, recalls Joel.

On the third day of the clinic it happened. The two ladies in the back were talking away as usual when a young lady asked if she could speak to the group first because she had to leave. The two in the back continued their private conversation as if she wasn't there. The young woman said, "I can't stay, I had a horrible tragedy in my family today, my brother was killed in an accident. I wasn't even supposed to come tonight; I am supposed to be helping my family making funeral arrangements. But I knew I had to stop by if I was going to continue to not smoke."

She'd remained nicotine-free for two days and not smoking was obviously important. Joel recalls that the group "felt terrible, but were so proud of her, it made what happened in their day seem so trivial. All except the two ladies in the back of the room. They actually heard none of what was happening," writes Joel. "When the young woman was telling how close she and her brother were, the two gossips actually broke out laughing. They weren't laughing at the story, they were laughing at something totally different not even aware of what was being discussed in the room." The young lady excused herself to return to her family, said she'd keep in touch and thanked the group for their support.

A few minutes later Joel was relating a story to the group when all of a sudden the lady who had requested anonymity interrupted him. "Excuse me Joel," she said loudly. "I wasn't going to say anything this whole program. The first day I told Joel not to call on me. I told him I would walk out if I had to talk. I told him I would leave if he tried to make me talk. I didn't want to burden anyone else with my problems. But today I feel I cannot keep quiet any longer. I must tell my story." The room went quiet.

"I have terminal lung cancer. I am going to die within two months. I am here to quit smoking. I want to make it clear that I am not kidding myself into thinking that if I quit I will save my life. It is too late for me. I am going to die and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. But I am going to quit smoking."

"You may wonder why I am quitting if I am going to die anyway. Well, I have my reasons. When my children were small, they always pestered me about my smoking. I told them over and over to leave me alone, that I wanted to stop but couldn't. I said it so often they stopped begging. But now my children are in their twenties and thirties, and two of them smoke. When I found out about my cancer, I begged them to stop. They replied to me, with pained expressions on their faces, that they want to stop but they can't."

"I know where they learned that, and I am mad at myself for it. So I am stopping to show them I was wrong. It wasn't that I couldn't stop smoking- it was that I wouldn't! I am off two days now, and I know I will not have another cigarette. I don't know if this will make anybody stop, but I had to prove to my children and to myself that I could quit smoking. And if I could quit, they could quit, anybody could quit."

"I enrolled in the clinic to pick up any tips that would make quitting a little easier and because I was real curious about how people who really were taught the dangers of smoking would react. If I knew then what I know now- well, anyway, I have sat and listened to all of you closely. I feel for each and every one of you and I pray you all make it. Even though I haven't said a word to anyone, I feel close to all of you. Your sharing has helped me. As I said, I wasn't going to talk. But today I have to. Let me tell you why."

She turned to the two ladies in the back, who Joel recalls had listened to her every word. "The only reason I am speaking up now is because you two BITCHES are driving me crazy. You are partying in the back while everyone else is sharing with each other, trying to help save each other's lives." She told them about the young woman whose brother was killed and how they laughed, totally unaware of her loss.

"Will you both do me a favor, just get the hell out of here! Go out and smoke, drop dead for all we care, you are learning and contributing nothing here." Joel recalls they sat stunned. He had to calm the group as things had become "quite charged." Needless to say, writes Joel, "that was the last of the gabbing from the back of the room for the entire two-week clinic."

All present that night were successful in remaining nicotine-free. The two ladies who had earlier talked only to each other were applauded by all during graduation, even by the lady with lung cancer. "All was forgiven," recalls Joel. The lady who'd lost her brother was also present, nicotine-free and proud.

"And the lady with lung cancer proudly accepted her diploma and introduced one of her children. He had stopped smoking for over a week at that time. Actually, when the lady with cancer was sharing her story with us, she had not told her family yet that she had even quit smoking," wrote Joel. Six weeks later his mother was dead.

