What To Expect – 100 Days and Beyond
Years ago, we put together a timeline of the first 100 days of your quit – What To Expect When You Quit Dipping. It was created based on the input of thousands of quitters and has proven to be incredibly accurate. And while this timeline shows a quitter with incredible accuracy what to expect in the first three months of their quit, it doesn’t clue them into what to expect further down the road. That’s where this page comes in. We’re going to try and lay out the time after you hit the 100 day Hall of Fame. We’re looking for feedback and input so please comment below and we’ll incorporate themes moving forward.
Days 120 – 150
You’re feeling pretty good about yourself. You’ve successfully quit dipping but it bothers you that you still think about it from time to time. You question your quit and how solid it actually is. You’re scared that in a moment of weakness you’ll go back to the can and throw away everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve. You get especially scared because you’re dealing with some massive craves now and then that you haven’t felt since the funk back in the 80-90 day range. Stay strong. This will pass.
Day 365
Congratulations! You have successfully navigated a full year being quit! Now staying quit is “simply” a matter of repeating what you already did last year. There is not a single day on the calendar that you have not already conquered.
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Forum member BrianG had this to say:
Seems like everyone has just fallen into posting roll here. Maybe you are all on gropeme, who knows. I went back quite a few pages and all you see is roll post or someone trying to find someone to post. I always said the second 100 days were the toughest. Anybody else here finding this to be true? Anyone having a rough time? Any way, not trying to stir anything up, just making sure nobody is getting left behind. Stay focused and stay quit…
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Day 200
Today marks my second Hall of Fame day. It has been a while since I have updated my progress
so I thought I would write about the last 100 days, day 101 to 200. The one thing I have noticed
here on KTCk, is that not much is written about the days after your HOF. I understand that the
first 100 days are very important and that is where the focus is. After completing the second
100 days, I think some attention needs to be paid to this time frame. I believe the second 100 days
are tougher than the first, bar maybe week 1. Let me explain.
During the first 100 days, your group is getting a lot of attention. You have a goal in sight and
you are excited about reaching the HOF. If you have any competitive spirit to you at all, 100 days
is not that difficult. You make your promise everyday and keep your eye on the prize. If you get
through the first couple weeks, it is very doable. After the HOF, the attention to your group tends
to fade. People in your group tend to drift off. We have lost well over a third of the guys who
made it to HOF in the second 100 days. A few to caves and some who felt they were cured. This is the
time where you really have to dig deep and remember what you quit for in the first place.
I quit because it was time. 35 years was enough. I took tobacco off the table on day 1 and refused
to ever let it be an option no matter how bad it got. That is the mentality that got me through those
first days and the mentality that got me to the HOF. Shortly after day 100, I started to have craves
comparative to the first week. I found myself thinking about dipping quite often. I was in a funk
that was hard to get out of. During the next 100 days, that voice in my head has gotten louder. Many
times I have found my inner voice trying to convince me that I have quit long enough. That one dip
would not affect me like the others. I could do 1 dip and be quit. I have asked myself more than a
few times if I really want to be quit. These thoughts have come many times over these last 100 days.
Every time, I have been able to convince myself that I am quit for good reason. I try and remember day
1 again. I go to the new groups and read how those poor bastards are doing. I say to myself, never
doing day 1 again. I have to stay quit. I relied on my group to get me through. A few phone calls
and lots of texts to different people.
I cant imagine going through these last 100 days without my group, without KTC as a whole. I am positive
that I would have caved somewhere along the way if I wasnt continuing to post roll everyday. I see
people leave and wonder how they can do it. How do they have the confidence to stay quit? I hope there
comes a day when I can have the confidence to leave KTC and know that I am quit forever. I know that
thought is not popular on this site, but like it or not, that is my goal.
My hope is that the next 100 days are easier than the last 100 days. People keep saying that it gets better.
I believe they are right, but I am getting tired of reading about it and not realizing it. With all this
being said, I would not change a thing. I have been quit for 200 days. I am proud of that. I will keep
battling the inner voice with the help of all of you.
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More coming soon… please comment below with your experiences after the 100 day mark.
Thursday was day 100 without a dip. I’ve been dipping for 18 years now and have quit numerous times. Month or two here and there. Whenever I go back it’s always “just one can” but it turns into a year or more. What’s different this time is I quit drinking over a year ago before quitting dipping. When I quit drinking, I began keto and had lost 100 pounds. During the beginning of the pandemic, I had done things happen to me that resulted in me going off keto and gaining 35 pounds back (gym closed too). After 2 months into quitting dipping, I’m back on keto! I wanted to quit dipping before going on keto – no vices. There’s a bit of anxiety – keto will do that at first, but we all know what the no nicotine thing will do to us.
Hey guys I have quit and started back up about 4 times in the last 20 years. Im currently at about 2 months without a dip. The longest stretch i had was 2 years. My biggest problem is that I LOVE chewing, whether it’s baseball games, fishing, road trips, I LOVE IT. I don’t want to quit, but i also don’t want to die early or need facial reconstruction someday. I am struggling with this everyday. I love it, but i know i have to quit. Everytime i quit i put on about 20 pounds of pure fat. I have bad knees, back and shoulders, so anything other than walking is out of the question for me. Anyone experience these issues and if so what did you do to overcome these feelings?
