I'm on day 474 and still get anxiety. Don't let that scare you though, it's does get better.
I chewed for 15 years, near the end I was going through 2 cans a day, all the while hiding it from my wife and family. When I started Chewing I was a single lad just out of college. I thought dipping was cool and just a bad "habbit". Everyone needs a vice right?
Well, over my 15 year "career" as an idiot dipper the following things happened in my life...
I got married
I bought a house
I got "a real job"
Had kid #1
Wife lost her job
Wife got new job
Had kid #2
Daycare bills
Wife wins fight to send kids to private school so more $$ out the door
I take on another job
Economy tanks, family business nearly goes under
Wife takes a new job yet again
I decide to coach little league
I decide to coach basketball
I decide to coach football
I decided to accept job (unpaid) as assistant athletic director at kids school
Grandpa #1 dies
Wifes Grandma dies
Grandpa #2 dies
Wifes other Grandma dies
I get sore on lip, have panic attack end up in hospital and decide to quit.
All that shit that "happened to me" is nothing special and nothing that I'm sure hasn't happened to nearly every other person on here.
It's called life.
Bad part for me was that as all this stuff was happening, it was stressful...and I was using nicotine to "deal with it". I went from a punk college grad dipping for "fun" to a full blown nicotine dependent addict dipping to deal with LIFE.
When I decided enough was enough and took away the nicotine, BOOM came the ANXIETY, because I had never really learned to deal with the every day stress of every day LIFE.
I was blind sided by anxiety. In fact I didn't even know what the hell anxiety was until I quit. Scared me so bad I left this site for awhile. BUT I NEVER FUCKING CAVED.
I tried to be Joe tough guy and fight through it, but I couldn't. It was too much for me. So I saw a doctor. I got some meds that really helped and still use them.
Bottom line is I used nicotine to deal with life for 15 years. Although I'm quit for 474 days I am STILL learning to live my life without it. At times that causes anxiety. Not as extreme as when I first quit, but it's still there. Big picture, 474 days aint shit compared to 5,475 days. I'm still learning. I think we all are to certain point...
Anxiety doesn't hit everybody, but it sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. Do not try to be Joe tough guy and "grind it out". If your anxiety persists or gets worse, by all means go see a doctor. There is no shame in it.
You're learning to live your life without a pretty big crutch. You are going to need some assists. This site can be a HUGE one, but so could some medicine to take the edge off.
Quittin aint easy but IT'S ALWAYS WORTH IT. Do what ever you must to keep that shit, out your lip.
You ever need anything, hit me up anytime.
Quit on...