When Joel called to see how she was doing her son answered. He thanked Joel for helping her quit at the end and told him how proud she was and how proud he was of her. "She never went back to smoking, and I will not either," he said.

She'd taught her children a falsehood and as her final lesson sought to set the record straight. It wasn't that she couldn't quit but that she wouldn't. I too was once convinced "I couldn't" but it was a lie. It was a lie sold to me by a mind taken hostage by nicotine, a captive mind that had me believing that my next fix was more important than life itself.

Exerpts from a free pdf book by Polito JR entitled
"Freedom from Nicotine - The Journey Home"
Copyright 2008 John R. Polito
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline Kdip

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #50 on: January 03, 2010, 01:18:00 PM »
Quote from: Skoal
Administration of a drug to an addict will cause
re-establishment of chemical dependence
upon the addictive substance."


"After a year or so I was so confident that the battle was over that I left my support system behind...it was only a matter of months before I figured I could get away with "just one". (What a horrible joke that thought is!) Of course my addicition was renewed at full strength, nearly immediately."

"Sometime after that I remember thinking I had overcome my addiction and that I could have ' just a puff' and no harm would come of it. I kept smoking for 7 years after that. I was crushed that I failed but I know now that ' one smoke' is the road to defeat."

"So why did I throw away a 6 month + quit, and with it - my life and all the education and support I was freely given here at Freedom? - well for the sake of one puff! For the illusion of controlled smoking - for the belief that one won't hurt - for the relief of well I can always try again later......."

"I never took a puff for 13 years.
I remember that day in 1999 like it was yesterday. I was in Toronto on business having a drink with a good friend at a hotel bar. My friend smokes and after a couple of adult beverages I did something very stupid. I grabbed one of my friends cigarettes and lit it up. Two days later I was back home in Chicago hooked again after 13 years."


"Tried twice to quit, made it both times to 21/2 months then got the fatal idea that i could smoke just one, well that ist puff hooked for the next 10 years."

"Wow....does this thread ever hit home for me. It was a night back in October of 1997 when I was out drinking after a viewing for a firefighter who died in the line of duty. It was a very emotional evening and I had not injested any nicotine for 30 months. Even though I debated with myself for over an hour about having a cigarette, I finally bummed one to satisfy my mental urge. The next day I was up to my old habit of 2 packs a day. I wasn't aware of this site back then. I am here now every day. I read the threads and thank God I'm still nicotine free. I have a new way of looking at my addiction now. I know that relapse is a choice. Larry 1 Month 3 Weeks 6 Days. Cigarettes not smoked: 2623. Money saved: $489.34. "

Still think you can have just one?


sM
Great reminder of what complacency can do!!! Hell No can I have just one!!!

Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #49 on: January 02, 2010, 01:41:00 PM »
Administration of a drug to an addict will cause
re-establishment of chemical dependence
upon the addictive substance."


"After a year or so I was so confident that the battle was over that I left my support system behind...it was only a matter of months before I figured I could get away with "just one". (What a horrible joke that thought is!) Of course my addicition was renewed at full strength, nearly immediately."

"Sometime after that I remember thinking I had overcome my addiction and that I could have ' just a puff' and no harm would come of it. I kept smoking for 7 years after that. I was crushed that I failed but I know now that ' one smoke' is the road to defeat."

"So why did I throw away a 6 month + quit, and with it - my life and all the education and support I was freely given here at Freedom? - well for the sake of one puff! For the illusion of controlled smoking - for the belief that one won't hurt - for the relief of well I can always try again later......."

"I never took a puff for 13 years.
I remember that day in 1999 like it was yesterday. I was in Toronto on business having a drink with a good friend at a hotel bar. My friend smokes and after a couple of adult beverages I did something very stupid. I grabbed one of my friends cigarettes and lit it up. Two days later I was back home in Chicago hooked again after 13 years."


"Tried twice to quit, made it both times to 21/2 months then got the fatal idea that i could smoke just one, well that ist puff hooked for the next 10 years."

