Quitting a habit

[EddieWalker]

I started dipping Copenhagen in the Marines when I had to stay up all night by myself in the Embassy. Other Marines dipped and said it's how they stay awake, and they where right. No sleeping while dipping!!! It lasted about 15 years. I quit dozens and dozens of times, but after about five days, I couldn't take it anymore and started back up. Then one day I was out looking for a fresh can and couldn't find any at all my regular places. By the end of the day, I still hadn't found a fresh can and was kind of annoyed that everything was so old. Next day was just as bad. I didn't really think about not having a dip all day, or the next day, but by the 3rd day, it hit me, so I bought bag of Doritos instead and gained 60 pounds in about 6 months, but didn't dip again. I thought about it, but just kept stuffing my face and gaining weight instead. I've never lost all the weight, and that's been an ongoing issues since quitting tobacco 20 years ago.

 

[Doofy]

When I quit Skoal, I was light headed and had trouble walking as my depth perception went wonky. What a miserable feeling.

 

[Molalla1]

When I quit Skoal, I was light headed and had trouble walking as my depth perception went wonky. What a miserable feeling.

Take another dip you'll be ok . . . :laughing:

 

[Jstpssng]

I was 15 when I went to a "Demolay Conclave"... an offspring of the Masons for teenage boys. Everybody there was smoking and I got in on the act... when I got home I bought a pack and snuck out into the woods but something about that cigarette in my hand didn't look right, I said out loud "this looks s****y", threw the rest of the pack under the log I was sitting on and left it, where it must still be 45 years later. I tried chewing once at hunting camp and woke up on the top bunk in the middle of the night knowing that I was going to puke... luckily I got outside first and never had the desire to try it again. I only wish that I'd been as smart about certain other things as those two.

 

[bcp]

I gave up cigarettes about 2 minutes after I started, in about 1962.

Bruce

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I never smoked but chewed Levi Garrett for about 10 years, quit cold turkey over 20 years ago. It started just a chew while cutting grass then more until I was hooked. It was fantastic! Then I realized I couldn't do anything without a chew first. Quitting was awful for the first few days.
My friend, neighbor has been chewing 50 years. Hanging around him increased my chewing back then!
It was amazing as I remember. Any task, a chew and it made the work go better!
Around here no problem, in public first thing I was looking for was a trash can.
I'm so glad I quit. We don't even drink. Life is the best without any addictions.

:thumbsup: Yep... that was me. A chew was my best friend.

 

[oosik]

I smoked for ten years, unfiltered Camels. Then the price of a pack went up to 55 cents in the vending machines. I quit - cold turkey. That was about '68. In 2006 I pick up chewing. Copenhagen - long cut. Since then I've quit three times. About two months ago I just couldn't take it any longer. Dam - I'm back chewing.

I've found that quitting chewing to be infinitely more difficult than quitting smoking. Obviously.

 

[TractorGuy]

Quit drinking beer cold turkey in 1987. After making my mind up to stop I never wanted another one.

Smoked unfiltered Camels for 40+ years. Quit cold turkey in 2006. After making my mind up to stop I never wanted another one.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I started chewing at about age 20. Settled on Beechnut Wintergreen as my brand. Not many people would bum a chew off me with that brand.

At about age 45, I had a first cousin who was about 4 years younger than me, die of mouth cancer from chewing. Not long after that, my brother quit chewing with the help of Chantix. I figured if my brother could quit, I could quit also. So, I haven't had a chew in about 15 years, and I quit cold turkey without the help of any drugs.

The urge for a chew has subsided over the years, but I still would like some good ole Beechnut now and then. The craving was a lot stronger at first.

 

[Doofy]

I smoked for ten years, unfiltered Camels. Then the price of a pack went up to 55 cents in the vending machines. I quit - cold turkey. That was about '68. In 2006 I pick up chewing. Copenhagen - long cut. Since then I've quit three times. About two months ago I just couldn't take it any longer. Dam - I'm back chewing.

I've found that quitting chewing to be infinitely more difficult than quitting smoking. Obviously.

oosik,
Sometimes, trying to quit something you enjoy is simply not worth the effort. Our time on this earth gets shorter every day so you may as enjoy what brings you pleasure. At our age, I doubt that it will be the "Chew" that kills us. Rock & Spit, Rock & Spit.

