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Give and get support around quitting

gemonyx
Member

Vaping harder to stop

I quit smoking with vaping over 5 yrs ago. I feel vaping is harder to stop bc it doesn't seem dirty or doesn't smell or stain and i can vape anywhere. I have early stages of copd. I don't do any treatment for it bc it's not affected my life. But I can feel the moisture in my lungs like a pneumonia like sound. I just needed some tips from other recovering vapers...how'd ya do it??  What was youre process like? What helped? What didn't?

8 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

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. There are conversations in a group here where you can get in touch with others who quit vaping:  E-Cig and Vape Quitters and Users to learn about their experiences.  Here is a great article with information about the products: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/vaping-101-what-know-about-e-cigs-addiction-illnesses-n1054981... There is further information here: https://www.becomeanex.org/quitting-e-cigarettes and here; https://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/impact-of-e-cigarettes-on-lung.html . 

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!

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

marciem
Member

Welcome, gemonyx‌ !!  You are making a great decision to quit vaping.  I agree that it may be/ probably is more difficult than quitting cigarettes, for the reasons you stated.  BUT, vaping can be quit.  As Nancy said above, nicotine addiction is nicotine addiction, and most of the same methods for quitting will work for vaping as well as cigarettes.

I must say, if you already have COPD, do NOT take this lightly.  It sneaks up on you, limiting your activities before you even realize they are being limited.   It is progressive and will continue to get worse, and it is not curable.  The only way to slow or even stop the progression right where it is now is QUIT SMOKING/VAPING.  Make the decision that you don't do that anymore, and read everything you can here at this site and others about the dynamics of quitting.

Post and read and educate yourself, and shout out for help when you're feeling weak.  Get rid of all your vaping materials.  Change up your habits.  This is important.  If  you're not feeling the effects of COPD now, then all the better to quit now before you do.  Because you will, eventually, if you don't stop.

Best to you going forward!

Maki
Member

Congrats on being vape free 5 years you say ? Did I understand that right ? 

I am sorry to hear you have COPD . 

I never vape so can't relate but learned from quitting smoking and now covid , that I want to do what is best for my lungs by not inhaling smoke or vape .

I do get the crackly sounds in my lungs from asthma or copd flares , and more noticibly at times lying down and now with covid hearing those sounds get Worriesome . 

I think it's important not to compare ... they are both bad addictions and likely both difficult to quit but not impossible to quit . I would think you would quit the same way . Don't smoke , don't vape . One puff is dangerous. 

Walking and excersise are important and much more gratifying . 

Please with covid around be cautious and aware of your symptoms . 

Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex.  I've never vaped, but I agree with you.  You can vape almost anywhere, when smokers had to postpone our next cigarette until we had an acceptable location.  There are other vaper's here and have used the site to help them quit.  It's still a nicotine addiction, so the journey is much same.   Educate yourself about nicotine addiction and create a quit plan.  My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX  Along with some aids, having a support system really helped me with my quit.    

Hopefully some other vaper;s will reach out to you.

Make the commitment and reach out if you need encouragement or want to share your journey.  We're here for you.

Barb

Maki
Member

Sorry , I reread your initial post . It sounds like you quit smoking by changing one thing for another, it's became  addictive and now you are wanting to quit vaping . I really can not comment on the vaping part much , are you finding it harder to quit ?

I just think if I turned to vaping and wanted to quit I would tell myself the same things as when I quit smoking and do quite likely the same things as well , like you can't smoke or vape what you don't have and puff Is never enough , post as needed , walk , don't buy bum or borrow . Again can't smoke or vape what you don't have . 

Halt and the five Ds if you remember those helped me a lot . 

I would be interested in hearing how other vape users stop vaping , or as you mentioned why you think it's harder . I think the same rules one used to quit smoking would apply to quit both , 

No matter what , you can do this and I am so glad you are .

sweetplt
Member

HI and Welcome to Ex’s...

I am glad you found our site ... and so sorry your took one addiction and replaced it with another...and now the COPD...please do the items offered from those above me...replace the “smoking” with “vaping”...but it all comes down to be an addict.  Please stay close to us, we will help you...we are in this journey together...~ Colleen 510 DOF 

AnnetteMM
Member

I also used vaping to quit smoking. I used it as part of a plan that lasted about 4 months, so less time than you. When I ran out of pods (I used Juul) I stopped. I threw out all the vaping equipment, including the charger. Everything went in the garbage. I tried NRT for one day, the lozenges. They were GROSS! So I threw them out as well, and quit nicotine cold turkey from that point on. Not gonna lie, the first week was rough. Sugar helped, so I used Tootsie Pops and Twizzlers for awhile. But now I'm 2 + years free and do not miss it.  

You can do this.

elvan
Member

I never vaped but I understand what you are saying about it being harder to stop vaping because you feel like you can do it anywhere.  Actually, that is exactly the way it was when I started smoking a million years ago.  I associated smoking with just about everything and quitting was not easy.  I did it unsuccessfully many times before I came to this site and I read everything I could find about nicotine addiction.  I came to this site every morning and every evening and sometimes, in between.  I read blogs, I commented, I asked for advice, and I listened when it was offered.  My quit was cold turkey and I won't tell you it was easy because that was not my experience but I WILL tell you that it was much easier than any of the times I had quit in the past.  You will get lots of support here and you will learn to deal with your feelings without stuffing them down with nicotine in ANY delivery form.  This whole thing is about getting to know yourself and allowing feelings like sadness, stress, anger, or anything else you can name to happen...we grow in ways we didn't even realize we needed.  You can do this and you will never regret quitting.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen