David,
Good luck to you!!!
When I was in the Marine Corps, I was an Embassy Guard and had to stay away all night long in the embassy twice a week. It was a long, boring shift that was always challenging to stay awake. Several of the other Marines dipped and told me it's how they stayed awake. I tried it and it worked. I only dipped on those late shifts, but after getting out and coming back to the States, I started dipping more and more.
In the mid 90's, I started trying to quit. Sometimes it lasted a few days, other times I went a full month or more. Quiting was always easy, but getting the thoughts out of my head that I needed a dip was what drove me crazy. It would be all that I could think about!!!!!!
Then in 1997, After several attempts that year already, I went into a store to buy a can and couldn't find anything fresh. I was real particular on how old the can was, and knew of several places that sold it fresh. I went to place after place and couldn't find any. The day ended before I could find a can. The first thing the next day, I went to my local store and they were totally sold out. That's when it changed for me, I went from needing it, to being angry at it and quit again. That was the first time that I quit angry. I can't say if it was at myself, or who, but it was different then the other times.
To replace the dip, I started chewing toothpicks. I still chew toothpicks today, but not as ofter as I used to. And then I discovered Dorittos. I ate a bag a day!!! And in six months, I gaines 65 pounds. All I did was stuff my face with food. I was working out, doing cardio, but nowhere near enough to keep up with my need for something to eat. Heck, I wasn't even hungry.
The other thing that happened was I lost all motivation to do anything. Mowing the lawn became a chore. Before, I'd put a dip in and cut the grass. It was fun. Without the dip, it wasn't the same. Just about all my hobbies suffered because I didn't enjoy them anymore.
I still missed chewing, but the non stop, overwhelming thinking about it all the time was less after the first month. The first week is easy, it's that first month when it was too much for me.
Several years after quiting, I still thought about it and missed it. Kind of like a dog that passed away, you miss it and wish it was back, but by then, I was strong enough to resist it. I started dieting and cut way back on the snacking. I was still overweight, but wasn't gaining anymore. Since quiting, I've struggled with my weight. When I was chewing, I ate anything and never thought about it. I know I'm older and that's the real reason, but the timing of it was perfect with my quiting.
11 1/2 years later, I'm long past thinking about it. Looking back, I think it was about a five year process to completely get past any desire for it. Being it was my first and only addiction, all I can say is that my brain wanted it and kept reminding me of how good it would taste and make me feel.
My lip and gums are back to normal. That happened fairly quickly. I had my teeth bleached and that was also a fairly quick fix to the yellowing that had developed from a decade of staining them. And I even have my weight under control to a level that I'm not embarrassed by my belly or going swimming in public.
Right now, it's only going to get worse for you. I never tried the gum, but of those that I know who did, it either became another addiction for them, or it didn't work and they went back to smoking or dipping. I wouldn't recomend Dorittos, which worked for me, but while gaining all the weight, I did rationalize that it was better then then going back to dipping. I thougth I could lose the weight fairly easily, and didn't realize how hard it would be.
I admire you for putting it out here on the forums. Even if you slip up, be honest about it and move forward. Odds are that you may have to try again and again to quit. Just keep at it and endure the mental torture that your brain will put you through. It's worth it!!!!!
Eddie