Ben – I’d venture to say that many (most) quitters are just where you are… they LOVE chewing and don’t WANT to quit but KNOW they need to. I know that sure describes me to a T.
The first one is pretty simple to ‘fix’ – there are a TON of high quality fake dips that contain no nicotine and no tobacco. You can continue the ACT of chewing as long as you’d like. https://www.killthecan.org/your-quit/smokeless-alternatives/
As for weight… I’ll be honest with you. I’m 14+ years into my quit and I’m still struggling with my ‘quit weight’ but if I had the same determination I had to quit dipping to lose this weight I’d be able to handle that too.
That said, there are several weight loss / exercise groups on our forums that can help you there too. https://ktcforum.org/
Bottom line… you’re not alone. And you CAN do this.
I like most of us love the chewing more than the nic. I made the plan to quit and know am using 2 herbal dips. The first day I used the herbal dip I thought man this sucks and that can lasted almost 3 days when the last 40 years on skoal, I went through a can every 24 hours like clockwork. After the first few days, I’m knocking down a can of day of the fake stuff and it is giving me the same pleasures chewing as the skoal. Now of course I’m dealing with nic withdraw and that stinks, but I want to quit tobacco more than I want anything else. I’m day 15 and know I have a ways to go, but try some fake to replace the feel and pleasures of dip, it might just do the trick for you.
Ben, you got this. You made it to 2 years, you can do it again. I’m 8 months quit and I still crave it everyday. But I know I won’t go back to it. I am 100% positive that I am done. My gums are receding and I am scared of cancer. As of right now I am healthy and have all my teeth so I’m quitting while ahead.
I also put on massive amounts of weight. I walked everyday and then eventually began running. Now I am up to 6 miles at a time and I bought a peloton to supplement my runs. It’s cheap compared to dip.
You should start walking everyday, if that is all you can do, then do it. Ride a bike if you have one. But definitely start walking everyday and you will be amazed at how your body will adjust and eventually start feeling a lot better with exercise.
Drink a lot of water, stay away from the sweets. It’s easy to gain weight but a PITA to lose it. Quit dipping and become a health advocate. You will learn to hate dip and start liking being active with time.
Ben, I know what you mean when you say you love to chew, I felt the same way too until I really thought about it. After chewing for 30 years, I finally realized that about 75% of the tobacco I was using was not pleasurable. I was doing it just out of pure habit. I told told myself if I could do a can of month, I would never quit. That is absolutely not possible, therefore I have just decided never to use it again. The main reasons I quit, number one I just did not want to spend the money anymore. I retired, my income was less and I just did not want to continue to support the habit. Number two, I just got tired of being absolutely controlled by tobacco. As I said most of the tobacco I was putting into my mouth I did not enjoy. I’ve been quit 4 over 120 days and as much as I am sometimes tempted, I just absolutely refuse to go back, not going to happen. I did pick up about 15 pounds and that’s just the next challenge to deal with.
Im on day 61… It hasnt been terrible the last few weeks but today Im craving hard. Work has been stressful and I have a super sick kid so im sure that is contributing to it all. I chewed for nearly 18 years so this has been a big change.
Motorboater, Hang in there. Drink lots of water. it will pass. I see all the triggers, you need to be strong and fight it. if you are in forum talk to your group they can help. on day 61 its all head game.
Day 394
I read in here somewhere that after a year you are just tired of the quit and put it on cruise control, but also was warned to not let the guard down. I am here to tell you that it is very true. After a few weeks after my first year, I got an intense crave and it came out of nowhere and I mean I almost threw it all away for one dip. I posted that episode in here in another forum and the guys were quick to provide assistance. I did not cave, but it is true, we have to keep our guard up even after a year of quit.
Just like smoking. I remember working with a woman years ago, who had gone 20 years without smoking. She told me you will always crave. About 4 months later, I saw her break. One year…ha, it’s always gonna be there. But hey, I’ve gone nearly 500 days without drinking and I got no problem.
Day 338
Getting closer to that one year mark. Things are going good. No fog, no dizziness, blood pressure is good. Anxiety is still a little bothersome, but under control. You all hang in there.
I can’t wait to reach those high numbers. I’m at day 97 now. This is the longest I’ve been without Copenhagen since I was 16 and I’m now 37. I pray about it often and Lord willing I’m done for good. Keep up the good work and thanks for being an inspiration.
Thanks Jay, I just hit my one year mark yesterday. You will get there too. Hang in there.
Day 297
I know it is not good to dwell in the past, but I came accross one of my posts from 4 years ago and thought, I Would have been very close to my 5th year quit if I had stayed the course. Here is the post…..
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December 9, 2015 7:35PM
“Hang in there Dan, For sure, drink water and exercise. Get mean lunatic mad at the tobacco and no one else. When you feel the urge to get some tobacco, stop, think “it will pass”; if the urge gets you mad, then hit the gym. Hit that punching bag or run that treadmill to the ground, anything to get that moment to go away. it does pass and when it comes again, do it all over again. polish your car, sand the deck outside, after a while you’ll be in shape, all your honey-doos will be done and the cravings will start going away. It gets better dude.
