A Decade Hooked: My Harrowing Escape from Vaping's Vicious Grip

For nearly a decade, Liz found herself trapped in a cycle she never anticipated. What began as a seemingly innocuous switch from cigarettes to a Juul in 2015 morphed into a relentless nicotine addiction that dictated her every waking moment—and even some of her sleeping ones. "I literally became so dependent on it that I was having to wake up in the middle of the night just to hit my vape," she confesses, describing a life where the device was always within reach, a constant companion she believed was helping her, not harming her.

The insidious grip of vaping wasn't just a mental burden; it manifested physically.

Liz experienced persistent chest pain, a feeling of tightness that left her constantly short of breath. Her mental health also deteriorated, plummeting into anxiety and depression. Each puff brought a fleeting sense of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by a growing sense of dread and the gnawing awareness that she was losing control.

The turning point arrived with a jolt of terror during a concert.

Amidst the music and the crowd, a chilling sensation swept over her: her chest tightened, and a wave of dizziness overcame her. "I thought I was having a heart attack," she recalls, the fear palpable even now. This terrifying episode was her wake-up call, a stark realization that her life was on the line.

"I just knew something needed to change immediately."

Armed with a new, fierce determination, Liz decided to quit cold turkey—a decision that unleashed a torrent of agonizing withdrawal symptoms. The initial days were a blur of intense cravings, uncontrollable crying spells that came from nowhere, and migraines so severe they were debilitating.

"I was just suffering," she admits, painting a vivid picture of a body and mind screaming for the nicotine it had grown so accustomed to.

The journey was anything but easy. Liz leaned on a combination of nicotine patches and gum to manage the physical cravings, but the psychological battle raged on.

She candidly shares that it took more than just willpower; she sought professional help, engaging in therapy and even trying medication to navigate the depths of her addiction and the subsequent emotional turmoil. "It’s not just a physical thing, it’s also a mental health thing," she emphasizes, highlighting the often-overlooked psychological toll of addiction.

Now, more than 100 days vape-free, Liz breathes a sigh of relief—both literally and figuratively.

Her chest pain has vanished, her breathing is clearer, and the heavy cloud of anxiety and depression has begun to lift. Her story isn't just a personal triumph; it's a powerful warning. She urges others not to fall into the same trap, stressing that what seems like a safer alternative can quickly become an unbreakable chain.

"Just don't start," she pleads, her message resonating with the hard-won wisdom of someone who has stared addiction in the face and emerged victorious, but not unscathed.