They Are Back

Let me tell you about how I nearly fell off the wagon over the past couple weeks…

If you’re thinking about partial dentures, this post is especially for you.

I was 3320 days into my quit. (9 years and 1 month)

It had finally gotten easy (easier) a few years ago.

My mouth no longer watered every time I saw someone packing a can.

My heart no longer raced every time I approached the register at the convenience store and saw those rows of hideously beautiful cans lined up behind the clerk.

I had it beat!

I thought.

Then something completely unexpected happened…

I have needed lower partial dentures for over 25 years, (surely not because I started dipping Copenhagen at 12) but instead of getting them, I kept telling myself that I was too young and I just went on chewing everything on my jaw bone.

Finally, a couple weeks ago, I decided that enough was enough and I went to the dentist and ordered a lower acrylic partial.

I was excited that I was finally going to have some teeth back there to chew with.

I couldn’t wait to see how much better it was going to be.

My Copenhagen addiction never crossed my mind.

I mean, why should it have?

I picked up my partial 5 days later and popped them into place.

They fit great and felt great.

I left the dentist office with a new confidence.

But about an hour later, I could feel myself getting grumpy for no apparent reason. (Very unlike me)

Instead of going away, the feeling persisted and even got worse…

And worse…

Over the next week, I kept snapping at my wife and coworkers.

I was just MAD all the time.

My wife finally had enough and asked…

“Did you slip up and dip again? Because the only time you were like this is when you were quitting.”

It was like a light went off in my head.

She was exactly right. I was experiencing all the old withdrawal symptoms.

Anger. Sleeplessness. Heart racing. Lack of concentration.

THEY WERE ALL BACK!!

But why? What was causing it?

The answer was obvious…

It was the partial!

They have little bulges that fit exactly into the spots where I held my dip for 34 years.

Subconsciously, that physical feeling (between my lip and gums) brought back all of the old mental and emotional feelings.

Realizing what was causing the issue instantly helped a lot, but 2 weeks later I am still fighting off the occasional urge or moment of grumpiness.

But I haven’t caved in and I’m not going to.

Now that I know what is happening, I believe these feelings will pass quickly.

This group helped me so much when I started my quit 9 years ago and even though I haven’t visited much lately, you amazing people are the first ones that I thought of when the old urges hit.

I hope this experience might help somebody else.

Stay strong you guys.

Keep your guard up.

Don’t give into the can.

You can beat it.

And you will be so proud when you do.

I love y’all.

NOTE: This piece written by Mike Bird and posted to the Kill The Can FB Group