r/stopsmoking • u/3LostSoul5 • 1d ago

Day 30 - No ciggaretes

Im proud of myself for not smoking any for the past 30 days, however I'm stuck on chewing 2x 2mg nicorette chewing gum per day... I tried giving up the chewing gum however I only lasted 2 days.

How unhealthy would it be for me to chew 2mg chewing gum twice a day.. forever?

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u/Belthazor4011 812 days 1d ago

Not ideal, obviously. Its clearly better than smoking. But its still not good.

Also 30 days is way earlier in the journey of quitting than most people realize. Things that are still hard to do on day 30 like quitting the gum, will be easier in another week or 2 or 3.

Give it time, maybe lower the dose over time.

2

u/3LostSoul5 1d ago

I may continue the gum for a few more weeks before i try to give it up completely. As this is the lowest dose of the gum, (2mg) I might chop it in half and try lower the dose that way.. Thank you for that. Appreciate it.

4

u/obdurateCat 1d ago edited 1d ago

Going good. Maybe you can try some light exercise like jogging, cycling or even walking? That helped me get that much needed dopamine to keep going!

Edit: the problem with chewing nicotine gum is that it will still keep you hooked on the nicotine and make it easier for you to relapse. The psychological ill effects of nicotine will still be there. It’s of course better than smoking though.

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u/CmonBenjalsGetLoose 36 days 8h ago edited 4h ago

The thing about nicotine gum is that the nicotine is still hijacking your dopamine reward system. Meaning, instead seeking out the healthy forms of dopamine, your brain is still going to prioritize the nicotine over everything else. Even if you can chew the nic gum while going about your day, in your brain, the nic gum is your PRIMARY source of reward, and is filling the space where nature, productivity, creativity, and human connection could be taking primary focus. So For me, I would not want the rest of my life to be hijacked by a substance or a chemical in this way, where that substance is my top priority ever day and must be protected at all costs. That's what addiction is -- everything else in life takes a backseat to the addictive substance. You are never free.

Having said all of that, 30 days of no smoking is wonderful! And I think if you need a few more weeks to stabilize before begining to phase out the gum, by all means do that. But just don't deprive yourself of the REAL freedom that still awaits you once you phase out that nic gum. The inner peace and spaciousness of being addiction-free is not something you want to miss out on.

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u/3LostSoul5 4h ago

Thank you for this and I cannot wait to be addiction-free!!

1

u/CmonBenjalsGetLoose 36 days 4h ago

Yay!!! I'm excited for you! You're doing so well. The only way from here is up! Temporary discomfort now is the doorway through to permanent freedom from that pesky niggle. Bye, bye, niggle! Our dopamine reward systems are OURS to enjoy and to wield. We are no longer willing to be in servitude to any addiction. Peace out!