The XMas experience

[pmd]

Well, spent the day/night at best friend home for XMAs.
No smokers(vapors) there but me. Now didn't want to make my pv any big deal, not trying to show off or have to explain anything.
My best bud has no prob with this, never cared when I smoked either, a friend that doesn't judge. So a few times I would vape in the kitchen away from folks, not wanting to go outside since there was no reason to.
The reaction didn't surprise. Some were curious thinking they would smell something( they didn't), but others who didn't smoke or who quit altogether, I got the negative reation of: " you shouldn't be putting that stuff into your body"
I was kinda baffled at that, one woman was from Brazil and thought this was dangerous, another tried to give me tips on how I should quit it using putting cloves in my mouth when tempted or holding something in my hand to offset the craving.
I started to try to explain but realized it was all falling on deaf ears.
On top of that I met someone who was incredible and hid the fact of vaping altogether.
This was not a good experience. It was better that sneaking outside in the cold to smoke but I guess my experience of pride over the last 5 months was put down a little.
I came home, little buzzed and fell off the wagon.
Smoked 2 marlboro 100's, got disgusted opened the window, turned on the fan, felt like I failed after trying so hard ( it doesn't help that I have ciggs in my apt).

Question: anyone have a drawback now and then in a stressful situation?
I know most have claimed that ciggs take bad after vaping, but damn, not to me, after 5 mtns, ciggs taste like ciggs and even though vaping is better and I have gotton thru tough situations before, tonight was a low point. I have to make a stronger resolution for New Years

 

[MHR7331]

Take up regular exercise (e.g. running); it'll give you added incentive not to smoke again... and it's great at relieving stress.

 

[SudokuGal]

Don't be so hard on yourself. As for what people think of vaping...you just have to ignore them; most don't want to hear logical explanations.

 

[ruready]

Who cares what people think. My experience is that some are intrigued and really want to know more and then there are some that still think smoke is smoke no matter what. I can only worry about or care about me. I know vaping is much better than an analog and I've stopped feeling that I have to explain to others why I've switched and not quit all together. There will always be People who just done't get it.

 

[Richie G]

Question: anyone have a drawback now and then in a stressful situation?
I know most have claimed that ciggs take bad after vaping, but damn, not to me, after 5 mtns, ciggs taste like ciggs and even though vaping is better and I have gotton thru tough situations before, tonight was a low point. I have to make a stronger resolution for New Years

It seems to me that you're allowing yourself to think like those who you tried to educate re: vaping.

When we smoked a stressful situation was one where we reached for an analog, right? Being educated in using the e-cig (clearly we ALL have read a litany of information on this) we *know* that we are getting REAL nicotine. This is not the "fake cigarette" - "real cigarette" argument that those who don't know better state out of ignorance.

In short, if I feel that stressful situation coming on, I reach for the PV, akin to an analog in days of yore. Sometimes I may reach for a little extra nicotine but, I won't allow the notion that I need a *real* cigarette because;

a) I don't need it
b) I have a nicotine delivery device. (and I use a lot less now than in the beginning)

My wife and my son smoke. There are cigarettes in plain sight all the time here. They're not mine and I don't need them. Our *way* is better and more enjoyable. It's been 7 months for me and I am not going back... I won't allow myself to go back...

 

[Keegan1014]

come on man your fine this is the USA and most people will have a problem
with anything you do.
I have a beard and its pretty long some people love it and some will not talk to me.
but guess what I love it and I know most people dont have the balls to try to grow
it or they cant all together.

guess what not my problem

 

[doots]

Dont be hard on yourself. You found the Analogs were disgusting and Im sure youre back to vaping again after the analogs. Sometimes we must see what we left behind by going back to the cogs to see that we made the right choice.

Dont worry what others say about ecgis.. You know what you like so just keep doing it.

There are people in this world that will never see the truth even if placed right in their laps..

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

ANY cigarette avoided is a good thing. So you still have a few once in a while? Not a big deal. I've had one in 9 months (3 months in I decided to smoke one offered to me... didn't want one after that which was amazing). Not every person is going to be the same.

Getting rid of cigs in the house was what turned it for me. I still can drive to get them anywhere... but not being able to just reach for one any time made me learn to replace the habit with the PV easily. I can sit with someone smoking and it doesn't bother me a bit.

Now, once in a while I'll think that a cig would be nice... what I do is remember the reality of cigarettes and what I DON'T want (chemicals, smell, bad health, cost). That usually makes me very happy to grab my PV and vape my nice French Pipe, menthol or maybe some yummy minty mocha. Ahhhhhhhhh.

 

[Ea87]

Its difficult to stay off of analogs when those around you doubt your methods of quitting. I quit cold turkey for 5 yrs (I know I'm a bit young to be saying that but I suppose I started smoking too young) and one horrible day of criticism and stress about it tossed me back off the wagon. Now I'm going to try quitting again once my e-cig arrives.

Friends who I've told about my choice think that I'm being ridiculous and that I should either quit cold turkey again or use the patch. What they don't understand is that part of the draw of smoking wasn't just the nicotine but the physical act of taking a cig break, holding a cig in your hand, and even flavor. Why should we have to give that up when we can smoke and e-cig instead of an analog? We have the best of both worlds right now! Best of luck to you and hang in there!

 

[been2yrs]

good story...unfortunately you will run in to people like this all the time.

 

[RedZone]

If you keep the "devil" in the house, he's sure to influence you sooner or later.
Some part of your brain (those receptors that nicotine has permanently made home), convinced you not to get rid of those cigs, never know when you might need one!

THROW the analogs out! Then, next time you hit a "low point", you'll just vape, and get through the two minute analog crave. Analogs do funny things to our brain receptors. I've quit several times previously, and found the darnest excuses to go buy a pack of Reds, and light up.

X wife crapped on me one additional time, (go buy analogs), like I didn't know she'd pull at least one more crappy thing on me? Who was I fooling, but myself? Yet, perfect excuse to go buy a pack of Reds. That hiccup put me back on the analogs for another 16 months, until I finally took up vaping.

 

[tribalmasters]

I use the Janty stick, they think its some kind of MP3 player.

 

[critterbug]

Well, that's not cool. I found that I ran into a lot of criticism smoking, but it never stopped me. I guess I wonder how their criticism of your ecig could be any worse than smoke haters. Was it worse or did you just get so peesed off you cut off your nose to spite your face?

I do anticipate some haters, and your story helps me psychologically prepare for them. I guess the thing I'm most interested in is how their response to your vaping was worse than smoking?

 

[ArtAttackTat2]

Take up regular exercise (e.g. running); it'll give you added incentive not to smoke again... and it's great at relieving stress.

I run 3-6 miles every other day and do weight training the others, and I've smoked 2-3 packs a day for 30 years, so much for that analogy! LOL Good news is I quit cold turkey Nov 30, so far so good. I ordered some V4L kits with the hope of getting my wife to quit! Wish me luck!