I am on day 93 and I ain’t looking back, hope to see you at a 100 someday,”
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At the time I was so close to cross the 100 day mark, but on day 99, I remember I came across an old skoal can and said “what the Hell, just one, after all I beat this addiction already”
You see 25 years ago, it was offered to me and I said “What the hell, why not” this time no one offered it to me, I simply caved in.
Scary as hell to know we are just one bad decision away to continue with an addiction that will always lurk in the dark, dormant and ready to strike.
On a positive note, the physical damage gets repaired and we think less and less of it as time goes by and the older brothers here can testify of it. That is something to look forward to.
DDD
Day 296
I thank the Almighty Celestial Father that allowed me to live these days to kick this habit away.
Four days to get to the third floor. It sounds so cool to say I am almost one year quit.
My symptoms? Hard to say, because life has taken over and do not think much about the quit.
I think I was so focused on any little thing that would hurt or be off that it would produce much anxiety. I still don’t like long lines at the stores or traffic jams, but i don’t think many people do. Anxiety comes and goes, but I think it’s part of the survival game we really can’t entirely get rid of it, we all have our demons.
I read somewhere that the dip was an outlet or a mask to hide underlying symptoms of panic or anxiety.
It makes sense, because when you get that buzz and nausea in your stomach and head when you put that pinch in your mouth that is what you concentrate on.
The shields or masks are off now and at least for me during the first 100 and 200 days I was living in an unprotected environment without the tobacco so anxiety and other mental blows were striking me and I didn’t know how to handle them. Since this was all new to me and didn’t know how to defend myself, it produced anxiety, worry, panic, depression and all of these things you hear on television or read on medical journals.
I also heard that anxiety and stress cause multiple illnesses in the body, well, by masking it we actually saved our bodies from it. Of course I am kidding, the destruction caused by all these chemicals far outweighs this side effect.
In conclusion, I am so glad that this nicotine dependency is staying behind me, the benefits of being without it are slow to show, but they do show and finally, looking forward to being healthy after being shackled to this vice gives us all hope and goals everyday to live and prove to ourselves that we are winners, each and every day.
DDD
Mr JeffJ asked for me to put my date of quit so here it is.
10-22-2018
Day 249
After 8 months quit, life is pretty good health wise. All lesions and bumps in my mouth have disappeared, I still have bouts of anxiety, but are getting milder. Maybe just getting older makes me cranky and antsy.
Day 365 yesterday for me. Still had mild bouts of anxiety and occasional fog until about month 10 but have been feeling amazing all summer. The anxiety was weird throughout my entire quit (never had it while a full time dipper). It was never brought on by something specific, just a sudden feeling that something wasn’t right. I learned some breathing exercises and they were instrumental with dealing with the anxiety. I guess I started so early (14) and dipped for so long (30 years) it took my brain a little longer to re-wire.
I’ve never been scared of driving over bridges but since quitting I cannot drive over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in MD without being white knuckled on the wheel. Going to try again in a few weeks on the way to the beach. Hopefully that anxiety is gone too. Dip messes with your brain.
Dipped Kodiak for 30 years, so happy to be free. Embrace the suck and never go back.
KodiakKeith congratulations on your 1 year of being quit. I am on day 261 myself and looking forward to complete my first year too. You are right about the anxiety, it is till a bear to deal with, my brain is still trying to rewire itself. Gonna give myself a couple of months more to see if it completely dissapears.
DDD
Kodiak man have you just said something that just rings true to me. Two weeks ago I had to drive of the sunshine skyway bridge.. all of a sudden I had no clue what hit me out of nowhere I was doing breathing exercises after that. I just had an incredible anxiety about going over massive bridges
It’s nice to see I’m not alone, did this go away ?
I am on day 172, and anxiety is about the only symptom I have left. The fog came back mildly in the 140’s, but is gone not. The anxiety is mostly an annoyance now. I seem to only have for a short time and then it goes away. Never had any anxiety when I dipped either.
I’m also at 8 months. I get cranky, antsy and mad very easily now. I sure hope that goes away. My personality has significantly changed.
Day 226
I commented in another forum about my trip and trigger i experienced during it, what I didn’t mention was a dip dream that i had last night. Is it normal to experience these in the 200’s? it was very real, and woke up worried first and then relieved it was only a dream. I think the dream was because of the very strong trigger I experienced during the day.
You know what it would be cool for this site? perhaps the input from a medical doctor and perhaps a psychiatrist that may show mercy to us and offer some assistance. We speculate a lot, but maybe these folks can share some insights of studies not published or perhaps new therapies that we could benefit from? I know it is too much to ask, but you never know if a good samaritan Doc might pop in here sometime…..
Day 215
Today I feel crappy, but not from the quit, rather too many freaking brewskies last night. Just couldn’t wait for the weekend. Sucks these working Hangovers. One good thing came out of all of this and that is I can drink and not miss the tobacco. I do have weird moments still though. Every once in a long while, a crave comes out of the blue and it is usually associated with a fun time or fun memory. For example, I went off roading and found a little creek and stopped to check it out. I got out of the truck and right at that precise moment I got a craving for it. That was yesterday, I thought 214 days and still get a craving, it went away quickly, but that goes to show that I am still not out of the woods yet. Some say, we never will be. I hope all of this is just part of the past.
