SUMMARY

Matt Batista, a content creator, documents his self-experiment: intentionally addicting himself to nicotine through Zyn pouches and vaping over five months, then battling to quit, revealing addiction's harsh realities.

STATEMENTS

• The creator begins the experiment by purchasing Zyn pouches despite never using nicotine before, aiming to prove addiction is mentally surmountable.
• Initial use causes immediate dizziness and lightheadedness, marking the first exposure's intense physical effects.
• To build addiction, intake increases weekly, leading to combining Zyn with vaping after initial pouches lose potency.
• Friends express shock at the creator's involvement, having viewed him as anti-nicotine and disciplined.
• A doctor monitors the process, approving it under controlled conditions while discussing potential side effects.
• Over weeks, the routine becomes habitual: starting days with Zyn and vaping, escalating to higher doses like 24mg.
• Physical changes emerge, including heightened anxiety, acne, weight gain, and sleep disturbances from nicotine withdrawal at night.
• By month three, recording decreases as the habit normalizes, showing addiction's subtle integration into daily life.
• Quitting attempts fail repeatedly, with relapses after 13 hours or two days, driven by intense cravings and shaking.
• The creator lies to his girlfriend about quitting, highlighting how addiction erodes relationships and trust.
• Personal demeanor shifts to anxiety and annoyance, alienating friends and prompting confrontations about control issues.
• Successful quitting after four months involves mindset change, reducing anxiety and cough, though occasional cravings persist.

IDEAS

• Willpower alone cannot prevent nicotine addiction, as even a determined experimenter succumbs within days.
• Combining Zyn with vaping accelerates tolerance buildup, turning a simple pouch habit into a multi-method dependency.
• Addiction normalizes so gradually that filming it becomes burdensome, illustrating how habits evade self-awareness.
• Nicotine's initial buzz fades quickly, leaving only financial waste and health detriments without pleasure.
• Quitting triggers immediate physical symptoms like shaking and insomnia, but mental reframing eases later stages.
• Social perceptions shift dramatically; the anti-nicotine advocate becomes the struggling addict, surprising peers.
• Hiding usage from loved ones reveals addiction's isolating nature, fostering lies and relational strain.
• Doctor supervision provides safety but doesn't eliminate psychological hooks, emphasizing addiction's dual facets.
• Relapses feel inevitable after short quits, yet prolonged abstinence builds motivation through time invested.
• Nicotine enhances short-term brain function but risks unknown long-term vaping effects, balancing pros and cons.
• Personality alterations, like increased anxiety and curtness, stem from chronic use, not inherent traits.
• Experimenting with extreme doses like 150mg exposes overdose risks without lethality, but guarantees discomfort.

INSIGHTS

• Addiction transcends mental strength, embedding physically and habitually to override initial intentions.
• Normalization of harmful routines diminishes documentation efforts, signaling deep psychological integration.
• Initial euphoric effects mask escalating dependency, where tolerance demands constant increases.
• Relational deceit arises from shame, amplifying isolation and complicating recovery support systems.
• Successful quitting hinges on mindset shifts, transforming short-term suffering into long-term motivation.
• While nicotine offers cognitive boosts, delivery methods like vaping introduce unpredictable health uncertainties.

QUOTES

• "I swear to God if you did that [__] Let me get addicted to nicotine so I can quit."
• "Scientifically, there's no way I'm addicted, but within 3 days, I definitely can be."
• "The longer I went, the more physical changes I started noticing. My anxiety went through the roof. I started getting acne. I started getting fat."
• "I thought everyone that, you know, uses nicotine is just weak-minded. And while I want to say that's not true, I still do stand back to my point where it is a mental game."
• "If you haven't started nicotine or zins, I would urge you to not because after the first 2 months, all the upside to it just goes away and now you're just addicted to something, wasting loads of money."

HABITS

• Increasing nicotine intake weekly to build tolerance, starting from 3mg Zyn and escalating to 24mg or more.
• Combining Zyn pouches with vaping daily upon waking to maintain buzz and routine.
• Sneaking away during trips or events to use without judgment, hiding the habit from others.
• Relapsing after short quits by purchasing new devices, rationalizing it as temporary.
• Monitoring usage through midnight awakenings or excuses off-camera to satisfy cravings discreetly.

