Started smoking at age 20 when I was in Iraq. After I got home, I had a sore throat one day and so I bought a can of dip instead of a pack of cigarettes. Stopped smoking, started dipping. That was over 4 years ago. I've tried to quit multiple times, cold turkey, nicotine patches, fake dip, gum, you name it. Most I've ever made it was about a week and a half. With the exception of the irritability and the ridiculous craving for something in my lip, every time I quit for a few days I felt great. But the addiction always won in the end.
Without going into too much detail, I have a job in which a tobacco addiction would be greatly frowned upon. I hide it from everyone except my family. I find reasons to step out of the office to throw a dip in, I leave events early for a dip, I decline invitations to things because it would mean going without dip for a day. I'm tired of it. I want to be in control, and not that nasty can of chemicals.
Despite the cost of my addiction, my wife and I have saved up to go to the Bahamas for Christmas. This is the time to quit for several reasons. 1) I don't want tobacco to control our vacation. 2) There will plenty of things to distract my mind. 3) What better to combat the irritability than the Bahamas? And 4) I typically don't crave dip as much when I am not in my normal environment.
I spit out my last dip thirty minutes ago. I've tried before, but this is the last time I quit. I've never reached out to a community of support. I am confident that the decision to reach out will be the boost that I need to make it over the hump and never put that nasty crap back in my mouth again.