Day 204
Honestly, this feels so weird, not having to reach for the can of snuff and spitting everywhere, but If you think about about it, it makes no sense to dip. Number one, is expensive. Number two, it is not good for your health, which really should be number one, but you get the idea. number three, it adds nothing to our appearance or bravery or manhood other than a wad of mud to our teeth. How can a man justify his richness by contributing to the addiction of his fellow man?
Day 191
Physically I feel fine; psychologically I am starting to feel better too, which means, the cravings are very few and far. I mean I still get a craving here and there, but the separation from the addictive substance has been rationalized. I know now that tobacco exists and I could get hooked up again, but the choice is simply NO.
Day 171
Today I feel great, life gets better as the days advance from your quit date (heathwise). I realized that i only have 29 days to hit the 200 day mark. The calculator says I saved 1536 bucks. You all hang in there.
Day 170
Life is good for now.
I did have a tobacco dream last night though. It was weird, because in the dream someone offered me some and I gleefully accepted. I took a huge bite and proceeded to enjoy it. I felt the buzz, the nausea, the spiciness and the sharp tingles around my gum and lip. It was very real, then I felt ashamed because I remembered that I had been quit all these days. Now here is the strange part; as I am feeling remorseful and all that, I actually realized i was just dreaming. Immediately after I realized that, the dream changed to something else I cannot remember what about, but I did not wake up this time. I am not sure what that means. Anyone experienced something like this?
Day 163
Work life sucks, personal life is not bad at all. I was feeling pretty disappointed, but after thinking about it and consulting with our big Father, I’d rather have it this way.
What good is it to have all the money in the world, the best job in the world and all the possessions in the world and you are miserable inside?
The most important things in the world to me are God, my family and my health. If I have all those three then I should be thankful I thought.
So I give thanks this day for all that I have and for the things I do not have I also give special thanks and that means the poisonous tobacco. The decision of not dipping is completely up to me, So I will make sure that this day I will not harm myself with it. What about you all?
Day 162
I am watching the numbers of my quit get larger and the dip triggers get smaller. Yesterday I smoked a couple of briskets, not sure if ya’ll know about briskets, but down here in Texas they are pretty popular. Anyway, it takes about 3-4 hours of stoking the fire in the smoker. I use mesquite wood and a little bit of pecan tree wood, just for the taste and flavor. During the cook out, I used to throw down some brews and of course enjoy the spit. I must say though, yesterday I did not think once about dipping. I realized that today, felt pretty proud and decided to share it with you guys in here.
I hope that someone reads this and finds some comfort knowing that it gets better as time passes. It seems overwhelming in the beginning, but you will see the improvement. I used the calculator in this site and it said i have saved over a thousand dollars over these 162 days.
Hang in there guys, one day at a time.
Day 150
How goes it folks?
Just a quick update on my experience beyond the 100 day mark.
Last night I had a few beers with my folks, I know, during the week, but i don’t get to see them that often they happened to stop by and had a chance to visit for a while. Anyway, during the drinking and conversation, the thought came into my mind about going to the store and buying a can. Right immediately after that, I thought about all the days I have accumulated, the harsh struggle of those first days and the disappointment I would cause if I would cave in. So, I just put it out of my mind.
Drinking and Dipping used to go hand in hand and therefore the trigger activated.
Here is the strange experience I set out to share with you guys.
After all this time I have been away form the Nicotine, the trigger invoked a thought, but not necessarily a crave. Weird I know, hard to explain, but a thought the way I see it, you can logically reason with it, whereas a crave is more of an instinctual impulse to fulfill a need. That is a lot harder to defeat. In any case, last night’s trigger unsuccessfully got me thinking about dipping, but the memory of it is becoming weaker and easier to disregard it.
Anyway just rambling, guess what i am trying to say is that it gets easier as you go.
Thanks for reading.
Day 135
Continuing my saga, though i am here posting and ranting, helping others and reading other’s posts, at the end of the day it is just me going through it. No family member, no quit brother, nobody else can do the journey but myself. It is nowhere nearly as bad as in the beginning, but I still have to deal with the occasional nostalgic call of the NIC. It tries to lure you in different ways, full blunt force sometimes and other times romantically seducing you to the tin can.
Physically I am feeling much better, blood pressure dropped and dizziness bouts every once in a while. Stay tuned for more.
Thanks for posting OZ1. I am at Day 119 and reading your posts have been helpful. I hope one day I get back to feeling good most of the time. I get some days where I feel ok, but overall I feel a mild fog and little to no energy or motivation to do things outside of the things I have to do. Reading posts it looks like the 160’s might be when the sun begins to come out and do his fog will lift.
Hang in there Ware68, yes, to me it has been a gradual process, some days you feel pretty good and then it hits you out of nowhere. Little by little though, the better days outweigh the bad ones. It is kind of weird that I pay attention to the bad days rather than the good ones, because if you are feeling pretty good, you really don’t stop and say, “Hey I feel pretty good”. We just do the things we gotta do on those days. When you feeling foggy, dizzy or having a crave, you actually stop and think about your quit.
Great job on your 119 days. I am on day 149. looking forward to day 200 and so on.Take care Brother.
