originally posted here The Vaping Experiment – How Long can I go Without a Vape? « Big Vapers
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I have not had a cigarette, as of this post, in 5 moths, 7days, and 20 hours - and yes I am very proud of myself!
I think it goes without saying - but I'm going to say it anyways - that I could not have done it without turning to vaping!
For those of you who were smokers or still are smokers, you know how difficult it is to go, depending on your addiction, without a cigarette for x amount of hours. Unfortunately for me - at my peak - it was basically every hour! Yes, I was a pack a day or more smoker for years.
I started vaping about 2 weeks after quitting. I was using nicorette inhalers and gum and it was increasingly becoming difficult - and yes I cheated once or twice. After a long discussion with my wife, on how I did not want to fail this time, I decided to research electric cigarettes - they worked!
Within a month of using a pen style e-cig, more specifically the joyetech 510-T, I discovered eGo's, then MOD's ... the rest is history.
Vaping fulfills my needs as an ex-smoker, both physical and mentally. I enjoy the taste of the eJuice, the feeling of the vapor in my throat, the clouds of vapor above my head, and of course the nicotine to relieve my cravings.
Have I switched my addiction?
This is a great question - and a question I get asked a lot by non-vapers.
Most smokers don't like to admit it - we are addicts! Addiction comes in all forms: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food, coffee, sex, etc. You can be addicted anything! The key is understanding that the real addiction is addiction. In other words we are addicted to being addicted to something.
It is very common for people to switch addictions - recovering alcoholics and drug users commonly move to chain smoking, ex-smokers commonly move to food - these are common switches because the mind is looking for a way to relieve stress and replace that emptiness you feel emotionally and psychologically. When your body has become conditioned to perform a certain behaviour regularly you have this incessant need to replace it - it's only human! However, you can overcome this and many people do.
In the end it is all relative - meaning switching addictions is not necessarily a bad thing depending on what that new addiction is
The Vaping Experiment
Am I, are vapers addicted to vaping? Have we just switched one addiction for another?
Personally, I would agree we have switched addictions - for better! If I'm going to be hooked on something I rather it be safer than smoking and something that will not affect those around me in a negative way - yes, yes, you could argue that it may affect individuals that don't agree with vaping, however there is no proof that "second hand vape" is dangerous.
Most of us, including myself, vape eJuice with nicotine in it. Agree or not, there is clinical evidence that nicotine has addictive properties. Nicotine can also be dangerous at certain dosages - not the doses used in eJuice - but, then again, so can caffeine and even water.
What I'm curious about it is whether or not I can go for long periods of time, starting with 24hrs as an experiment, without vaping and not having any side effects.
When I smoked - after a few hours with no cigarette I started to "rehab" my body needed both the physical and mental fix. I experienced drowsiness, light headedness, change in attitudes and emotions, etc. As a smoker, current or ex, you know exactly what I mean.
So, the question is - can I go for at least 24hrs without a vape and not have a "vape fit"? Have I switched addictions and now need to vape?
I've gone for a few hours without vaping and not had any issues - but in all fairness, I was keeping myself busy with something.
The Plan
I'm going to begin by not vaping for a period of 24hrs - or the equivalent of a regular day. I'm going to do it on a weekend where I don't have work to keep me busy - only the stress of my kids
I will document, on paper, each hour how I feel starting from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep.
I will make no assumptions to begin with and treat this experiment as normal day.
Once complete I will review and report back here - depending on the results I may try to go for a longer period of time.
Join In
If you feel so inclined I invite you to join in - take the same experiment this weekend and share your thoughts here - I'm curious to see how similar or different it is from vaper to vaper.
Wish me luck!
---
I have not had a cigarette, as of this post, in 5 moths, 7days, and 20 hours - and yes I am very proud of myself!
I think it goes without saying - but I'm going to say it anyways - that I could not have done it without turning to vaping!
For those of you who were smokers or still are smokers, you know how difficult it is to go, depending on your addiction, without a cigarette for x amount of hours. Unfortunately for me - at my peak - it was basically every hour! Yes, I was a pack a day or more smoker for years.
I started vaping about 2 weeks after quitting. I was using nicorette inhalers and gum and it was increasingly becoming difficult - and yes I cheated once or twice. After a long discussion with my wife, on how I did not want to fail this time, I decided to research electric cigarettes - they worked!
Within a month of using a pen style e-cig, more specifically the joyetech 510-T, I discovered eGo's, then MOD's ... the rest is history.
Vaping fulfills my needs as an ex-smoker, both physical and mentally. I enjoy the taste of the eJuice, the feeling of the vapor in my throat, the clouds of vapor above my head, and of course the nicotine to relieve my cravings.
Have I switched my addiction?
This is a great question - and a question I get asked a lot by non-vapers.
Most smokers don't like to admit it - we are addicts! Addiction comes in all forms: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, food, coffee, sex, etc. You can be addicted anything! The key is understanding that the real addiction is addiction. In other words we are addicted to being addicted to something.
It is very common for people to switch addictions - recovering alcoholics and drug users commonly move to chain smoking, ex-smokers commonly move to food - these are common switches because the mind is looking for a way to relieve stress and replace that emptiness you feel emotionally and psychologically. When your body has become conditioned to perform a certain behaviour regularly you have this incessant need to replace it - it's only human! However, you can overcome this and many people do.
In the end it is all relative - meaning switching addictions is not necessarily a bad thing depending on what that new addiction is
The Vaping Experiment
Am I, are vapers addicted to vaping? Have we just switched one addiction for another?
Personally, I would agree we have switched addictions - for better! If I'm going to be hooked on something I rather it be safer than smoking and something that will not affect those around me in a negative way - yes, yes, you could argue that it may affect individuals that don't agree with vaping, however there is no proof that "second hand vape" is dangerous.
Most of us, including myself, vape eJuice with nicotine in it. Agree or not, there is clinical evidence that nicotine has addictive properties. Nicotine can also be dangerous at certain dosages - not the doses used in eJuice - but, then again, so can caffeine and even water.
What I'm curious about it is whether or not I can go for long periods of time, starting with 24hrs as an experiment, without vaping and not having any side effects.
When I smoked - after a few hours with no cigarette I started to "rehab" my body needed both the physical and mental fix. I experienced drowsiness, light headedness, change in attitudes and emotions, etc. As a smoker, current or ex, you know exactly what I mean.
So, the question is - can I go for at least 24hrs without a vape and not have a "vape fit"? Have I switched addictions and now need to vape?
I've gone for a few hours without vaping and not had any issues - but in all fairness, I was keeping myself busy with something.
The Plan
I'm going to begin by not vaping for a period of 24hrs - or the equivalent of a regular day. I'm going to do it on a weekend where I don't have work to keep me busy - only the stress of my kids
I will document, on paper, each hour how I feel starting from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep.
I will make no assumptions to begin with and treat this experiment as normal day.
Once complete I will review and report back here - depending on the results I may try to go for a longer period of time.
Join In
If you feel so inclined I invite you to join in - take the same experiment this weekend and share your thoughts here - I'm curious to see how similar or different it is from vaper to vaper.
Wish me luck!
