One week inÂ… (My Intro)

[Pinched]

Danny,
First of all congratulations on making a great choice and fighting to save your life. I am a couple of days from completing my second year tobacco free. I owe it all to KTC and my brothers and sisters here. I have always been athletic and fit but didn't see that I was poisoning myself until it finally clicked. Now I look at dippers on my jobsite and smile because there is no way in hell I will look like them again. You can do this and it won't be easy for about a year, then it is amazingly easy.

Here are my suggestions for you:
1 - drink lots of water, if you can pass as pisser and not need to go a little then drink more
2 - find an alternative to dip (fake, candy, what ever works for you) and keep it on hand at all times in case of a craving (handy for yardwork, roadtrips, coping with family...)
3 - do more than just post roll, meet others, read stories, find another motivational spot in the forums
4 - commit daily and as early as possible to quit (you can post roll while shitting via tablet or smartphone...just saying)
5 - exercise will help not only your quit but the new you

Be prepared because as your quit grows you will notice that many other aspects of your life will change and take place. You may learn that you like new or different things, you may become a happier person, your breath will no longer smell like a garbage dump on a hot summer day. Food will begin to taste different, your sense of self-worth will also change as you start to take pride in yourself for being quit.

[Thumblewort]

For the past four years, my nicotine intake has looked like this: Wakeup and take a fat dip while I shower. Then at work, use 2-3 snus pouches to get by. Upon arriving home, another fat dip while I cook dinner. Then usually a snus or dip in the evening before bed.

Just typing that makes my lips curl and my fists clench. God. IÂ’ve been totally enslaved by this shit. Day in and day out IÂ’ve had absolutely no control. IÂ’ve continued using not for pleasure, but to avoid the displeasure of not having my fix.

I am tired of spending Saturday nights totally sedated by tobacco, beer, and television. I want to live again, and living requires kicking this shit to the curb. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit.

I have been officially nicotine-free for seven days, and IÂ’m in need of support. The third day was horrible. Two days ago wasnÂ’t bad. Yesterday was unpleasant. Today is about as bad as day three.

Any guidance, wisdom, or encouragement would be much appreciated.

I was having dinner a couple months back with my wife and 2 kids and my quit came up. I mentioned that on Day 3 I was hiding from them because I felt like crying all day, and actually did break down in tears twice - not a big deal to me anymore, but they had never head that about my quit.

So this weekend they were around their cousin who's dad (my B in-law) chews, and she asked how to get him to stop. Before I could say a word, my 2 boys said "my daddy cried when he quit", in front of my in-laws, and McDonald's. Was I embarrassed? Not a damn bit.

This was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I do it everyday - but it does get easier. Make friends, get contact numbers, post roll, and don't do it alone.

[invader]

For the past four years, my nicotine intake has looked like this: Wakeup and take a fat dip while I shower. Then at work, use 2-3 snus pouches to get by. Upon arriving home, another fat dip while I cook dinner. Then usually a snus or dip in the evening before bed.

Just typing that makes my lips curl and my fists clench. God. IÂ’ve been totally enslaved by this shit. Day in and day out IÂ’ve had absolutely no control. IÂ’ve continued using not for pleasure, but to avoid the displeasure of not having my fix.

I am tired of spending Saturday nights totally sedated by tobacco, beer, and television. I want to live again, and living requires kicking this shit to the curb. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit.

I have been officially nicotine-free for seven days, and IÂ’m in need of support. The third day was horrible. Two days ago wasnÂ’t bad. Yesterday was unpleasant. Today is about as bad as day three.

Any guidance, wisdom, or encouragement would be much appreciated.

Hi Dan!

There are three things that would probably be helpful to you:

1.) Head on over to October, as that is your quit group! In it you will find people also dedicated to quitting. They will cheer you on, you will cheer them on. You'll experience milestones together, fight craves together, and most importantly, be accountable to one another in the form of posting roll call each day. Also, speaking of milestones, congratulations on 1 week clean. That truly is huge.

2.) Read everything you can on this site. There is a wealth of information here. This in particular can help to reassure you whatever you're feeling right now is normal and will pass. This can be a challenging path, but it won't kill you. Dipping will, though!

3.) Make sure you have something for the oral fixation! Seeds, gum, hard candy, the fake herbal snuff they sell...whatever you feel comfortable with that doesn't have nicotine in it. The fact is we all spent many hours a day with something in our mouths, so it helps to replace it with something.

You seem to be fully aware that you were a slave to nicotine and it sounds to me like you hate that. Good, that will be immensely helpful. You CAN do this. It'll suck for a while, but things get better if you stick around. So, so much better.


- Invader

[JohnSmallberries]

Hey- Danknee! Congrats for being a week free!
How many days? It is important. Everyday away is a step closer to freedom from the addiction. Nicotine withdrawal is a beast- as hard as heroin. Giving it up is as much mental as physical. It will suck, the headaches are real, the fever ache is real, the sore throat and depression are real. Know this, be prepared for it. Have a plan of attack for the cave time, the fog time. It does get better trust and believe in that.
I chewed Copenhagen for forty years. I'm almost 100 days free of nicotine., and it feels really good. I am proud of my 100. It's nothing compared to the time I lost, but it's everything for me now- for my future, for my wife and kids. I deserve to be free.
So anyway, your addiction didn't happen overnight and it's not going away overnight. The suck hurts, physically and mentally.
Everyday post your promise to your quit group...be honorable. Be accountable. Be responsible. Your promise is a privilege- everyday.
Drink lots and lots of water- more than you want to. It helps flush the poison.
Exercise. Workout hard...challenge your body and mind. The beast doesn't want to let it go easy. Be strong, prepare for the long fight.
Get support here from vets in the fight, your quit brothers. Be there for them as they will be there for you. You are not alone...the suck will tell you and make it feel like you are. You aren't alone.
Be accountable. Be honest. Be focused on the fight everyday.
Get support from your family and friends. Let them know, let your coworkers know.
Know what your weak points are...have a plan to change the routine. If you crave it in the am, post your promise first thing, hit some water and then hit the pavement or the gym or whatever that can take you out of your old habits and thoughts.
If you need the mouth feel there are some pretty decent herbal chew substitutes. That works for me pretty well, by the way.
The most important thing is your promise to be free of nicotine. Make it everyday. You are quit.
Today I share my quit with you.

[Danknee]

For the past four years, my nicotine intake has looked like this: Wakeup and take a fat dip while I shower. Then at work, use 2-3 snus pouches to get by. Upon arriving home, another fat dip while I cook dinner. Then usually a snus or dip in the evening before bed.

Just typing that makes my lips curl and my fists clench. God. IÂ’ve been totally enslaved by this shit. Day in and day out IÂ’ve had absolutely no control. IÂ’ve continued using not for pleasure, but to avoid the displeasure of not having my fix.

I am tired of spending Saturday nights totally sedated by tobacco, beer, and television. I want to live again, and living requires kicking this shit to the curb. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit. I want to quit.

I have been officially nicotine-free for seven days, and IÂ’m in need of support. The third day was horrible. Two days ago wasnÂ’t bad. Yesterday was unpleasant. Today is about as bad as day three.

Any guidance, wisdom, or encouragement would be much appreciated.