FACTS

• Nicotine is chemically addictive, with pouches like Zyn delivering it orally to produce quick lightheaded effects.
• Vaping's long-term health impacts remain understudied, lacking sufficient data on chronic exposure.
• Studies indicate nicotine can enhance brain function, such as focus, but addiction offsets these benefits.
• Three months of consistent use establishes strong dependency, far beyond initial one-month plans.
• Quitting cold turkey causes symptoms like anxiety spikes, insomnia, and tremors within hours.

REFERENCES

• Previous vaping satire video, which failed due to coughing and inspired retrying for authenticity.
• Consultation with Dr. Burke, who monitored health metrics like blood pressure during the experiment.
• Old text messages with friends, compared to recent ones to highlight personality shifts from addiction.
• Comments on prior video suggesting three months minimum for true addiction verification.
• Geek Bar disposable vape device, purchased during relapse attempts.

HOW TO APPLY

• Consult a doctor before starting any nicotine experiment or quit, ensuring monitored safety and side effect management.
• Track daily intake precisely, increasing gradually only if aiming to build tolerance, but note escalation risks.
• Document habits visually or journalistically to maintain awareness and prevent normalization.
• During quits, endure first three days' hellish cravings by focusing on physical distractions like exercise.
• Reframe mindset post-relapse, using elapsed sober time as motivation to avoid wasting progress.
• Disclose struggles to trusted supporters early, avoiding lies that deepen isolation and enable secrecy.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Intentionally building nicotine addiction reveals its overwhelming grip, but mindset shifts enable lasting quits.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Avoid starting nicotine products, as initial appeal vanishes into costly, joyless dependency.
• If addicted, seek medical guidance for monitored quitting to handle symptoms safely.
• Use time since last use as psychological fuel during cravings to sustain momentum.
• Replace nicotine routines with healthy alternatives like exercise to rebuild positive habits.
• Research delivery methods thoroughly, prioritizing known safer options over untested vaping.

MEMO

In a bold, self-inflicted odyssey, content creator Matt Batista set out to debunk nicotine addiction as mere myth. Armed with Zyn pouches—those discreet, tobacco-free nicotine packets popular among young adults—he dove headfirst into dependency, vowing to quit effortlessly after proving its psychological roots. What began as a skeptical experiment in a nondescript corner store quickly spiraled into a five-month saga of dizziness, escalating doses, and unrelenting cravings. Batista's friends, once amused by his anti-nicotine stance, watched in disbelief as the "good boy" morphed into a habitual user, sneaking fixes and combining pouches with vaping to chase the fading buzz.

As weeks blurred into months, the habit entrenched itself subtly. Batista awoke each day to a ritual of Zyn and vape hits, his anxiety soaring, skin breaking out, and weight creeping up—side effects he ruefully blamed on the nicotine's metabolic meddling. Under the watchful eye of Dr. Burke, who greenlit the project with caveats, Batista pushed boundaries: popping multiple high-strength pouches, even attempting a 150mg finale that left him lightheaded and mouth-stinging. Yet, the real torment emerged in quitting attempts. Relapses struck swiftly—after 13 hours or two days—marked by shaking hands, insomnia, and a desperate purchase of a Geek Bar. Lies to his girlfriend about sobriety strained relationships, turning the once-open creator curt and controlling.

The turning point arrived in month four, amid confrontations that laid bare addiction's toll. Friends urged him to discard his vape, capturing the moment on video as Batista confronted his denial. "You're the last person I expected to struggle with a substance," one remarked, highlighting the irony. With mindset reframed—viewing quitting as a mental lock-in—Batista endured the initial hell of three days' withdrawal, where urges dominated every thought. Coughs tickled his lungs, a lingering reminder of vaping's damage, but perseverance paid off. By three weeks sober, anxiety ebbed, sleep normalized, and a newfound clarity emerged.

Reflecting on the footage, Batista apologized for his earlier hubris, having dismissed addicts as weak-willed. The experiment exposed nicotine's dual nature: a cognitive enhancer shadowed by insidious hooks and unknown vaping risks. What started as satire evolved into a cautionary chronicle, underscoring that while benefits like improved focus exist, the cost—financial drain, relational fractures, personality shifts—far outweighs them. For those ensnared, Batista's journey offers hope: quitting is grueling but achievable through resolve and support.

Today, months removed, Batista stands nicotine-free, his life unburdened by hidden rituals. The cough has faded, relationships mended, and he urges viewers—especially non-users—to steer clear. In an era of trendy pouches and flavored vapes, his story serves as a stark reminder: addiction doesn't discriminate, and the path out demands more than willpower alone.