What To Expect When You Quit Dipping
So you want to quit dipping and you would like to know what to expect when you do. We’re not going to pull any punches around here, it’s tough. That’s why we’re all here. This timeline has been put together over the years with the input of THOUSANDS of quitters. It has been shown to be remarkably accurate from the time you STOP USING NICOTINE.
Days 1 through 3 – Pure hell. You will walk in the fog. Nothing will seem real. Your brain is wondering where the hell its fix is and it is going to punish you until you come up with it. 72 hours, that’s all you need to get the nicotine out of your system. This is where you start to deal with the physical withdrawal associated with quitting dip. Drink lots of water. Read, post, read and post. Don’t take your anger out on your loved ones. We always tell everyone………Make this quit about YOU. If you quit for your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, mommy or daddy, you will resent them during this period. Quit for yourself and come in here to rant. Yell at us. Bitch at us. We can take it. We’ve been there.
Days 4 through 20 – Here comes the mind games. The nicotine is out of your system now. You will still have some physical things to deal with.
- Cravings
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Inability to Concentrate
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Constipation, gas, stomach pain
- Dry mouth
- Sore tongue and/or gums
Yep, you have this to look forward to. Your brain is rewiring itself. It isn’t used to being in an oxygen rich environment. Your body is responding in kind. Everything is a mind game now. All the cravings you have are actually due to triggers. Triggers are events where you are in a situation you would normally dip in. Mowing the grass, playing poker online, playing golf, working on the car………you get the picture. Keep drinking water, use seeds, the fake stuff, whatever you need to keep the dip out of your mouth. Remember, oral fixation is part of our habit, something you will eventually need to break. For now though, use all the tools you have.
Days 20 – 50 – You’re winning. Life isn’t great, but you probably had a couple of nights where you actually got some sleep. You might notice you’re going to bed earlier than you normally do. Not staying up to get in that last dip. You may notice some sores in your mouth. You’re thinking, “great, I quit dipping and now I have cancer.” You almost certainly don’t. Your mouth is healing itself. Tiny ulcers you’ve had for a long time are healing. We recommend you visit your dentist around the 30 day mark. Don’t be a pansy, just do it. He or she will be very supportive and they can explain the sores much better than we can. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t go out drinking with the fellas or the girls. We also recommend that you don’t drink for at least the first 50 days. Drinking is a huge trigger event and it weakens your resolve.
Days 50 – 70 – Cruise control. Life is really good. You still think about it, but this is good stuff here. Some people may suffer anxiety attacks during or a little before this stage. Some doctors say we dipped to relieve anxiety anyway. Some people can push right through this, others need a little help. Talk to your doctor before you quit or immediately after you quit. They will know what to do. Some give Wellbutrin or Lexapro. Lots of people in the support community take or have taken these medicines and can help you with the affects. Don’t wait till you get to this stage of the game to talk to a doctor. You’ll cruise through this stage much easier if you know how to take care of the anxiety or at least know it’s coming.
Days 70 – 90 – Late term craves, the doldrums, the blahs, the blues. Some people end up feeling like they are right back at day 1. The fog, the haze, the craves. It can be a tough time. You need to let people in your group know this is happening. Time to circle the wagons to get through it. It usually only lasts a few days. Fight through this and make sure your order your HOF Knife or Coin. Here are a couple of articles about this time period which we refer to as “The Funk”
Days 90 – HOF – Houston, resume the countdown. Enjoy the hell out of these last 10 days. You will be celebrating with your group as you all enter the HOF. It is a great feeling and an accomplishment you should not take lightly. Do something special for yourself and your family. They put up with your sorry ass for the last 90 days and they deserve something too.
100+ Days – Stay vigilant. Use the tools you have, to continue beating back any cravings or urges. You will still experience dip dreams and longings, but you are fully qualified to beat them down. Continue to post roll with your group. Get into the newer groups and help somebody out. Pass it along. Live the dream.
Hey Tommy, I went through it, My ex-fiancee and I were living together about to be married. We broke up and yes i did the same thing, binge drinking and 2 or more cans of dip a day. While I was destroying myself, she went and got herself engaged. Like yourself, I had a light bulb moment and decided to get better. I stopped the binging and sought help for tobacco addiction, I found this place and hung on for dear life.There’s a lot of good people in here that help each other when we feel weak. I am a year and 4 months quit.
How did it end up? well, I heard the guy turned out to be a loser, they broke up and now she is stumbling around in relationships. I stayed to myself, saved my money, nicotine free, better health, good things happening at work, found a much better woman, life is good. I pray for her and wish her the best, seems like when you do that good things come your way. I know she must regret her decision, the grass always looks greener on the other side.Live and learn. That’s my story.
As for you, the best decision you’ve made is to better yourself, keep up the good work and good things WILL come your way.
Take care everyone.
DDD
506 days
A great positive attitude DDD. Hope it is no surprise to see trumping the Nic bitch… Tommy, you are on the right path. Look at this way, you already hit the nadir, it’s uphill from now on. We are there for you brother. Keep up the good work.
Shiva
Days 379
Day 2
Sitting at work on 2 hours of sleep feeling the itch more with every minute. Was wondering if anyone has ever tried quitting while going through a big life change. My girlfriend and I broke up a week ago and I’ve never felt more pain in my life. After a week of drinking and dipping, I decided I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and make some positive changes in my life. I figured no time like the present, I already felt like crap for a week, why not start now?
My firstborn was 53 days old when I quit… nicotine withdrawal with zero sleep = good times.
Regardless of your situation there’s no better day than today to quit. Congrats on a great decision!
Hello Mr. Tommy,
I’m on day 21 and had and lost my job the same week I quit. I can understand how you feel, because when things aren’t going your way, a dip sounds great. Well I can promise you you will get through it WITHOUT dip. It won’t make anything better. First few days are brutal, but once you get past that it is totally worth it. Stay strong brother.
Tommy, maybe its wrong for me to say so , but in terms of Triage, I would address or self examine the week of binge drinking . See if that needs fixing first . If you start going to those meetings you might additionally find some strategies to help with the quitting of the Chew ….
Hey everyone, I was just wondering, I’m on day 32 now of my quit and for about a week I was feeling really good and way different then I expected to but all of a sudden I just started feeling like crap, really tired and unmotivated to do anything. I have no drive to do anything and today is just one of those days I feel like all I want to do is sleep and that sucks, has anyone else gone through something like this in their quit this far along or am I just losing it? Lol
Nope, you’re not losing it, totally normal. It’s all ups and downs for the first 100 days, keep at it.
Thanks JAYP, I appreciate it
Ya totally normal just takes time for things to come and go! When you start feeling like that listen to your body, if you’re tired sleep, if you’re hungry eat.. killing the nicotine beast is most important. Stay vigilant you got this.
Bigdiesel90- 269 odaat
Thanks bigdiesel90, I really appreciate the advice!
8 days so far !!
Good work Vishal !
Keep going Vishal!! You got this!!
Thank you Dank and Bxavier ?
Way to go ! Already feeling good for my future life
Great start Vishal.. Keep up the good work. Remember, take one day at a time, you will slowly but surely come out of it.
9 days completed ! No tobacco
No nicotine!
My only concern is I have started eating more, I crave for chocolates ☹️ Ice creams ! But I guess eating some extra carbs worth it ! It will pass on by time. Any suggestions please ?
Hey Vishal, from what I’ve read and what I’ve experienced an increased appetite is pretty normal. I craved sugar a lot when I first started my quit but it has gotten better since. It still hits me from time to time but it’s normal. I just made sure to drink a lot of water and chew gum to help. Keep at it, you got this!
Hello senior, thank you for your response. I try keep me hydrated always, this is actually helping me a lot.
I know my journey is just started , it’s just 9 days till now, but i must say day 7th and 8th was toughest for me ! I dipped for 8 years. I can really taste the food now ! Thank you so much guys ! Thank you
Good job Vishal
I ate carrots like a mad man… I ate allot, my doctor said better eating then dipping.
My thought process during my quit was so anything as long it wasn’t tobacco or booze to get to day 100
Go for walks, do a hobby. Anything to fight the nic bitch
When you hit day 100 and look back, you will be very proud of yourself and the battle won. And for me and my friends here, I applaud them all from the rookie to the veterans.
Jeffj
8-14-14
Where are you shiva???
I am back, Jeff. Sorry, it has been very hectic and lots of travel of late. I just landed y’day. Hope you are doing alright.
Hey Shiva, thanks and congratulations to you too!. The one Year mark is finally here. Cal, you are almost there bud!.
Thanks JayP and Jeff. You all take care and jump in here every once in a while to help the new brothers. We were there too and are just one pinch away from starting all over, but everyday that we don’t do it our quit becomes even stronger. I tell you what guys, I aint never been a quitter, but this one time I am glad I quit.
DDD
501 Days
10/22/2018
Why nobody talks to me , am i visible to you guys ?
Hey Vishal, you’ve got to look at the most “recent comments” on the right column, sometimes people respond to our older messages.
Hello senior DDD, thank you for replying. Is it okay to eat a few cinnamon (4-5) throughout the day ? I don’t wanna use any nicotine substitute
Vishal
As Jayp and DDD said. Just keep going forward. It is hard. It’s not easy but you are here and that tells me you can endure the battle. I call it the suck. Welcome and embrace the suck, and just do one day at a time. Bottom line, fight the nic bitch… yes it’s hard but don’t give up
I am not here as much as I like, but I am reading the post from jayp and DDD, they are warriors in the fight
Jeffj
8-14-14
Thank you jeffj, I had dip dream last night, It was horrible . I felt good when I realised it was a dream, I actually woke up with guilty that why i am dipping again.
Thank you for all the mental support you all are giving.
Yes. Had a few of those dreams myself felt the same way. Even now after 5 years, at times I have a dip dream.
Keep hydrated and keep the fight going. You not alone…
7th day on !
8 more hours and my first week will be completed. ?
Today My mouth is really craving for tobacco. Feeling irritated .After every single hour I am checking this post, reading all of yours comments.
Awesome DDD :)… A big congrats..
I just crossed 1 year mark (Feb 28).. Too much stress at work and could not find time to post in detail..
Hey newbies.. I had one of the most stressful 3 weeks at work in a decade.. but guess what, I am handling them without nic bitch and it is much, much easier without it. So, don’t be afraid.. jump right in.. You’ll do great.
