My experience.

[Soully]

So I just felt like I should share this with the community.

I've never been a heavy smoker, I did smoke cigars and pipe tobacco, but it was not often at all, and mostly as something to relax while watching a movie or reading a book.

Recently life's wonder of stress has taken it's toll, from preparing on a move to another state over 1700 miles away, a new job, and moving out from under my parents, I've been averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, and being so stressed out even things I used to enjoy are causing me so much grief that it's fairly pathetic, and because I realize how pathetic it is, it just made it worse.

I started vaping to take that edge off, and I used the lowest mg content to get that light edge off, 6mg.

I picked up a Z atty pro a few weeks ago, but it wasn't until the past few days I started feeling the effects of the nicotine. I get this calming wave over me, almost like I'm light headed, but I've very calm and relaxed, and it's done so much to take that edge off. Granted, having a date finally for the move and being ready for it has taken some of the weight off, but the vaping has been tremendous. I've gotten back a lot of my patience because of it, and I'm able to take a lot more than I had been a few months ago and let it roll off my shoulders.

I've had a few troubling issues with it, though they were overcome and I was able to get vaping again. I've found flavors I've enjoyed, and flavors I can't stand, but overall, it's been a wonderful experience, and I really can say it's been a game changer for me.

Could there have been better alternatives to vaping to relieve stress? Probably, but I couldn't find any that worked, and I know this has and still is. I'm still chain vaping, but I'm not getting any head aches or pains, or feeling super twitchy because I had an all day shift at work and couldn't vape till I got home, so I'm not going to say it's been bad.

Would I recommend vaping to others as a stress relief? Probably not unless they are a smoker as it is, but it's definitely the better alternative to a lot of things I could have chosen to find a calm and happy place.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with it, and I want to thank the vast majority of the community for your help in answering questions, not just to me, but to everyone, as I've looked into other posts as well to get some input. You guys are great and I hope you can keep it up!

Best wishes and thanks to everyone!

 

[minimalsaint]

It's great that you were able to find something for relief without going the pharmaceutical route. I know that tough days at work are often put into quick perspective when I step outside for some fresh air and a vape. Good luck with the move and everything else you have going on!!

 

[Soully]

It's great that you were able to find something for relief without going the pharmaceutical route. I know that tough days at work are often put into quick perspective when I step outside for some fresh air and a vape. Good luck with the move and everything else you have going on!!

Yea, I definitely wanted to avoid prescription things for stress relief, really did not wish to become the poster child for prozac (no offense meant to those that take it, if you need it to get through a day, I'm not bashing it in anyway), mostly because funds are extremely tight, and currently I have no insurance of any form, so yea, doctor visits = painful, and mental doctor visits = left kidney.

Start up price for vaping wasn't cheap, but I am glad with my choice, and I wouldn't change for anything, besides, it now costs me about 15 bucks for a month, about the price of any online game or monthly movie rental service, so I have no complaints at all.

 

[Xenu2112]

I say congrats. There are many worse things you could use as coping mechanisms. If I could, I'd like to recommend exercise as the best stress reliever there is (ok, maybe the second best). Just something as simple as a walk in the morning or afternoon, or some stretches or crunches when you're feeling wound up can make a world of difference. I know it's a cliche, but it's true...for me, anyway.

Your story is heartening if only for the fact that, 5 years ago, someone telling the same story would likely have taken up smoking instead, so hooray for vaping!

Hope life calms down soon and then you can decide whether this is a habit you want to keep our not. In the long run, not is probably better, but no shame either way. Best of luck to you!

 

[Soully]

I say congrats. There are many worse things you could use as coping mechanisms. If I could, I'd like to recommend exercise as the best stress reliever there is (ok, maybe the second best). Just something as simple as a walk in the morning or afternoon, or some stretches or crunches when you're feeling wound up can make a world of difference. I know it's a cliche, but it's true...for me, anyway.

Your story is heartening if only for the fact that, 5 years ago, someone telling the same story would likely have taken up smoking instead, so hooray for vaping!

Hope life calms down soon and then you can decide whether this is a habit you want to keep our not. In the long run, not is probably better, but no shame either way. Best of luck to you!

I definitely gave a try to working out! Would do about a 2ish mile run, I have an unpleasantly high metabolism, and if I'm not moving something is definitely wrong. But my work schedule made getting a workout schedule just not possible (the woes of retail I guess), and I sadly almost blew my knee out the last time I went running a few weeks ago, so I had to call it quits on that. I tried walking once or twice, but my body refuses to move at a slower pace, it goes something like, "Alright...I'm walking...I'm walking...ugh this isn't doing it, must go faster!" and it returns to the full out sprint I normally do, and my knee would decide to inform me that this was not my most intelligent decision.

I've tried a few other things, meditating, basic yoga stretches, etc, but sadly none of it was helping. I tried bowling at one point, and god knows I want to return to doing it, I really do love playing, but one of the people I tried to escape with using bowling decided it would be fun to go bowling on the same nights I was, and just seeing him at the alley was enough to ruin it. The move will indeed fix that problem, but for now, and probably from now on, vaping is going to be the stress relief of choice!