How to start?

[Hrschieck]

I have turned to vaping to help stop smoking cigarettes. I’ve been vaping now for probably 2 years and want to quit so bad, I just don’t know how to even start? Any tips with successful quitting would be so appreciated! Did you just stop cold turkey, wean off slowly, use nicotine supplements such as gum or patches, etc. Thank you!! 
Holly

[AnnetteMM]

I can tell you that I quit vaping by throwing away all the equipment, chargers, pods, batteries, all of it. Then I cleaned the house and car. Then I got Tootsie Pops and Twizzlers and a bunch of yarn to start an afghan. 
That was my plan and I vowed to never buy any more stuff. I actually tried the lozenges but they were nasty so I threw them out, too. It wasn't easy, but after the first week the milestones started to pile up and pride took over! 

Now it's been 4 years and I'll never go back. Come here to read blogs every day and post whenever you need to. You can do it.

[Hrschieck]

Thank you so much for your advice and congratulations! 4 years is amazing!! I was able to quit when I was pregnant in 2020 but about 3 months after I delivered, I fell back into it and I regret it so much! I felt so much healthier and happier not relying on it all day.  I will definitely try these methods! I know I just need to throw it all away but the first step is always the hardest. I do have a blanket that is only half knitted so I may try to start that back up and finish it when my cravings try to take over! I like the idea of suckers or something to use in place of it. I feel like most of the time I’m addicted to the action of hitting it and not actually craving the nicotine aspect of it. Thank you so much for your reply! 

[tracy0924]

Welcome to EX @Hrschieck ! Quitting vaping is really just like quitting smoking. I’ve done both. It’s really your decision whether you want to quit cold turkey or whether you want to use a nicotine replacement method such as patches or medication prescribed by your doctor along with possibly gum or lozenges. I too turned to vaping thinking that it would be better than smoking but I soon learned that it was really just as bad if not worse. My most recent quit was from cigarettes and I used patches and nicotine gum. This part is really up to you to decide. Whatever you feel will make you the most successful.

Whichever you decide, I would suggest that you set your quit date and start to prepare. you should read the information on the site about nicotine addiction and the effect of nicotine on the brain. You also need to complete your EX plan in advance. Focus on your triggers and what situations cause you to smoke. You will need to have alternatives for these triggers and situations. I know that I had to completely change my routine in the mornings when I was used to smoking a large amount of cigarettes out on my patio. I now come to my office and I post on EX! That would be my next suggestion, you need to stay close to the site. I know that I posted daily when I first quit, letting everyone know of my progress and getting support from the great people here who are now my friends. You will find this community is very welcoming and very supportive! I would also suggest that you take the daily pledge, I’ve been doing that since I quit 97 days ago and I feel that it makes my commitment to the site and the people here are stronger so that I will not smoke. Like I said, I quit smoking but all of this pertains to vaping as well. They are really the same thing.

As @AnnetteMM said above, it’s also important that you throw away all of your vaping tools and accessories prior to your quit date. You don’t want any temptation around. And many turned to the same thing that you can suck on like a tootsie pop or even a straw for the hand to mouth connection. Sour candy also works great when you have an urge or crave.

I hope that some of this helps. I’m also hoping that a few of the elders pop in and lend their support and their wisdom from their long term quits. it seems for some reason most of us post under journals/blogs and sometimes don’t see the posts under support. I am going to tag @YoungAtHeart @MarilynH @Anonymous to see if they will pop over and lend their support. All are long term quitters and have been on this site for a very long time and help newcomers.

I hope to hear more from you soon and will be looking for your posts! Take care🤗💕

Tracy 97DOF (days of freedom from smoking)

[YoungAtHeart]

(@tracy0924 - thanks for the heads up!)

Welcome to our community, @Hrschieck ,

Congratulations on your decision to quit vaping.  It's common sense that anything you put in your lungs that isn't clean air can't be good for you!  You will need to substitute “vape” or “device” as you do the reading I will recommend. Research suggests nicotine may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Because vaping is available to you most anywhere, anytime, I believe it might be more difficult from which to break free than regular tobacco products - but it CAN be done!  There is a blog written by one of our success stories that you might find informative: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Journals-Blogs/I-Quit-Smoking-and-Vaping/ba-p/1225904.

If you would like to use a quit aid, I recommend the ones that don't let the addict control the dose, such as the Rx drugs or the patch.  Using gum or lozenges is fine as long as you don't sub them for every vape use....you aren't moving away from the addiction if you do that.  If you use these only as a last resort after you have delayed and distracted and have a plan to wean off of them when you quit is in hand, they are fine.

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.” . which can be found online or at your local library.  Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be

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.

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all),, 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.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a list of things to do instead of vape if you need some fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Journals-Blogs/101-Things-to-Do-Instead-of-Smoke/ba-p/1028319

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

[Dave1119]

Hi.  This is my first post here after just joining.  I smoked for about 35 years.  I quit 8 years ago (will be 9 in February) and I just want to help anyone who needs some support to quit for good.

I don't think there is any one-size-fits-all answer for how to quit; It really depends on the person.  When I quit, I did not throw everything away right away as many advise.  I had a couple packs in a cabinet and an ash tray in the garage where I used to go to smoke.  To me that helped, because it wasn't so "final".  I knew the packs were there if I wanted, but I was determined to quit just out of shear fear of the health effects.  Fear is one heck of a motivator.  

My doctor prescribed Chantix, which worked very well for me.  I did have some vivid dreams while taking that, but not nightmares.  When I finally made it about a few weeks or a month and stopped the Chantix, there was no way I was going to throw away all that progress and go back to smoking.  At that point, I was super determined. 

Fear was my motivator.  Think about what motivates you to quit.  The negative health effects?  The effects on the lives of your loved ones?  The substantial money that can be saved?  The negative social stigma?  The promise of living life without the ball and chain of addiction?

I sincerely wish you the best of luck and hope that you do it.  Let us know how it goes!

[CommunityAdmin]

@Dave1119 Thanks for stopping by to share your experience!

[tracy0924]

A lot of great points @Dave1119 😊

[MarilynH]

Thank you @tracy0924 for mentioning me, Welcome to the community@Hrschieck you've made the best decision that you'll ever make in your lifetime and it's definetly the best gift that any of us will ever give ourselves which is the GIFT OF LIFE, please read the links suggested above and keep reading everything you can because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT with commitment and perseverance you will succeed in living a life of Freedom and and you'll do one precious day at a time or hour minute or even a second at time deep breaths and believe in yourself because we believe in you and we're rooting you on You've got this! 

[tracy0924]

@Hrschieck 

Holly are you still out there? I hope that some of the above advice has helped! Please let us know when you set a quick date and we will definitely be there to support you!

Tracy💕