You can’t ignore the Bad Breath, the Stains to your Teeth, periodic Mouth Sores not to mention the YUK when you tip over the spit bottle. What about the forgotten Red Solo Cup in the car…YUK 2 the movie. If it did not turn my stomach so much, I could come up with others.
YUK comes with the territory. Unfortunately so does cancer of the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, throat, voice box and/or esophagus.
I have a confession to make. As a coach and a parent of two boys who dip I have to admit I learned to deal with it, I turned the other way.
In an article by Tony Perry, “Gwynn contributed a statement for a video produced by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. He was too weak to speak for the video so the voice belongs to someone else, but the warning belongs to Gwynn:
“If you aren’t using spit tobacco, please don’t start. And if you are using, try to quit. If not for yourself, then do it for the people you love.”
Sure, I recommended they quit, but I am here today to state recommending is polite, but it is not enough. We need to stand up for those we love. It’s not just an inconvenience, it can and likely become a loss as it was for the Gwynn family.
First Step – A Suggestion on How to Quit!
From what I have seen most users justify dip’s addictive nature in a My Bad sort of way. Apologetically bragging, but never intending to stop [e.g., I need a pinch bad, I haven’t had one all day!]. I got to quit this nasty habit, “oh thanks, I’ll buy the next can.”
PROBLEM: Bottom line you can’t fix what you don’t view as a drawback, especially when the only discomfort is the fact you haven’t had a pinch all day versus what the dip is doing to your body. This needs to change!!!!
I recommend Anthony Robbins’ successful technique called “Pain versus Pleasure,” something I used in my life. Not for dip, but I can assure it works. Here is what Tony Robbins says,
“The secret of success is learning How to USE pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life [or in this case, DIP] controls you.”
SOLUTION: Simply put, you decide what is pleasurable and what is painful. Stop the process by truly identifying what is “Pleasurable to You,” and what is “Painful to You.”
PLEASURE: Really want to quit? Here are some examples to help you come up with true reasons to quit. Feel free to use them, but the success is based upon how real you can make them to YOU! Most are tap your head, duh, but you need to make them your own. Tie emotion of happiness to them. In fact I would recommend you Smile every time.
Save approximately $3000.00 per year. Depending on your choice of dip, the number of cans you go through per day, times the price you pay it may be more. I don’t know about you, but that is nothing to snuff at [pun intended]. Instead of dipping, take a nice vacation each year.
PAIN: If you are having difficulty coming up with things to associate PAIN every time YOU reach for a can of dip, consider these provided by The Bacchus Network:
- Spit tobacco contains nicotine
- Spit tobacco contains at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals such as benzopyrene and formaldehyde
- Formaldehyde is a chemical used to preserve dead bodies and dead animals
- Spit tobacco contains 3000 other chemicals such as acetone (paint stripper), ammonia (toilet bowl cleaner) and cadmium (battery acid).
As Nike slogan says, “Just Do it.” If for no other reason than what the late great Tony Gwynn said, “If not for yourself, then do it for the people you love.”
Until next Blog,
Al McCormick
