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Howdy and welcome 
This is a good place to do that. There are lots of successful ex analog smokers here
This is a good place to do that. There are lots of successful ex analog smokers here
Welcome Alex. 
It sounds like you have been "dual" using, meaning still smoking and vaping together? Nothing wrong with that, as long as it's helping you to cut down on your smoking. We have a saying on this forum, "It's not how many cigarettes you smoke a day that is important, it's how many you DIDN'T smoke that is."
I smoked for over 35 years. Never thought that I would be able to quit, because using nicotine gum, patches, prescription drugs, and hypnosis were totally ineffective. My first use of vaping, I dual used for the first week and then was able to put the cigarettes away for good. That was over 6 years ago. It wasn't easy. It took real determination and a true desire to quit for good. I now enjoy vaping more than I ever did smoking, and that's after dropping my nic concentration to almost nothing.
My theory on why vaping worked for me and why the more "accepted" ways to quit didn't work for me is:
It sounds like you have been "dual" using, meaning still smoking and vaping together? Nothing wrong with that, as long as it's helping you to cut down on your smoking. We have a saying on this forum, "It's not how many cigarettes you smoke a day that is important, it's how many you DIDN'T smoke that is."
I smoked for over 35 years. Never thought that I would be able to quit, because using nicotine gum, patches, prescription drugs, and hypnosis were totally ineffective. My first use of vaping, I dual used for the first week and then was able to put the cigarettes away for good. That was over 6 years ago. It wasn't easy. It took real determination and a true desire to quit for good. I now enjoy vaping more than I ever did smoking, and that's after dropping my nic concentration to almost nothing.
My theory on why vaping worked for me and why the more "accepted" ways to quit didn't work for me is:
- Vaping is just a safer alternative way to get the nicotine that we are physically addicted to.
- Vaping simulates the "hand-to-mouth" behavior habit which is just as much part of the habit as nicotine is.
- Vaping simulates the strong desire to "inhale and exhale" (vapor instead of smoke) a substance.
- The more accepted methods of quitting smoking don't really address the last two points above.
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Hi and welcome! There is a huge dual use thread here you might want to check it out. Also have you got ur gear and juice right so you can stop physical craving? The other part is mental and emotional, many people battle that in different ways depending on their triggers. I advise you not to guilt or stress yourself, maybe vape more, try new flavours and be sure to find your nic sweet spot. If you keep working at it and pay attention to the analogues you will most likely find they go away on their own.
Welcome aboard Alex
I had to stop smoking for medical reasons initially. No intentions of quitting. After 3 weeks of vaping and not smoking, I realized I had quit as I much preferred vaping.
But I also tricked the hell out of my brain to get there. First if I wanted a cigarette I would 'delay' it. Once I got thru a day, it was easier. Chain vaping while delaying will help.
I also thought of vaping as 'smoking'. Told myself it was exactly the same. I also used high enough nicotine to help with the cravings.
Good luck
I had to stop smoking for medical reasons initially. No intentions of quitting. After 3 weeks of vaping and not smoking, I realized I had quit as I much preferred vaping.
But I also tricked the hell out of my brain to get there. First if I wanted a cigarette I would 'delay' it. Once I got thru a day, it was easier. Chain vaping while delaying will help.
I also thought of vaping as 'smoking'. Told myself it was exactly the same. I also used high enough nicotine to help with the cravings.
Good luck
Welcome and glad you joined.
Now to make you feel really good about your commitment:
VapeWild Test Results
Welcome to ECF and I hope you meet with success. I was a dilettante vaper/dual user for a long time before returning to smoking. I was a 3 ppd smoker by the end, and had pneumonia for 18 months and was facing the dreaded COPD diagnosis when I decided to try vaping again.
A few things that helped me: learning a lot about vaping and using it to distract me from my smoking habit, using WTA juice to quit (it has some of the alkaloids in tobacco, it helped but did not eliminate detox symptoms) cutting out my hardest cigarette first (the a.m. one, I delayed it by 20 minutes the first day and pushed it out further every day). Finding enjoyment in vaping-- the right nic level, equipment, etc. It cost me some money but it was worth it. Starting DIY eliquid and building my own coils, making vaping something FUN. Smoking was no longer FUN for me or anyone around me.
I'm not going to say "You can do it." It's not always that easy. I had leering health issues to give me high motivation but I also had to get a bit creative as far as readiness for a total quit, but that day did come and I was so glad.
Learn as much as you can, and kind of "befriend" your smoking habit so you can learn from it. As I was lowering my cigarettes, I was shocked to discover I was really a "stress" smoker above all (I so much smoked, I didn't know what kind of smoker I was, other than an entrenched one.) My last few smokes were very much stress smokes and I had to figure out how to handle that.
