Freedom from nicotine

[Owl]

Before I quit dipping using this site and this brilliant method, I remember thing how hard I thought it was going to be.  I'd tried and failed so many times because it was "too hard."

I was wrong.  It is not hard to quit dip.  Yes, it takes a few days for your mind and body to physically adapt to the absence of a drug upon which they were dependent, but it's not "hard." It's mildly uncomfortable. 

Once I changed my mind using this simple method of posting a promise every day, I quickly discovered that dipping tobacco was what was hard.  How much time, money, and mental energy did I spend on dip??  So much.  It was constant.  Thinking about whether or not I had enough to make it through the week, or day, or evening. Thinking about spitters, where I could ditch the big wad of chew if I was out walking the dog.  I thought about it all the time.  It ran my life.

Quitting dip is freedom.  I don't miss it for a second, in fact, I HATE the fact that I let a substance control me for so long.  Everything you tell yourself about dip - that you 'like' it, that it makes everything better, that it keeps you from eating or drinking too much, that you'd miss it, that you're special and no one understands...it's all a lie.

When you stop lying to yourself and all those around you, life gets better in so many ways.

That's that freedom, baby.  It is glorious. 

It is not hard.  Using nicotine is hard and it is killing you.  Quitting dip is easy of you do it right, if you do it with us, if you avail yourself to accountability and brotherhood.  You are one post on an Internet site away.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Owl

[redrabbit]

On 3/9/2019 at 8:49 AM, Owl said:

 

I was wrong.  It is not hard to quit dip.  Yes, it takes a few days for your mind and body to physically adapt to the absence of a drug upon which they were dependent, but it's not "hard." It's mildly uncomfortable. 

Quitting is an exercise in mental discipline. And not a difficult one at that. Going on a jog probably requires more mental stamina

[Owl]

Freedom from nicotine once you've quit dipping just gets better and better.  Here's an example:

Yesterday I went to pick-up dinner but forgot my wallet.  It wasn't far but the kids were HUNGRY.

To make the turn faster, I called so that one of the kids could run my wallet out to me.  My daughter answered the phone.

"Where is it, daddy?"

"It's in the outside pocket of my briefcase."

I realized as I was driving back towards the restaurant that I NEVER would have done that when I was a ninja dipper.  I always had a few cans stashed in my briefcase.  They were in non-obvious places, but there's no way I would have asked my daughter to dig through my bag.

It seems like a minor thing, but there's so much lying and sneaking around for your addiction when you're using.  Not worrying that my daughter might innocently find a can or a spitter is a wonderful aspect of being free from nicotine.

[pope]

1 hour ago, Owl said:

It seems like a minor thing, but there's so much lying and sneaking around for your addiction when you're using.  Not worrying that my daughter might innocently find a can or a spitter is a wonderful aspect of being free from nicotine

I didn't realize how much I lied to keep some folks from knowing I dipped. My heart would race when someone wanted to ride with me. "Did I throw that spitter out?" "Did I leave my can out?" "Does my truck smell like dip?" Not anymore... now it's just "How much stuff do I have to move?"

[pope]

On 3/9/2019 at 8:49 AM, Owl said:

Everything you tell yourself about dip - that you 'like' it, that it makes everything better, that it keeps you from eating or drinking too much, that you'd miss it, that you're special and no one understands...it's all a lie.

This is the other best part of quitting.  Getting some clarity. My brother stopped for a week and couldn't get over how much he thought he missed it. He didn't have a group of badass supporters pointing out the lies he was telling himself to help him come to that conclusion

[Maverick]

On 3/16/2019 at 5:25 PM, Owl said:

Freedom from nicotine once you've quit dipping just gets better and better.  Here's an example:

Yesterday I went to pick-up dinner but forgot my wallet.  It wasn't far but the kids were HUNGRY.

To make the turn faster, I called so that one of the kids could run my wallet out to me.  My daughter answered the phone.

"Where is it, daddy?"

"It's in the outside pocket of my briefcase."

I realized as I was driving back towards the restaurant that I NEVER would have done that when I was a ninja dipper.  I always had a few cans stashed in my briefcase.  They were in non-obvious places, but there's no way I would have asked my daughter to dig through my bag.

It seems like a minor thing, but there's so much lying and sneaking around for your addiction when you're using.  Not worrying that my daughter might innocently find a can or a spitter is a wonderful aspect of being free from nicotine.

this is a major thing, and this was totally me.. I relate to this story big fucking time.  freedom.

[Maggs]

On 3/16/2019 at 5:25 PM, Owl said:

there's no way I would have asked my daughter to dig through my bag.

Man. When I was an addict, I would constantly have this underlying fear my wife would find the can in my center console. A couple of times my car was behind hers and the driveway and she was in a rush to get to fencing and she would grab my keys And take the car. My asshole would get tighter than a vice grip. What a shitty and low way to live.

