SKOAL MONSTER, Quit

SM would you mind if I printed this and shared with a friend of mine that has not made the dicision to quit. What a great perspective

Thanks for posting this again

Really hits home

I freakin love this post and it was the foundation of my own quit. I'm just gonna leave it here

What Price to Save Ourselves?

by Spongebob

For over 2 decades, my best quit efforts lasted maybe 10 or so days. Finally, asking myself the right question changed my attitude and made it possible to quit. This quit is not easy, but it is finally in MY CONTROL and (I firmly believe) FINAL.

Previously, I always asked "how can I find the strength to break this addiction? In particular, how can I get through the crushing brain fog that always leads to my demise. I can't stay quit or start quitting right now because I get too brain-stupid to get any work done." THAT QUESTION ALWAYS LED ME TO FAIL because (a) it gave me the choice to fail, and ( it said I had other priorities that I would allow to interfere with quitting.

This time, I asked myself a different question. "IS THERE ANYTHING I WILL NOT DO IN ORDER TO QUIT? IS ANY COST TOO HIGH?" Since nobody was asking me to give up my family, I decided the answer was "NO." I therefore decided that I WILL INCUR ANY COST WHATSOEVER TO QUIT. If I must, I will use up all my vacation time to get away from the office until the fog lifts. If I have no vacation time left, I'll call in sick (and I consider addiction withdrawal to be honestly sick). If I run out of vacation/sick time, I'll ask for unpaid leave until my head clears up and while I practice handling fewer stresses without opening a tin. If I can't get unpaid leave, I'll let that job go (and go find a new job AFTER I SAVED MY LIFE). If I can't afford being on unpaid leave or unemployment, I will swallow my pride and ask for help from family & friends, and I will sell my stupid car/house/stereo while I SAVE MY LIFE.

WOW, once I decided that NO COST WAS TOO HIGH TO SAVE MY LIFE, and that I would GLADLY INCUR THOSE COSTS, my whole mental attitude changed. No longer were there any impediments to quitting. Once that was my attitude, quitting was easier than I had experienced in prior efforts. I did have to cut back on my office time (and incur some temporary pay reduction), but nothing drastic. And in the long run, who gives a damn?

See, the real barrier wasn't quitting tobacco -- the real barrier had been what I had not CONSIDERED doing, or had not been WILLING to do, in order to make quitting the absolute #1 priority.

Another example: does quitting make being around the house unbearable? Negotiate leaving for 2 weeks!!! "Honey, I need these 2 weeks in order to give you the rest of my life. This isn't a vacation, this is the old 'stick with me in sickness and in health thing.' It's unfair to leave you with the kids, but I will make it up to you, and you will like the new me much better, and I won't go and get cancer on you.")

I came to this "At What Price" attitude after my wife died. She had been given a terminal diagnosis from hell with no hope whatsoever (Lou Gehrig's Disease). We had wished there was something/anything we could do, but there was not. And she had done nothing to deserve it (no smokes, barely drank, exercised regularly, young).

Now here I was, 14 months after she passed away, giving myself my own terminal sentence. But this was a sentence I had the power to stop. My wife had been denied any such power. So, every time I CHOSE to fill my lip, I insulted the memory of my wife. My wife and I would have paid ANY PRICE to save her: sacrificing job, house, friends, etc.

Once I asked "What Price" to save myself, the answers became rather obvious and easy. This quit is not easy, but now it is only a question of time. The fog still lingers some, but now I just ride it out rather than fight it or let it scare me back to the can.

Hey guys, don't fill the boards with condolences. It's been 15 months and I've come to terms with my loss. But I wanted to share this story to prompt you to ask yourselves, "Is Any Price Too High?" Are you putting artificial barriers (like the job, or conserving vacation days and sick leave, or keeping secrets from your wife) in the way of accomplishing THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL in your life right now?

Would you quit your job, sell your house and move to a desolate place where you have no friends, all in order to save the life of your child, wife, or father? Of course you would. Now, do whatever you have to do, at whatever cost, to save your own life.

