Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ppcg4]

I am trying (and failing) to quit smoking.

I started about 3 months ago, and when I stop, I find myself really really edgy at the end of the day, and make that stupid purchase that I told myself I wouldn't.

I found myself edgy with my students today, and I really don't want that, as it doesn't help them at all.

What can I do to alleviate the thirst for blood? I'm obviously exaggerating here, but it's really getting to me, coupled with the stress of school and a relationship which I just ended.

[RACETRAITOR]

Get a sashimi knife and some sort of flammable, find a yeogwan, start a fire, and wait out front. You'll figure out what to do next.

[sojourner1]

You can go to a general practitioner doctor in a walk in clinic to get a prescription for Chantix which alleviates most of the nicotine withdrawal agony giving you a more confident quit, but it's $100 per month supply and you need 3 months. Don't even think about looking at addiction on financial terms, think about your heart and cardiovascular health on this one. The hardest part is that it feels so pleasant to have a smoke, even if you haven't smoked in many months so it takes commitment to stay quit. All it takes is that junky thinking, "Oh, just one with my beer tonight won't hurt." And then before you know it, you're a smoker again. I've quit so many times and consider myself an off/on smoker, but leaning more and more to being totally quit since I'm learning the ropes of wrangling with this complex addiction. It runs not only physically in my mouth, but in my brain too. Nicotine is the most addictive substance available and should had never been legal and so easy to get in the 1st place if drug laws are really geared at people's safety. Kids should never be given this or be around it.

Smoking is not a recreational drug like marijuana even though it may feel pleasant, but just such a highly addictive substance that doesn't even get us high or do anything else such as temporarily altering our realities. It's a strong argument to say that marijuana is not as bad as cigarettes, but it was never socially accepted like that. Well, those 2 just don't even compare despite they are both smokable. Cigarettes are a highly engineered junk product to suck every last dollar out of Mr. and Mrs. Average Knucklehead and rob them of any chance at retirement though some people still live to 90 smoking Marlboro, but don't count on you being so lucky like so many smokers do, because that's just junky thinking. While many people say you choose to smoke, nicotine addiction does have a level of mind control to purchase cigarettes. After all this is why companies developed and capitalized on this product making it just crazy lucrative to get filthy rich, at society's expense.

[BS.Dos.]

I'm a pathetic excuse for a non-smoking smoker. I can get through the week with a patch on my arm, but as soon as a beer touches my lips, I start smoking again. It's tough. I'd be happy to knock the beer on the head, but in our small town, the pub is the social hub.

Give the patches a go and stay away from the nicotine triggers.

[EzeWong]

I've been on and off cigarettes pretty often.

The hardest time being when I smoked 2 packs a day.

The thing that was hardest for me was the metnal addiction, not the chemical one (ie. nicotine)

I always had to puffing something, a pen, something. And I always had to go out for some reason... Like you, it probably made me more edgey not smoking.

After a while smoking feels like this big warm blanket that's always going to be around you. Without it feels like something is missing.

What I did was make a huge negative connotation with smoking cravings. Everytime you think about smoking challenge yourself to think about something absolutely disgusting. I imagine someone I hate very much naked. That pretty much stopped it for me.

If you're mentally strong enough to make those kind of associations you won't have a problem quiting.

GL on the will power.

[moosehead]

oh boy I hear you - I'm a former smoker - quit on Feb 27, 1978 - yep - I still remember the day - I had quit once before for 18 months but started up again - went up as high as 3 packs of marlboro 100's a day/ then down to half a pack of salem lights when I finally bit the bullet and quit.

sometimes I dream I'm still smokin' - it's really weird. for a while back in the mid 80's I smoked off and on for a bit - then looked at myself and was aghast - wtf?? I quit immediately before it took hold again.

here's the nitty gritty on nicotine - it stays in your fat tissue for a long long time - it takes a good 6 months minimum to excrete it all - and that would be with doing a lot of aerobic exercise every day - so it's going to take a really long time to get rid of it all. this is why sometimes after exercise or just exhertion a smoker wants to smoke more - like after sex - right?

when I was quitting for good I was determined to stay clean and called one of those crisis lines asking for help - I was desperate, ok? they asked around and got back to me and I was told caffeine and ginseng - no kidding - both are supposed to be good for alleviation of nicotine withdrawal.

at the time I didn't drink much coffee, hardly at all, but I wound up trading my nicotine habit for caffiene - then later dropped that one too ('nother story)

never tried the ginseng tho - didn't have any around where I was back then - but you know there's plenty of it here.

so - take your pick - a cup of coffee, strong tea or some ginseng. if I were you I'd also try acupuncture to help alleviate the stress from nicotine withdrawal. it's a very potent nerve agent - heck - a few drops of nicotine on your skin (pure nicotine) will kill a person in a matter of moments.

don't forget to ask your friends and family for their support - the non-smokers, that is - carry lots of munchy stuff around, carrots, candy, whatever - just spoil yourself right now and remember this is one of the best things you can ever do for yourself, ok?

congratulations, by the way!

[ChopChaeJoe]

You're looking for advice amongst the knuckleheads on this board? Plain and simple, the stuff is killing you. Every time you quit, it will be harder than the time before. You can quit for a month and after lighting one with a drink, you'll be back to a pack a day the next morning.

There's almost no hope, really.

Just try to go as long as you can with a cigarette, then when you can't stand it anymore, don't smoke some more. Everytime you see movie stars smoke, you'll want to join them. Don't. they can afford better end-of-life care.

[orosee]

This may sound odd, but my advice is: Leave Korea!

Korea is a smoker's heaven. Compare with the non-smoking rules of places such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Ireland and you'll see why.

When Thailand started banning indoors smoking in restaurants my daily consumption went down 25% (for years I stuck to a pack-a-day benchmark).

When I came to Korea, initially I lived in a tiny apartment and had to go outsdide for a smoke - in Winter - so I was down to less than a pack again. Dating non-smoking girls also helped.

Now, almost a year in, I burn through 2 and a half packs a day! I date smoking girls (not smoking hot, unfortunately) and even thinking about quitting seems ridiculous.

In addition, beer consumption went up from something like a liter a month to 4 liters a week because I also date girls who drink. Hell, I even had a job interview for a 6 figure position that included 4 large glasses of beer and 6 cigarettes (the person who interviewed me was ahead by 2 glasses but smoked a bit less) - 60 minutes. Well, it's a job requirement for high level expat positions.

So I'm watching the replies here with interest.

Leave Korea. Date non-smoking, social drinking girls. Lack of social pressure makes it too easy here.

[Easter Clark]

This is what worked for me. I smoked for 10 years, 1-2 packs/day and have been smoke-free for more than 3 years now.

1. Don't set a time-limit. You've got all the time in the world. It may take weeks or months to quit, and you don't want to set yourself up for disappointment.

2. Focus on cutting back for now. Try to halve your intake of cigs--if you smoke a pack a day, try to get down to 10 a day. Then after a while (could be weeks or months), try to get down to 5/day. Then 2.5...

3. Stop smoking whole cigarettes. Smoke as much as you think you really need. Take 3 or 4 puffs and put it out. When you need one later smoke off the same one. If you can make one cigarette take the place of 3 (or even 4) cigarettes, you're doing well.

4. Get it in your head that smoking is bad for you. It sounds easy but it's not! Remind yourself every time you're short of breath, have trouble smelling something, or if someone coughs while you're smoking--there is no good reason to be doing this.

It took me about 6 months to fully quit this way, but I had tried many, many times to quit before that and failed every time. I am a happy non-smoker! Now, if I could kick the caffeine addiction, I'd be set...

Good luck, and you can do it!

[Confused Canadian]

I've said it once and I'll say it again...

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking

http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/

Sounds stupid, but it worked for me (and a number of other people I know). After smoking more than a pack a day for about 12 years, I quit 4 1/2 years ago, and I've never looked back. So many people who quit (and some in this thread) look at it as 'giving up' something. That's why they miss it or even dream about it.

I NEVER think about it. Never. Before I quit, I thought I'd have to give up eating, drinking coffee, and drinking beer, cause I just didn't see how I could do those things without cigarettes. But I can, and I never have to fight urges. I've been rather drunk a number of times since quitting, and I've never been tempted to ask a friend for a smoke. The thought never crosses my mind. I don't have to 'control' myself. It's simply a non-factor.

I know this method may not work for everyone, but it did for me. No patches, no other drugs, no substitutes. I read a book and quit the night I finished it. It cost me less than 10,000 won. What have you got to lose? If it works, you're set. If not, you tried, and now you're out 10,000 won. So what?

I will suggest not trying to ween yourself off cigarettes. I tried that a few months before I bought the book, and I was miserable, the people around me were miserable, and my students were miserable. EVERYONE was relieved when I started smoking again. After reading Allen Carr's book, I figured out why that method didn't work. It was forcing me to devote all my time to actually THINKING ABOUT SMOKING. If I smoked 15 cigarettes one day, I spent all my time thinking about which cigarette I could cut out the next day. "I need my first smoke in the morning, and one before sleeping. I need one after every meal. Etc..." It only got worse and worse the fewer cigarettes I smoked. (By the way, I got down to about 6 a day before I caved.)

When you realize you're not actually 'giving anything up' and that you won't really miss it (though now you're convinced you will - I was too!), then it becomes easy.

Good luck!

[Pooty]

^^
Can't you just tell us what the hell it was in that book that made you quit? Hell, I don't have time to go and get that book, kyobo proly doesn't even have it. Just tell us what the freakin secret is and let's get the show on the road for christs sake!


And didn't Alan Carr die of lung cancer??

[sjk1128]

I just want to second some things other people said. My bf and I recently stopped smoking (a few months ago). I had quit before, but he hadn't.

I used the patch this time, and he used Champix. Both helped, but his seemed far superior. It took a few weeks to kick in and caused him a little stomach upset (but he's prone to that anyway). Champix is only available by prescription. The patches are available in most corner pharmacies.

It is very difficult in Korea because so many people smoke in so many places. Try to avoid drinking alcohol, or at least drinking around people who smoke. And if you slip up and smoke one, don't give up completely. Keep at it.

Good luck!

[pidgin]

[jkelly80]

[Confused Canadian]