Shiva
Day 371
Congrats on the one year mark Shiva! I’m about a week away 🙂
Glad to hear you’re better able to cope with stress. I agree with that big time!
-CAL
Day 358
Congrats Cal!
I’ve seen you up.and down the board as well…time flew by!!
Keep at it
-JP
Congrats Shiva! Way to do….one year free, I’m proud you came back and fought off this habit. Great job, well on your way to year #2
-JP
07-15-14
Shiva. Good job!
Well worth the battle
Jeffj
8/14-14
Congratulations DDD and SHIVA ! you guys are inspiration. Today is my 5th day ?
Hang in there Vishal, take it one day at a time.
Looks like DDD replied to you?
Sorry, I just noticed that ?
Idk how do you guys are doing it.
Congratulations guys
It’s not easy at the beginning Vishal…but each day you put the terrible habit behind you, the easier it will become.
All of us went through the shit, it was one of the hardest things I ever did…but it’s also one of the most rewarding choices I made.
Ask any of the guys who are past the 100 day mark…they’ll all say it’s worth the short term pain. Just keep at it and refrain from nicotine use?
It DOES get easier…I promise, this from an almost 30 year abuser.
-JP
07-15-14
Yeah Jayp, This is for the second time I am trying to quit. Last time I went to 45 days mark but unfortunately I was like have a dip as a reward! And that was a big big mistake. Thank you all for supporting. Today 6 days completed! IST
Shiva
Good job man and congrats. You did it!
Jeffj
8-14-14
Day 500
I made it to the fifth floor, you all take care.One day at a time!
Congrats bro!
Congrats on the first 500 or as we’ve called it, the 5th floor!
500 days….goes to show how quick day 1 gets to 500.
Proud of you brother✌️
-JP
07-15-14
Day 499
It is good to read about all of you new guys starting your quit, tomorrow is my 500th day. I will post and hit the cruise control for a while. You all help each other, you know what to do. Those that started with me are well on their way and living their quit days, we left out footprints here, all the way from day 1. Enjoy your new journey, it is worth those first few days of detoxing.
Hello everyone, I couldn’t figure out how to make my own post but I could figure out how to reply. I have been reading the posts on here and everyone on here seems so helpful. I have chewed for about 18 years, I am 17 days into my quit. I feel pretty good about this process, because I am determined to make it last. I quit one other time for about 9 months then had a relapse and before I knew it I was back buying it again. I have learned from that and don’t want it to happen again. I have 2 question because neither of these things happened last time. The other day i found a white spot on my lip. Is this the sores ppl get when quitting or is it something else. Looks like is could be a canker sore but I’m scared it something worse. And has anyone experienced heart palpitations with their quit? I have been having those and I wasn’t sure if its from the nicotine withdraw/anxiety and if it’s normal?
Heart palpitations and high blood pressure both came with the anxiety I had when I quit. They would come and go up until about 100 days for me. Went away after that.
Thank you, I appreciate the response. All this crap makes me very nervous, and I wonder how I could have ever done it to myself in the first place. Now I really hope I saw the light before I caused something serious so go wrong with me.
You could have your dentist take a look just for some peace of mind. I did that a couple weeks after I quit.
Day 3 done. I hardly slept for 2 hours though i was on bed for like 9 hours ☹️
I hope day 4 isn’t gonna be restless ☹️
As I sit here writing this, I realize I’m like two hours away from going to bed, and completing my first day without chewing tobacco in about 10 years. Day 1 done, this should be a fun ride.
That’s AMAZING Kris – congrats on completing day 1! You’ve taken your first step… repeat tomorrow. Before you know it you’ll have a PILE of quit days behind you. Looking forward to hearing from you tomorrow – proud to be quit with you today!
The gouge is real… 1st 3 days are tough.. you’re nicotine free after that … the only crave is that damn can ritual and something to do with your hands at those times you used to reach for the tin . Hang tough. I’m at day 99 .. feeling fine . It pops into my head once in a while, but it’s over and I’m done spending $2k a year on that junk…
Good for you Kris on making it through your first day! You’ve got this, it won’t be easy but I promise you the hell you go through is worth it… Today was day 28 for me and I’m still going through the mental side of things which from what I’ve read can last awhile but on the plus side I do have a lot more energy and it’s amazing how much better I’m sleeping… Keep it up Kris you’ve got this!
I want to join in ? I am craving for tobacco . Damn I badly want that in my mouth
It’s day 3 for me ?
My first day starts today hope I make it failed yesterday
You CAN do this Dan… but hope isn’t a strategy. Get on the forums, talk it out. You’re not alone.
https://www.killthecan.org/change-your-vocabulary/
Day 3 done ? I am feeling dead
im about 2 months without a dip. it is still a grind everyday. None stop gum and sunflower seeds. It has gotten easier but still waiting for the day where the cravings are gone.
Hang in there Ken – you’ll have those days before you know it.
Hi folks,
Today is my 498th day of being quit, it’s weird how life exists without tobacco, normal people with different addictions experience it every day, I am becoming one of those. You all have a good day.
Congrats man! Almost to 500; what an accomplishment. Once you realize you had an addiction/still do, it is very easy to recognize what others are addicted to just through observation. Everyone has a vice, but hopefully just not to nicotine!
Hey y’all,
I am on day 8 and last night I experienced my first dip dream. Strangest thing ever. I had bought a log of Copenhagen straight, and chewed half a can in my dream. Felt guilty as heck in my dream and woke up and felt terrible about myself until I realized it was a dream. Question for y’all… are dip dreams common this early into your quit and I understand everyone has them eventually, but do they mean anything in particular?
Hey Reed – 100% normal to have them this early in your quit. And no, they don’t mean anything, other than the fact that your brain is dreaming / wishing for what it’s had for so long that you’re depriving it of. Keep it going!
Hey Reed, those dreams are nothing to worry about. I have had my share of Dip dreams at different stages of my quit. What do they mean? Who knows, perhaps it’s our subconcious mind desiring to go back to the habit, since you beating it into submission by sheer will during the day, during the night, it acts out in fantasy. Just my theory, but I wouldn’t worry about the dreams, keep going and don’t look back.
Appreciate the responses DDD and Chewie. I figured it was normal and probably meant I actually wanted to kick the nasty addiction if I was so distraught about it in my dreams. What made you two really want to quit? I understand that we have to quit for ourselves, but what made you finally kick the can and call it quits?
Hey Reed, I really was tired of losing to nicotine, I realized that I was addicted to it and I was not going to let it get the best of me. I wanted to feel in control of my decisions again. Another big reason was that I did not want to get sick. I tried quitting one time and went back to it, that’s when I realized I was addicted, i thought i could quit any time I wanted to, but that was not true, instead of giving up and continue dipping, I mustered all my will strength and stopped doing it. The first few days were brutal, but I knew I had to do it. I tell you what though, that damned nicotine tried its best to drag me back to it, so far I am still wining at 495 days under my belt. I dipped for 35 years, I am glad I do not any more.
Well congrats to almost 500! That’s an incredible milestone. I can’t wait to be there with you one day. And I can see what you mean, I’ve only dipped for 4 years but can see how badly my gum lines were receding and what it did to my mouth. Dentist said I was all good today so that reassured me, but the damage has already been done. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to give up after 30+ years. 4 years was hard enough!
Same here ! It was my 5th night ! I actually woke up in guilt ?
Felt so good that it was a dream
Hey all,
I have been dip free for a week now. Feels great. I am used to dealing with anxiety on a daily basis so that part does not bother me so much. I decided to quit because I hated being a slave to something that I knew would most likely kill me. Like many others, I was hunting about 4 years ago and tried it. Thought it was cool and did not think I was addicted to it. Quit once for about a month but it was easy because I knew I wasn’t quit for good. I am this time and it feels great. My soon to be wife has dealt with it and always known about it, but it wasn’t much more than that. I knew I wanted to quit. I think my biggest concern is weight gain. I am getting married this summer and I am very self conscious of my weight so I did not want to blow up like a balloon for it. Anyway, first 3 days were pure hell. Went home sick one of the days, but toughed it out. It is actually surreal how it controls your life and you don’t even know it. I do not think I would be able to quit and stay quit without this site. Cheers to the rest of our lives dip free.
– Reed
Hello Boys and girls,
Nothing special to report today other than I am on day 492, hell yeah, in 8 days the big 500, fifth floor/ceiling, here I go.
I gotta tell you guys that once you get this high, you can drink with buds and even hang out with dippers and it won’t bother you, in fact you might be a little disgusted by their habit (addiction). You might even think, “I can’t believe I was doing that nasty shit”. In the mean time, hang in there, you too will get here and keep going. Kick ass boys and girls.
You’re on cruise control now DDD…you are spot on. The longer you get from doing it, the easier it becomes.
I still have to say and I know you know this already…there is no such thing as “just one”. Once you’re this far into your quit, there is no going back. You’re free..and your post reflects it.
Happy to see your progress and your wrong saying nothing special to report, 492 days IS special?
-JP
7-15-14
Thanks Jayp, I just didn’t want to sound like I was bragging.
I want to thank you, JeffJ and Chewie. When I first came back. Ya’ll didn’t give me any shit, in fact, just welcomed me and encouraged me to keep going.
Somehow I stumbled unto one of Shiva’s posts and asked him if he was the same guy that started the quit awhile back with us and he was.
The platoon was back in the trenches and along came other guys that are still here and helping other guys. I still have hope RICK comes back———-ya’ll remember him?
In perspective of all the things happening around the world, our private battle seems tiny, but in our eyes the victory against the colossus Nicotine is gigantic and like JayP says, it is something to be proud of. Each day without nicotine is a celebration of victory.
I’ll be chewing tobacco free for exactly 2 years on March 1st 2020. Stopped cold turkey one day after I got that feeling where you put a dip in and it just makes you feel like shit because you’ve had 10 previously in that day. Decided then and there that it was time to stop after I’ve been doing it for 20 years. What helped me is thinking about that shitty feeling (basically nicotine overdose) and never wanting to feel that way ever again and also the money. In Wisconsin a tin is or was $6.69 and one tin per day over a year is $2400 shot up the ass. In the grand scheme of things I would say after around 5-6 months you start feeling normal again.
I agree with you Brandon, 5-6 months is fair…you do start feeling “good” more consistently.
Congrats on almost 2 years free, your quit mirrors mine…i got sick of it too and “wanted” to quit. This is a huge part of the quit equation, to be successful.
-JP
07-15-14
Hi guys. I quit chew nearly three years ago after chewing off and on for about 10 years. A couple nights ago I had one while drinking. Since then, I have no desire to chew again. BUT, I have a terrible since of guilt for having one. Anyone had feelings similar to this? Good luck to everyone in here!
in the last 400+ days, I’ve only had guilty feelings like that after a DIp dream, but then I realize it was just a dream. Sounds to me that you’re going to have to reset your nicotineless clock (If there is such a thing), once the Nic gets into your body the timer has to be reset regardless of whether you feel like having a dip or not. A lot of us been there, some of us go back to it full blown and take us years to quit again, and then there is some of us that just take one and don’t do it again. Either way the relapse happened.
Day 484
Hope everyone is doing good. In 16 days I will hit the 5th ceiling/floor. In my early days, I had questions and couldn’t wait to be hundreds and hundreds of days quit. So I would post here and a few folks would answer. My main question was always, do the craves go away? Most people would say yes, they are very far and few and not even craves anymore, but a distant memory of it. Well, today was one of those days for me. I am coming back to work after a nice meal and as I am walking, my brain is going through all the regular check ups, keys, wallet, badge, paid bills, schedule for the afternoon and evening, DIP, buy groceries later……………..WAIT a minute, rewind…………DIP? you see, the brain still has a little distant thought about Dipping, sneaking it in there every now and then. Not a crave, but a distant thought. The cool thing about it was that as soon as I realized my brain had started thinking about Dip, the defense mechanism kicked in as well and it said, remember those first few days after quitting. So I snap out of it quick. I am not going back to those days.
Stay quit people.
Jeff, Jayp,Shiva, Cal. All mighty warriors, let us know how you doin’
DDD
Oct./22/2018
Hey DDD,
Life is good. After I got through the mid 200’s things kept getting better and better. As more time goes on, I keep seeing little positive differences that add up to a big change over time.
For me, I would say craves have gone away. I occasionally think about dip and have a trigger, but it’s not a feeling of crave for me…more like a passing thought. Even these passing thoughts are rare nowadays.
I haven’t had much new to share here lately hence the lack of posting. I’m just not paying attention to all the little symptoms and feelings anymore because they’re basically gone. I am helping out a few guys directly through email who have reached out and will chime in where and when I can in the comments.
I forget who said it and forget the exact time frame but it was something along the lines of “after day 300, the nervous system really seems to calm down” (maybe it was a year, I don’t remember exactly). I can say I’ve been noticing this big time lately. The anxiety, panic attacks, etc. that I thought I would have to live with really did fade away. And this is coming from someone who also had some of these issues while dipping. It’s like my mind isn’t racing 1,000 MPH anymore and my mind + body have finally gotten used to this idea.
Would be great to hear from some of the other guys as well.
Day 342 (just realized how close I am to the 1 year mark!)
-CAL
Hey CAL, great to hear you doing good. Congrats on your almost one year quit, hang in there bud, it’ll be here in no time. Good to hear you helping brothers directly too. Keep writing in here though, it helps all the other dudes lurking or just starting out. I remember reading everyone’s posts that kept me going and would pour over new ones posted by the older Bros.
TTYL
DDD
Day 356
Hello folks,
Things were very hectic at work with lots of travelling and hence couldn’t find much time to post anything. Ditto to what CAL said.. I get a pang may be one or two days a week and one or two cravings in the last 1 month… That craving too happened at a very stressful time but they just disappeared after a min or two.
Happy to say my anxiety issues are very much under control.. I used to go to top gear from 1st even at the slightest trigger.. I still go to top gear but it needs some serious stressful scenario to cook that one up..
Anyways, an interesting thing.. even the one or two pangs and cravings that I get occasionally are about smoking and not on dip.. somehow I convinced my mind about dip but still need to work subconscious mind on smoking..
DDD – good luck nearing your 500 day mark..
I am nearing 1 yr milestone sometime next week.
Shiva
356
DAY 322
Hey Shiva, I too feel that my anxiety is under control. It has been a long road with lots of ups and downs. I’m glad to read that you are doing much better also. You are close to your one year anniversary, and I will be close behind you. Thanks again for all the posts that you have written on this site. You and some of the other members helped me a great deal. take care.
Carey
I usually don’t post anything on the internet, but I’m on day 13 without chewing and I’m not going to lie I feel like I’m losing it lol… I think it’s weird because I have days that I’m feeling ok but today out of nowhere I feel completely anxious and flat exhausted and unmotivated and it sucks! Dang this actually sucks, I was dumb enough to think the worst was behind me and I was wrong holy s**t! Just irritated and tired and it seems like every little thing is getting to me, damn! Well you’ve all been through this and congratulations to all of you who have made it through this and quit for good, I just felt like I needed to say something out load even if it’s a post online.
Thanks for the website and all your post have definitely given me more motivation to keep going at this.
Keep fighting man. The two week mark can be a rough spot: https://www.killthecan.org/facts-figures/2-week-weakness/
Keep up the great work – you’re DOING IT!
Thank you for the link Chewie I really appreciate it! Reading that definitely helped me calm down and realize I wasn’t going crazy… And thank you to you and Rich for responding and helping me stay motivated to get through this.
Like Chewie said, the 2-week mark can be a bitch but, I promise, there’s light at the end of the tunnel as you should feel markedly better by the end of this coming week. In the meantime, find anything to distract yourself and, if possible, avoid those persons, places, and things that trigger a craving. Above all else, drink a good deal of water and exercise on a daily basis. Hang in there…you got this. The prize is well worth the effort.
Day 477
It seems like getting to day 500 has been the longest stretch, almost as long as the first one hundred days. Getting to 200, 300 and 400 didn’t seem as long. I read somewhere that they refer to these episodes as the funk?
Anyway, I went to a funeral last weekend, there were a lot of people smoking outside, someone asked me if I smoked, I said no, and proudly said “as a matter of fact I haven’t dipped in over a year”. They looked at me weird, like if I was from another planet. I guess in their minds, they had not even considered quit smoking. I didn’t judge them for I was there too, a year and four months ago to be precise.
Here’s a weird observation, I was never a smoker, but I did feel like having a smoke and not a dip when I was talking with those guys outside of the funeral home. In a way I consider that a victory because I did not have a crave for dip which I am addicted to and now I know better than to start a new way of nicotine intake. Hell no.
You guys hang in there, stay quit.
Quit date:
Oct 22, 2018.
Today is day 90. I haven’t talked much here since November, but I’ve frequently visited the site. Everything on here, and I mean everything, is real. You’re going to experience these things on your own level, and it is up to you to read this page and prepare. You can’t even imagine what “tooth pain” is going to feel like, but you can prepare for how you are going to deal with it. (Trust me, it feels like someone is slowly ripping your teeth out too…) Different things work for everyone.
Look, I wish I could say this was easy. It was not. But if you commit to quitting, I promise, you can do it.
I have been hiding the fact that I dip from my wife for 5 years. She knows that I dipped in high school back in the late 90s / early 2000s. Swallowed half a lipper breaking up a double play and immediately was put off of it. Then, I get a new job in 2013, and I have a boss that uses pouches. A pouch? That would totally fix my concern for swallowing a dip again! I had one stressful day where I asked for a pouch to take the edge off… and then it slowly escalated. To avoid getting hooked (or caught), I decided to only do it at work.
Fast forward to 2015, I’m buying at least 2 tins a week, sneaking off to play video games away from my wife so I can dip at home. Dipping in front of her, but swallowing the spit because she can’t see me with a spitter or she’ll know. Sneaking dip into professional sporting stadiums by putting pouches in a zip lock bag because I can’t let my wife see me take a tin out of my pocket when I go through a metal detector. I am ashamed of my vice, so therefore, I am hiding it. And then I become ashamed I am hiding it. I would hide it in pant pockets by placing it behind my phone or my keys so the outline of a tin wouldn’t show. I was calculated, I was discrete, and mostly, I was stupid because I knew I was hiding it because I didn’t want to be that person.
In August of 2018, I had a son. I told myself I would quit before he can see me dip and think it’s OK or cool. In August of 2019, I saw him notice me put a pouch in when I was home alone with him. He even reached for the tin. It destroyed me. I decided then I needed to try to quit. I had all of the motivation in the world. I failed in August after 2 days. I failed in September in 1 day. I failed within 24 hours of trying to quit in October, so I didn’t even count it as a try… I couldn’t have felt more powerless. Then I found this site.
There are a lot of sites when you google “what to expect when quitting dip”, this was the first to pop up on my phone (in private search windows, because I was so scared for my wife to find it). But this site explained that the absolute torture I was going through when I quit… was only temporary. It changed into new tortures, but all of the new ones were WAY better than the first few days. This gave me the motivation to fight through days 1-3. And it took probably a month until I felt less miserable. I still feel tired, I’ll be playing PS4 with my friends and hear someone throw a tin onto the table through the headset and immediately get cravings, but they aren’t constant anymore.
The dreams… that’s when you know how you’re doing. At first I had the dream where I was having a dip and I woke up craving one. Over time I woke up from that dream feeling angry that I “relapsed”, even in a dream. You will know what I mean when I say it’s a good gauge of how you are doing when you get to that point. The mindset to quit is your most important tool to making it a reality.
You don’t need to talk on this site really, I mean, I didn’t much. You can just read what other people are going through in their journey to quit and know you’re not alone. If you choose to talk, you’ll find nothing but support, and you might be helping someone else by sharing. We’re all pulling for each other here.
My biggest advice:
Change your patterns, change your life.
–I used to dip on the 20 minute commute to and from work everyday. I can’t NOT drive to and from work, so I decided I would occupy my time with audio books to and from work. It created enough of a distraction that after a month I stopped having the craving every time I got in the car.
–Sunflower seeds at work are a nice replacement. You still need a spitter and the salt will definitely lead to those mouth sores described in the article above. So try to limit this option.
Thank you everyone that shared their own stories or responded to my posts in November. Just know it help me, and I am willing to bet it wasn’t just me.
The site delay got me, sorry for the double post.
Thanks for the openness Tim. You got this, and you have figured out how to overcome the craving. By sharing your story you have reinforced my quit (1,362 days) and hopefully helped someone to quit today.
Keep up the good work Brother!
TODAY IS DAY 90. I haven’t talked much here since November, but I’ve frequently visited the site. Look, everything on here, and I mean everything, is real. You’re going to experience these things on your own level, and it is up to you to read this page and prepare. You can’t even imagine what “tooth pain” is going to feel like, but you can prepare for how you are going to deal with it. Different things work for everyone.
Look, I wish I could say this was easy. It’s not. But if you commit to quitting, I promise, you can do it.
I have been hiding the fact that I dip from my wife for 5 years. I dipped in high school back in the 90s having about a tin per week. Swallowed half a lipper breaking up a double play and immediately was put off of it when I was 18. Then, I get a new job in 2013, and I have a boss that uses pouches. A pouch? That would totally fix my concern for swallowing a dip again! To avoid getting hooked (or caught), I’ll only do it at work.
Fast forward to 2015, I’m buying at least 2-3 tins a week, sneaking off to play video games away from my wife so I can dip at home. Dipping in front of her, but swallowing the spit because she can’t see me with a spitter. Sneaking dip into professional sporting stadiums by putting pouches in a zip lock bag because I can’t let my wife see me take a tin out of my pocket when I go through a metal detector. I am ashamed of my vice, so therefore, I am hiding it. And then I became ashamed I was hiding it. In August of 2018, I had a son. I told myself I would quit before he can see me dip and think it’s OK or cool. In August of 2019, I saw him notice me put a pouch in when I was home alone with him. He reached for the tin. It destroyed me. I decided then I needed to try to quit. I had all of the motivation in the world. I failed in August after 2 days. I failed in September in 1 day. I failed within 24 hours of trying to quit in October, so I didn’t even count it as a try… I couldn’t have felt more powerless. Then I found this site.
There are a lot of sites when you google “what to expect when quitting dip”, this was the first to pop up on my phone (in private search windows, because I was so scared for my wife to find it). But this site explained that the absolute torture I was going through when I quit… was only temporary. It changed into new tortures, but all of the new ones were WAY better than the first few days. This gave me the motivation to fight through days 1-3. And it took probably a month until I felt less miserable. I still feel tired, I’ll be playing PS4 with my friends and hear someone throw a tin onto the table through the headset and immediately get cravings, but they aren’t constant anymore.
The dreams… that’s when you know how you’re doing. At first I had the dream where I was having a dip and I woke up craving one. Over time I woke up from that dream feeling angry that I “relapsed”, even in a dream. You will know what I mean when I say it’s a good gauge of how you are doing when you get to that point. The mindset to quit is your most important tool to making it a reality.
You don’t need to talk. You can just read what other people are going through in their journey to quit and know you’re not alone. If you choose to talk, you’ll find nothing but support, and you might be helping someone else by sharing. We’re all pulling for each other here.
Thank you everyone that shared or responded to my posts in November. Just know it help me, and I am willing to bet it wasn’t just me.
day 11 without Copenhagen. been chewing 21 years. im taking chantix to help, and it’s really helping out a lot. i have also been using the Bacoff fake stuff. it helps, but i do really miss the Copenhagen flavor.
Quit cold turkey at 3:00 pm on 1/6/2020 and was sittin at 25 days strong last friday, fell off the wagon yesterday afternoon, couldn’t be more frustrated with myself because now i have to start over. I smoked for 2 years back in 06 and 07, started dipping june of 07 after graduating high school. In the 12.5 years since then this was easily the longest I’ve gone without tobacco in any form and I’m pissed at myself for slipping up. I’m 31 and single, no kids, but I love working out and plan on running 60 miles on my birthday next winter which is 12/22. I came to the conclusion it’s either quit running or quit dipping. Chose to quit dipping but it’s been nothing short of miserable. So here I am, starting the quit again. I wanna quit this shit and be an HOFer in May.
Sounds like your committed… serious question…
What happened on day 25 that made you fall? It’s important that you answer that question. You WILL be faced with whatever it was… again. Learn from your mistakes. If it’s a trigger, be prepared for it. You CAN do this. Have you joined us on the forums yet? ktcforum.org
Justin – forgive yourself but don’t forget what caused the cave. Get back after it. I too am a runner and found that my love for both running and dip was not working out. I gave up the dip just like you are doing. Stay focused, one day at a time. Plan for the craving an have a plan in place to get through it.
Hey all,
Long time reader, first time poster. Quit cold turkey 1/6/2020. Chewed Grizzly Wintergreen daily since ’08. The pure hell stage is over, worst part was the night sweats and everyday jaw tension. Seeds, gum, and everything else did little to help. Chewing tobacco is definitely an appetite suppressant, lost a bunch of weight over the years. Day before I quit I weighed in at 108lbs. Thru the chew/pot fog didn’t realize how bad my body had gotten. Been eating constantly since I quit and I’m much healthier looking now. So grateful for everyone’s posts, so relatable. Nearing my 30 day marker, here’s to another 30. Cheers fellas
Congrats Mark, keep at it. I think you’re well on the way to 100. Just stay vigilant. You’ll have good and bad ahead.
Did I read this wrong and you were “180” pounds (not 108)?
I agree, dipping certainly does keep weight off. I know learning to keep it off after the quit, also requires some work. But the short term effects are well worth the Long Term of being free. I don’t regret it one bit.
Great Job almost a month free, keep at it! Good Luck and continue to post and let us know your progress and wins!!
-JP
07-15-14
JAYP, thanks for your support, and yes you read that correctly, most I’ve ever weighed was 135lbs, tall lanky guy anyways, but recently had the flu and a slight eating disorder so I got down to 108lbs, it was definitely a wake up call to make some changes. Hardest thing is to disassociate chew from my daily routines, like chewing after meals, when I’m doing yardwork, golfing, or just hanging out watching TV. Just taking it one day at a time. Going on a road trip soon so that will be very challenging, especially since chew is half as expensive in Montana than it is in MN. I appreciate your kind words and support, and congratulations on your nearly 5 years chew free, hope to reach that someday ?? stay strong fellas.
Excellent. You got this.
Well folks here I am on day 77 of my journey. I go through stretches where my cravings get really ridiculous. OF course when Im stressed my go to isnt there anymore and also driving is difficult as Ive always dipped and drove. I feel a little depressed and am lacking energy. I know better days are ahead though! Best wishes to all!
Same boat… Will the cravings ever go away? It doesn’t really matter because I will never ever poisen my body or mind with tobacco again. I choose no every day
3 days in with no chew. Lots of walks to try and clear the head. Everything seems to come up all at once. Overwhelmed and a little anxious. Things I have done in the past seem dull since I do not have a chew in. I know this is part of the process. I have slipped a couple of nicotine lozenges in, minimal. Doing my best to go completely nicotine free tomorrow. Any advice other than what I read is greatly appreciated.
Bdub
First of all. What I did was I gave myself victories every day I went with out the nic bitch. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a pat on the back. You are now taking a journey that allot of us have done. It’s not easy. But you can do it
I tell rookies. Welcome to the suck. It sucks, embrace it and dig your heal in and fight. Many veterans here will help. Take one day at a time. Read posts and keep going
Jeffj
8-14-14
Been working on quitting for a while. Tried the weaning approach but my nicotine intake was the same. Tried patches, but that just helped me trade one nicotine source for another: it gave the appearance of “cutting back”. Decided one night to see how long I could go between dips…kind of like trying to see who could hold their breath the longest. So I started the stopwatch.
Its 40 hours and 40 minutes later. The first 24 hours was the hardest so far. Lots of gum and almost lost it a few times, but each time I reached for that can I glanced at that clock and all the time I had made it and asked, “Do you really want to start all over?”
Then I got mad. Mad at the can. The can wouldnt solve anything – the can would make me start this journey over again. I didnt want to go through those hours again.
23 hours in I opened the can and took in the aroma… I was surprised…the smell that had been so familiar and comforting made me gag and I immediately closed the lid.
The fog can be intense. Sometimes I’m buzzed like I’m experiencing chew for the first time. My lips and fingers tingle from time to time..my body doesnt know what to do with all this Oxygen. Sometimes my brain panics and my heart pounds and my blood pressure rises: my body is trying to trick me into the stress response to get that precious nicotine. But i just look at that stop watch: 41 hours, 54 minutes. Each hour is new: I havent gone tobacco free since I started 11 years ago. Wonder what hour 43 has store? No idea, but I’m excited to put another one in the books.
Congratulations on an awesome start! You are doing great and are NOT alone! Have you joined our forums yet? https://ktcforum.org/ Hope to see you there!
Hey Gents
I have chewed for the last 25 years
My last dip was on the 10th of January, 2020.
First couple of days I used sunflower seeds to survive. Lol
On day 4 I bought a can of Smokey Mountains chew it has helped
Going on week 3 now and have used 3 cans of Smokey Mountain to get by.
When I read through all the posts makes me laugh cause all of us experience the same habits.
My for example:
Have breakfast, brush my teeth get my go cup ready have a sip of tea or coffee put a chew in and off to work.
Oh Ya check the pockets if keys, wallet , phone and chew are in the right spot.lol
My biggest struggle is that I enjoy and love the taste of Copenhagen.
But it is what it is.
Time to kick it to the curb and start a new chapter in my life and that is tobacco free.
Cheers
Mike
Congrats Mike, keep at it…sounds like you’re well on your way to your first 100 days quit.
I went through seeds, gum and fake dips like they were stopping production, early in my quit. Anything but the dip, that’s what you tell yourself.
I laughed when I read “keys, wallet, phone and dip”…this was my mantra for dam near 30 years myself. I’m headed towards 6 years free now…and it was worth the short term pain getting rid of that habit. And if I have a say, I’m never going back now.
You take care, be strong and stay quit!
-JP
07-15-14
My name is Mark.
Started chewing daily back in 1982. Pretty much been a can a day ever since. Tried quitting many times over the years only to fall back into the habit. Jan. 1, 2020 I decided to try again, made it several days but would just have one dip every two or three days. Told myself what a great job I was doing! (BS mind games you play!) Finally 1/12/20 I went cold turkey. Been almost a month and glad to be here but what a struggle! Still a day to day fight but on occasion I will think damn I gotta quit chewing! Oh yeah I have! Funny how your mind forms habits, and when you break the habits you brain f—ks with you. Still glad to be free. Don’t give up! After 40 years of a can a day I will win. I am miserable worrying about side effects and cancer when I chew, makes me into a hypochondriac always checking for lesions ect. I am miserable when I don’t chew because I loved it! If I have to choose, I will be miserable without it. Maybe someday it will get easy. Until then, it’s an ugly battle. Good luck fellas. $6.50 a can x 365 = $2372.50 ! Just one more reason to stay clean!
Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, before you know it the 100th day will be here.
As I type this I have one in…I started when I was 16 and now I’m 42. I quit for 18 months-my longest attempt ever. Recently, I quit for almost two months but struggled with the voices trying to justify usage.
The hardest part for me and like others is chewing has been a part of my life for so many years. I can’t imagine playing my guitar without a dip in or the first one in the morning or the last in the evening before bed.
I do want to add that I’m in recovery. It will be 7 years on June 1st since my last drink. Chewing has been my refuge during this time frame and now its like I have to say goodbye……
There are a few blogs/websites that continue to site Dr. Radu and his tobacco studies. Unfortunately, many of the readers are unaware that his funding is supported by big tobacco. They just read that smokeless is safe. When I quit 3 months ago I had this epiphany….as I was one of his readers. So, I quit. Like many of you, I had the fog for two weeks and then I was fine. However, the voices were still there. Damn it! I miss my Copenhagen original! So, I tried justifying my usage by getting a can of pouches (thinking that in some way this is better). Finished that can-then stumbled upon Snus. I purchased a can of General Wintergreen. This is what I have in now…and its my last one.
I’m so thankful for this website knowing that I’m not alone. This will be my 3rd attempt however, I was able to quit drinking cold turkey. Its amazing what nicotine and dependency can do to our minds…
I just took it out…..
Day 460
Heading into the weekend, hope you all have a good one, but before I go I want to share something I read in another forum from a fellow quitter. He said that he would leave the house after repeating the mantra, “phone, wallet, keys, dip”. I busted out laughing, because that is exactly how I would leave home in the mornings and I would follow it up with physically touching each item in my clothes.
I can’t believe that in all my postings here I never mentioned those episodes of calisthenics performed every morning.
Glad those days are over.
Take care and stay off the Nic.
10-22-2018
Thank you all. Have been reading all the info and it has helped tremendously to prepare for what to expect next. You guys have been spot on with everything. Day 20 down and going strong.
Hey Momma, 20 days is awesome bro! keep going no matter how bad it gets. I wont lie man you have a ways to go with good days and bad ahead. It will get easier as you go. Just keep coming here to read and post. I’m on day 298 and am feeling pretty good these days. Keep it up!
Day 457
Just a quick note to check on all you guys. Hope you all are doing well. Anything new?
I basically spent this 3 day weekend building shelves in my garage to organize all my stuff. Bought some 2x4s and thick plywood and went to work, it came out allright, pretty sturdy, even painted all the wood. Next project is the garage floor, not sure what to do with it, but I want to protect it for sure.
Anyway, you guys have a good day.
DDD.
All is well here DDD…a little Frozen Tundra going on in Michigan…I hate the winters here…but we’re already half way thru.
I have indoor projects going on myself….best time to remodel during this crappy cold weather…stay indoors and busy.
Staying busy always keeps the mind from straying to other things…in this case, that junky nicotine!
Take care and stay strong!!
-JP
07-15-14
Day 450
Another 50 days to get to the 5th floor. I am not bragging or anything, just trying to motivate all of you guys in here struggling to go on. Early in my quit, I wanted to know how the guys way ahead of me were feeling. I would get some answers here and there, but it isn’t the same as experiencing it on your own. My only regret at this point is not starting this quit earlier.
Ya’ll take care.
Good job DDD, sorry I have not be in here lately, I have my in laws from Korea here and it’s a full time job.
Jeffj
8-14-14
Hey no problem Jeff, family first. Glad to hear everything is fine. Take care.
DDD
10-22-2018
80 days dip free. Never thought I would be able to do it. I just felt like I was trapped and couldn’t get out of it. Finally I decided to just quit cold turkey(only way to do it) it really wasn’t all that difficult, the first couple days was kinda rough because of headache and minor aches and chills. But nothing that you couldn’t tackle it you really want to quit. To quit you have to be 100% ready, not 95%. It takes your all and you have to give it. Fast forward to week 4 I finally started to get through full days with no cravings or even thinking about a dip honestly. Now I’m 80 days and some days I think about a dip but it doesn’t bother me any. I still can taste it and would like to have one but it doesn’t bother me at all not having it. I’m around people that dip all day long and it literally doesn’t bother me the first bit anymore. All I have to say is if you want to quit DO IT. Believe in yourself because you’re stronger than any habit or addiction. You just have to believe and push yourself. You will be surprised how much easier it is than you thought!
This is the transparent and positive message I needed tonight. Thank you for sharing.
I have dipped for 18 years I’m 35, I started at 16 dipped til I was 17 quit for a year then started back at 18 until now …. in 2017 I quit for 2 months .. I play poker for a living so I’m always used to having a dip at the tables , I got off of the dip using baccoff wintergreen pouches .. then one night I was at the casino playing and was out of my pouches so went to the local Walmart and got some Copenhagen pouches and just like that I was using regular dip again .. I made my new year’s resolution this year to try n quit the dipping again I officially stopped 5 mins before January 2,2020 so today is day 7 no dip . Now after 3 days with nothing I was ready to break the damn windows out with cravings so I went to the local grocery store and bought some smokey mountain wintergreen!! That stuff taste like dog crap whoever created it needs to be put in jail and chunk the key lol but I toughed it out for two days and I will say it did help a little. So day before yesterday I went to the store and bought a can of grizzly wintergreen pouches and got home with it opened it and was fixing to put a couple pouches in my mouth and decided to put em back in the can and set it on my shelf!!!! I don’t know if it’s ever been helpful for anyone else but I will say having a full can of dip in front of me that I have access to if I want it feels good and feels better when I don’t give in and open the can ….. believe it or not it helps with the anxiety in a weird ass way .. just the simple thought of knowing if u want a dip it’s right there at your fingertips will make u more calm and encourage u to not mess up your quit streak..my mouth has gotten raw a little on both sides but since I quit 7 days ago it’s weirdly kinda eased up , I guess when u dip 18 years and stop cold for 7 days straight it brings a few changes … but as I lay here in this bed typing this message I still to this second would love a big fat dip !
I see people say on here it’s about “wanting “ to!
Personally I don’t wanna quit I love dipping it taste great and it’s what I’m used to and something I enjoy doing in everyday life ….BUT I NEED to quit so therefore I’m going to for me I wanna quit so I don’t have health decline and I’m smart enough to know that when you been doing a bad habit for 20 years it’s a good chance that’s the route it might be headed … so I’m literally just trying to fix my mind to not want ….
Personally I think if everyone found out tomorrow that dipping was great for your health you would all go put a chaw back in tomorrow lol but that’s not the case the whole reason for quitting this habit is because it’s bad for your health and that’s strictly why I’m quitting…. I did order some free samples of all the baccoff flavors should be here Friday so that should help the cravings some hopefully…
Good luck to all hope y’all continue to kick this bad habits ass in the dirt as I plan to as well just hope I can make it til Friday when I get my fake dip stuff I will say even though some of it taste like garbage it helps
We asked this question a while back – If Dipping Was Safe Would You Still Quit?
It led to an interesting discussion…
https://www.killthecan.org/if-dipping-was-safe-would-you-still-quit/
I think if it was safe, I would do it until I would get bored of it and that’s that. The problem with this junk is that it has something in it that hooks you up and keeps you from leaving it. I was tired of doing it and still couldn’t keep myself from dipping.
Let me give an example, a few years back, me and my bud quit dipping and drinking for a few days, we actually bought fake dip and non alcoholic beer. We did hang out and fake dipped and fake drank one time. The second time, we both just came to the conclusion, “why in the hell are we just sitting here and faking it”. I mean, we didn’t even have to say it, we both got up, spat up the fake dip and threw away the fake beer. I drove us to the store and got the real stuff.
It is one thing being addicted to shopping and hoarding, one might get you in financial trouble and the other may jeopardize your social life, but dipping can mess up your quality of health, if your health is poor, then it affects everything about you and those around you.
Any addiction is bad, just some are quicker to strike than others. Dipping is one of the bad ones.
Day 449
An interesting question and one I thought many times before. I personally feel it is a resounding YES for me because health was not at all a reason for me to quit. Coffee doesn’t hurt anyone. I thought I loved coffee but I still quit. After years of quitting and failing, I realized that none of us really enjoy an addictive substance. The substance makes us think we enjoy that. You will never enjoy a dip if you keep stuffing one after another beyond your body’s capability. You feel you enjoy only when you deprive your body and take it. So yeah, I would have definitely quit with or without health scare. Freedom is an amazing feeling. I might have had my doubts in the first 30-60 days but I am now very much on the other side.
Good luck on your journey.
Day 315.
Hey Shiva, for some reason it “doubled up” on the post?
I looked back over my post.
Email is: brewha4me@aol.com
I do feel that “you” must have the “want” to quit or won’t be successful. It can’t be about another person, not about family or kids. It has to come from within to be successful at quitting.
Personally, I was just done with the spitters, the waking and sleeping moments with this shit in my face.
The dead skin in the cheeks of my mouth. II was absolutely fed up with the habit….so I “wanted” to quit. And this is why I think I’ve been over 5 years free from it. Not wanting to go through all the bullshit again is what has kept me true to my quit as well. That and Id be a dam fool to start a habit I beat 5 years ago.
So I’m not so sure I’d go back to it again, even if it were safe. I just got tired of it. Hell, I even lost interest in the fake shit after a while.
But to your question regarding keeping the can around. It is absolutely ballsy and can become a slippery slope if you don’t have your mind right. But I did the same thing. I kept my last can purchased around, it sat right next to the piles of fake shit I stocked up on. I’ll be honest, I was NEVER once tempted to pop the lid and take one.
You see, the store owner I used to buy my shit from, knew my quit date. And I showed up in his store the day I was quitting to buy a can. The smirk on his face (he ain’t quitting) angered me to the point I stayed true and quit that day. So I purposely kept it to remind me of that “you’re weak” look the store keeper gave me. After a Year or so, I did occasionally pop the lid and take a sniff. It made my mouth water, and not because I wanted one, but that I thought I was going to vomit. The smell alone would knock a buzzard off a shit wagon. I then began using it as a tool to ask myself, “why” did I use for almost 30 years? Up until about year 3-4, I finally threw that nasty ass can of Skoal Wintergreen Long Cut away.
But personally, I’m with Shiva, I’d say no. I am a much happier person without having an addiction to nicotine, I’m done with that chapter of my life.
-JP
7-15-14
Hey Gene, the issues of panic and anxiety attacks are brought up by many of us that are going through the quit. Most of us seem to agree that these psychological disorders might have been masked by the inclusion of nicotine in our bodies. Once the nicotine is gone and the body starts healing, all the underlying issues we never noticed before are perceived and that might add to the panic or anxiety episodes.
The good news is that all those symptoms start disappearing as time goes by. There isn’t a magical number where they should be gone as we are all different, but they do go away in a gradual form. I hope that helps you and other reading these posts.
Day 443
Anybody dealt with panic attacks during their quit?
Gene, look up and down this board, yes, several, SEVERAL, have had their bouts with Panics, Anxiety, Depression. Its all part of the healing process
Gene. As jayp put it,,, we all had panic attacks of some sorts. Hang in there ! If you can. “Walk it off “as coach would say. In other words walk. Jog. … work out. Helps..
Drink allot of water and if you need. Go see your See your doctor
Jeffj
8-14-14
Absolutely! Took myself to the ER… TWICE… early in my quit. Thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out it was ‘just’ anxiety due to my quit.
Hang in there… it gets better and in the end it’s totally worth it. Promise.
Chewie ~ day 4,914
Sure did, I had two or three in the first 40 days. Just realize it’s not going to hurt you. Breath deep, and welcome it, don’t fight it, and it will pass quickly. Panic and anxiety are the worst part of the quit. Master them, and it is smooth sailing.
New year, New Look, I like the new Interface. Thank you for keeping this site up and running, you all have helped so many of us.
Day 432
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. I just wanted to pop in here and share another weird episode about my quit. You see, i think the dip dream was caused because i saw a movie last night where the main character took a huge wad of Levi Garret. I used to chew on that when I first started doing tobacco. Anyway in my dream I had a big dip, spitting and all. Here is the weird part. In my dream I started feeling guilty and thought, here I go again, I am going to wake up and feel all guilty. In other words, I realized I was in a dream and I was not dipping for real, crazy huh? the second weird part is that I did not wake up, but the dream just changed to something else. I woke up this morning and remembered what happened though.
Anyway guys, just dumping all my thoughts in here.It helps me with my quit.
Stay strong.
DDD
I’m on day 77. The past week has been hard, like it says, I feel like I just quit and having to start all over again. Hopefully this passes quickly. It sucks to keep having to push threw
Hey Bruce,
Totally normal buddy. That is about the same time the shit hit the fan for me again. I can’t be certain how long it will last for you, but WILL be shorter than it was prior. Just stay on course, 23 days away from that first floor. Congrats on the first 77! You got this?
“This Too…Shall Pass”
Happy New Year, free from that. Junk!
-JP
07-15-14
Hey man been diping for 3 years now just started seeing bumps on my cheeks u can’t see them but you can feel them as anyone else had this
And bumps on back of toung that stays for a long time I went to the doctor and he said he didn’t see anything in the Sun but it still worries me has anyone had this
Hey Justin, i had one lousy white bump in my tongue that scared the mess out of me. Went to doc and said not to worry. I stopped dippin and practiced very good oral hygiene. it took about a month for the bump to heal. mine never returned. Hope that helps.
300 days folks…. in middle of a vacation and couldn’t get time to post big.. going to few different places and am treating myself with a nice break :). JayP-thanks on the suggestion on literature to deal with anxiety. Ill be checking out as soon as I am back.
Keep rocking fellas.. Jeff, JayP, DDD, Cal, Carey and all others. Wish you all a merry Christmas. Happy holidays
Congrats on the 3rd Floor Shiva!
I love seeing you and DDD back out here serious as GOD about your quit. I am proud of you guys. I hope you enjoy vacation, yes! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!
If you do get that book, please, let me know your honest opinion of it. I promise you won’t hurt my feelings, but I honestly think you’ll get something from it, I know I did!!
Ok, I think I hear santa!
Merry Christmas!
-JP
07-15-14
You are at the third floor Shiva, feels good doesn’t it? just wait on another couple of months and you’ll hit the one year mark. We are kicking it’s butt.
Day 427
Well boys and girls, I went fishing today, didn’t catch a damned thing except a mega crave. I saw 2 tobacco cuds on the floor, pretty disgusting; so here’s the weird thing, the crave in my mind was powerful, but actually seeing the turds did nothing to help entice the crave. Now, since I quit, I have not seen a fresh can of snuff, Has anyone seen one after you quit? and did it it seem delicious to you?
Delicious? No. In fact, now days, I don’t understand what my fixation was with dipping, other than it had a hold on my ass. That was a tough habit to break!
But no, the delicious factor wore off many years ago, I’d say after probably the 18 month mark.
It’s a chapter of my past.
Merry Christmas!
-JP
07-15-14
Thanks Jayp, I read Jeff’s post. I am glad to hear everyone is doing well. Happy Holidays to you all.
DDD
Hey guys, anyone heard from Jeff? Jeff, mail call bud, drop us a line.
DDD
He responded below DDD?
Happy Holidays to you as well!!
-JP
07-15-14
Day 422
As we all know quitting is hard to do. I read a story about a gentleman that was dying, on his last days, pumped with the most powerful pain killers and still in pain. Though the pain was unbearable, he still wanted to dip.
What motivated you to quit?
Was it the fear of Cancer?
Was it a real physical threat, but you recovered?
Was it because you cared too much for your family?
Perhaps you are dying right now?
Why are you reading these lines, you are here for a reason?
Tell us, yell at us, let it all out. You are not alone in this battle.
DDD, personally, I quit because I was tired of dipping. I know this sounds stupid, but I was just ready to be done, I wanted it. This is where I feel folks fail at quitting…they simply don’t want to. You have to want to fight off your addiction every day, no matter the pain involved or you won’t be successful at it. And you have reinforce your reasons each day or temotatemp will derail you. This site here, packed with a lot of good people and good info was a big reinforcer during my dark time.
I want to also thank you for diffusing some things too?
-JP
07-15-14
Day 293
Bingo JayP. I have failed more than I can count. You cannot succeed unless you want to. Your want should not be because of health, family, money etc. You want to because what you are doing is unnatural and this is not how we are intended us to function. This WANT to quit has to get deep into your mind. I have failed multiple times in the past to get this KEY lesson into me.
So what did I do differently this time? Keep reinforcing what made me quit and whatever misery I am enduring that this too shall pass. The desire and fascination sometimes be an overwhelming feeling and I just allowed it to take it’s course rather than trying to fight it off.
In spite of all these, somedays I just felt like I’ll drop everything down and go back to the olden days but that is when I used to post here and you guys were always there to pick me up. Words cannot express my feelings for you folks. Thank you once again.
Shiva
You hit it dead center Shiva, if the “want” isn’t there, you will RUN back to your safe place when the going gets rough. And it has to be about YOU. I have tried to tell people, if the “want” isn’t there …you will not succeed. It DOES as you say, have to.come from deep from within YOU and be reinforced over and over again or you will fail.
There will come a time, when you don’t need to reinforce it as much. I think this.is why many stop.coming around…I know I took a break. But I felt (and do as I type now) “I got this”. I think this is when helping others, when you can, reinforces your quit. I read the new guys stories all the time, it reminds me of why I quit and why I will NOT ever partake in this terrible habit again.
You are absolutely correct….if you don’t want it….you will turn back.
Hope you are well Shiva!!
-JP
07-15-14
I am doing alright for the most part, JayP. Nearing 3rd floor, almost.. The only issues I still have with is anxiety. I don’t think so this is an outcome of quitting but is probably there always and was masked by nicotine. I am not taking any medications but is reasonably controlled. I kind of panic when I wake up in the morning and usually settle down in next 30-60 mins. Other wise, I am ok.
One more thing, my sleep level has gone down though it doesn’t affect any of my normal day-to-day activities. I used to sleep for couple of hours in afternoon usually during the weekends. I am unable to any more. Even if I am dead tired and doze, I wake up in 10-15 mins in a panic ridden state :(.
Hey Shiva, good to hear from you. I want to say, give it more time. I remember when I went through that phase and I came back in here and told you guys about it. I was ranting and panicking, couldn’t sleep and all that jazz. This was during the mid 200s too. You guys told me to take it easy “it will pass” remember? Sure enough man, I hit a year and continued, those things pass. Now it is kind of boring, so i have to look out to not fall back in. I say boring because there are no more symptoms, sounds crazy huh? but after spending all those days worried about something being wrong with you, then nothing happens, then you say, now what?
Enjoy your worry days man, after that comes boredom.
Happy Holidays ya’ll.
DDD
423 Days
Congrats on almost floor 300 Shiva, keep climbing!
And I hear ya regarding the anxiety and I definitely feel I still have bouts of it here and there. It’s my opinion, I am now dealing with my stress and problems, without the nicotine, so things feel more intense.
I never knew anxiety until a year and a half BEFORE my quit. I had a lot of stressful, life situations going on and my mind must have said “enough”. Worries turned into anxiety. After a while, I got on meds, for about 6 months. After I felt like I got a grip on things, I got off meds, decided to get back to running and lifting weights again. Then decided to shed some weight, then ultimately, I decided to quit my almost 30 year tobacco habit. A lot of changes in a very short 2 year period.
I still deal with bouts of anxiety today Shiva. I have learned to live with them and NOT turn them into full blown episodes. My punishment for masking my problems with nicotine for years I guess.
But I am going to tell you, I read a book while I was on meds. I credit this book of getting me off meds and giving me a better understanding of my situation. Every student studying mental health, doctor, social worker, psychologist should be required to read it. It’s called “At Last a Life” written by Paul David. I don’t think it’s very well written, but is FULL of insight on what you’re going through. If you like reading (and I know it’s hard to focus with anxiety), it’s worth the read.
Though anxiety can kiss my ass, I do have to give it some credit, it eventually led me to my quit.
“Chaos is peaceful, when you stand quietly and watch”
Wishes for some anxiety free days to you Shiva! They will come…it will pass
-JP
07-15-14
No problem, It must be tough to see someone else unable to help themselves and the frustration gets the best of them.
I just think it’s inability to see this habit, is as strong as a heroin addiction. It’s probably the toughest thing I’ve ever got away from. And I will say, it’s the most selfish thing I used and quit. It was all about ME and no one else.
I think it’s hard for folks on the outside of this terrible habit to comprehend.
Yep, makes you wonder how this stuff is legal and sold everywhere.
DDD. Jayp
I remember I was the exact same. I woke up that morning and said I had enough. Something overcame me to quit. I was sick of the entire process to be honest. The spit cups, the basic process I was done. I think that’s helped me allot. I just had enough of it all. I didn’t find this site until I was 20 days into the quit.
I am glad I kicked it’s ass. When I see someone with a dip I look at them like. Gross. It’s not attractive at all
Anyways. Have a great holiday season. Quitters
Jeffj
8-14-14
Amen Jeff!
Yup, I was just tired of the lifestyle. And I do not regret any of my quit.
If any of you newbies read this you CAN do this, if you WANT it. I won’t lie, it was hard, but if you want it, you will be successful.
Happy Holiday Jeff!
Dam Wolverines ?
-JP
07-15-14
Day 300 today, and feeling really good. I quit because I was sick of chewing. My son had started when he was 17, and no doubt that I was a bad influence for him. I wanted to encourage him to quit, but I couldn’t do that we me still chewing. I have had some rough months, but wouldn’t go back for anything. You have to have the desire to quit, and if you have found this site, you are already thinking about it. Read all you can here, join a quit group, and be prepared to feel miserable for awhile. It will get better, I am sure of that, and it will be worth the misery.
Way to go WV, Congrats on climbing to the third floor.
DDD
Hey Thrash, welcome back. I too was here five years ago and got suckered back into dipping again. For four years I dipped until I quit last year. I am now on day 421. The second time seemed a lot harder for me too. There are some guys that say the opposite, but everyone is different. You know the routine, hang in there.
DDD
I quit before for over a year and somehow got suckered into a cigarette at the bar while I was piss drunk. This lead to me apparently getting a can of chew on the way home as I detest cigarettes. Dont remember it but I sure as hell did it. I couldnt believe I was that weak. That was 5 years ago. Now here I am again. I quit chewing Thursday December 12th for the second and last time. I dont remember it being this hard the first time.
My irritability has been astronomical. People in the grocery or in church with their loud ass kids that wont shut the fuck up. Screaming at the top of their lungs constantly. Yesterday was day 3 or as I will call it from now on “I want to break the worlds neck” day. Everything got to me. I couldnt think straight. I was spilling my drink. I got pizza sauce on my favorite shirt. I maintained.
Today was a lot easier irritability wise but now I cant sleep. Its driving me nuts. My job requires my brain to be active and not getting sleep has really been bothering me. Does anyone have any solution for this or is it yet another annoying thing I’m just gonna have to grind out?
Welcome back Thrash and congrats on taking on your quit again.
You know “how” you failed in the past, this will be helpful ahead.
Come here often, there are a lot of folks who will help. Good Luck!
-JP
07-15-14
Hey all,
I’ve been meaning to update for a while now. I saw a comment from a user on another thread asking if depression will ever go away and it motivated me to respond and help him out. I figured I would take part of that post here and provide you all an update and check it to see how you’re doing.
Finally, I feel like myself again…actually a new and improved version!!
I’m on Day 272. The good news is that the depression does fade away. I can tell you in my experience, man it was such a grind. Day after day, the depression was always there and it seemed like it would never go away. You hear guys talking about feeling better after 30 days, 100 days, 200 days…I was still grinding it out! I thought my energy would never come back. I couldn’t believe I was still tired all the time after 200 days of being quit! I did all the recommended stuff – more exercise, tons of sleep, meditation, exercise, vitamins, etc. In the end, I truly believe the thing that helped most was time. I tracked everything I did as well – my mood, my depression, anxiety, eating habits, etc. I can safely say that around Days 235-240 is when I finally started to turn a corner. Depression is now completely gone, energy is back big time. I’m like a whole new person – all it took was time. I’m sure all the “best practice” stuff I did helped, and they’re all good habits anyway, but time was the biggest healer in my opinion (that’s the whole rewiring and dopamine reset that you referred to).
I can also say that I’m better than I ever remember myself being before dip. I’m hopeful that since it’s been over a month of feeling this way that I’m over the hump, but I’m still vigilant that issues could pop up. Some things just take time and there are guys out there who will go through this stuff for a year or maybe more.
Everything is better – I can actually focus on work and getting things done (I’m not in a constant state of fog/zoning out on what I need to do), I don’t need 10+ hours of sleep every night plus a nap during the day, less stress/anxiety, 0 depression, I have energy, motivation for life and the list goes on.
Part of me feels like guys should start at 300 days (or even a year) and count backward. If you feel better before then, great. We talk a lot about the 100 day mark as being a big milestone and it most certainly is, but I personally feel there’s a lot that you’ll need to grind through after that before you get back to normal. It’s also a matter of expectations – if we look to 100 days as when we should be “quit”, you’ll start to feel disappointed when you hit 100 days and still feel like shit. As the days linger, you may start to question it: “shouldn’t I feel better by now? Maybe I’ll never feel better? Maybe it’s different for me and I’m just not capable of healing?”
If you go into your quit thinking it takes 300 days to heal (yes it’s a lot more daunting than 100 days but I think it’s a more realistic expectation) then you won’t be disappointed when you still feel like shit after 100 days. Hell, most of the other stuff I read online talked more about 30 days and you’ll be back to normal! I also think from the conversations of the more active guys on this thread, it’s taken to around this time to start feeling significant changes. Maybe we could get an updated timeline or post on the site to reflect some of these thoughts and I could help with the write up. I know this is just me speaking from experience, but did your depression really go away at 100 days? Anxiety? Energy come back? etc. 100 days is just a guideline and I get that, but I think some additional info could be helpful to new quitters out there or those currently in the trenches.
That’s my rant for the day gents!
Shiva, DDD, Carey, JP, JEFFJ how are all you guys doing?
-CAL
CAL, that was a great Post. You know, everyone is different in the way you recover from abusing this shit. I for one, was happy to get to the 100 day mark and as you said, it IS a big milestone, especially for folks like me that dipped a can-can and a half for almost 30 years. But, did my symptoms suddenly stop at the 100 day mark? No. I had so many ups and downs up to and after, that 100 day mark. I want to say for me, it was well into the 200’s before I started feeling “normal” again (whatever the hell Normal is). I guess that’s when the ups were more than the downs.
I think this site tells you to “shoot” for 100 days, but the battle isn’t over from there. I still hung around here for a while (still do, 5 years later). It DOES help, to help others who are in their downs. I had people do that for me and I try to pay it forward here.
I’m pretty well these days, I do not fantasize about nicotine anymore. I can hang around with dippers and it has zero affect on me these days. In fact, I often wonder why such a gross habit had so much control over my life. I didn’t see it back then, but I do notice how gross this shit is now. The fact of the matter is, like you are starting to see, I am just a better “me” without that stuff.
You keep on keeping on, refreshing to see another quitter throwing down some knowledge out here?
-JP
07-15-14
Hey Cal, great to hear you are feeling much better. You are 100% correct, the struggle doesn’t end after 100 days, it is more like a gradual separation of symptoms and a slow journey into a different way of life. This is strange, because you are actually going back into the life you once had before the nicotine. For years tobacco is the center of the life of an addict, since it doesn’t kill us, we continue doing it and everything revolves around it. They say that tobacco residues are completely gone from the body after a few days, but the actual addiction in the mind is what we struggle the most. That might be true, but after gone through it like yourself and all others in here, I think there are some real physical damage that gets done. Anxiety, depression, blood pressure, and who knows what else are some of the results the body expresses while it heals itself. Keep getting better.
Addendum: I meant to say, “Since it doesn’t kill us”, Since it doesn’t kill us right away.
Hey Cal,
It’s good to hear that you are doing better! I’ve been following most of you since my quit 248 days ago. You all have helped me more than I can express on here. I too made a turn for the better at day 213 – 240. At 241 the anxiety/depression was back, although it was mild, it was very bothersome having gone for weeks feeling so good. Now on day 248 I’m doing much better again.
What I can take from my experience so far is that, of all the many symptoms I’ve battled in the last 248 days (and there have been many) is that as slow as it has been most all symptoms are now gone. The only two mentioned above are occasional at best, and less intense.
I now have my sights set on day 365. I just know that it gets better with time as you mentioned Cal. Thanks Jayp, Cal, Shiva, jeffj, DDD, and many others who’ve made this fucked up journey more bearable just by being here. I’m happy to be a part of this quit with you all today!
– Carey-
Apr. 3, 2019
Cal and the rest of you bad ass quitters!
First. Happy holidays to all of you.
Take a look at what all of you have done this year… you accomplished a goal that was as hard as it gets: I read many post over this year and almost all of you kicked the nic bitches ass. I say congratulations on your battles
New quitters. You have an enormous amount of veteran help here to help… once you jump in our playground. We will help you as much as we can
Jeffj
8-14-14
CAL,
I am in total agreement with your comments. I am on day 292, and I really didn’t feel consistently better until after about 250 days. Before that, I would have a good day or two, but seemed like anxiety always came back along with other strange aches and pains. After 250, I started having complete weeks with no symptoms, with just mild anxiety that lasts a few minutes. I chewed for 32 years, so I expected it to take time for everything to go away. Things are much better now.
286 days
First of all happy holidays gang.. It was understandably quiet for a few days :)..
CAL – What a great post!!! I 100% agree with you. I think the first 100 days gives us the belief and tools that this can be conquered.
Speaking out of my personal experience, the intensity of depression and anxiety started to go down after 200 days although I had one big funk around 250 days. Depression is almost gone but I still have some anxiety issues though it is much better now. I don’t get a panic attack but within an instant I go into fight or flight mode with all my rage hormones for even the slightest provocation. I am at least able to get these into a control within the first few mins..
Carey/ WV_Quitter – Nice to see you guys around my mark and doing great with the quit. It is very heartening to see you guys are almost out.
DDD – you kick ass being 400+.. I had a similar dream last night except that it was smoking than dipping. I don’t get dip dreams any longer but I still get smoking dreams once in a while. I was first a smoker and then later a hardcore dipper. Somehow smoking got embedded deep into my brain and I need to slowly kick it out. Keep going
JayP / Jeff – A big kudos to you for hanging out and helping us all out.. Thank you so much guys..
Shiva
414 Days
Mondays are rough, hope everyone is doing good. I, on the other hand, not sure what is going on. I had a very real dream of me dipping. I could taste it, i could feel it, i would spit just like in the days of dipping. I could feel the buzz and the ocassional nausea associated with it. I woke up feeling guilty and bad, and then I felt better after realizing it was just a dream. I think the dream came about because I was around smokers and the smell of tobacco stuck in my mind until i went to bed. In any case, I did not dip and I quit another day with you all.
DDD, I still have them on occasion myself. The act of doing it, then awake, relieved it was just a dream.
You’d think, over 5 years removed, they’d be gone, no such luck.
I actually welcome them now, it only further supports my desire to stay quit.
Hope everything else is well.
Take Care!
-JP
07-15-14
Thanks JayP, I thought I was the only one having these dreams. But like you said,”You welcome them now” to reinforce your quit. I think I will do the same, instead of feeling shame, I can use them to solidify my tenacity. Glad I came in here and got once again, what I needed from you guys.
You All take care.
DDD
Day 400
Made it to the 4th floor.
Hope everyone is doing ok.
DDD
I quit 11/17/19 after 35 years. A few cravings but i feel so much better i am never going back. My heartburn is gone and my sinuses are clearing up. I am with ya in spirit boys.
Good job DDD. Have a good thanksgiving boys!
Jeffj
8-14-14
Jayp. I am afraid to watch the game this weekend.
DDD, welcome to the 4th! You keep climbing them stairs!
Happy Thanksgiving all you bad asses dropping that nasty habit!
And Jeff, I’m always cautiously optimistic for The Game
This year, Ohio gets the benefit of possibly losing AND still playing for a B10 Championship (thank Ronnie Bell at Penn State).
But Michigan has nothing to lose and all to gain, we’ll see.
Take care all!
-JP
07-15-14
Awesome DDD.,, Congrats..following u and will be thr soon 🙂
Day 273
Day 10 .
I don’t think I miss the nicotine, I miss the ritual .
Going to bed early and getting a full night’s sleep .
Jake’s pure mint chew is eventually going to have to go , but for now it gives my hands something to reach for after meals
Day 388
Ok guys I am not going to sugar coat it. Yesterday I went inside the convenience store in the middle of nowhere. In my mind I was thinking, no one is watching me, I could just buy that tin can and enjoy a big fat one. I got tempted big time. It is been a year and usually I don’t think about it anymore, but last night’s crave came out of the blue and it tboned my quit big time. I don’t know how I dragged my carcass out of there without buying that can. Instead I bought a six pack of beer and went home. I enjoyed a few, had dinner and all, while I was watching TV, I had another monster Crave. I really thought about going to the store again. I am not sure if it is the cold weather that is triggering these late craves since it was a year ago that I took my last dip and I remember it was a cold daY.
Anyway, I am glad I did not cave and I post again that I will not dip another day with you all.
10-22-2018
Day 246
DDD, hope you stayed strong bro. It’s just a bump on the road. I’m not quite at your level yet but I imagine you got to that comfortable place where you’ve been quit for so long that you forgot how terrible those early days were. Take a few minutes to really think about it – the depression, anxiety, fog , fatigue and all the other awful symptoms. Read back through your old posts if you have to. You grinded through everything and now you may be tempted to go back because you’re finally feeling good again. Don’t do it man, the only thing that will happen is you’ll start dipping again then at some point you’ll be back on here trying to quit and you’ll be starting from Day 0. You’ll have to go through absolute hell again and it will be even harder the next time around. No worries of having to go through that shit again if you stay quit!
We are here for your support, check back in when you get a chance.
-CAL
3-13-19
Thanks Cal
You are absolutely right, It is the boredom of the quit. I even read that in one these posts, it just caught me off guard.
Anyway, happy to report that there was no cravings yesterday, as a matter of fact I was at a gathering with friends and family and I just blurted out it’s been 388 days since I quit, a year and a month almost. Dudes congratulated me, the way they carried on you would think I’d graduated from school or something.
Anyway, guess they were happy for me.
The same way we are of each other in here, everyday we stay off the nicotine is a victory, Enjoy it people!!
I quit with you all today.
Day 389
Day 387
Today we got our first freeze, traffic is a mess, our illustrious state and city governments do not have winter budgets like other states, so a little freeze grinds our cities to a halt. Anyway, good to have a break from the hellacious summers down here in the south.
Just wanted to say, hello to everyone and make sure you all are still quit, for those of you just starting, keep going, it does get better. Jayp called me a Pro already, feels kind of good really. A year and 22 days. Not too bad, but now looking forward to the 400 day mark.
Shiva, how are you liking your motorcycle? JeffJ, have you finished working on your classic car? Cal, you said you had a new addition to the family, how’s that going? Hope to hear good news everyone.
Take care.
DDD. It’s 75 and clear here, went golfing today ( sorry jayp) but this is the best time of the year. Perfect t weather
I will never finish my Laguna s-3. It’s a labor of love. It’s ready for paint so time to save up.
Next week I go to beautiful Cincinnati. Cold. Weather for a few days. The get back to southern Cali
You boys take care and keep the fight going
Shiva. Mail call
To my Marine brothers sunday was the Marine Corp b day. Semper fi to my Marine brothers
Jeffj
8-14-14
19 degrees an about 9 inches of snow in Michigan….so enjoy that 70 degree weather Jeff. Cincinnati shouldn’t be bad, I hear they still get a lot of the gulf stream in that city. Safe travels.
Good seeing both you and DDD out here….by the way, DDD, you made it back, and are now over a year quit …I’d definitely put you in veteran status. Keep up the good work?
-JP
07-15-14
Semper fi Jeff – 259 days and going strong.. Have a nice time in Cincinnati.. This was the first ever city I landed in US :).
My current funk has ended (yay…. ?) and again in a period of blissful calmness..
DDD – My motorcycle is awesome.. still in running-in period and I am not exceeding 100 KMPH (~60 mph).. Waiting to cross the running-in period to unleash the beast 🙂
Guys – the next 3 months are the most amazing period in my city… Days at 80-85 and nights at 60-65.. (sorry JAYP :D).. My city (Chennai) is in the southern part of the country and is around ~900 miles from equator in a straight line (by comparison LA is around ~2300 miles from equator in a straight line )… so you guys know how excited I am getting for winter.. some of us pay hands and legs to go to Northern India (Himalayas) to see snowfall :)..
CAL – Hope you are doing good.. keep us posted…
Have a great time, everyone.. holiday spirits are at an all time high.. so watch out..
Now I have Shiva rubbing it in lol…I’m literally looking out the back window of my house at a foot of snow on the table outside. You guys might want to “see” the snow…but I bet you wouldn’t want to live in it.
900 miles from the equator? Closest I’ve came to the equator is 1,255 miles, visiting Jamaica. I bet it gets HOT there!
Be good Shiva and also careful on your 2-wheeler?
-JP
07-15-14
Lol JayP.. true I had my share of snow when I lived in NJ.. :).. it gets miserably humid in the summer months here.. and hot as well… my city lies on a thermal equator.. a place having the highest annual mean temperature along the longitude.. meaning not much seasonal variation
Shiva
Yes. Waited all year for this time of year . I am in riverside California, we usually get just a few months of heat. Now it’s awesome
You kicked butt shiva. Your one year will be here soon. Next time in calif. let me know. We should meet for a coffee.
I go back to China in March which is nice that time( Shenzhen)
We should trade emails. If anyone wants to see my progression on my classic car
Let me know
Mine is jrj430@yahoo.com
Jeffj
8-14-14
Mine is
Brewbrewha4me@aol.com
I love the classics. It may not be to a lot of you, but I own an 87 Mustang GT myself. Will be tearing out the 32 year old carpet this winter, replacing the heater core and an alternator upgrade too. Still trying to get this dam deck railing finished. This foot of snow is supposed to melt next week, it’ll be a balmy 40 degrees ?
Take care!!
-JP
07-15-14
Absolutely Jeff… I ‘ll send a note next time I am travelling to LA and we should catch up.. Has a work need around end of Jan/ early Feb but has to go through budget approvals and whatnot.. hope it comes through..
Mine is shiva.nf@gmail.com..
ROFL JayP… may be 40 Centigrade :)..
DDD – Hope your late season funk is under control.
Just sharing something – My Dad is close to 4 years completion come this Dec 31st. He was ~10 cigarettes a day smoker and 3-4 dips a day. He is 74 and was a nicotine addict since he was 18.
He is now completely out of it now.. He just wonders why on earth he was smoking all these years :).. BTW, except my wife no one in my family knew I was an addict :(…
Hey guys, glad everyone is in here chatting away, and yes my late cravings are under control. Today I am on day 390, wow, 10 more days to the fourth floor.
I do not have an antique car, but I do own a 25 year old GMC pickup. Everything is still original, I added some aggressive mudding tires and new rims, but other than that it is still as I bought it brand new, off the delivery truck, still had the factory plastics on the seats.
I drove that truck all over the land until i got to the oceans and back. Anyway my email is osflors@gmail.com in case you guys want to drop a line sometime. Take care and enjoy the weekend.
DDD
Hey JayP – I got a failure msg for your email id. Can you chk again?
Today marks 6 weeks without a dip, I’m 23 years old and have dipped for a little over 7 years, I’ve been reading some of the comments and they have helped. I don’t have the craving for a dip, it’s just the anxiety/depression that’s the hard part. I have my good days and my bad days. But when there bad, there pretty bad. Any suggestions?
Hi Brick, I was the same. I’m just past 7 months now. No cravings, just symptoms, mostly anxiety/depression just like you. There were other symptoms, but the most bothersome were the two mentioned. It does get better, and I know that is easier said than done. When I had anxiety/depression I thought it would never go away, but it will. It will come in waives, and sooner or later the good days will far outweigh the bad. Hang in there and let it take it’s course. Try exercising, it really helped me. Good luck.
Thank you Carey, I’ll definitely give that a try
How you doin Brick? Hope all is well with your quit… Post on here as much as you need. Don’t give up bro. stay strong!
I have started exercising, not gonna lie yesterday was a pretty rough day… about to head into work hoping for the best
Hey Tim, Welcome.
It ain’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Just stick with it and take it one day at a time. There is life without Dip.
I am on day 382, but i started just like you and all the others in here.
Hang in there and tell us about your journey.