Welcome aboard!
How does it feel to be winning? To know that you've been wanting to do this for years, but just couldn't. And today, as hard as it is, know that you are winning. Feels damn good doesn't it?
I would be remiss to not point something out... Right now it feels like you enjoyed it. Liked it. Needed it to have fun. Needed it to be successful at your hobbies. Right now you cannot see this, but I PROMISE you that in time, as your quit strengthens, this will become clear... Nicotine is a lie! You do not/did not need it.
Also, here are some things that you won't miss that right now your mind is trying damn hard to push aside:
-That fear every time you look at the inside of your lip, where that white patch won't go away.
-The constant burn and cracked/bleeding lip when you've been on a real bender.
-Wasting thousands of after tax dollars
-manically hiding the spitters at times when company/family/business comes in
-running from store to store in the middle of the night because your usual store is out of your brand
-hiding in a bathroom to get your fix on
One day at a time bro. It will become clear. If I can help or if you need a number, send me a pm. No one ever regrets quitting!
Some things here that hit home...
It actually sucks to be winning. It doesn't feel good yet. Will that change? More than likely...but I, as all of you I suspect, really enjoyed the habit, and/or you liked the taste or smell. I'm going to miss the habit, it's like someone died. But it does feel good as well because it feels I'm in control...that I have the power to say 'nope! not doing it today.'
I didn't really feel I needed chaw to be good at my hobbies...but it was a apart of my hobbies...it was something I enjoyed while I did them. Did I need chew for stress at work? Yes--I feel like it helped, and can see where you are saying that it's a lie and that I don't need it there. I will find out. But while doing hobbies, it was nice to have a chaw in, and I will miss that part quite a bit.
I made a decision about 4 years ago that I was a chewer. So after about 22 years of hiding chew and freaking out about what people thought when I did it (including girls), my last couple of years I just stopped caring and took 'responsibility' for my gross habit. In fact, if I went on a second date with a girl, I required myself to tell them that I chewed. The only people I hid it from was my parents who lived far away, so easy peasy. This method had some pro's and cons....I was able to tell people, hey! this is what I do so deal with it or move on. The hard part is doing it to people (girls) that I was trying to impress and knew the habit wasn't going to give me any gold stars.
Anyways, my point--is I can only relate to a few things that you say my mind is trying hard to push aside and they are spot on.
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I also found that the jerky chew helps me more than the Smoky Mountain stuff. It just takes the edge off.
I was all about the jerky too. Smoky Mountain just annoyed me, to be honest.
I think everyone has different opinions on whether we enjoyed it, thought we enjoyed it, were blind to it, blah blah blah. So I won't comment on that.
But you've got to forget about this "bad habit" shit. Let's think of some bad habits ... forgetting to wash the dishes. Leaving the toilet seat up. Not using your turn signal on the freeway.
Let's remember you used/abused nicotine for 26 years. You were physically, emotionally, and psychologically addicted to nicotine. Even if you don't think this way right now, you will never be able to fight a war against a "bad habit." You never hear anyone proclaim "I WILL NEVER LEAVE AN UNWASHED DISH IN THE SINK AGAIN."
What you're embarking on here is a daily war against nicotine and everything that contains it, be it dip, snuff, cigars, cigs, e-cigs, NRT, gum, whatever. You are going to beat this
addiction. You will kick it to the curb. So get your mind correct, and let's QUIT.
