Hello, I started vaping about a year ago. Due to ecigs, I have been able to cut down on analogs a great deal !
I went from smoking a pack a day to 15 a day , then 10 and now I am down to 4 to 5 cigarettes.
But I have reached an impasse and I am really struggling to let the cigs go entirely. So I now have a counselor
with Quit for Life ( employer requirement if I ever want discount as nonsmoker on the insurance policy ).
They, of course, cannot recommend or talk about vaping. They cannot even discuss the vaporizer or anything prescripton wise either. They will only talk about the patch, lozenges and gum, none of which I can use due to skin problems and my dentist said No to the nicotine gum and lozenge. Vaping is all that works for me and the only thing that has helped me.
What I am having trouble getting past is when the urge is strong, vaping just does not take away the strong urges.
I find I have to take 2 to 3 puffs of the analog cig and then go back to vaping.
How did you all get past this and do it successfully? When the urges are very strong, how did you learn to cope with the fact that vaping takes much longer to satisfy that urge than does regular smoking. Or maybe I am not vaping correctly ? I am wondering if I need a higher nicotine level as I have been using 11 mg all along as I never, ever smoked more than a pack a day and often just 15 max per day.
I really need some input with what works for you when:
1. The urges are bad and time is limited and you try to settle that urge a bit. I am an emotional closet type smoker and not a social smoker. I guess you could say I almost always used smoking like an anti anxiety medication.
I struggle with anxiety and insomnia due to a chronic illness. So I smoke when anxious or depressed more.
2. When I am around some family and friends, they do not want me vaping in front of them so I have to sneak some vaping in a restroom or away from them and hide that too from view. So I need to get some quick hits that will last to curb the urge..thus far, the vaping only craves about half the urge.
3. How are you all coping with the irritablity or depression or anxiety of withdrawal. ? I have a great family and husband but they would rather not talk about this issue or quitting..even though they are all either ex smokers or non smokers. So I have very little of a support system. They all just tell me, Well Quit All ready but Don;'t be Talking about it. Just do it . So it is tough for me as I have so few who lend me support, they just are disgusted with me that I smoke still and they do not want to ever talk about it. My husband quit cold turkey and he disapproves of nicotine replacement therapy. He thinks vaping is a crutch. But he says whatever it takes, go for it but I cannot talk about my struggle because he thinks if he quit, the world can quit cold turkey. And my sister just nags me about the smell and how my clothes smelling like smoke inflames her allergies and how it affects her. She only wants me to quit so my house smells better and because she does not like the smell. She refuses to lend support until I quit.
4. So I guess I am looking for some ideas, input, and so on as everyone who is close to me is not comfortable with this topic or are lifelong nonsmokers who think people can quit smoking as easy as they gave up sugar or soda.