Fog is starting to clear

[Brick]

Day 29


Wow. Hard to believe it's been 4 weeks since I made the decision to put it down. It was so much easier, and so much harder than I ever thought it would be. The first week sucked, and my brothers told me to embrace it. Enjoy it even, because this is the last time in your life you will ever have nicotine withdrawals. I've got to say, I made it through and I feel better and more focused than I have in years. The clarity is insane.

Sure, I have the occasion craving, but nothing like before. I go through my day and don't worry about making time for a dip or hiding it or buying it. Life is good.

This is not a HOF speech and I know I have an eternity to go, but if you're reading this and haven't given KTC a shot yet, please do. Worth it.

I've told a few people, and I mean it; you couldn't tie me down, drug me, and put that poison in my lip. A year ago, I walked a mile through the woods because I forgot a can of Grizzly wintergreen long cut in my truck. Never again.

I'm going to try to update my intro from time to time as kind of a quit diary, similar to my friend SRains918. Hope it helps someone and reminds me of where I came from.


Cheers,
Rick

[Brick]

Posted earlier in the wrong thread....


"Day 5 of no nicotine... longest I've gone in 10+ years. Rough few days but really starting to feel normal again, not 100% but this is better. Thanks for everybody who has reached out to me, I know I'm just starting this journey but I know I'm going to succeed thanks to y'all. You couldn't pay me to put a dip in today.

Also, what is everybody else doing to fill the place of snuff when it gets really hard? I've burnt through a can of smoky mountain and just picked up a couple cans of Jake's. It's nice to be able to throw something in when I'm feeling really psychotic haha... "

[Brick]

Appreciate that, Coach! Gonna win this thing.

[CoachW]

Hang in there bigrick, it get's better. One day a time, try some Jake's or seed or gum to help get you through the first several weeks. Win each day!

[Brick]

Thanks PMILS and devil6dog!! I very much appreciate all of that. The fog. Yep, that's exactly where I am. It's nice to know other people have survived this! I've gotten a lot of encouragement from this place already, thanks guys.

[devil6dog]

Just remember everyone here has gone through all the feelings you are going through now. I chewed for 35 years and the the only thing that go=t me through each day was the support here. Use it, know it will get worse before it gets better and just deal with it one day at a time. We have all tried to quit on our own several times. This shit works, trust the process and post your promise everyday and keep your word and you will make iy

[PMILS]

Thanks Brian! I really appreciate. NOT looking forward to this initial stage, that has already taken affect pretty strongly, but looking forward to be done with this.

It is going to suck, that's for sure. We all went through it, the fog, the suck.

Don't think forward too much!!!
You can do anything for 24 hours. Follow BrianG's steps at a minimum.
Reaching out to others is what really strengthens your quit journey, and your January18 groupmates will be the glue.

[Brick]

Thanks Brian! I really appreciate. NOT looking forward to this initial stage, that has already taken affect pretty strongly, but looking forward to be done with this.

[BrianG]

Congrats on your decision to quit. Yes, it is very possible to quit.

Here are the steps in order.

1. Wake up and post your promise that you will not use nicotine in any form today.
2. Keep your promise.
3. Repeat tomorrow.

Simple but difficult. Tips to make it less difficult.
Stay close to this site and read everything you can.
Take tobacco off the table as an option no matter how bad it gets.
Reach out to other members for support. Get their number and call/text when you need help. build those relationships.
Help others in their struggle to quit.

You can do this. My number is in you Inbox. Use it when you need it.

[Brick]

Well, here I am. I've tried to quit before but my heart was never in it. It's 1:33pm. Last dip was last night. I'm 30 years old, been dipping since I was 17, 3-5+ cans a week the last several years. Every activity involves dip and I'm excellent at hiding it. Feel like a zombie and looking for others who have done this. It has to be possible to quit, right?

Anyways, glad I found this. Thanks.

[Dundippin]

Bigrick,

Wow, you are now on day 6! You have made it through the worst of days! But do not kid yourself, it will continue sucking for a long while. After you are in your first hundred it will get a bit better. Not to be a downer but to properly set expectations.

I get craves around every milestone date even up to the 700s. I have heard people with 1,000 say the same thing. The point is to always keep your guard up.

The main way to be successful is to just decide that you have quit. Once you stop the negotiating in your head as to whether you will do one more or not the rest becomes far more simple.

Next, you will learn to distract your attention from your desire for a dip to anything else that interests you. This ability to change your focus will guarantee your success and make your quit that much easier.

When you place a dip in your mouth, your brain releases sugars. Well, those sugars are now going to be gone.

However, you can replace them with OJ or other fruit juices with sugar. This will provide some comfort, especially in your initial quit days.

Make sure to exercise with weights and cardio when you feel that nagging tension in your muscles, you feel that rage, when you can not sleep and when you can not focus. Exercise really helps.

Here is one that most people overlook. Get at least 3 square meals a day. Hunger can really bring on those urges so squash those urges before they come. Eat full healthy meals and do not let yourself get excessively hungry. You will see this helps a great deal.

I waited until I was 59 quit after using tobacco for 40 years. You are wise to quit now.

I quit with you today. Dundippin day 746.

[Brick]

Yea, I've used almost a whole tin of altoids since starting my quit. Honestly think those have been better than the fake stuff.

[SRains918]

Day 5 of no nicotine... longest I've gone in 10+ years. Rough few days but really starting to feel normal again, not 100% but this is better. Thanks for everybody who has reached out to me, I know I'm just starting this journey but I know I'm going to succeed thanks to y'all. You couldn't pay me to put a dip in today.

Also, what is everybody else doing to fill the place of snuff when it gets really hard? I've burnt through a can of smoky mountain and just picked up a couple cans of Jake's. It's nice to be able to throw something in when I'm feeling really psychotic haha...

Congrats on getting to Day 5!!!

Honestly, for the most part the first five days or so were the worst for me (I'm on Day 18). I still have craves (obviously) and have had the occasional bad day (Day 13 sucked for me), but I'd definitely say I'm improving overall.

I didn't do the fake stuff. I know a lot of people do, but I though for me personally it was just too close to dipping and I wanted to make as clean a break as I could. However... I did do sunflower seeds, so I'm still getting my oral fixation I guess. I tried backing off of those over the weekend and almost panicked as bad as I did when I first quit dip, so I'm back on seeds for now.

I've heard of people using mints and Altoids stuffed into their lips, but I haven't tried it. I've used jerky in previous quits, but that gets expensive and is back to being too "dip-like" for me.

I've mostly tried to power through my craves with seeds and exercise. That seems to help the most, at least for me...

[Brick]

Day 5 of no nicotine... longest I've gone in 10+ years. Rough few days but really starting to feel normal again, not 100% but this is better. Thanks for everybody who has reached out to me, I know I'm just starting this journey but I know I'm going to succeed thanks to y'all. You couldn't pay me to put a dip in today.

Also, what is everybody else doing to fill the place of snuff when it gets really hard? I've burnt through a can of smoky mountain and just picked up a couple cans of Jake's. It's nice to be able to throw something in when I'm feeling really psychotic haha...