LOL, my mom just visited and she stresses me out, I didn't smoke though, and hardly even felt the need! It does get easier.
But in general, you will receive from vaping what you put into it. So don't hesitate to ask question, seek support, etc. ECF was a huge help to me when I began. And, I am very close to a year tobacco free (and HAPPY) that has never happened before not since I started decades ago.
Best of luck I hope things work well for you! If they aren't come get support and ask questions. Tons of cessation advice to be had at ECF.
Welcome
Anna
A few things that helped me: learning a lot about vaping and using it to distract me from my smoking habit, using WTA juice to quit (it has some of the alkaloids in tobacco, it helped but did not eliminate detox symptoms) cutting out my hardest cigarette first (the a.m. one, I delayed it by 20 minutes the first day and pushed it out further every day). Finding enjoyment in vaping-- the right nic level, equipment, etc. It cost me some money but it was worth it. Starting DIY eliquid and building my own coils, making vaping something FUN. Smoking was no longer FUN for me or anyone around me.
I'm not going to say "You can do it." It's not always that easy. I had leering health issues to give me high motivation but I also had to get a bit creative as far as readiness for a total quit, but that day did come and I was so glad.
Learn as much as you can, and kind of "befriend" your smoking habit so you can learn from it. As I was lowering my cigarettes, I was shocked to discover I was really a "stress" smoker above all (I so much smoked, I didn't know what kind of smoker I was, other than an entrenched one.) My last few smokes were very much stress smokes and I had to figure out how to handle that.
LOL, my mom just visited and she stresses me out, I didn't smoke though, and hardly even felt the need! It does get easier.
But in general, you will receive from vaping what you put into it. So don't hesitate to ask question, seek support, etc. ECF was a huge help to me when I began. And, I am very close to a year tobacco free (and HAPPY) that has never happened before not since I started decades ago.
Best of luck I hope things work well for you! If they aren't come get support and ask questions. Tons of cessation advice to be had at ECF.
Welcome
Anna
Welcome Alex,
You've already had some GREAT advice! I totally agree with baditude on the its how many smokes you DIDN'T have that matters.
I totally get the mind tricks stuff. I had a hard time finding the right setup but once I did i dual use for a little while. I didn't beat myself up for smoking (guilt is not a good motivator for me haha), but before having a smoke I would vape for a while first and then re-evaluate if i REALLY wanted one in 20 minutes or so. From what I understand the nic we get in vaping is absorbed more slowly than the stuff from burning tobacco.
I also bought tobacco (I rolled my own) in a brand I didn't really love so my smokes tasted a bit meh and vaping was more appealing. I found if I waited that 20-30 minutes and vaped like a train when i eventually gave in and had a smoke it wasn't as appealing or satisfying.
I also noticed that if i got busy and didn't vape for hours when i had a rest the compulsion to smoke would hit me like a freight train and it was close to impossible to resist. I found that vaping (even if a little bit) more often prevented the crazy nic cravings from overwhelming me.
Keep at it! If you continue to have problems there are nic salts (absorb much faster), WTA nic (which has alkaloids found in tobacco other than just nic) and other tricks.
Cheers
Christine
You've already had some GREAT advice! I totally agree with baditude on the its how many smokes you DIDN'T have that matters.
I totally get the mind tricks stuff. I had a hard time finding the right setup but once I did i dual use for a little while. I didn't beat myself up for smoking (guilt is not a good motivator for me haha), but before having a smoke I would vape for a while first and then re-evaluate if i REALLY wanted one in 20 minutes or so. From what I understand the nic we get in vaping is absorbed more slowly than the stuff from burning tobacco.
I also bought tobacco (I rolled my own) in a brand I didn't really love so my smokes tasted a bit meh and vaping was more appealing. I found if I waited that 20-30 minutes and vaped like a train when i eventually gave in and had a smoke it wasn't as appealing or satisfying.
I also noticed that if i got busy and didn't vape for hours when i had a rest the compulsion to smoke would hit me like a freight train and it was close to impossible to resist. I found that vaping (even if a little bit) more often prevented the crazy nic cravings from overwhelming me.
Keep at it! If you continue to have problems there are nic salts (absorb much faster), WTA nic (which has alkaloids found in tobacco other than just nic) and other tricks.
Cheers
Christine
I'll second (third?) The mentions of WTA liquid because it sounds like you maybe aren't getting the satisfaction you're used to from nicotine alone. As @stols001 said, it isn't a magic bullet, but I've found that it helps fill in some "emptiness" that vaping nicotine alone had for me. Trouble is that it isn't cheap but compared to cigarettes there's still cost savings. I mix unflavored WTA with my regular juice at about 20%, and my tentative plan is to gradually reduce it until I'm not using it anymore.
Others here have given great advice and you may find that some of those suggestions work for you, but I just wanted to throw my experience out there if it helps.
