As a disposable vape faces a looming ban, many users are contemplating quitting. One such user, Chloe Rowland, shares her transformative experience after finally deciding to go cold turkey. At just 25 years old, Chloe was astonished by the grip vaping had on her life, ultimately leading her to confront her addiction. Here’s a detailed account of her journey, highlighting the highs and lows of quitting vaping.
The Start of the Addiction
Chloe began her vaping journey innocently enough, dabbling in “social smoking.” However, she quickly found herself entangled in a full-blown addiction that surpassed any experience she had with traditional cigarettes. “Vaping would be the first thing I did in the morning and the last thing I’d do before I went to sleep at night,” she reflected, illustrating how deeply ingrained the habit had become in her daily routine. Before she knew it, she was consuming a 4,000-puff vape in just three days, an amount that left her shocked at how quickly it escalated. Despite her awareness of the dangers, she felt helpless, trapped in a cycle that she both enjoyed and despised.
Deciding to Quit
With increasing reports about the dangers of vaping, including severe health consequences affecting even young people, Chloe decided enough was enough. After avoiding the stories about vaping’s dangers for a while, she finally hit her breaking point. “I got to the end of my tether and knew I had to make a change,” she confessed. She opted for a cold turkey approach, despite having tried to quit in the past. With determination in her heart, Chloe documented her experience, offering insight into the challenges that lay ahead.
Day One: The Cravings Begin
On her first day without nicotine, Chloe faced intense cravings that felt unbearable. “A few hours after using the vape, I was starting to gasp for it,” she recounted, describing a foggy brain and an inability to focus on anything but her addiction. Her plan to attend a friend’s game night turned into a struggle, as she felt completely disconnected, much like the “algebra woman” meme, overwhelmed by her cravings. “I was both horrified and shocked by how hard I was actually finding it,” she added, highlighting the unexpected challenges of her decision to quit.
Day Two: Sleepless Nights
The second day proved even more difficult. Chloe’s first night without nicotine was far from restful; she battled anxiety and restlessness. “I felt really anxious and on edge,” she shared, recalling her tossing and turning. Surprisingly, her body’s reaction was more intense than she anticipated, leading her to question how addicted she truly was. “Who was I trying to kid?” she mused, confronting her denial about the extent of her dependency. As the day progressed, she experienced headaches and fought off cravings, discovering that they came in waves rather than a constant state of longing.
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Day Three: Peak Withdrawal Symptoms
After 72 hours without nicotine, Chloe noticed her withdrawal symptoms peaked. “This makes sense, given the fact your body has cleared all the nicotine out of its system by this point,” she explained. Mild headaches and a sense of disconnection plagued her, but there was a silver lining: “I felt a lot deeper sleep than I had in the past few months,” she noted. Despite the difficulties, she felt a sense of accomplishment, acknowledging that she was already starting to feel more rested.
Days Four and Five: Mental Challenges Arise
As the physical symptoms began to subside, Chloe found herself grappling with the psychological aspects of quitting. “By day four, I felt extremely anxious and my mind felt like it was going at 100mph,” she described, revealing how irritability crept in. While her nicotine cravings were decreasing, her temper was volatile, making it challenging to maintain her composure. “I could have won the lottery and still found a reason to be p*ssed off,” she said, candidly admitting the emotional rollercoaster she was experiencing.
Days Six and Seven: An Unexpected Setback
Chloe’s struggles continued into the following week, with days six and seven proving particularly tough. “I had zero concentration,” she lamented, finding everyday tasks monumental. The irritability returned, compounded by the unfortunate coincidence of catching COVID-19 during her withdrawal. “The psychological impact, coupled with the fact I was reminiscing on times I could breathe out of my nose properly, made me feel like the walking dead,” she recalled, adding that this period felt particularly bleak.
Weeks Two and Three: Adjusting to Life Without Vaping
As Chloe moved into the second and third weeks of being vape-free, she encountered new challenges, particularly with mental cravings. Although her body no longer craved nicotine physically, the psychological pull remained. “I found the social triggers the hardest to deal with, like being at the pub where other people were smoking,” she admitted. However, as her cravings lessened in intensity, she noticed significant improvements in her overall health. “My skin and oral health had massively improved,” she reflected, emphasizing the benefits of her decision.
Two Months Later: The Journey Continues
Now, two months into her journey, Chloe celebrates the positives of living without a vape. “My skin, oral health, and mood continue to improve,” she shared, relishing the newfound freedom that comes from not needing to schedule vape breaks. While she still experiences cravings, they have transformed from intense urges to fleeting thoughts. “It’s more of a sneaky ‘one puff won’t do you any harm’ kind of thing,” she noted, explaining how she now brushes aside these thoughts with ease. Ultimately, Chloe feels grateful for her decision to quit, reflecting on her past struggle with addiction and wishing she had never succumbed to it in the first place.
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