"Wow....does this thread ever hit home for me. It was a night back in October of 1997 when I was out drinking after a viewing for a firefighter who died in the line of duty. It was a very emotional evening and I had not injested any nicotine for 30 months. Even though I debated with myself for over an hour about having a cigarette, I finally bummed one to satisfy my mental urge. The next day I was up to my old habit of 2 packs a day. I wasn't aware of this site back then. I am here now every day. I read the threads and thank God I'm still nicotine free. I have a new way of looking at my addiction now. I know that relapse is a choice. Larry 1 Month 3 Weeks 6 Days. Cigarettes not smoked: 2623. Money saved: $489.34. "

Still think you can have just one?


sM
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline RAZD611

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #48 on: December 31, 2009, 11:51:00 AM »
Quote from: LaQuitter
Quote from: Ricko
Quote from: Skoal
Quote
Hey Dad-

Merry Christmas!!! I know this is your favorite time of year and we are all missing you so much over the holidays. Ryan, Kenra, and I went out and got a real tree agian this year...It makes me think of you every time I look at it! I miss you and love you so much wishing you could be here every day with us!!!

Merry Christmas Daddy!!!
Kenzi Kern
- Friday, December 25, 2009 8:24 PM CST
[/size]


Holiday prayers for Tom, Jenny ,and their kids. I used to think quitting was hard, the alternative is clearly harder. Knowing this story, I could never look into my little girls eyes and tell them that I choose cancer over them. I will never put that shit in my mouth again. I am a generally nasty guy. I believe the ends justify the means, I've been in plenty of fist fights thanks to my silver tounge, I've broken bones and have scars like evil knievel. I dont like kittens or bunnies or walks on the beach. I don't cry. When I read Hey Dad....and know he isnt there for her because of a stupid round can of cancer ? the same stupid fucking can that I used and you used. That I thought I could never give up. ? I cry like a fucking baby. I'm ashamed of this shitty addiction. I'm angry at myself for ever trying it. Im pissed off at anybody who fails to quit because I'm tormented about the fact they are killing themselves. I hate the try and maybe and luck . I fucking hate big Pharm with their idiotic patches and gum and lozenges. They claim it increases quit rates and is shown effective in a double blind study. DUH!! That study would work exactly how? If you give me a placebo I will know inside 2 hrs. I will be in a raging nic fit. So guess what I do? I know I didn't get the drug so fuck off study Im outtie to the 7-11. If I did get the drug well no sweat I guess. So the group recieving the drugs while safe from withdrawl remains addicted. the other group relapses due to withdrawl. So now the widdle druggy wuggy patchy watchy is proven successful. Horse pucky. What a sham. That and nic gum and those fucking anal suppository lozenges have a high rate of abuse. So we keep BUYING MORE!!! So ridiculous I can hardly stand it. Assuming you use them correctly and wean down as directed you wind up in a state of withdrawl anyhow!!!! So what exactly is the point. The result is the same.

Fucking mood swings STILL, temper all fucked up. Anxiety coming and going like a new york subway train. I still take some adderall to deal with the ADD but I am now suspicious that it is prolonging or preventing my nicotine addled melon from healing. All the receptors that were so happy to release or inhibit serotonin reuptake because of nicotine are now managed by Adderall. Cross addiction you may ask? perhaps. I did stop popping ativan like tic tacs and the Adderall helps kinda keep shit together and clear while it lasts. Or maybe thats just another addict rationalization. Some days and weeks are easy , some are rocky. I read that it can take 2 years to get past the physical and cognitive damage this shit did. Maybe this is like the post Hof funk and as you hit a year things get odd. Two caving dreams this week, one was a cig and the other was Kodiak. I would actually drive to a new store or chew plug before I would stick the bear in my mouth so this was really bizarre. . For you newbies I am bitching a tad, but it is without a doubt easier than at day 1 or even than day 100, hell it is even easier than yesterday. BUT I STILL QUIT ONE DAY AT A TIME. BLue claw taught me that. roughly 330 days in a row he taught me. Blue I think I'm startin to get it. !!

