I vaped equivalent of 100 cigarettes a week – one trick made me quit overnight

Never did I imagine that I’d be grappling with a nicotine addiction in my thirties. I wasn’t a heavy smoker – it was a habit I picked up at university and dropped just as quickly.

However, vaping proved to be a different beast altogether. It turns out that I was vaping the equivalent of 100 cigarettes a week.

Like any addiction, the habit crept up on me – initially, it was just a few puffs during nights out with friends or after dinner. Eventually, I found myself tethered to disposable vapes like Lost Mary, unable to leave the house without one.

Boredom soon turned into an excuse for vaping. Before I knew it, I was vaping from dawn till dusk; I vaped inside my house, at my desk, while watching TV, I even vaped in bed.

It seemed harmless until the side effects kicked in: constant dry mouth, headaches, breathlessness and brain fog. I knew it was time to quit, but I didn’t know how.

A Lost Mary BM600 disposable vape – available in dozens of different fruit flavours – is roughly equivalent to 20 cigarettes. This is because it contains 20mg of nicotine.

At my worst, I was going through five a week. This means I was inhaling 100mg of nicotine into my body, or the equivalent of 100 cigarettes.

However, the highest legal nicotine level in the UK for these devices contains 40mg of nicotine, which is delivered between 500 and 600 puffs.

The NHS has stated that while vaping is less harmful than traditional smoking, it’s not without its risks. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are still uncertain, but they have been linked to lung damage, causing inflammation and tissue harm which can result in chronic coughing, breathlessness and other respiratory problems.

The NHS also warns of additional side effects such as dry mouth and throat, irritation, headaches, and dizziness. Nicotine, a key component in e-cigarettes, is a highly addictive substance that can lead to withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.

Furthermore, e-cigarettes pose a significant environmental threat due to their composition of plastic, copper, rubber and a lithium-ion battery, all of which can take decades to decompose.

Despite numerous attempts to quit, including gradually reducing usage, chewing gum, and leaving my vape by the front door, I always found myself returning to it.

I would justify it by reminding myself that at least I wasn’t smoking cigarettes, but deep down, I knew I was still hooked. Then, one day, I stumbled upon a book that transformed my perspective: Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist at Stanford University.

Although her expertise lies in the US opioid crisis, she has delved into various forms of addiction, ranging from shopping and food to social media and sex. Dr Lembke claims that addiction isn’t solely about the substance itself, but rather the brain’s reward system.

Nicotine delivers a swift dopamine hit, providing a fleeting sense of pleasure.

Nicotine initially offers a pleasurable buzz, but as it wears off, you swing into feelings of unease, irritability, and anxiety. This vicious cycle is propelled by the more frequent need to use just to feel ‘normal’, as nicotine alters brain circuits crucial for learning, stress response, and self-control, making quitting appear near-impossible.

The turning point for me was grasping that my relentless search for pleasure—savouring that perfect vape hit—was actually spawning pain. After reading the influential book, my mindset notably transformed, allowing me to abandon vaping entirely.

Those first 48 hours post-quitting were nightmarish; dopamine cravings surged, fatigue set in, I felt irritable and emotionally depleted, even yearning for a drag of my cherished juicy peach-flavoured Lost Mary. Yet, around the fifth day, a shift occurred—the mental fog cleared, energy levels bounced back, and I acknowledged having been trapped in a nicotine fog for years.

Quitting was no walk in the park, but comprehending the mechanics of addiction proved pivotal. I recognized the true nature of my vaping habit—a loop of transient pleasure followed by suffering—and it transformed my outlook on all excesses including alcohol and sugar.

Now, with the “nicotine noise” silenced, I have celebrated a month of being vape-free. Here are some pivotal insights from ‘Dopamine Nation’ that catalyzed this change:.

1. Minimise temptations

Dr Lembke advises eliminating triggers that encourage addictive behaviours. For me, this involved discarding all my vapes and steering clear of locations where I used to smoke.

2. Welcome discomfort

Instead of resorting to a vape whenever I felt anxious or fidgety, I compelled myself to endure the unease.

I took deep breaths, went for walks, drank water, or indulged in something sweet like a piece of chocolate to stave off the cravings. Initially, it was excruciating, but gradually, the cravings lessened in intensity.

3. Adopt abstinence

According to Dr Lembke, abstaining from an addictive substance can recalibrate the brain’s reward system, enabling you to derive pleasure from simpler things.

I chose to quit cold turkey – no nicotine substitutes, no gradual reduction. Just a complete reset.

4. Employ prosocial shame

While shame can be harmful, it can also serve as a motivator.

Prosocial shame is the concept that people should acknowledge others’ shortcomings and forgive them, rather than ostracise them. It’s predicated on the notion that everyone errs.

Rather than concealing my struggle, I informed friends and family that I was quitting. The knowledge that others were observing and supporting me helped maintain my accountability.

If you’re finding it difficult to quit, I strongly recommend reading this book. It could be the key to helping you quit overnight, too.