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Browse through 411.742 posts in 47.053 threads.

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A good scare to force myself to quit...my introdution


17 years ago 0 1687 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Dave, Just checking in with you, how are you doing? You have received lots of good advice here. I hope you are still checking in with us. And using the site to its fullest. Let us hear from you.... Sunshine [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/7/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 161 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,747 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $563.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10
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    $229,726.13

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    Days: 6391 Hours: 0

    Minutes: 43 Seconds: 45

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    45378

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    680,670

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17 years ago 0 10 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi everyone, I've been adicted to chewing tobacco for about 5 years now. I started on Skoal, then moved on to Rooster, and Kokiak. My brand of choice is now Grizzly. My perfect excuses for a chew included while driving, right after a meal, while hunting, fishing, working in the garage, while drinking beer, and right after working out. Like a trained rat, my morning chew was when I crossed a certain intersection while driving to work (which was typically when I was done eating something for breakfast). Chew 2 came at the 10am break. Chew 3 was right after lunch. My drive home included chew 4. Chew 5 was after dinner and sometimes chew 6 came around 9:30pm. I have tried to quit in the past but found every excuse in the book to have a dip again. Once I made it tobacco free for a day or two but I went back to my habit because "I already proved that I could quit so I'll just quit at another time". Last Tuesday the 30th, I had a check-up at the doctor's office and the physician gave me a good scare about how hard it is to treat oral cancer and that I need to get to the dentist as well. That night I started my journey to become tobacco free. Last week I cut down from 5-6 large chews (I'd go through a tin of Grizzly in 2 days) to one chew at night. I leave the tin at home so I'm not tempted. I fell apart on the weekend but now I'm back on track today. The biggest thing troubling me is that a large part of me does not want to quit! Anyway, this is getting long. I just wanted to introduce myself-I am looking forward to receiving and giving advice from all of you! -Dave
17 years ago 0 10 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you all for your responses. Shevie, I couldn't agree with you more about how the media has not emphasized smokeless tobacco like they have with smoking. In fact, when in public will you ever see "No Chewing" signs beside no smoking signs?!? Anyways, for almost two weeks now I have cut down from 5+ chews to just one! I am not quite ready to let go of that one chew a day but I feel that I am starting to sucessfully cut the ties. I have two methods that seem to work thus far...if I have an empty stomach, I will feel queezy until I get a little something to eat. My biggest cravings occur right after a nice meal so in turn I have cut down my meal sizes just a bit. I'm not by any means starving myself, but I now think twice about having that desert or what have you. I came up with an intense workout schedule that will penalize me if I slip up. For example, one chew in a 24hr period = 2mi run (odd days) or a 5mi bike ride (even days), then 100 situps. A second chew would give me a 150 situps, 3mile run AND a 6 mile bike ride. This may sound ridiculous, but I am used to these kinds of disciplinary exercises from my college football days. The way I see it, if I can't push myself one more lousy mile, one more set of situps (temporary pain), then how could I mentally get over the nicotine grasp? It's amazing how sharp an athlete's mentality can get when they are pushed physically. Anyway, I'm just rambling on now. I'll talk to all of you soon again! -Dave
17 years ago 0 8760 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Dave, Great planning! Will definitely make a difference in your quit. Keep persevering! Danielle _______________________________________ The SSC Support Team
17 years ago 0 80 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Dave. Wow, your pattern and choice of tobacco sounds very similar to mind when I used to dip. I averaged about the same number of dips per day as well. I don't have much time to post, but I wanted to let you know that I wish you the best in your quit! I know you will be successful, especially if you stick around and follow the program. I'll do my best to check in periodically and see if I can be of any assistance! Take care. Infinite_D [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/21/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 383 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,045 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $421.3 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 49 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31
17 years ago 0 2027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
OMG, Dave! If I used the same method you are, I'd be a crumpled heap on the side of the road! :8o: It's good to hear you're down to just one chew a day. That is a great step forward and I'm really proud for you. You're on the right track. Just keep going at your own pace and you'll whup this thing! Some smokers have successfully replaced the after-dinner cigarette with some other "closer" for the meal such as a piece of strong cheese, or some light-weight activity. This may help you at the end of your meals, too. Just a thought. While the negative reenforcement of penalizing yourself works, you should also include some positive reenforcement of rewards. When you get through a day with just one chew then do something nice for you, something that makes you happy. For me it was sometimes taking a different route home from work, or stopping off for either a coffee at a bookstore or at CompUSA to play with the new computers (just like a kid!). Here's a link to a post that explains this whole rewards thing: [url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=24919&forum=1]Rewards, nicotine, and the brain[/url] It's targeted to smokers, of course, but it applies to any user of nicotine. Once the nicotine is in your system, how it got there doesn't matter. You're doing great, Dave. Thanks for the update. Shevie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 381 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,633 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1447.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 71 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 39
17 years ago 0 2027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi, Dave. Congratulations on your quitting tobacco and welcome to the SSC. As has already been said, nicotine is addictive. It is considered to be the most addictive drug there is, even more than heroin or cocaine. But the good news is it can be beaten, regardless of the delivery system used (smoking, dip, chew, etc.). I think one of the reasons smokeless seems to be harder to quit is the media. All the focus is on quitting smoking cigarettes. From that, the extension to pipes and cigars is easy to make. But you never hear any anti-smokeless ads. So that method of nicotine delivery has not been villified, and the dangers have not been hammered into our heads like they have for smoking. Another reason, and this is only my opinion, is that most smokeless users are men and men tend to not look for support. From what I've seen of smokers, those who don't use a support system are at least 80% more likely to fail than those who do. There's nothing wrong with asking for help for something this major, something you are likely basing your life on. Real men take control and do what ever is necessary to ensure their security, even if asking for help is one of those things. Check out Infinite_D's threads in this forum. He just passed a year tobacco-free and he did it in the face of some pretty strong obstacles. His first thread was "Here I Go Again!". It's a good read for anyone quitting smokeless. For some eye-opening photos of what smokeless can do for you, check out ryalan320's thread "This is REDICULOUS!!!!!". Last, but not least, feel free to peruse this entire board. Just because your delivery system is smokeless, gaining control over the addiction will be the same. Just replace "smoke" with "chew" and you'll have it made. And don't hesitate to hop into any forum. We always welcome different points of view. That's what makes this site so great. You've made a wonderful decision for your life, Dave. I'm glad you've decided to join us. Shevie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 379 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,593 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1440.2 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 70 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38
17 years ago 0 1151 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Dave, Glad to hear that you are back on track today. Sounds like you've got a pretty good game plan and ample motivation. You might want to check out other posts from fellow former dippers as I know there is sage advice in those. Also, the online quit program may help to give you some extra pointers. As far as the large part of you that doesn't want to quit, maybe a list of reasons TO quit would help. Then you can take a look at it when it seems like a better idea to chew. Also, this post [url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?forum=1&topic=25105]Addiction: The ultimate indulgence[/url] is pretty interesting. Just substitute "cigarette" for "chew". You CAN do this! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/5/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 669 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 13,394 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $3010.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 49 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 51 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35
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    Days: 635 Hours: 9

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17 years ago 0 763 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
hi Dave....you probably know that you are a nicotine addict? Chew delivers an even bigger dose of nicotine than smoking. I am lead to believe that it is harder to quit than cigarettes for this very reason. My son quit chew after about 6 years or using. He had a struggle but has managed to stay free for four years now. he tried nrt in several forms, but couldn't see that it helped him....he finally got some of the fake, herbal chew....he used that for months, but so what....it wasn't tobacco. I encourage you to do the quit program to the left....talk to a doctor about perhaps using Zyban?? Stopping has to be a free will "choice"....if you are feeling pressured or forced into it you are likely to resent the quit and end up even angrier than the average quitter LOL Truth is this will be no cake walk....but it IS doable. make this your home when you begin. get on here for help, support and just to vent! I wish you the best....I can tell you that there is no feeling like finally being free from nicotine Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1613 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 64,550 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8871.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 210 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 52 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1
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17 years ago 0 1521 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
dc2295, Thanks for sharing your story with us today. Dave, quitting chewing is addictive, just like cigarettes! Our members are not only quitting smoking but are also trying to or have quit chewing. Please be sure to stay close to our online support group. We are here to help you make the right decisions as you quit chewing. Keep us posted and stay strong! You can quit!! Melanie ________________________ The SSC Support Team

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