Thanks for the opportunity to vent
Ust are a bunch of goat molesting souless profit vampires. They have to keep making addicts faster than they kill them. They're good at both so we need to keep fighting.

sM


skoal Monster
Can I just add that You are an awesome dad that you quite and it makes a world of difference to your kids. My own kids love me more for quitting and I am not ashamed to tell them what hell I am going through. They understand. Keep up the good workand keep posting man. do not give up the quit. 7138167823... Ricko
Damn, Skoal Monster. I haven't posted roll yet today....stopped over here before I had the chance. I'm glad I did. I got to read about some things I had been forgetting lately.

I was about to post roll, and tell my August brothers that I have really been struggling with craves for the last week or so. I don't get it.....I'm not talking about momentary craves. I have fought harder in the last week, than I have since the first month of being quit.

1. A huge thank you for reminding me about the Kern family. I needed to read Kenzi's words. Aside from my children and Curtis (ODT), Tom Kern's story has been a major factor in keeping me quit. As with you, it hits home, big time.

2. And thanks for reminding me of the simplicity, yet effectiveness, of Blueclaw's daily mantra. One day at a time, brothers.

Scott
'worship' 'worship' 'worship'
Never Again For Any Reason

Hurt Feelings Report
https://ibb.co/NCwvw7t

Offline LaQuitter

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #47 on: December 31, 2009, 09:19:00 AM »
Quote from: Ricko
Quote from: Skoal
Quote
Hey Dad-

Merry Christmas!!! I know this is your favorite time of year and we are all missing you so much over the holidays. Ryan, Kenra, and I went out and got a real tree agian this year...It makes me think of you every time I look at it! I miss you and love you so much wishing you could be here every day with us!!!

Merry Christmas Daddy!!!
Kenzi Kern
- Friday, December 25, 2009 8:24 PM CST
[/size]


Holiday prayers for Tom, Jenny ,and their kids. I used to think quitting was hard, the alternative is clearly harder. Knowing this story, I could never look into my little girls eyes and tell them that I choose cancer over them. I will never put that shit in my mouth again. I am a generally nasty guy. I believe the ends justify the means, I've been in plenty of fist fights thanks to my silver tounge, I've broken bones and have scars like evil knievel. I dont like kittens or bunnies or walks on the beach. I don't cry. When I read Hey Dad....and know he isnt there for her because of a stupid round can of cancer ? the same stupid fucking can that I used and you used. That I thought I could never give up. ? I cry like a fucking baby. I'm ashamed of this shitty addiction. I'm angry at myself for ever trying it. Im pissed off at anybody who fails to quit because I'm tormented about the fact they are killing themselves. I hate the try and maybe and luck . I fucking hate big Pharm with their idiotic patches and gum and lozenges. They claim it increases quit rates and is shown effective in a double blind study. DUH!! That study would work exactly how? If you give me a placebo I will know inside 2 hrs. I will be in a raging nic fit. So guess what I do? I know I didn't get the drug so fuck off study Im outtie to the 7-11. If I did get the drug well no sweat I guess. So the group recieving the drugs while safe from withdrawl remains addicted. the other group relapses due to withdrawl. So now the widdle druggy wuggy patchy watchy is proven successful. Horse pucky. What a sham. That and nic gum and those fucking anal suppository lozenges have a high rate of abuse. So we keep BUYING MORE!!! So ridiculous I can hardly stand it. Assuming you use them correctly and wean down as directed you wind up in a state of withdrawl anyhow!!!! So what exactly is the point. The result is the same.