 

[Molalla1]

I smoked for ten years, unfiltered Camels. Then the price of a pack went up to 55 cents in the vending machines. I quit - cold turkey. That was about '68. In 2006 I pick up chewing. Copenhagen - long cut. Since then I've quit three times. About two months ago I just couldn't take it any longer. Dam - I'm back chewing.

I've found that quitting chewing to be infinitely more difficult than quitting smoking. Obviously.

oosik, that's because Copenhagen is even stronger than the Camel straights we used to smoke . . . d@mnit you make me want a chew. . . . and I liked the good old regular (snuff) I think it's called.

 

[Doofy]

At times, I would add some Garretts Snuff (fine powder) for a little extra kick. Some folks added whiskey our bourbon to their chew but it burned bad.

 

[dragoneggs]

Never chewed or smoked. But I do like my red wine at dinner and beyond. Can't see giving it up but I know it would reduce my waist line and stomach fat. Some day...

 

[Molalla1]

Never chewed or smoked. But I do like my red wine at dinner and beyond. Can't see giving it up but I know it would reduce my waist line and stomach fat. Some day...

I think it's more of doing "push aways", pushing away from the table . . . .

 

[Oaktree]

Never chewed or smoked.

Thankfully, me neither. In my early teens I tried smoking a couple times, thought it was nasty and never did it again. Most of the kids I hung out with growing up didn't smoke either, so there wasn't the temptation. I've never known anyone who chewed tobacco, maybe it's a regional thing.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Puffed a few smokes and dipped maybe twice as a young 'un.

Once I turned 18, until I was 40, I drank enough Anheuser\Busch beer to float the whole navy. Now, a 12 pack lasts me about 4 months....unless my wife likes what I bought, then it lasts maybe a month.

First it was Budweiser, then Michelob, Michelob lite, Bud Lite, Natural lite. Now I like Bud Lite lime or michelob ultra, and usually only one.

 

[jaxs]

I started smoking so young,i honestly don't remember the first time I tried it out. Papers were cheap so we bought them and rolled cotton leaves that had been defoliated (it's a miracle that didn't kill us the same day),grape vine leaves,grape vine(feel's like your tongue has been sandpapered) and any lots of other stupid stuff. Had graduated to Duke's Mixture by 10 and Bugler by 14. Anyone remember Bugler that ran pro-mos where they gave you a free rolling machine with purchase of their tobacco? Chewed,dipped and smoked until my first two grandsons were about 6-8 years old. More than fame or fortune,I wanted to play ball,hunt,fish and watch them grow for ever minute possible. It required medication but unlike dozens of past attempts,it was successful. Oldest grandson is 31,youngest is 14 with several between plus one year old and three month old great granddaughters. It worked out beyond my wildest dream. Craving tobacco never crosses my mind. A friend claim's to be enjoying a smoke in a dream and it make's him mad to wake.

 

[Aquamoose]

I never smoked nor did snuff or any of that stuff BUT I always liked the smell of my grandfather’s pipe. Wished I knew the type he bought.

Being the one to watch my money, I had a young guy who smoked and was griping a bit about the cost of living & etc while raising a lil’ one with his wife. I asked him how many packs a day he smoked a week and how much each pack cost him. Did my math on paper and showed gave it to him along with statistics on how much shorter a smoker’s life expectancy is and walked away.

He quit cold the next day and told me he was going to take his family to Disneyland in a few months with the $ he saved. (We lived & worked in SoCal)

I didn’t think he’d do it as he was pretty tatted up and menacing for his looks but has a good family heart. Still smokeless after 15 years.

 

[polo1665]

I smoked from the age of 16 until I was 41. Had a heck of a time quitting, but finally gave it up cold turkey after being hypnotized. That's been 13 years ago and it took a long time after quitting before I felt normal again.

My dad came down with COPD a little after he retired....I smoked for a couple years after that, but as things started getting worse for him, well that pretty much convinced me to put them down for good.

 

[Shaneard]

I watched my dad drink when I was younger and used to leave notes with his hidden liquor bottles asking him to quit. When I turned 20 years old I got drunk for the first time. I stayed drunk for many years. If I bought a 12 pack or 18 pack of beer I thought I had to drink them all. It was a problem I had. I finally quit cold turkey when my wife got pregnant with our son. I told her if he grows up to be an alcoholic he wouldn't learn it from watching me. I got back into church and reading the Bible more and God helped me quit and stay sober, it's been 7 years and 6 months since I've had a drink.

I went to church with a guy who drank, smoked and did drugs. He quit them all and said smoking was the hardest of the 3.