Quitting the chew can

[fullnelson9999]

So junior year of college started with the usual parties. I drank, I smoked on occasion etc etc. However a few weeks in I noticed that I wanted cigarettes more and more. After another two weeks I admitted that I was addicted. I couldn't go through the day without having a smoke. I was probably up to a half pack a day by November and I knew things were getting worse and I wanted to get off that path quick since I knew where it was heading. Desperate for a solution, I turned to my roommate for advice.

He suggested that I start to dip because It was easier to quit and was less harmful. He said that his brother had started dipping while he was quitting cigarettes and after a few months was off tobacco completely. As stupid as it was, I decided to go along with it. Yes, I know it was a very, very stupid choice on my part.

For a few months I thought it was working. I pretty much stopped smoking except for one here or there, and was pleased with my decision. Now its been almost 8 months and things have started to go downhill. I dip way too much. Instead of quitting tobacco I'm just addicted to dip now. I have a sore in my mouth on the inside of my lip, which is normal after dipping for a while but I'm started to get worried. I have a dentist appointment coming up and I'm going to address the situation. I've read up on consequences of dipping and I know what can happen. Worst of all, I'm a chronic worrier. I will literally worry myself to death sometimes and it just makes things worse.

So my question is this: Have any of you ever had to deal with quitting dip? Have any of you experienced health issues due to dipping? Any advice would be helpful here, as Im looking for comfort just as much as actual advice. Thanks.

[757SeanTaylor21]

ok well never done dip never would, and i can honestly say that dip is just as dangerous as smoking. and is worse for the mouth piece than smoking. my personal advice brotha is just quit the dip. quit smoking...and just KEEP BUSY. if ur busy you wont think about it

[RLeVan]

Have you tried cinnamon sticks? It's a good alternative to what tobacco has become for you, a comfort mechanism. You'd be surprised at how well it works especially if you're a coffee drinker. You can gnaw on those things to take your mind off the nicotine.

[jrmooref]

I was in that exact same position at around 28. Smoked in college, moved to dipping to try to quit and got hooked all over again. The only way I could quit was to finally decide that i was ready and just put it down. If you dont really want to quit, you never will.

[fullnelson9999]

ok well never done dip never would, and i can honestly say that dip is just as dangerous as smoking. and is worse for the mouth piece than smoking. my personal advice brotha is just quit the dip. quit smoking...and just KEEP BUSY. if ur busy you wont think about it

Yeah I wish I could keep busy. Unfortunately I failed to get a job this summer so I spend all my time at home. Sure I hang with friends and watch movies and stuff, but in the end I just have too much time left in the end. Its become obvious to me that since school ended my dip intake has increased and I need to find something to do. What that something is remains to be found.

[fullnelson9999]

Have you tried cinnamon sticks? It's a good alternative to what tobacco has become for you, a comfort mechanism. You'd be surprised at how well it works especially if you're a coffee drinker. You can gnaw on those things to take your mind off the nicotine.

I think I'm going to try sunflower seeds. I can stick them in my lip and suck on them.

[RLeVan]

David sunflower seeds has a bunch of different flavors so that might work. Their pretty salty though so watch out for burning/chapping your lip. Best of luck to ya.

[PSUHeckler]

Desperate for a solution, I turned to my roommate for advice.

He suggested that I start to dip because It was easier to quit and was less harmful.

So my question is this: Have any of you ever had to deal with quitting dip? Have any of you experienced health issues due to dipping? Any advice would be helpful here, as Im looking for comfort just as much as actual advice. Thanks.

First and foremost, and I bet you know by now, it IS just as harmful to chew.

Anyways. I have done the "quitting it." It sucks to be honest. Some background: I started sporadically when I was 18. Nothing too serious. Started as a habit so I stopped for over a year, and kind of picked it back up this last Sept along w/ a cig or 2. I work in a bar, so both are easily accessible and tempted. Usually 1 dip or smoke a night for that nicotine hit.