 

[Twin G]

On 3/16/2019 at 4:25 PM, Owl said:

Freedom from nicotine once you've quit dipping just gets better and better.  Here's an example:

Yesterday I went to pick-up dinner but forgot my wallet.  It wasn't far but the kids were HUNGRY.

To make the turn faster, I called so that one of the kids could run my wallet out to me.  My daughter answered the phone.

"Where is it, daddy?"

"It's in the outside pocket of my briefcase."

I realized as I was driving back towards the restaurant that I NEVER would have done that when I was a ninja dipper.  I always had a few cans stashed in my briefcase.  They were in non-obvious places, but there's no way I would have asked my daughter to dig through my bag.

It seems like a minor thing, but there's so much lying and sneaking around for your addiction when you're using.  Not worrying that my daughter might innocently find a can or a spitter is a wonderful aspect of being free from nicotine.

This described me exactly. Trying to keep up the lies was so fucking stressful and I always felt like such a shitty person. Being quit feels like a huge weight is lifted off of me.  Not worrying about my wife or kids looking through my stuff is very freeing. 

[Zook]

That resonated with me too @Owl.  I don't have kids but I'm around them occasionally.  Many, many moons ago when I was a dipper I used to hang around my boss' house quite a bit.  I did this so much his kids knew me as Uncle Ryan.  The kids were always curious what the black stuff was in my lip.  They always wanted to see it for whatever reason.  I never gave them any but I did offer them the can to smell.  They gagged/puked which should have been my initial reaction to dip but I was stupid.  Anyway the two boys are all grown up now.  One's an attorney and the other is a music teacher in Texas.  They're nicotine free too.  Fuck dip.

[Twin G]

On 3/14/2022 at 4:05 AM, BazookaJoe said:

 i never gave them any but I did offer them the can to smell.  They gagged/puked which should have been my initial reaction to dip but I was stupid.  

I remember as a young boy, maybe 10 years old, my dad dipped skoal wintergreen. I would pull it out of the trash and smell it and try just a little. I never wanted my kids to have that experience. I always hid my cans from them. I was smart enough to keep them away, but stupid enough to dip.  Secrets and hiding things is super fucked up. Fuck dipping. I am really working hard now to live the life my kids can look up to. To be a positive role model in the way i live my life. You know what, it feels good. 

[Itchmay]

15 hours ago, Twin G said:

I remember as a young boy, maybe 10 years old, my dad dipped skoal wintergreen.

My dad gave me my first dip. I also used to sneak sips of beer from him when he wasn’t looking. He walked away from his beer once and I snuck up and took a sip… but he was using it as a spitter. You’d think at that point I would have learned my lesson. 
 

My girl is 4 and is too young to ever remember me chewing. My boy is 1 and will never witness me dipping. 

[RickDicolus]

On 3/24/2022 at 12:12 PM, Itchmay said:

My dad gave me my first dip. I also used to sneak sips of beer from him when he wasn’t looking. He walked away from his beer once and I snuck up and took a sip… but he was using it as a spitter. You’d think at that point I would have learned my lesson. 
 

My girl is 4 and is too young to ever remember me chewing. My boy is 1 and will never witness me dipping. 

Whoever stumbles across this thread. Know that that this dude had a one hundred percent chance of achieving this and threw it away. Spend a few minutes a day to build accountability and maintain your quit is the smallest price to pay and he couldn't do it. Buy in and move on. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by RickDicolus

[sidekickd]

On 3/9/2019 at 7:49 AM, Owl said:

I was wrong.  It is not hard to quit dip.  Yes, it takes a few days for your mind and body to physically adapt to the absence of a drug upon which they were dependent, but it's not "hard." It's mildly uncomfortable. 

Commenting on this since I'm so close to this on my journey.  It's definitely not as difficult as I had built it up to be in my mind.  When it comes to being an addict, I think the biggest l ever told myself was that "I need dip."   It started as a subconscious thought that I decided to validate in my head.  Then I would tell myself that lie over and over again for years.  If I ever had to go a little longer without a fix than I had planned, I built it up to be so bad and then came another lie.  If I quit, I would always feel that way - anxious, missing something, unable to enjoy life.  Those two lies have a lot to do with delaying my quit until now. 

So if you're someone reading this who is struggling with whether or not to quit, just do it and do it now.   One last dip isn't going to make it any easier.  Do it now.   Like I said above, it's not nearly as difficult as you're making it out to be.   Yes, there will be some difficult moments.  It'll be uncomfortable, but it is something you can achieve.   To be honest, the discomfort is a good thing - when you're in one of those moments, allow yourself to feel it, and then tell yourself that once you get through this, you'll never have to feel that again. 

[Ghostface Quittah]

On 8/2/2022 at 11:47 AM, sidekickd said:

quit until now. 

 

[Lipi]

Percentage of dudes who posted in this thread and then ate shit is very high.