Fucking mood swings STILL, temper all fucked up. Anxiety coming and going like a new york subway train. I still take some adderall to deal with the ADD but I am now suspicious that it is prolonging or preventing my nicotine addled melon from healing. All the receptors that were so happy to release or inhibit serotonin reuptake because of nicotine are now managed by Adderall. Cross addiction you may ask? perhaps. I did stop popping ativan like tic tacs and the Adderall helps kinda keep shit together and clear while it lasts. Or maybe thats just another addict rationalization. Some days and weeks are easy , some are rocky. I read that it can take 2 years to get past the physical and cognitive damage this shit did. Maybe this is like the post Hof funk and as you hit a year things get odd. Two caving dreams this week, one was a cig and the other was Kodiak. I would actually drive to a new store or chew plug before I would stick the bear in my mouth so this was really bizarre. . For you newbies I am bitching a tad, but it is without a doubt easier than at day 1 or even than day 100, hell it is even easier than yesterday. BUT I STILL QUIT ONE DAY AT A TIME. BLue claw taught me that. roughly 330 days in a row he taught me. Blue I think I'm startin to get it. !!

Thanks for the opportunity to vent
Ust are a bunch of goat molesting souless profit vampires. They have to keep making addicts faster than they kill them. They're good at both so we need to keep fighting.

sM


skoal Monster
Can I just add that You are an awesome dad that you quite and it makes a world of difference to your kids. My own kids love me more for quitting and I am not ashamed to tell them what hell I am going through. They understand. Keep up the good workand keep posting man. do not give up the quit. 7138167823... Ricko
Damn, Skoal Monster. I haven't posted roll yet today....stopped over here before I had the chance. I'm glad I did. I got to read about some things I had been forgetting lately.

I was about to post roll, and tell my August brothers that I have really been struggling with craves for the last week or so. I don't get it.....I'm not talking about momentary craves. I have fought harder in the last week, than I have since the first month of being quit.

1. A huge thank you for reminding me about the Kern family. I needed to read Kenzi's words. Aside from my children and Curtis (ODT), Tom Kern's story has been a major factor in keeping me quit. As with you, it hits home, big time.

2. And thanks for reminding me of the simplicity, yet effectiveness, of Blueclaw's daily mantra. One day at a time, brothers.

Scott
Quit: Saturday, May 2, 2009
HOF: Monday, August 10, 2009

La's HOF Speech

"Post roll like 8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant jesus himself was telling you to do it" - Jaydisco

Offline Mikey

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #46 on: December 31, 2009, 07:58:00 AM »
Quote from: Skoal
BUT I STILL QUIT ONE DAY AT A TIME. BLue claw taught me that. roughly 330 days in a row he taught me.  Blue I think I'm startin to get it. !!
A big thumbs up smiley would be a perfect. The venting helps, SM, you have a great realism to the truth about dip.
February 24, 2010

Offline Ricko

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #45 on: December 31, 2009, 07:09:00 AM »
Quote from: Skoal
Quote
Hey Dad-

Merry Christmas!!! I know this is your favorite time of year and we are all missing you so much over the holidays. Ryan, Kenra, and I went out and got a real tree agian this year...It makes me think of you every time I look at it! I miss you and love you so much wishing you could be here every day with us!!!

Merry Christmas Daddy!!!
Kenzi Kern
- Friday, December 25, 2009 8:24 PM CST
[/size]


Holiday prayers for Tom, Jenny ,and their kids. I used to think quitting was hard, the alternative is clearly harder. Knowing this story, I could never look into my little girls eyes and tell them that I choose cancer over them. I will never put that shit in my mouth again. I am a generally nasty guy. I believe the ends justify the means, I've been in plenty of fist fights thanks to my silver tounge, I've broken bones and have scars like evil knievel. I dont like kittens or bunnies or walks on the beach. I don't cry. When I read Hey Dad....and know he isnt there for her because of a stupid round can of cancer ? the same stupid fucking can that I used and you used. That I thought I could never give up. ? I cry like a fucking baby. I'm ashamed of this shitty addiction. I'm angry at myself for ever trying it. Im pissed off at anybody who fails to quit because I'm tormented about the fact they are killing themselves. I hate the try and maybe and luck . I fucking hate big Pharm with their idiotic patches and gum and lozenges. They claim it increases quit rates and is shown effective in a double blind study. DUH!! That study would work exactly how? If you give me a placebo I will know inside 2 hrs. I will be in a raging nic fit. So guess what I do? I know I didn't get the drug so fuck off study Im outtie to the 7-11. If I did get the drug well no sweat I guess. So the group recieving the drugs while safe from withdrawl remains addicted. the other group relapses due to withdrawl. So now the widdle druggy wuggy patchy watchy is proven successful. Horse pucky. What a sham. That and nic gum and those fucking anal suppository lozenges have a high rate of abuse. So we keep BUYING MORE!!! So ridiculous I can hardly stand it. Assuming you use them correctly and wean down as directed you wind up in a state of withdrawl anyhow!!!! So what exactly is the point. The result is the same.

Fucking mood swings STILL, temper all fucked up. Anxiety coming and going like a new york subway train. I still take some adderall to deal with the ADD but I am now suspicious that it is prolonging or preventing my nicotine addled melon from healing. All the receptors that were so happy to release or inhibit serotonin reuptake because of nicotine are now managed by Adderall. Cross addiction you may ask? perhaps. I did stop popping ativan like tic tacs and the Adderall helps kinda keep shit together and clear while it lasts. Or maybe thats just another addict rationalization. Some days and weeks are easy , some are rocky. I read that it can take 2 years to get past the physical and cognitive damage this shit did. Maybe this is like the post Hof funk and as you hit a year things get odd. Two caving dreams this week, one was a cig and the other was Kodiak. I would actually drive to a new store or chew plug before I would stick the bear in my mouth so this was really bizarre. . For you newbies I am bitching a tad, but it is without a doubt easier than at day 1 or even than day 100, hell it is even easier than yesterday. BUT I STILL QUIT ONE DAY AT A TIME. BLue claw taught me that. roughly 330 days in a row he taught me. Blue I think I'm startin to get it. !!

Thanks for the opportunity to vent
Ust are a bunch of goat molesting souless profit vampires. They have to keep making addicts faster than they kill them. They're good at both so we need to keep fighting.

sM


skoal Monster
Can I just add that You are an awesome dad that you quite and it makes a world of difference to your kids. My own kids love me more for quitting and I am not ashamed to tell them what hell I am going through. They understand. Keep up the good workand keep posting man. do not give up the quit. 7138167823... Ricko

Offline Skoal Monster

  • Quit Pro
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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #44 on: December 31, 2009, 02:08:00 AM »
Quote
Hey Dad-

Merry Christmas!!! I know this is your favorite time of year and we are all missing you so much over the holidays. Ryan, Kenra, and I went out and got a real tree agian this year...It makes me think of you every time I look at it! I miss you and love you so much wishing you could be here every day with us!!!

Merry Christmas Daddy!!!
Kenzi Kern
- Friday, December 25, 2009 8:24 PM CST
[/size]


Holiday prayers for Tom, Jenny ,and their kids. I used to think quitting was hard, the alternative is clearly harder. Knowing this story, I could never look into my little girls eyes and tell them that I choose cancer over them. I will never put that shit in my mouth again. I am a generally nasty guy. I believe the ends justify the means, I've been in plenty of fist fights thanks to my silver tounge, I've broken bones and have scars like evil knievel. I dont like kittens or bunnies or walks on the beach. I don't cry. When I read Hey Dad....and know he isnt there for her because of a stupid round can of cancer ? the same stupid fucking can that I used and you used. That I thought I could never give up. ? I cry like a fucking baby. I'm ashamed of this shitty addiction. I'm angry at myself for ever trying it. Im pissed off at anybody who fails to quit because I'm tormented about the fact they are killing themselves. I hate the try and maybe and luck . I fucking hate big Pharm with their idiotic patches and gum and lozenges. They claim it increases quit rates and is shown effective in a double blind study. DUH!! That study would work exactly how? If you give me a placebo I will know inside 2 hrs. I will be in a raging nic fit. So guess what I do? I know I didn't get the drug so fuck off study Im outtie to the 7-11. If I did get the drug well no sweat I guess. So the group recieving the drugs while safe from withdrawl remains addicted. the other group relapses due to withdrawl. So now the widdle druggy wuggy patchy watchy is proven successful. Horse pucky. What a sham. That and nic gum and those fucking anal suppository lozenges have a high rate of abuse. So we keep BUYING MORE!!! So ridiculous I can hardly stand it. Assuming you use them correctly and wean down as directed you wind up in a state of withdrawl anyhow!!!! So what exactly is the point. The result is the same.

Fucking mood swings STILL, temper all fucked up. Anxiety coming and going like a new york subway train. I still take some adderall to deal with the ADD but I am now suspicious that it is prolonging or preventing my nicotine addled melon from healing. All the receptors that were so happy to release or inhibit serotonin reuptake because of nicotine are now managed by Adderall. Cross addiction you may ask? perhaps. I did stop popping ativan like tic tacs and the Adderall helps kinda keep shit together and clear while it lasts. Or maybe thats just another addict rationalization. Some days and weeks are easy , some are rocky. I read that it can take 2 years to get past the physical and cognitive damage this shit did. Maybe this is like the post Hof funk and as you hit a year things get odd. Two caving dreams this week, one was a cig and the other was Kodiak. I would actually drive to a new store or chew plug before I would stick the bear in my mouth so this was really bizarre. . For you newbies I am bitching a tad, but it is without a doubt easier than at day 1 or even than day 100, hell it is even easier than yesterday. BUT I STILL QUIT ONE DAY AT A TIME. BLue claw taught me that. roughly 330 days in a row he taught me. Blue I think I'm startin to get it. !!

Thanks for the opportunity to vent
Ust are a bunch of goat molesting souless profit vampires. They have to keep making addicts faster than they kill them. They're good at both so we need to keep fighting.

sM


skoal Monster
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."

Offline Skoal Monster

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Re: SKOAL MONSTER
« Reply #43 on: December 11, 2009, 05:39:00 PM »
Fuck, I never even talked to you, but anybody that caves after that long used to seriously fuck with my mind. Including Ray Ray at 800 plus. Until I wrapped my head around this little gem with the help of SmokeyG. If you forget your an addict your fucked.Just don't forget. SAY IT WITH ME CLASS " I CANT HAVE JUST ONE BECAUSE ONE IS TOO MANY AND A MILLION ISNT ENOUGH, I AM A ADDICT"

Pain fades, cancer fear fades, that feeling of hopeless addiction fades, memory of the suck fades. The addiction itself, that doesn't fade. It is as strong as it was on day one.

You newbies see if you can remember this analogy. Imagine your an apprentice lion tamer, you slowly learn where to stand and how to use the whip and the stool to keep those man eating S.O.B's off your fat ass. Slowly your going to get better at it. At 319 I'm no longer a novice. I could use the whip to make those kittens do the Irish fucking River dance. They're no longer lions to me but safe lil kitty cats. Except one day you forget how dangerous those fuckers are. You walk into the lion cage and forget your whip, you forget the stool, you put on a pair of bacon underoos. Guess what the lil kittens do? They turn back into lions and eat your stupid ass underoos and all. Complacency leads to failure.

sM

For reference to Smokey from me,
Quote
QUOTE 
Thoughts on Ray Ray. 800 day quitter caves with no real explanation. WTF . When are you safe? is it a frame of mind nurtured somehow to where you are less likely to succumb or are you never safe and must remain on constant watch forever?

I'd like your thoughts . or a group think in 295. Just sayin.

Sm
and the reply
Quote
Sorry man - this is forever. All that means is never forgetting you are an addict. RayRay just forgot.  (SmokeyG)
"CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it?s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco."