Newbie post- Quitting the Juul

[agiese93]

Hi everyone!

I’m new here and this will be my first post since creating my account a few weeks ago. I’ve been reading posts and they have certainly helped me not feel so beside myself. I started smoking cigarettes at 18/19 years old and I finally managed to kick those by switching to the Juul...that was 3 years ago now. I feel like the Juul has been so hard to quit for me despite how many times I’ve tried in the last year. I don’t intend on giving up the fight for my health but it has been so difficult to just put it away for good. 

I work in a customer service position, talking to people face to face and over the phone for 40 hours a week so I get nervous that the withdrawals are going to affect my ability to do my job well. But I’m going to try and fight through it. 

Thank you to whoever read my first little blip here and I hope I can be more present as I continue my journey. 

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Welcome to EX.  We are happy to have you here to begin your journey.  First we have to recognize that the device you use may be different but addiction is an addiction. Until you understand the /blogs/JACKIE1-25-15-blog/2019/02/01/know-the-law?sr=search&searchId=d749fd6c-73a1-494d-bf2c-669c653...  and abide by the law we may continue on the vicious cycle of addiction.   You have come to the right place for support. I suggest that you start with a plan My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX, know that quitting is doable if you commit to never take another puff no matter what is happening in your life.  Yes, you will have to go through withdrawal just like all other addicts.  Nicotine addicts are no different.  With the proper tools, you can do this. Quitting E-cigarettes | Guides & Tools | BecomeAnEX .  Make quitting your number one priority.  Come here often read, study, blog and ask questions to help navigate the siteCommunity Help .  You can do this no matter what type of job you have.  It is all between the ears. https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Thomas3.20.2010-blog/2016/09/14/the-power-of-belief?comment... 

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex.  We sure are seeing lots of vaper's recently.   I never vaped, but understand how difficult this must be when you can vape anywhere.   Smoker's are used to delaying their next fix.  Glad to hear you've been reading already.  It is so important to understand nicotine addiction, as well as knowing there are other's sharing the same experience.   Having a quit plan is so important.  Know in advance what you're going to do for long hours on the phone.  They're are many things to do like drinking cold water, sour candy, chewing on straws, if you're able, go for a walk.

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex/blog/2008/05/03/things-to-do-instead-of-smoking 

It's important to change your mind set.  You're not going to try--you're going to do it and we're here to support you on your journey.  It's hard work, but I know you can do it.   If and when you need support, just reach out.  We want you to be successful.

Barb

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Although primarily a smoking cessation site, I have seen a huge increase in the number of people coming for help to break free from vaping. Research suggests nicotine may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. E- cigarette users can get more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product — extra-strength cartridges are available, or the e-cigarette’s voltage can be increased to get a greater hit of the substance. Because it is available to you most anywhere, anytime, I believe it might be more difficult from which to break free than tobacco products - but it CAN be done!

Considering vaping to be “safe” is far from a given - there is much research to be done. What we know is that vaping raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack. There are many unknowns about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapor and how they affect physical health over the long term. Recently vaping has been in the headlines because of the possibility of it causing severe lung damage in young people. An August, 2019 study at the University of Pennsylvania showed that a single instance of vaping immediately lead to reduced vascular function: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190820101601.htm I am glad you have decided to seek our help to break free! It isn't easy – but it IS doable!

Nicotine addiction is nicotine addiction - no matter the delivery device - and how to beat any of them is about the same. Every time you read :"cigarette" in the information I will give you, just sub "Juul" or “vape,” or “device.”   The one thing different I would recommend is that you first start to reduce the nicotine content of the pods.  Start with a lesser amount in, like, one in every four, then three, etc. until you are only using the smallest amount, or reduce the amount of nicotine in the pods over time That way the physical withdrawal should be more manageable. You might find useful information, as well, here: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/quitting-smoking-vaping/quitting-e-cigarettes.

I recommend that you educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind To that end, I suggest Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” . Vaping was not a concern when this was written, so you will need to sub “vape”as necessary. This is an easy and entertaining read which can be found online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each device use, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each use off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a puff just because you think you do

The idea is to change up your routines so the vaping associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from where you vaped. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first puff with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to vape so the view is different. Take a different route when you are out and about so you aren't driving by your vaping supply shop. Take a quick walk at break time instead of vaping.

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that vaping thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of vape if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...
The conversation in your head in response to the "I want to vape" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[sweetplt]

HI and Welcome to Ex’s agiese93 

You received some great advice above me from JACKIE1-25-15 and Barbscloud and YoungAtHeart 

Do the readings and prepare for the withdrawals best that you can with your job...even letting people around you know you are quitting the vape...keep close to the site to encourage others along this journey and come and get help.  We are all addicts and in this journey together...~ Colleen 285 DOF 

[agiese93]

Just from these replies I feel less intimidated by quitting and more confident knowing I don’t have to be alone through all of this!! Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement  I’m going to do the dang thing! 

[Barbscloud]

Yay.   You got this!

Barb

[Strudel]

I agree with Nancy about Allen Carr’s book. Although it is about smoking - it can easily be applied to vaping - given that it is all about nicotine addiction. I highly recommend it. Welcome to the site - the support here is great! You can do this! 

[Beck37]

I work customer service and have worked in a cable store for the last 19 years. I smoked for 37 years and quit cold turkey. In the past after dealing with an unusually upsetting customer I would go outside and smoke. What was I going to do? How would I now be able to recover from these upsetting encounters?

Well it’s been nearly 9 months now and guess what? It’s never even been an issue. The people have actually been getting worse but my ability to deal with it has actually gotten better. Who would have thought? Life has actually gotten so much easier as a lot of the time I would be working by myself so trying to get a smoke in was like an episode of Lucy. 

You are so able to do this. Stay out of your head.  Don’t think about your quit. Stay busy. For mr it was all about my stubbornness and shear determination that has kept me successful. I will not let myself down.

Make yourself proud!

Beck