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Give and get support around quitting

chaswillie62
Member

Anyone else use smokeless tobacco

Anyone else on here use Smokeless Tobacco? Lots of support for smokers and on how to quit smoking. I don't see any for dippers, chewers, etc.

9 Replies
Barbscloud
Member

This was just posted a few days ago. You might find it helpful.

Most posts are about smoking. Haven’t chewed since Jan 5.  The patch helps.  

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

Proportionally there are fewer smokeless tobacco users.  I am starting to see more coming to the site though and many of the general practices that smokers apply should be able to be applied to those who chew to get yourself off of the nicotine addiction.  We have resources as well.  There is a Chewing Tobacco group but hasn't been activity lately but I am sure that there is some beneficial information there. 

Danml‌ joined recently and has recently quit so they might have some advice that worked for them.

It's great to have you here and see others who are chewing want to quit. I have no doubt you'll learn something from the former smokers here who have ideas on how to separate themselves from their nicotine addiction. Record your experience along the way and hopefully we'll quickly build a place where people who chew can come and separate themselves from nicotine and tobacco as well.

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Nicotine addiction is nicotine addiction - no matter the delivery device.  How to beat any of them is about the same. Every time you read :"cigarette" or "smoke"  in the information I will give you, just sub :"chew."    

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.


 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. 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.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion,  3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire and 4) you can become addicted to that and it has not yet been proven safe .
 

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

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke 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 smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
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 smoking 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 smoke 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 a cigarette" 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

Giulia
Member

Nancy's point (above) is well taken.  The steps to getting off chew probably aren't that different from getting off cigarettes.  Nicotine changes our brains.  Nicotine and Your Brain - YouTube   Hang around, you'll learn much.

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX, you have gotten some really good advice already, please take it.  Please understand that the addiction to nicotine is the issue and recovery is one day at a time.

Ellen

Ronwv
Member

I use to dip Skoal original then went to Copenhagen Wintergreen. Because it was cheaper where I get gas.

I use to smoke about 6 cigs a day and chew rest of the day.

I have tried using the lonzges and they help some with the severe cravings but I always have in to the slippery excuses mode.

I have set my quit day on Nov 5 and for the reason is so I have my quit kit ready to roll and get myself reeducated and am now working on delaying my next dip as long as I can till quit date.

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YoungAtHeart
Member

Try not to put it off until you are uncomfortable.  If you put each use off just a little, it will add up over time and you will naturally use less.  If you put it off too long, you are starting to experience withdrawal, making it actually MORE difficult to quit.  When you quit, you experience the physical withdrawal for about three days, then it's your body adjusting to life without nicotine for a few weeks, then you are finished with the physical aspects of quitting.

Ronwv
Member

Thanks for the input. Today first thing I did was put one in. Automatically without thinking going on a fire Dept call. 

Got home slept about 2 hours then went to work. I was feeling the cravings and withdrawals. But I did make it till almost  11.am.

But,I may try your idea and see if it really less uncomfortable to handle till quit day.

Definitely a wild ride.

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YoungAtHeart
Member

Just don't try to quit BEFORE your quit date!  You mentioned that you were on auto-pilot for that first one in the morning.  THAT'S the one you want to try to put off - even just a little.  Maybe try to do something else first - like maybe check in here for a few minutes, or take a few deep, cleansing breaths first - and THEN maybe brush your teeth and THEN......