When I was good though, I CONSTANTLY had a toothpick or piece of gum in my mouth. Surprising enough, a single toothpick worked the best. As far as health issues, none except for a slight buzz then relaxation. Biggest suggestion is to find a new oral fixation. May sound a litte funny or gay, but true

edit: may seem funny, but bet one of your bestfriends you can go WITHOUT it for a month. That's how I originally stopped. Bet him $50 or he got me a kick in the crotch

[EBoz]

You can always give one of the herbal chews a try. People chew as well as smoke out of habit, not just the nicotine addiction. The first couple of days will be tough due to the nicotine craving but if you can satisfy your habit until the craving subsides you should be able to quit entirely in relatively short amount of time.

http://www.goldeneaglechew.com/goldeneagle_products.html

[Cassow]

I dipped for 6 years, almost a tin a day, and just recently quit. The hardest part was agreeing with myself to quit, because I was scared I couldn't do it. My wife bought me a pack of nicorette gum and I started substituting that in-place of my normal lips a little bit at a time. The first day with no dip totally blows. I got the shakes and had to get drunk to take my mind off it. After that it was all downhill.

Someone once told me that nicotine only stays in your system for 3 days, and after that you just have the habit to break. I dont know if that's true or not, but that's all I kept telling myself for those first 3 days...and it worked. If your anything like me, I'm sure when you do certain things you love to pack a lip (watching a movie, long drive, golf, etc). That's the hardest part to break. If I were you, I'd try going one week with dip/nicotine gum, then one week just gum, then stop the gum all together.

It worked for me. Good luck.

[fullnelson9999]

I dipped for 6 years, almost a tin a day, and just recently quit. The hardest part was agreeing with myself to quit, because I was scared I couldn't do it. My wife bought me a pack of nicorette gum and I started substituting that in-place of my normal lips a little bit at a time. The first day with no dip totally blows. I got the shakes and had to get drunk to take my mind off it. After that it was all downhill.

Someone once told me that nicotine only stays in your system for 3 days, and after that you just have the habit to break. I dont know if that's true or not, but that's all I kept telling myself for those first 3 days...and it worked. If your anything like me, I'm sure when you do certain things you love to pack a lip (watching a movie, long drive, golf, etc). That's the hardest part to break. If I were you, I'd try going one week with dip/nicotine gum, then one week just gum, then stop the gum all together.

It worked for me. Good luck.

I hear that it stays in the system for 3 days too. I've been packing my lip with anything that wont kill me really. Crumpled up paper, gum, bread. Seems kind of weird I guess but when I put a lip of gum in it really helps. Plus the gum makes me salivate so I can still spit.

I think the spitting is the hardest thing for me to stop.

[Corcaigh]

If you need motivation - just look at this picture:

[Duckus]

Get a girlfriend.

There is no way a woman would have sex with you while you are spitting brown **** into a water bottle around the house.

Let sex be your motivator. I quit smoking for it.

[fullnelson9999]

Thanks to all who helped me. Its now been 10 days since I put a lip in and its been pretty tough. I have a side effect question though for anyone who may know the answer. Since I quit I've noticed little, and I mean little, bumps on the inside of my cheek. It feels like tiny pieces of food stuck up in my cheek. They aren't sores and they don't hurt to touch, but I cant find anything online telling me what they might be.

Has anyone ever experienced this before?

[Cassow]

Thanks to all who helped me. Its now been 10 days since I put a lip in and its been pretty tough. I have a side effect question though for anyone who may know the answer. Since I quit I've noticed little, and I mean little, bumps on the inside of my cheek. It feels like tiny pieces of food stuck up in my cheek. They aren't sores and they don't hurt to touch, but I cant find anything online telling me what they might be.

Has anyone ever experienced this before?

Good to hear it! I can tell you the hard part is over. After 2-3 weeks I stopped thinking about dip all together.

As far as the bumps in your mouth, it could be nothing, but don't take that chance. Go see your primary doctor (and seeing as how you're a 21y.o male, I doubt you've got one, so use this as your motivation....and get a physical while you're at it). Any kind of abnormality in your mouth you should take seriously, especially since you used to dip.

[SC_RedskinsFan]

Good to hear that ya stopped! Keep it up

[fullnelson9999]

Thanks guys.

[Stew]

Just so you know.... you dont quit the chew can... the chew can quits you. Its not over, until the chew can says its over.

[Skin'Em84]

I think I'm going to try sunflower seeds. I can stick them in my lip and suck on them.

I chew 2 pieces of really minty gum and stick it in my lip when I get a craving. The habit of putting crap in your lip is about has hard to break as the addiction.