Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Stalin84]

I think it's about time I quit.

It's a bit gross (you've been forewarned) because I've been having a problem with phelgm for the past year or so. I don't know if it's smoking related or not but there is only one way to find out. Basically, I always have phelgm in the back of my throat and I've been hawking it up somewhat constantly for the past year or so like an ajosshi. I have the decency not to do it on the street or around people but it has been bothering me nonetheless. It's the worst in the mornings. Does anyone else have this problem?

I also find that I get really tired when I walk up a hill and stuff like that. I'm in good shape so this shouldn't be happening. I want to be one of those fit people that can walk uphill for hours and hours without running out of breath or feeling winded.

What works best for you? Gum? Cold turkey? I don't want to go the reduction route. I've tried that before and it doesn't work for me. I've also tried cold turkey and failed.

What brand of gum do you find to be the most effective?

Thanks.

[pangaea]

I quit cold turkey a few years ago. Granted, I didn't smoke that much in the first place, but it was still difficult. I can't imagine how hard it is for a dedicated smoker.

I had a health scare so I had a good incentive to quit. I still wanted to chew my arm off for the first few weeks. After that I was ok. I did use hard candy and gum to help me quit, but I didn't use nicotine gum. Also, I would suggest finding a hobby that you can do with your hands. (Yes, I know how that could be interpreted - anyway ) I found that I missed smoking when I was driving and when I was bored the most. I did cross stitch for a long time that kept my hands and my brain busy so I could resist the urge to smoke.

Good luck! Hope you find something that works for you!

[Stalin84]

[pinishee]

start chewing on a straw or toothpick. You might be orally fixated.

[rumdiary]

Two words= Nasal snuff.

[Stalin84]

[rumdiary]

[Died By Bear]

I didn't read the other replies yet. I quit cold turkey, but the memory of how I felt about it is still fresh in my mind. 1st and foremost, you really need to go cold turkey. Anything else is fooling yourself and fifteen times as hard because you'll constantly think about it and finally give up because it seems so far away. I tried it like that ten times and never got past the patch, even when I took wellbutrin.

Here's what you do, I swear to God it will work for ya.

Go to the doctor, get Wellbutrin - you will need a three month supply.

Take two a day for a week, smoke as normal. You'll begin to notice that it doesn't feel right when you smoke, something about feeling like you're not getting a real drag off the smoke.

Use a patch for one or two days to get the smell off you and time to relax and look forward to it...then on the third day, don't wear the patch. Congratulations, you just quit smoking. Now think to yourself that you will beat the hell out of the nicotine monster and be the boss of what you do with your time. It's not just the poison from the chemicals they put in smokes, it's the smell that you will avoid every time you light up.

After the 3rd day, you will start to think that maybe the five days they talked about how long it takes to kick the nicotine habit will never come. You'll be tempted, but the Wellbutrin gives you the confidence to keep going. After the 5th day, you realize that you don't think about it like you did on the first and 2nd day. You start to realize that you have taken back control and you can't believe it. I smoked for a very long time, and when I finally quit, I was very very happy. I'd been telling people for years that I was 'going to quit next week' half serious and then when you finally make that decision, you will never look back.

After three months, you won't need any more wellbutrin, because you'll rarely think of having a smoke. Here's the absolute bottom line friend: YOU have to want to quit. That's the secret.


And never use the 'I had a bad day, stressful day' BS because you and I both know that you're going to have bad days every once in awhile whether you smoke or not. What did you do to relieve that stress before you started smoking? Exactly. Have a cupcake, candy, whatever except that poison. It will kill you.

Getting off the nicotine monster will take only five days. Be strong, tell yourself that you're in charge and that you want to do this no matter what.

[alwaysbeclosing100]

most pharmacists have gum and patches you can buy over the counter

[Kaypea]

It took me a long time to quit smoking, but I'm 100% quit now. I think chewing the gum for a while was good for getting me unused to smelling like cigarettes, and the physical act of smoking itself. Pretty much anything is better than smoking, so do what you have to Short of chewing off your arm, of course...

[curlygirl]

I read Allen Carr's easyway to stop smoking and that did it for me. You can torrent the pdf on thepiratebay for free.

[nzbradly78]

Four things helped me quit cold-turkey:

1) Incentive, which you've got. I'm not sure if the phlegm is smoking related, but believe me, you will feel surprisingly great when you've knocked the nicotine habit. Kind of like that second wind.

2) Don't go out. Go into seclusion for about three weeks. The temptation to start up again when you are around smokers is too much to handle. After about three weeks I didn't have the habit from my day-to-day, and so going out wasn't a problem anymore.

3) Dump all your lighters. I was pretty much a packrat with them.

4) Finally, stay the hell out of Family Mart or GS25.

Good luck. I'm not going to sugar coat it, it's agony for about a month or so, but it is so worth it.

[chellovek]