I have a bad habit that I've not discussed here before. I'm a nicotine addict. I don't smoke. I use smokeless spit tobacco. Gross, I know. Expensive, and bad for my health, too.
I've not used smokeless since December 28, 24 days ago. That date had more to do with the schedule around my holiday break than an actual New Year resolution, but you could call it a New Year resolution, too.
This is the third time in that I've been serious about quitting. I'd say the last time was about 2011, also tried around 2007, and about 2002. So, that's about every five years that I try to quit. Obviously, I hope it sticks this time. This time I hope I'm mature enough and serious enough that I will stay quit. I probably thought that same way last time.
To help quit, I'm using nicotine gum. From a financial cost standpoint, I'm spending about 60% of what I spent on tobacco on the gum. So, that's a positive. I've been chewing a piece with a minimum of two hours between each piece from 8-5. And maybe, but not always one piece in the evening. When I hit 30 days I'll extend that to three hours between each piece.
The recommendation is to use the gum for 12 weeks. That takes me through the third week of March. We'll see, but I hope I can kick the gum habit. I'll have to conscious and deliberate about extending the period between pieces. So far I've had little problem with the two hours between pieces. When I say "little problem", I mean I start craving one at the hour and a half mark, but I've been able to hold off until the two hour mark without fail.
So, it seems as if I'm rambling at this point.
The reasons to quit are many, and the only reason to not quit is to satisfy an addiction.
Obviously at this point, I've replaced one nicotine delivery agent with another, but my total daily dose is much less. The first two 20 piece boxes of gum that I bought were the 4mg dose. My most recent purchase was a box of 110 2mg dose pieces. So I've stepped down my gum dosage already.
That's it for now. My plan is to be nicotine free by March 21.
Quitting a bad habit
January 21st, 2016 at 04:19 pm
January 21st, 2016 at 04:32 pm 1453393925
January 21st, 2016 at 04:36 pm 1453394180
But this time I feel you have finances in control time typo can't role the chew.
January 21st, 2016 at 05:38 pm 1453397887
January 21st, 2016 at 05:41 pm 1453398061
January 21st, 2016 at 07:08 pm 1453403324
January 21st, 2016 at 08:09 pm 1453406984
January 21st, 2016 at 09:28 pm 1453411706
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:26 am 1453422377
I smoked from ages 16 to 21 and after trying to quit and failing a few times, I finally quit cold turkey after recovering from a bad cold. Remember how disgusting smoking seems when you're sick? Don't know if smokeless tobacco is the same, but it seemed like a good time to quit for me.
Studies show that those who try and fail to quit a bad habit to eventually quit altogether, so the fact that you tried before and it didn't stick has no bearing on succeeding this time.
If it were me trying to quit, I'd post a few articles or graphic photos about cancer, etc on the fridge or wherever you'll see them daily.
You can do it!!!
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:36 am 1453423015