Day 2 battle

[shawnk]

I know where you're coming from- I was a stealth dipper for 30+ years. It becomes your own private comfortable little "thing" that's none of the rest of the world's business...a secret just for you. It makes it a little harder to quit because most of the world doesn't even know you have this addiction- you don't get the same positive reinforcement from people that the guy who constantly had a cig hanging out of his mouth or a fat lip (and now doesn't) gets. The best advice I can give you after three weeks is- it does get easier. After these first 3-5 days you'll know that all the nicotine is out of your system. Ok, so at that point as the cravings hit each time you have to tell yourself that it's all mental now, it WILL pass. Every time you fight that battle in a day and win, you get a little bit stronger. Also keep in mind what you're going through these first few days, because if you cave...you get to start the whole damn thing over again. What sane person would want to go through those first few days of withdrawal ever again?

[AppleJack]

Badass post, bro. I hear resolve in there and you're gonna need it. One of my first suggestions... beyond finding your quit group and getting religiously involved by posting roll everyday... read and learn. Learn about nicotine and just how bad this stuff is. It's a poison more powerful than rattlesnake venom... stronger than strychnine. Yeah... you've been willingly paying good money to poison yourself for 25 years. I did it too man... 25 years, 2 cans a day for the last 10 or so. Cold turkey is the shiz... it's the only way to go. While you're reading... look up a thread by a cat named Traumagnet. He's my July 13 bro... one day ahead of me in quit. He gutted for years too and is currently battling intestinal cancer. Directly related?... yeah, probably. It doesn't matter why you decided to quit... you did. You found us too... that puts it into high gear. Follow the program here... it's a guaranteed success. Get involved... Stay involved.

[PottyMouth]

1st post -
I'm 43, with a beautiful wife, 2 beautiful kids, manage an aerospace company. Converse with business professionals all day. By most accounts, I'm NOT someone you'd think would be dippin into a can of skoal... but I've been doing it pretty much all day/every day for the last 25 years. I go through about a can every 2 days - but that's only because I keep each dip in my mouth for at least 1-3 hours... whats worse is I don't even use a spitter anymore, haven't for 10+ years. My coworkers have no idea I chew. I keep the dip way on the side of my lower cheek. My wife had no idea for the first 3 years - until the embarrassing moment she had to confront me about my odd smelling breath - said it smelled like black olives, hmmm interesting... maybe it would have been better if she said it smelled like shit. I'm a closet dipper. I'm very discreet. You won't see me put a dip in. You won't see me spit one out. You won't even see it while I'm talking to you. But it's there. ALL the time.
I've never really tried to quit before. I've thought about it - how it must be pretty bad to have tobacco and whatever chemicals in your mouth all day, swallowing that shit all day. I've never had any lip sores, tooth decay, no ulcers - maybe I've been lucky. But c'mon, it can't be good for you. I have no definitive reason for quitting yesterday. There was no "straw that broke the camels back", was no cancer scare, was no ultimatum from my family. I'm just sick of being a slave to it. I'm a pretty strong guy (emotionally and physically). But dip made me it's bitch for 25+ years. It doesn't take no for an answer. Within 1 minute of me waking in the morning, I have a dip in my mouth. Right up until I go to bed. The only time I don't have one in is when I'm eating. Then Christ! of course you need a big one right after you eat... That is insane! It's sick! Who does that??
Yesterday I thought "screw it, today I quit". I immediately got online to figure out how - I wasn't naive enough to think it would be easy. I was right, It's NOT easy. But I'm glad I found this site. I'm going cold-turkey and I'm not going back. It WILL be tough, it WILL suck ass - but I will not fail. I'm stronger than this leaf-dirt. I'm craving right now. Been almost exactly 24 hrs. I'm a little surprised I've made it this far. This site has helped, just writing this post is helping. I will probably need more support over the next few days. I've read about the fog - didn't think I would feel it this soon though. Gonna need a bunch of snacks and gum, and up my intake of caffeine - but I've quit. And every second is a second of freedom.