Day 130
No words of wisdom, just feeling good altogether, slight cravings every once in a while. looking forward to day 200.
Day 129
It is good to feel healthy again. That flu is something else. Weird how with all the technological advances, we have not been able to eradicate the common cold. I’ll tell you what we can get rid of and that is tobacco, just by saying no. Simple as that. Simple, but hard isn’t it? If you are reading this and are beyond the 100 day mark, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you are reading this and are below the 100 day mark, well you are going right through it. In time the physical withdrawal symptoms minimize and disappear i read. I am on day 129 and feeling pretty good, can’t wait until i get to day 200.
Day 127
I am battling the flu so it gives me a chance to think about other symptoms other than tobacco cessation, I don’t know which one is worse really. In any case, the flu goes away after a week or so, but these danged thoughts about dip linger for a while, you all stay tough.
Oz1
Day 124
I finished reading a post from one of the guys that are 1000 plus days. He mentions that though the cravings are gone, the temptation is there.
I must say that when i drive by gas stations, or stop by to refuel, i get this weird feeling that says to me in my head, Do you have enough dip for today? then i snap and think, i Don’t do that anymore.
I rarely go inside the gas stations anymore. The one close to my house where I would buy that crap everyday is managed by this old dude, he still offers it to me every once in a while. I quit, I told him, he didn’t say anything, but I could tell he was concerned about his store income. (sad humor there).
I have gone into other gas stations and I can plainly see all the colors and shining lure of the cans. The feeling is like seeing a hot ex-girlfriend that you dumped, pretty on the outside, but deadly in the inside. Though, you tried to put her away from your mind, every time you see her you get that reminder of the good times you spent with her, but forget the dreadful pain and constant fear of what she could do to you anytime.
To the Bro that wrote the post I am referring to, his temptation comes while watching his buds dip around him. For me, it is the damned gas stations around any corner, always there, waiting, alluring, ready to strike if I only succumb to my NIC demons.
This is Texas!! I like our 2 weeks of winter.
I remember stuffing a huge cud after getting in my truck for the ride to work. Spitting out the window and always had some land on the side of the door and my clothes.Blame it on the coffee. Other times, slamming on the brakes in traffic and watching the spitoon roll down and everything in there flying out. I mentioned the winter, because the excuse was to dip in the cold because it raised blood pressure and so did the body temperature.
What about the rest of the year?
Anyway, last night I had to go to the store and that Arctic blast of 43 degrees (Haaaa) it is cold for some of us, hit me when I walked out the door, needless to say, that brought up a huge trigger to stuff that lip. Then I immediately thought, wow!, I am on day 121.
Today I am on Day 122.
–Day 120–
The cravings do come every once in a while, I don’t think they are massive, but they pack a punch.The usual triggers in everyday life are very weak now, some things that I used to do and be dipping at the same time, like a long road trip for example are still a big trigger. I felt it yesterday after 2 hours into the trip.
It is weird how it comes into your mind and you start thinking about those days when you would automatically reach for that can and stuff your lip. I imagine it almost like in slow motion, with smiling faces and through pink colored glasses. What the Hell? It really is a disgusting habit and yet that is how I think about it. Sick.
It is cool though to count the days away from that quit day. I am 120 days into mine and calculated about $720 bucks out of the Skoal’s Company pockets.
I am not sure if anyone follows the 100 and more days threads, but I am going to continue posting until I am strong enough to fly on my own.
Day 112
Reading some posts here and it seems like the bros that passed this stage still get the fog and other stuff like in the beginning. Good to know.
Day 109
Today is a better day, seems like it retreats and attacks when your guard is down. I had one trigger yesterday, no way I am going back, but they do come up. Let’s see how it goes today and tomorrow.
Day 108
Anxiety, chest discomfort, Intestinal issues still persistent.
I started posting on the forum called “What to expect when you quit dipping” I did my first 100 days and posted my Hall of Fame speech. I am still hanging around commenting on people posts and encouraging the new guys to keep going. I was switching around forums and came across this post. It seems that they are encouraging to post here after we complete 100 days.
I am on day 107 and cruising along, if there are any symptoms or peculiarities at this stage, I’ll be sure to post them. Hopefully this will help others as they continue their quit.
if you want to quit dipping tobacco permanently, then don’t count days, Just hate it.
Amen ??
Counting days and posting roll call every day is what helped me stay strong all this time. That and the ability to divert my focus to something else anytime I thought about dipping. Dundippin – day 1242
Thanks DunDippin, I knew I was doing something right. Counting days and posting and helping others in here.
I’m 11 years tobacco free. After many failed attempts, I finally quit for good. I chose Thanksgiving Day as my quit date since it was easy to remember, and each year I would have another thing to be thankful for. I know as well as anyone how difficult quitting can be, but you guys can do it. The first few weeks are the toughest, it gets easier as time passes. Then each year you can say I QUIT TOBACCO!!!
You are closer to 12 years now. Wow. Thanks for posting, truly something for the rest of us to look forward to.
I really started chewing when I was 18, but I’d had my first dip around 15 or 16 years old. It was sadly part of the culture where I grew up. The sports, work, friends and outdoor country lifestyle were all an influence. My dad also chewed when he was younger, quit when I was around 7-8 years old, but I’m not certain if addiction to tobacco is genetic in any way or purely a personal fight and psychological battle.
