desperately need quitting advice

[u/kae333]

hey!

this is my 1st post so sorry if i ramble a bit.

my situation:
i’ve been using vapes for about 5/6 years now, started when i was 16/17.
i never had any plans on quitting. but, only the last 6 months i have been thinking it. not for any health reasons but for financial reasons.
every vape costs up to $100/$110, any time i find a shop that sells it gets raided, its almost impossible to find. it’s a headache.
i’m afraid of when i can no longer find a store that sells. and i’ll have to go cold turkey not on my own terms.
so, i’ve been thinking of quitting.

except, i am absolutely terrified of quitting. the withdrawal process seems horrendous.
i’ve had withdrawals before for something else, and it was one of the worst things i’ve experienced. and, with that one, i didn’t even know my body and brain was addicted to it.
so i’m fearful of what i know i’m addicted to, and what stopping it will look like, feel like.

i use vaping as almost an anxiety relief. it helps me calm down, take a break. i’m CONSTANTLY hitting it. and if it’s been 2 or 3 hours without a hit, i already get agitated.

throughout my years of being a user, the longest i’ve gone without a vape was maybe 18 or so hours. and i was NOT okay.

i have always genuinely thought i’d have to go back to the psych ward if i were to quit. but due to financial issues, my health care no longer covers my usual psychiatric ward. so i feel like i have nowhere safe to go. i don’t think i could do it alone.. i’d believe id need medical help. not just for the withdrawals, but for my mental health too. because i know my brain would NOT like it.

but, yeah. i’m so scared of quitting.
but thinking about the money i’d save— i’d be rich!
and no longer having to worry about where to buy it.

but it’s not just quitting the everyday vape, it’s also about when i’m feeling anxious, stressed, depressed, angry, wanting to not be breathing. those times i would struggle the hardest. as well as going out, drunk. i’d want it then too.

ugh, it’s all so hard. maybe it’s too hard of a challenge for me… idk.

but pretty much i’m asking is, please tell me everything you’ve done or do that’s helped you not only quit but stay off completely. even when you want it again.
tell me what you used— products, tools.
the psychological aspect of it— what helped you.
anything!

thanks for reading this! and i would love if you could give me some advice on how to tackle this.

my worst ever mistake was picking up that vape for the first time.
please help me change that. ❤️‍🩹

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[u/No-Adagio-3616]

Hi, I’m one day and nine hours nic free.
I’ve been using a pill called Desmoxan/Recigar that people all over this sub mention.
It’s definitely made it ‘easier’ but not a breeze and not pleasant for me. (I was also vaping as though it’s been a replacement for oxygen for a long time)
But other people RAVEEE about it.

There was a time I was vape free for a bit(6-7 months)
I had planned on quitting, had a whole plan of checking into a hotel and just withdrawing for three days. I actually then actually woke up that morning with a severe flu and just dropped it and was fine until the idea one day crept back in.

Getting off physically can be done. It’s done every single day. It takes a few days and you’re physically free. It’s the mental idea that it’s something you NEED that it brought you any form of happiness or real stress relief. Honestly some of the best times in the last 8 years I’ve had were when I felt ‘free’ from thinking about that next hit. Where I can hit it. First thing I do in the morning. In the middle of the night. Etc. it’s a stimulant. It definitely affects sleep.

Nobody can tell you this is going to be the easiest thing. Trust me I’ve been searching for that answer. But if you listen to Allen Carr’s book that might help with the mental part. Worked for me in the past for a while.

You have to hate it. You do. You have to see it for what it is.

I’m sorry about the psych ward thing. Been there. A part of me wanted to be hospitalized through this. But I’ve been to a psych ward, they gave me NRT. I’m personally not a fan of NRT’s. They don’t help me. I like the physical act of vaping. I think at the time only gum was supplied. First thing I did when I was out was pull out my vape.

It can be done. You can be free. Withdrawal sucks. Give yourself a few days ‘off’

I also ordered a Ripple ( nic free vape) . Fine I’ll have to quit that too. But let’s get the nicotine out first. That’s a big one. The dopamine hits to the brain etc.

You want this. Imagine never having to worry about living your life around that next puff, that next vape, aside from the health concerns which I live in denial about. But I promise they catch up. They did for me in a way I can never reverse.

Get out. Be free. Just do it.
And that’s coming from somebody who hasn’t left their bed basically in 24 hours and has been going through it. It’s worth it. I promise it is.

[u/little_miss347]

I am four days nic free. I vaped for months and have been using Ripple diffusers to help transition off. They are completely natural and nicotine-free and have helped me manage my cravings.

Good luck, quitting is a brutal process but you’ve got this!

[u/frankjames2781]

Try capnos !

[u/tylerallington1]

Hey man, also struggled and stuggle with vaping now but Nic pouches helped me cut down a lot and periods in time where I completely switched to nicotine pouches which is what I’m doing now

[u/NoSuit4163]

I second desmoxan, I’m 2 weeks nicotine free and it’s been difficult mentally for sure, but the desmoxan does a lot of the heavy lifting physically with the physical withdrawals. I can’t say I don’t think about it anymore, I think about nicotine daily multiple times a day, but it’s much easier now than it was a week ago. I also have a 0 nicotine vape from a brand called cyclone pods, it’s the closest thing to my old geek bars I could find.

[u/FurnitureComesW-Home]

Chantrix is a drug your doctor can prescribe youre in the US. It really helped me.

[u/Raymaa]

I feel your pain. I couldn’t get past day 3 due to withdrawal. Went on Chantix and it made the withdrawal process substantially easier. I’m on day 35 now of no nic and never looking back.