New Life

For years I have put off doing activities and socializing with others because of this nasty habit known as “dipping”. It’s not that I didn’t want to do various different things, I did, it’s just because I had this dark black crap in my mouth, I was too embarrassed to participate for fear of what others would think. My daughter would ask: “Dad, what’s that stuff in your mouth?” I’d respond with some b.s. answer and that would be it. Kids would look at me with that sort of half-cocked look, the look a dog gives you when it hears something, and I just knew they were trying to figure out what it was I had in my mouth. Thing is, I really didn’t care what they thought.

So guess what? The dip outranked everything. Family, friends, coworkers-you name it, that little round tin outranked them all. I would rather sit at home and enjoy a big ol’ fatty than spend time with others. Tell me that isn’t jacked up! For years I let that Skoal run my life and I pretty much got caught up in that whole “Skoal Brother” theme. Dipping took the “edge” off of everything and it became my friend. My friend and I were inseparable, I took care of her and she took care of me. It was the perfect relationship, I was hooked and I was an addict, talk about a SUCKER!

Enter KTC, met some great folks, wised up, quit dipping and have been chew free for 55 days now (as of 5/2/09). Granted there are a lot of people that have been quit a lot longer than I have but we all have the same goal, and that is to stay quit 1 day at a time. Quitting is the hardest thing I’ve personally had to do, however, it’s the best feeling in the world because with the help of everyone on the KTC site and the support I get from them, staying quit doesn’t seem like such a challenge. Fighting an addiction by yourself is hard enough, but fighting it with others who know what you’re going through and will fight side by side with you makes that battle a hell of a lot easier. Thank you to those of you that have not only helped me but the countless others who battle this ugly addiction one day at a time.

One day at a time…that’s how us quitters roll!

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member Move Forward