I quit chewing for good in 2014. I was 27 years old. Those three years were some of the best I’ve ever known, especially when it came to how much my relationship flourished. I’d been dating the same girl since we were 19 years old, and she had been tortured because of my addiction for years. She is not afraid to say exactly how she feels about how unattractive and depressing it was to see/know I was chewing. Honestly, nobody in their right mind would be attracted to a chewer. It’s disgusting. Every time you think about kissing that person, you also think about the last time they had a dip, and whether or not they brushed their teeth recently. The thought quickly brings nausea, and therefore no more desire to kiss. I wouldn’t kiss a chewer, would you?
Now I am 30 years old and engaged to the same woman. She is the love of my life. I don’t know why she is still with me after everything that involved quitting, or attempting to quit, over the years. Besides the nasty breath, teeth stains and pouched lip, the mood swings had to be the worst by leaps and bounds. Aimless rage, inconsolable depression, relapse anxiety, and other feelings that are difficult out to describe or explain, but painful to feel. She went through all of this just as much as I did. She conquered the addiction too. She had three incredible, kissable, happy and dip-free years.The shine in her eyes when I looked into them, the love I could see in her soul, it was pure and true.
Now, we are engaged to be wed. Just this summer I asked her to marry me, and she said yes. 🙂
The tale does not end so pleasantly. See, today I am writing this short story after being inspired by this website, the people behind the messages on the posts, the challenges you all face every day, and also the challenges and pain that our loved ones face in the wake of our decisions and addictions. Today I also had a very heated, very sad, and very avoidable dispute with my fiancée. Because I am chewing again and has lied to her about it,
A month or so ago, whilst driving a rental car, a half full (and fresh) can Copenhagen Long Cut came sliding out from under the passenger seat during an abrupt stop. I instantly felt tempted by the sight of the can, and knew it would be best to toss it, but I gave in to my feelings and had a dip. (Disgusting I know, because I have no clue where it came from.) After that can was gone, I went into a gas station and bought another, again despite my inner conscience screaming at me to stop. This happened again when I ran out, and again and again, until it quickly became a pattern and then a habit. Each time telling myself, lying to MYSELF, that it would be the last time.
It’s my fault for chewing, but more importantly it’s my fault for lying about it and trying to hide it. I did not want her to see me in what I felt was a weak state. I did not want her to see my failure. I loved the way she was attracted to me, how she kissed me openly without hesitation or fear of chew breath, and I wanted to still be that person. So for over a month, I did not tell her I chewed. I kept it a secret, and I lied to myself about quitting soon to make myself feel better. The lie was eating me up inside, I hated the person I was, for the vicious cycle of chewing and lying, feeling weak and knowing what I was doing was wrong.
When she asked me why I was spending so long in the bathroom, I lied. When she asked me straight up if I was chewing, I said no. I thought I could quit myself, and she would not think worse of me. I was so wrong.
I don’t know if she’ll forgive me for lying about chewing, or for chewing itself. All I know is how sorry I feel for putting her through all of this again, after years of life without it. Now she’s discovered proof that I chew and caught me in the lie, while we’ve been engaged for one month, after ten years of dating. Our wedding is in a month and a half, but since she found out I’ve been lying to her about chewing again, she pretty much hates my guts. I feel terrible for putting her in this situation, all because I couldn’t be an honest man to her and myself about admitting my mistake that I was hooked to chew again.
I still plan to quit, today. I don’t know what I’ll do once I get the craving again…probably the same thing I’ve always done admittedly. I sincerely hope not. The patches I’ve used before help with the craving, but I’ve still taken dips and bought new cans of chew even while wearing the patches. It’s always going to be a battle of the mind with myself to quit chewing for good, I know that. I’ve been through that battle and I won. Then in the blink of an eye, due to bad luck and weak moment, I had a dip and destroyed everything I’d built; my lovely fiancée’s trust and love, my self respect and pride, my will and determination to succeed, all gone. Thrown out the window like I should have tossed that fucking can of chew to begin with.
I hope my fiancée will trust me and love me again. I hope she still marries me. I hope I find the inner strength, purpose and tools needed to quit today. I hope I never lie to my fiancée or to myself about tobacco again.
I hope, if anyone actually reads this rant, that YOU will never lie to your loved ones or to yourself. I hope you will talk about your tobacco use to them instead of waiting until they find out on their own. I hope this openness will show how much you care about them, about yourself, and about your relationship. I hope it gives you a deeper connection to your loved one when you tell the truth even when it’s hard, and they see your string character and trust you completely. I hope this trust grows and the love between you is never disturbed by lies, deceit and self hate influenced by tobacco use.
