Anyone else chew nic gum?

[blakesgigi]

I have alternated smoking and chewing the gum when I "quit" for the past year.  And I would only smoke in my garage where no one could see me, stupid right???  Just wondering if anyone else feels the strong addiction to nicotine by using the gum too long.  There is NO SUCH THING AS ONE CIG:(  Truly there isn't.....

[Barbscloud]

@JonesCarpeDiem  Dale, to me the real issue is that it's stated to often on the site that numerous people become addicted to NRT.  Sure "some" do but the data does not substantiate that it's large numbers.   I get concerned that new quitters are afraid to use NRT because  they're told so many people get addicted and that's not true.    It's been a great tool for many of us to become Ex smokers.

Barb

[Carol6]

@Barbscloud I'm inclined to agree with you.  Yes there probably are some people who are addicted but it doesn't seem like droves of people.

@JonesCarpeDiem I did a search and didn't find any barb's who were still using gum https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/user?q=barb&inactive=false&sort_by=-post... . Even so I don't think it was nice to mention someone by name in that way. Why pick on someone? They're struggling, you're just going to drive them away. I don't see anyone saying get addicted to aids. Why not try to understand their situation? I think to help people it's better to talk about your experiences and not speak on behalf of others experiences or your perceived assumptions if you don't have data to back it up. I've read some of your posts, you've certainly contributed a lot and probably helped a lot of people, you're helpful but sometimes you can be insulting and your delivery hurts.

I did find two posts https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/forums/filteredbylabelpage/board-id/quit-support/label-name/qu...  where people said they were addicted to gum but one was a Cath and the other toni11. I looked at their posts and I didn't see either of them suggesting that one should stay chewing gum indefinitely or that they deemed themself "quit". 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

You didn't find her so you want me to point her out after you told me it was rude to point someone out? KEEP LOOKNG. I DON'T LIE.

[Carol6]

@JonesCarpeDiem I don't want you to point anyone out or talk about the minority like it's a common thing. I just did a search to find out if I could find such a person and didn't locate anyone so I'm not sure why you threw out a name in the first place unless you were trying to stir up things with people in this discussion. It's not nice to talk about people. My dad always told me to talk about myself and then you'll rarely ever cause a problem.

If he/she were still here and was actively recommending that people pop in gum and use it without a weaning off for years then that is a different story and hopefully suggestions like that could be curtailed. I've honestly been more bothered by seeing at least one person here who is still vaping nicotine but have "claimed" to quit and are here trying to assist others in their quit. Hopefully that is not a common thing.

I agree if you're popping them all the time then they're no longer an "aid" and are something more. But why jump to that as a possibility off the bat and not just say, ensure you use it as directed if an aid is needed? Your delivery just seems so negative to me for that particular thing.

As for a study.  I'm sure there have been studies. I don't think the drug companies do their own studies. It seems like the company behind this community even does their own studies or maybe works with higher education and research to do studies. Even if you take a random sample I don't think you will commonly get people who are addicted or who are popping in gum or lozenges all the time. They probably don't specifically look for someone to overuse gum and can't directed them to overuse it either as that would not be ethical.

There are people who overdid it and they've posted here that is happened and they want to get off them. I think that is proof enough that it happens but still it isn't common. What seems to be a more common thing is people who are addicted to vaping and tobacco-less pouches like zyn. That seems to be a bigger issue. 

So in summary.  Tell people using NRT is ok when done as directed and when they have a plan to get off of it. Using it in perpetuity or overusing is not recommended. For the people who get addicted to gum or lozenges or whatever, help them if they come and report it.  Don't chastise them or talk about them as though they're a problem. 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

For one who professes positivity only you sure are a negative s**t stirrer. Anyone with a brain can see what you were doing by listing all those profiles. Blatherer R U

[Carol6]

@JonesCarpeDiem I provided a link to search results to see if I could find any evidence that what you had claimed was true so others could see for themselves. I see nothing wrong with providing evidence to the contrary of your claim. I didn't mention anyone or talk about anyone specific.

Separately by search I found two people who asked for help with getting off of gum. Props to them for doing that. I am not negative at all. Rather I pointed out that while you probably intend to be helpful and have, you're delivery of one thing is confusing and not helpful to people like me. You know nothing about me and now are attacking me.  I've said positive things about you but you've said nothing of the sort about me. Also I was pointing out that your post about a "barb" seemed to imply that you were passively aggressively attacking someone right in this discussion which isn't nice. I'm glad she spoke up and confirmed the person you were speaking of was not her. I'm also glad you apologize for your comment towards her. 

Rather than saying. "Oh thanks" to my response that your post can be taken the wrong way especially by new people, you respond defensively and attack me and others who see my link to accounts that have Barb in name as not trying to stir up trouble don't have a brain.  That's not nice. All I've asked of you is to see a different perspective so you can help new people. If you want to help new people you need to adjust to what they need. You've already quit, this site is more for new people than for you. New people have to come here for the site to have purpose. Responses like this turn people off. Perhaps others will take abuse from people online like that, but I will not.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

I apologized to the person you think I offended YESTERDAY.

You did that search AND POSTED THOSE PROFILES to call me out. By doing that the only option you left was for me TO POINT OUT THAT PERSON. 

Then you come back with it TODAY.

When you first came back you were instructing me where I could post and DOGGING all my past posts.

You are a passive agressive s**t stirrer AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR DADDY TOLD YOU.

[Barbscloud]

@Carol6 Kudos on your being able to do a search and produce all the Barb... on the site.   

I've been here a little over three years.  I know of some quitters who posted they were stopping there NRT early because they "read" posts they could become addicted.   Someone can correct me if I'm wrong,  but  I do believe some of those folks are gone now.    Part of using NRT is following the directions and using it for the prescribed time.  Of course you don't have to--it's your choice. 

I know of two people who were addicted to their NRT on the site.  One stopped it, and has relapsed recently.     The other had many health issues and her doctor and her agreed it was better for her to continue NRT than smoke.  Although not a proponent of continuing NRT, it is still better than smoking--that person eliminated thousands of cancer causing agents from her body. I'm not here to judge.  If it was the right thing for her then I supported her decision.  She has not been on the site for along time--maybe because she was constantly defending her decision with only a few supporters.  

Things change over time, but thinking doesn't always follow suit.  "You are entitled to your opinion.  But you are not entitled to your own facts". 

Barb

[Carol6]

I apologized to the person you think I offended YESTERDAY.

You did that search AND POSTED THOSE PROFILES to call me out. By doing that the only option you left was for me TO POINT OUT THAT PERSON. 

Then you come back with it TODAY.

When you first came back you were instructing me where I could post and DOGGING all my past posts.

You are a passive agressive s**t stirrer AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR DADDY TOLD YOU.

If you read above (https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Support/Anyone-else-chew-nic-gum/m-p/1917523/highlight/true#M1...) I acknowledge that you apologized to the Barb in the topic.

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Support/Anyone-else-chew-nic-gum/m-p/1917354/highlight/true#M1...when you called out Barb. While it was a mistake it wasn't nice. Whether it had been her or not. And embarrassing for her since she was in the discussion. I would have been mortified.

I searched because I wanted to know if people getting addicted to gum and patches was common. I never indicated you lied. I just didn't find the person you spoke of. (https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Support/Anyone-else-chew-nic-gum/m-p/1917443/highlight/true#M1...) Perhaps there is a person or two that is addicted. I agree with Barbscloud, it's not common so it should be mentioned to have a plan to get off. 

I posted a link to profiles to search results. You could have shared examples that lead you to believe it is a common thing which people need to be concerned about.  I wasn't asking you to point out a person, I was just stating that in the search results no one named Barb can be found that it still using. No one needs you to point who it is and what their username is.  The point is is that it isn't common. There's not point in naming someone whether they are still active or not. So really you weren't forced to do anything. 

Yes I didn't come back on Thursday to post, I returned Friday and explained myself and was still polite and calm with you despite your post towards me and others. It's saddening how you're acting towards me. 

Yes there were some posts I read by you that seemed out of place. I provided some suggestions. But I was by no means dogging you. Just trying to provide helpful recommendations. I complimented you too. People can see my posts in response  to yours if they want to see. I've nothing to hide.

I am not aggressive nor am I trying to stir trouble. I am being assertive though. I'm just researching and providing evidence to the contrary to your claims. I've asked you calmly to consider the impact of your posts. 

If you don't have nice things to say about my father, please leave him out of this. That is uncalled for. I'm really flabbergasted on how you're responding to me.  

[GrandmaCj]

@JonesCarpeDiem I don't know how I would have made it this far if it weren't for NRTs. I don't do cold turkey well. I used the patches like it said and done with those. I chewed the gum and still do on really bad days. Like right now I'm having a really hard time to not smoke. I've been craving one all day. I have done everything differently, listened to music, walk the dog, start cleaning out my spare bedroom in hopes of finding a female roommate Non Smoker. I have reached for a cigarette and I even thought maybe I can buy a pack and just have one. But I know me I won't stop at one. So I grabbed my gum and it's helped a little bit. So not everyone that chews gum chews it all the time. Good talk.