Wow this was all good, but when I read this one....I just sat with a dumb "a ha" look on my face.

I am so glad that the clouds of deception have been lifted. I can see thru the lies now. It's like I'm a kid every day that loves to go exploring and discover facts, ultimately truth.

The evil creature doesn't fill a void, it creates it. That was poetry to me. Really built me back up. I have so many triggers today. I thank you for sharing your armor to fight the evil creature.

I have one to add now....

Quit is understanding that chew is just like a parasite. If you don't kill it, it can ultimately kill you.

And thats a fine addition, mthomas.

I don't know where this quote came from but it did not come from me (though I wish it had). I just read the whole intro of Skoal Monster from the beginning. The stories quoted in there would enhance any quit and will help me in mine.

Wow this was all good, but when I read this one....I just sat with a dumb "a ha" look on my face.

I am so glad that the clouds of deception have been lifted. I can see thru the lies now. It's like I'm a kid every day that loves to go exploring and discover facts, ultimately truth.

The evil creature doesn't fill a void, it creates it. That was poetry to me. Really built me back up. I have so many triggers today. I thank you for sharing your armor to fight the evil creature.

I have one to add now....

Quit is understanding that chew is just like a parasite. If you don't kill it, it can ultimately kill you.

And thats a fine addition, mthomas.

Wow this was all good, but when I read this one....I just sat with a dumb "a ha" look on my face.

I am so glad that the clouds of deception have been lifted. I can see thru the lies now. It's like I'm a kid every day that loves to go exploring and discover facts, ultimately truth.

The evil creature doesn't fill a void, it creates it. That was poetry to me. Really built me back up. I have so many triggers today. I thank you for sharing your armor to fight the evil creature.

I have one to add now....

Quit is understanding that chew is just like a parasite. If you don't kill it, it can ultimately kill you.

Great stuff!

These are the posts that truly get me over the tough spots and to some extent keep the craves at bay.....

I will continue to read these incredible rants and random thoughts that you write they are inspirational!

Just a word of thanks to SM for the important help he gave me at the beginning of my Quit.

Nice to see you active again!!!

Nah guys, come on...

Skoalie is nothing but an asshole!!!



... wait for it...



But one of the toughest damn assholes I have the pleasure to be quit with.

Good seeing some new posts from you brother.

This is one of those reads on KTC I'm glad I came across. Good Stuff!!!!!

Great stuff!

These are the posts that truly get me over the tough spots and to some extent keep the craves at bay.....

I will continue to read these incredible rants and random thoughts that you write they are inspirational!

Just a word of thanks to SM for the important help he gave me at the beginning of my Quit.

Nice to see you active again!!!

Nah guys, come on...

Skoalie is nothing but an asshole!!!



... wait for it...



But one of the toughest damn assholes I have the pleasure to be quit with.

Good seeing some new posts from you brother.

This post has been edited by Colonel_No_Cope on Mar 19, 2012, 1:34 am

Great stuff!

These are the posts that truly get me over the tough spots and to some extent keep the craves at bay.....

I will continue to read these incredible rants and random thoughts that you write they are inspirational!

Just a word of thanks to SM for the important help he gave me at the beginning of my Quit.

Nice to see you active again!!!

Great stuff!

These are the posts that truly get me over the tough spots and to some extent keep the craves at bay.....

I will continue to read these incredible rants and random thoughts that you write they are inspirational!

I love this.

Mr. SKOAL MONSTER,

Thank you Sir for this!

You just strengthened my quit and it is very much appreciated!

You fuckers are relentless, like a fat ex girlfriend who keeps drunk dialing me at 3am. I love it, and thanks to all of those in contact with me for caring about my worthless ass. Too many of you to name. But thanks.


Names on the board are different but the stories are the same. I forgot I was an addict, I stopped posting and then...... It just happened.

I can't decide if it is stupid or sad or maybe both.

If you quit and started again you're dumber than a drunken howler monkey trying to fuck a rabid porcupine with a "good personality" . You also were never truly quit to begin with.

If you built a quit out of blocks there would be a block on the bottom that was all about admitting that you are a sniveling, sneaky, lying, full on crack whore of an addict. You don't have a habit, or a vice , or a guilty pleasure, you my disbelieving friend have an ADDICTION. It is bigger than you, and it's forever.
Until you totally absorb the truth that " YOU ARE A JUNKY" and that your literally no different than a heroin addict, your quit will have a weakness. Willpower alone can get you a 100 day vacation from dipping, but thats not a quit.You can build a house without a foundation, but it won't stand the test of time.

3 1/2 years and all of my rants can be summarized below, it really is this simple, and if I can do it then anybody can.

Quit is a state of mind. A decision. Make it, and then live with it

Quit is pure acceptance that you are an addict, there will[B] NEVER be a time when you are NOT an addict

Quit is the realization that chewing doesn't help........ever. Anything you tell yourself opposite this is a lie.

Quit is the understanding that chew only fixes the problems it created in the first place. It doesn't fill the void, it creates it.

Quit is the knowledge that nicotine doesn't reduce stress, or heal a broken heart

Quit is a decision and it's final. Come hell or high water it's final.

Quit must be truthful, don't "ninja quit" your leaving an out. Tell your spouse, your kids and everyone you know. Create personal accountability.

Quit requires a life time of vigilance, if you forget you're a junky you'll fail.

Quit is sometimes one minute at a time, sometimes one day at a time. sometimes one moment.

Quit must be a priority, in the beginning it takes precedence over all things. Your job, your spouse, your kids. They win in the end, but right now quit comes first.

Quit has a price to be paid,get over it. It won't kill you, despite what it feels like in the beginning.

Quit is for you and you alone, no one can choose it for you. You can't do it for anyone but yourself.

Quit requires a plan. Think thru your triggers in advance, then be ready for the ones you forgot to plan for.

Quit takes time, there is more to it than to simply stop using nicotine. You'll need to re-learn some of your life. It'll be ok, give yourself permission to take that time.[/B]

Quit is worth it. All of it.

This addiction will kill you,it will harm your relationships, it'll damage your body and steal you from those who love you. It robs you of your life. It makes you lie, it makes you a slave. It is selfish and cowardly, it is suicide on the installment plan.
You deserve better than this.

This board can work for you like it did for me. The old guard that pointed the way for me is still here for you. All the tools are here for you to build your quit. You just have to take the time to learn them. Roll call, reading everything you can find. Reaching out. Learn about nicotine and how it actually physically effects you, learn about being an addict. Listen to the vets. Save your life, it's not as hard as you think. There is no shame in posting roll or using support to quit, it isn't weakness, it's strength. Your odds of success are much stronger here, your among your own kind of sneaky lying nicotine addled junkies. We know what your feeling, because we've been there.

And if you happen to be a hungover howler monkey with a dick full of porcupine quills, take the time to find the piece you missed before, it is here, even if you post until your 101.

sM

This post has been edited by Skoal Monster on Mar 18, 2012, 1:41 am

It's been a couple months since we were in touch, but he is still clean. His wife has recently been diagnosed with cancer. No excuse...but the one he's using. Will check in again soon.

Text sent.

He just said he'd stop by. SM...what say you get back in the groove of a regular post? LOOt will post for you if you'd prefer to text.

Just got a text back as well with the same. Go's double for me brudda ^^^^^^^.

I will offer my services as well.

It's been a couple months since we were in touch, but he is still clean. His wife has recently been diagnosed with cancer. No excuse...but the one he's using. Will check in again soon.

Text sent.

He just said he'd stop by. SM...what say you get back in the groove of a regular post? LOOt will post for you if you'd prefer to text.

Just got a text back as well with the same. Go's double for me brudda ^^^^^^^.