The Quit of a Lifetime – I Closed the Door So Can You
This journey started out 27 years ago when an Uncle and I went out and were messing around, he was 18 and I was 12. We were out shooting squirrels and he took a big ole chew of Redman and I asked him how that tasted and he said it was great and asked if I wanted some, of course my reply was YES. From that day on until Jan. 1st 2007, the lady we so affectionately call the Nic Whore trapped me.
Throughout the 27 year journey I so much enjoyed dipping my skoal that no one could tell me it was bad or that I was hurting myself and the ones that loved me. The only thing that mattered was that I got my nicotine fix. Sure I tried to quit before, just because of other reasons none that came from me because I did not want to quit. Those quits ended in failure. One quit caused me to become addicted to cigs and another quit caused me to become addicted to nicotine gum but the quits until now have been complete and utter failures.
Those of you that are reading this and asking yourself what is different about this quit and this time, well there are two major things that have made this the Quit Of A Lifetime. The first and major thing is that I quit for myself because I wanted to and not because of what anyone else wanted. That’s not saying that I did not have people in my life that made me want to quit for myself because without that influence I would not have wanted to quit for myself. The second is killthecan.org, this site is instrumental to anyone’s quit. If you are trying to quit smokeless tobacco and you are doing it without killthecan.org you are hurting your chances of success.
Back to the first major reason I quit and what made me see the light and made me really want to quit for myself. I had planned on doing another token quit. Like all the times before, I promised myself that a New Years resolution was in order. I was preparing myself for this event and was telling my family and friends that I was going to try to quit as my New Years resolution but all along I told myself that I would fail just like every other time. We were in Amarillo visiting my wife’s brother and his family for Christmas break. After supper on December 31st I had just put a big ole fat one in and sat down in the chair to play madden with my brother-in-law and the girls were in the kitchen making cookies. My wife came into the room a few minutes later and said to me “You didn’t just put a dip in did you?” And I stated that I had. The look on her face at that moment when she was telling me that my 3 yr. old niece was making me a special cookie and that I needed to get rid of that dip made me at that very point in time decide it was time to give it up. All the nagging in the world could not get me to stop; it had to be the disappointment from my wife and my niece that kicked my ass.
Posting roll is also very important to my quit but the most important part to my quit is the support that I get from the chat site. The live banter, the joking around, and the friendships that have formed in that chat room is totally amazing. If I did not have the chance to daily be in that room and talk with these fine folks I don’t know how I would continue this quit. When Fran and I attack a new guy and get him to join the site and start posting roll that is one of the most exciting times for me.
When everyone is in the chat site cutting up and making rude jokes and someone comes in seeking help, the joking comes to a stop and everyone in that room focuses on the individual that needed the help. I have not met a person that goes to that chat room (except the troll) that would not do anything in their power to keep each and everyone one of you guys quit.
The guys that I would like to thank the most for helping me are as follows: my wife, Fran, killer, tread, Bryan, sb aka snot, navin, my boy LOOT, Jen and okie, Larry, qt, 48, wd, lonewolf, the gay bear snuggles, slush puppy, and countless other quitters that show up from time to time. You guys are the greatest and I could not quit without you. BUT I FORGOT 40 HE WAS A HUGE HELP
Finally, there are a few tips that I have learned that will help you with your quit and I would like to share those tips for the new guys to a quit. First please POST ROLL everyday possible it really, really helps you and your quit brothers. Second, get phone numbers and give your number to other quitters so if you ever have a crisis you can call a friend who knows what you are going though that will help keep you from caving. Third, find something that you can replace the habit with. I found that orbit sugarless gum is my new habit, the way it works is every time you crave, take a piece of orbit gum and replace it with what your brain wanted so essentially you are reprogramming your brain to think this is what you are craving.
NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member timonesock
I’m coming up on week 5, and I still have cravings. Quitting cigarettes was a whole lot easier than this. But the end result is that I’ll finally be free of tobacco, and I do not care how long it takes. All of my friends were sure that I was losing my mind until I told them that I was quitting-the-dip. Now all of my friends say that it’ll be a great day when all the cravings discontinue. No more looking for a place to spit, or having jugs full & having to carry them out to the dump. It used to cost me nearly $10.00 per week. Now I’m sure that I had a full fledged addiction, even tough a can would last me a bit more than a week. My grandfather used to do 3 to 5 cans per day, he was a railroad conductor on a freight train, and he’d use the lid as a scoop. That was Copenhagen, and toward the end he’d have to wake up at night and do another can. I stole a pinch from him one day, and even though it reminded me of sucking on sand, I enjoyed it. But didn’t begin seriously dipping until my 45th birthday, I am now 65. I think 20 years is enough; time to quit!