Others here have given great advice and you may find that some of those suggestions work for you, but I just wanted to throw my experience out there if it helps.
Hi, Alex, and welcome to ECF! There is a lot of great information here and great people to help you in your quest to quit smoking.
I smoked for 42 years, working my way up to nearly 4 packs a day the last few years. I had tried to quit many times over the years without success. I tried vaping 2 times prior with the same results. I was successful the third time because I finally joined ECF and began posting. It was so nice to see I wasn't the only one with the same problem, and their support helped me to finally succeed. It's now been almost 5 years since I've smoked a real cigarette.
Check out this thread, Still Smoking Support and Chat Thread. You'll get helpful hints and support from people who are, or were, in the same situation as you.
Good luck,
Thaya
I smoked for 42 years, working my way up to nearly 4 packs a day the last few years. I had tried to quit many times over the years without success. I tried vaping 2 times prior with the same results. I was successful the third time because I finally joined ECF and began posting. It was so nice to see I wasn't the only one with the same problem, and their support helped me to finally succeed. It's now been almost 5 years since I've smoked a real cigarette.
Check out this thread, Still Smoking Support and Chat Thread. You'll get helpful hints and support from people who are, or were, in the same situation as you.
Good luck,
Thaya
Hi Alex - I definitely understand trying to trick oneself. I've used that tactic many times - sometimes with success - sometimes not so much (like when I set my clock a few minutes fast so I am not late but I know it is fast and am still late... lol). Everyone is different so what works for one might not work for another.
I was a heavy smoker and started smoking at 10 1/2 to 11 years old. Seemed that I nearly always had a cig in my mouth, in my hand or was planning for when I was going to have one. I never once in all the years I smoked ever tried to quit.
I decided that I wanted to stop and thought that vaping would be a great way because I could still satisfy myself. So I put it in my mind that this was it --it was the "new smoking" and that I was just going to do it.
I started with icky store bought stuff and egos and I'll admit it did not really love it. I just kept telling myself I would get used to it. I did not think of it as a magic bullet and knew I would need some willpower. I was determined though and plugged though for about two years with the store-bought stuff and the egos.
My trick then - in addition to having determination - was making sure I had supplies. With cigarettes, I only purchased packs, not cartons and I knew if one store did not have them another would. With the store bought and the egos I bought online - I knew that if I ran out or if the store did not have the item in stock I would just buy cigarettes so my trick or tip #1 is making sure you have more than adequate supplies so that you are removing any temptation or excuse to go and get a regular cigarette.
I lurked on this board for close to a year before joining and read everything I could. There is a ton of info here.
Then I became more confident and asked for recommendations and kept upgrading my equipment.
I started at very high nicotine and worked my way down to very low.
The industry is more advanced now and there are more choices now.
Since you want a way to trick yourself that nicotine is nicotine that means that you feel you are struggling a bit so trick or tip #2 is to consider using a pod system. I really think if they were available when I first started that I would have gone that route. They give a high nicotine hit and the feeling is said to be very comparable to the "smoking-like" sensation. I bought a pod a few months back just because I wanted to know what it is all about but I cannot even compare it because it has been so long since I smoked.
The pods give a high nic hit and it may be a bit challenging down the road if you want to reduce the amount of nicotine you are consuming but the benefits are huge - namely, your health and quitting cigs. I truly believe that would have been the route for me had I quit in 2018.
And now, many years later, I so much prefer the feeling I get off of vaping - there is absolutely no comparison.
Good luck in your journey. You can do it. There are many success stories here.
I was a heavy smoker and started smoking at 10 1/2 to 11 years old. Seemed that I nearly always had a cig in my mouth, in my hand or was planning for when I was going to have one. I never once in all the years I smoked ever tried to quit.
I decided that I wanted to stop and thought that vaping would be a great way because I could still satisfy myself. So I put it in my mind that this was it --it was the "new smoking" and that I was just going to do it.
I started with icky store bought stuff and egos and I'll admit it did not really love it. I just kept telling myself I would get used to it. I did not think of it as a magic bullet and knew I would need some willpower. I was determined though and plugged though for about two years with the store-bought stuff and the egos.
My trick then - in addition to having determination - was making sure I had supplies. With cigarettes, I only purchased packs, not cartons and I knew if one store did not have them another would. With the store bought and the egos I bought online - I knew that if I ran out or if the store did not have the item in stock I would just buy cigarettes so my trick or tip #1 is making sure you have more than adequate supplies so that you are removing any temptation or excuse to go and get a regular cigarette.
I lurked on this board for close to a year before joining and read everything I could. There is a ton of info here.
Then I became more confident and asked for recommendations and kept upgrading my equipment.
I started at very high nicotine and worked my way down to very low.
The industry is more advanced now and there are more choices now.
Since you want a way to trick yourself that nicotine is nicotine that means that you feel you are struggling a bit so trick or tip #2 is to consider using a pod system. I really think if they were available when I first started that I would have gone that route. They give a high nicotine hit and the feeling is said to be very comparable to the "smoking-like" sensation. I bought a pod a few months back just because I wanted to know what it is all about but I cannot even compare it because it has been so long since I smoked.
The pods give a high nic hit and it may be a bit challenging down the road if you want to reduce the amount of nicotine you are consuming but the benefits are huge - namely, your health and quitting cigs. I truly believe that would have been the route for me had I quit in 2018.
And now, many years later, I so much prefer the feeling I get off of vaping - there is absolutely no comparison.
Good luck in your journey. You can do it. There are many success stories here.
Just wanted to say 'Hello gender female Alex'. At first I thought you were Missing In Action. If I was in Miami I'd be MIA in MIA.
Whenever you'd normally have a smoke .... vape instead. Hopefully your nic is set at the right level.
@stols001 - dilletante - Helluva $10 word, or better yet Scrabble. You always make me smile
Whenever you'd normally have a smoke .... vape instead. Hopefully your nic is set at the right level.
@stols001 - dilletante - Helluva $10 word, or better yet Scrabble. You always make me smile
Great article. I cannot imagine anything being worse for my health than smoking cigarettes )along with the DEET bug spray) I have to put on for the next 5 months. That “organic” stuff doesn’t work either
I am attempting on my own (without looking at the abbreviations section) to figure out why cigarettes are “analogs.”Howdy and welcome
This is a good place to do that. There are lots of successful ex analog smokers here
CAUTION! SPOILER BELOW!
Because they’re not digital. Most mods these days are digital. A lot of the terminology has historical context. Like “mod”. It used to be before companies started making the devices for sale people would literally modify flashlights and Altoids tins or RadioShack project boxes (hence “box mod”)
Thank you! What has stuck with me are the posts acknowledging that you must stop comparing vaping to smoking cigarettes. Stop comparing the flavors to tobacco, etc. I think that is why I have struggled making the jump. I have 5 different devices...all kinds of flavors, but my brain couldn’t pivot until I looked at the process differently.
Welcome Alex.
It sounds like you have been "dual" using, meaning still smoking and vaping together? Nothing wrong with that, as long as it's helping you to cut down on your smoking. We have a saying on this forum, "It's not how many cigarettes you smoke a day that is important, it's how many you DIDN'T smoke that is."
I smoked for over 35 years. Never thought that I would be able to quit, because using nicotine gum, patches, prescription drugs, and hypnosis were totally ineffective. My first use of vaping, I dual used for the first week and then was able to put the cigarettes away for good. That was over 6 years ago. It wasn't easy. It took real determination and a true desire to quit for good. I now enjoy vaping more than I ever did smoking, and that's after dropping my nic concentration to almost nothing.
My theory on why vaping worked for me and why the more "accepted" ways to quit didn't work for me is:
On thing that I learned during that one week of dual use, is that I didn't have to smoke an entire cigarette to satisfy those really bad cravings. So I just smoked HALF of one, and saved the last half for the next bad craving. Those half smoked cigs tasted pretty nasty, but that actually helped me to quit. Before the week was out, I was preferring vaping to smoking.
- Vaping is just a safer alternative way to get the nicotine that we are physically addicted to.
- Vaping simulates the "hand-to-mouth" behavior habit which is just as much part of the habit as nicotine is.
- Vaping simulates the strong desire to "inhale and exhale" (vapor instead of smoke) a substance.
- The more accepted methods of quitting smoking don't really address the last two points above.
Yet another lightbulb moment...I love, “it’s not how many cigarettes you smoked today, it’s how many you didn’t.” I understand that most people think the JUUL is for amateurs...However, I have managed to break even the simplest devices that require changing out “stuff,” even with my personal friend who owns a VS store. I tried the JUUL when it only had one level of nic, but it was way too strong and hurt my throat. I gave it another whirl with the lower nicotine level and liked it however, I still found myself smoking about the same amount of cigarettes. Their website stressed the importance of joining a “non-combustable” support group to help go all-in. Apparently, the most common reason why people can’t make the jump is because they aren’t getting the correct amount of nicotine. Not “pulling” a drag the correct way was also a reason. I average about a pack every other day. Being armed with the knowledge that one pod is equal to about one pack of cigarettes made me realize I was not doing things properly. I’m sure I will kick this to the curb because of this site. Thanks again!
I replied in another post the most confusing thing is figuring out what is the proper amount of nicotine for me. I will definitely check out that thread. People are creatures of habit. I have already noticed the exact times of day I smoke and why. Mentally, there is no real reason for Reidy not to fold and grab a cigarette instead of a device. Thank you!
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