One Way To Fight Cravings and Stop Listening To The Stupid Kid

Own your problem.  The tobacco companies didn’t make me dip and I have known my whole life it was unhealthy.  My teachers told me about the dangers in school and I remember watching my mom lecture my brother for years about his habit.  She would write messages on his cans telling him to stop and would scribble CANCER on cardboard bottom of his Copenhagen Original.  Unfortunately, he didn’t listen to her and I didn’t learn anything either.

In the end, continually dipping was my own bad choice.  When I was 13 or 14, I decided I was going to make myself like snuff even though I didn’t like the way it tasted or made me feel.  Looking back, I guess I did this mostly to fit in and be cool.  Can you remember the lightheadedness and nauseated feeling from those first dips?  It was an unpleasant experience that I can actually recreate in my mind and I bet you can too.  That feeling is very similar to the motion sickness I get on the pirate ship or the swings when I visit an amusement park today.  Next time you get stressed about something and want a dip, close your eyes and think back to that sick feeling from the early days.  It really helps the craving pass.

Unfortunately, for the better part of 3 decades, I chose to continue to listen to that same junior high kid.  Mark Twain is quoted with saying “Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.”  I think that quote is relevant in our situation.  We all need to unlearn what that kid taught us about tobacco all those years ago.  Dipping does not make you better.  Dipping is the complete opposite. Your body tried to tell you years ago that it was poison, but that dummy kid wanted you to keep doing it.  Quit listening to the knucklehead for good and never use tobacco again.  It’s just not worth it.

Teddy1977

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan community member Teddy1977