Hang in there. I am on day 1…lol
i feel the pain man. i quit for a full year, then dipped for the past year, and then here i am again at day fucking 2. i never got heavy withdrawals, but i honestly loved to dip. my wife actually never once commented on it in 7 years, but i know what she thinks. how could she not, its what i would think too. i think my fault the first time round was that i didnt quit for me, i quit for her (even though she never once mentioned it). this time, im not making that same mistake. if theres one thing i feel intensely, its that dipping is a prison. i always looking for a way to squeeze in 5 minutes of free time here and there, an hour to be alone that i otherwise wouldnt try and make fit, turning down nights out with my stunning woman because i can sit at home and dip…and dip…and dip. FUCK that. im tired of making decisions so that i can indulge in something that will likely leave me without teeth, or a damn jaw. im done being trapped by my own addictive personality, and making my wife pay the price on top of everything else.
we got this man, lets step into our own damn lives and take our decisions back. we both fucked over the women that love us with this disgusting habit. but it isnt over, we aint dead yet.
Don’t beat yourself up too bad, nicotine is a strong for. I quit once for four years, took a chew from a friend and you would think I never quit. Now I am back at day 3. Every day is a new quit.
I was in somewhat of a similar situation. Ultimately, in every instance where I wanted to dip, I just kept reminding myself..what would my fiancé say. Is the look of disappointment and her tears worth less than a fucking can of tobacco. What might be the worse part is that we have to consciously make that decision. That our brains can’t intuitively and immediately say no to tobacco, and that we have to actively beat the temptation away. I’m with ya brother, hang in there, and know others are fighting the same battle.
My friends once I quited for 8 months. Once for 3 months. I felt I controlled it. Again I started. But actually if you start it will continue. you can not control it.
I dipped for nearly 2 years. I am currently under 19 days without. The first 5 days weren’t easy, but honestly for me after that I have had minor cravings but it has been very easy for me to continue without it. I always craved it while I drove or while I was doing an outdoor activity etc.
ive quit several times. my weak point was never the first few months, it was always after like…a year. after all that time went by i would start to think “oh it wasnt really that bad, i can have 1 dip”. the demonization had worn off, and i slipped. ive been through 2 rounds of this over 4 years. its the long game that sucks
I agree. The long game is rough. I can be strong and fight the urge for a while, but eventually it tends to wear me down. Then one day I’ll let my guard down, and bam! Don’t let it get you like that!
48 hours in after dipping for 10 years. This is the time!
Same story. Dipped a long time. I’m on day 115. I did withdraw big time, but I stuck to it. I got on Wellbutrin and Chantix. No idea if it’s helping or not, but it’s getting to be OK. I know I can never pick up dip again. I’ve come too far to start over. I did put on 15 lbs. that’s fine though compare to dipping that sot weed.
Its been 19 months since I flushed my last can of Longhorn. Before that, I’d spent over 25 years dipping. Let me clarify how bad my habit was. In 25 years, unless I was eating or asleep, I had a lip full. No exaggeration. So, I guess its understandable that after this long without a single use, I STILL HAVE CRAVINGS EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. But I will never use again, that’s just a given for me. I win. Tobacco loses now and forever….end of story. Dudes and dudetts, if I can quit, you can quit. NEVER give in, NEVER give up and NEVER cop out!
Amen! 15 days in!
I can relate too you. Only I’ve been chewing for 15 years I’d say the first couple years I chewed weren’t so bad . But the other 13 /12 years I chewed nonstop as well if I wasn’t eating or sleeping I was chewing. I’m not sure what the cravings are but I definitely feel weird in my head all the time.
Congrats Craig! I am day 109 today, and these last days anxiety has come back pretty bad. Causing me shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. Did you still have some anxiety this far in? Ive heard of it lasting for 200-300 days?
Today marks 1 year that I took the pledge to quit dipping, and I am happy to say I made it! I looked at this site daily for what seemed like months, just reading your guys testimonies and comments. I am thankful for you guys and this site, because this helped me though the tough times when I thought I needed a dip. This my first time commenting because I challenged myself and said that until I make it 1 year, I will not post anything so that I can truly become like a lot of you guys! Best decision of my life was quitting and finding this site to help me along the way! Keep up the good work guys, and if anyone needs any help at all with anything, please feel free to contact me! Again, thanks for all your inspiration guys! Ffkbarrett100@gmail if anyone needs any help or advice!
Congrats at making it a year! I am 6 months in now but the cravings have come back and have been lingering for about a month. Are you still getting the cravings at a year mark? I am not worried about giving in to them. I have made my mind and quitting is to important to me, just wondering if I will be dealing with the cravings for another 6 months.
Thanks
Nine months today for me but almost fell off the wagon just last week. Work is a huge trigger and there’s plenty of dip around. I still have cravings every day. Dealing with what I assume to be associated depression. Have gained about 15 pounds.
Wanted so bad for 9 months to be a happy anniversary. Wish there was someone I could talk to about it – to get a high five, but that’s not my life.
I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time.
You’re talking like you’ve given up. STOP IT. You’ve nine months free from your addiction. Pick yourself up and realize how far you’ve come and DON’T throw it away.
You want someone to talk to? There’s 28,000 + members on our forums http://forum.killthecan.org – go talk there or right here. You’re not alone. KEEP FIGHTING.
Day 105 here. Feeling quite a bit better, but today I had some anxiety. Anyone else have issues or know of a quitter that had anxiety this far or further into the quit?
I went to a friends wedding and one of the that I was sitting next to pulled out a can of my old favorite,skoal mint pouches. I held strong but ever since then I’ve been having some cravings. I am now five months in and have not cheated once. But after reading this blog, I see other people about just as far as me were for or further having the same cravings and it makes me realize that there is hope. This site gave me what I was looking for because I thought today was the day I was going to cheat.
8 months as of yesterday. Well I did try chew again in late July but I got sick so I spit it out. Imagine that I chewed for 22 years and got sick.
Great information
I will try to quite tobbaco
I hate to say it, but if you’re going to “try” you’re going to fail.
You need to “know” that you’re going to quit. Mindset makes a huge difference. In the immortal words of Yoda, “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Excellent advice!
day 62 ?
Starting to quit today. I thought that if I put this in here I’d have to quit. I’m not the type of guy to go back on my word. I haven’t had a chew all day. The hardest part for me are the cravings. How long do they last, (on average) 10 minutes?
On day 42 was doing doing great till found a can in the like a idiot looked at the date it’s good till oct 11 i threw it away but been thinking about it all night how pathetic is that
Not pathetic at all… actually pretty normal. Congrats on throwing it away. That’s a big hurdle to get past. Keep on fighting man!
I just quit on Tuesday morning, 8/9/2016, I dipped before a ruck march. I bought nicotine lozenges the weekend prior. I had a plan but it took me a few days to see it through. I’ve been using the lozenges every day. I’ve drank a few beers since but I’ve grabbed the lozenges instead of a can. I have quite a few cans lying around. I read where someone is keeping a couple of cans in a drawer as a trophy. I like the idea of being stronger than that ring of heaven. I dipped for 13 years only switching to cigarettes or quitting for a few short months. I want this to be the end. My dentist told me I he pre-cancerous lesions on my gums. I was actively thinking about the possibility of cancer more than once a month the whole time. Hope I caught it in time. There’s only one way to find out right?
I realize this is an old comment but I’ve got to respond…
If you’re using lozenges every day, you’re not quit.
If you’ve got “quite a few cans lying around”… you’re most likely no longer quit.
While it may make you feel good to “be stronger” this is a stupid line of thinking that the Nic Bitch loves. Nicotine and dip is the enemy. Remove it from your life. Remove it as an option. Anything less and you’ll most likely be back to the can (if you’re not already).
So this is my first day trying to quit dipping. Surprisingly I woke up and wanted to quit so bad I’ve been dipping for 5 years now and I’m already going crazy. That’s how I found this site. I was going crazy and yelling at my family members through the house and I went into my room and got on Google and searched things that would encourage me to not put that dip of snuff in. I’ve been congratulating myself by the house as the tears of frustration run down my cheek. I’ve never went one hour without dipping. So I’m trying to clean to get my mind off of it. It’s not helping much but I do have to say this is a great site. I will probably not succeed at this. I will try and after a few months I’ll probably say well it won’t hurt. I know it will hurt. I don’t wanna give up. I need help. Anything to help stop aggravation? Please say yes. I might end up going crazy before this first day is over with.
I’ve quit a couple times in the past only to start back up again. I am going to try again tomorrow. I’m scared shitless cause I know how much this is going to fucking suck. Anyone use nicotine gum or anything like that and if so how effective was it?
Hello Kyle,
Hope your journey of quitting is working out. Just remember man…. You’re in control. You can do this. I dipped for 18 years and would literally sleep with one in every night. When I finally quit (2 years this August 9th), I did several things:
1. Drank tons of water. Not sure if this helped but it helped me think I was flushing the nic out of my system.
2. Chewed TONS of gum. Regular wrigleys or similar (not nicotine kind).
3. Told my family, friends and co-workers what I was doing and that I may be a bit on edge for a while.
4. Kept two brand new unopened tins right there in my sock drawer. Just so I know it’s there… But I’m stronger than them and don’t need to open them.
I still have them to this day…. Now they’re kind of like a trophy.
Keep up the fight man…. You can beat that stuff. Best thing I’ve done for myself.
JL
Wow, JL. I’ve never heard of keeping chew around when trying to quit. I’m glad that it works for you, but I wouldn’t recommend advising people who want to quit chewing to keep a tin of it in their sock drawer. Kind of funny actually. Otherwise, great advice and congratulations on 2 years of quitting.
I am new to the quit started 8/22/17, and still on track. I am replying here because I too decided that for this quit to work it needed to be my quit. Not an I am out so I guess I will stop quit. So I have a unopened sealed can in my desk drawer at work. Started when I was 12 going through the quit at age 32.
Day 154 here. Cravings last couple of weeks have been some of the worst yet. Weird internal pain that was almost gone came back this week but still not as strong as it used to be. Been probed and scanned a lot in the last few months. All looks good except for some mildly high pancreas and liver enzymes. Hope they go down to fully normal sometime. This new life is great. Cravings mask it’s niceness darn it.
Day 255… It was extremely hard the first week. After that it wasn’t really bad. Only thing i noticed was I gained a lot of weight, A LOT of weight. At about day 251 I noticed a strong urge to dip out of nowhere. It definitely doesn’t go away. Only thing motivating me to continue to keep going is everything I worked for to finally quit after 6 years.
I am on day 11. Feeling depressed, tired, constipated and things that normally gave me pleasure no longer do.
Believe it or not… you’re right on track. Keep fighting.