Have you been successful quitting smoking with Allen Carr?

[nickmac209]

I have and it really has been easy! 6 months now, lost the cravings about 2 weeks in, by the 1st month I was shocked that smoking never entered my mind. I was on 20 per day for 15 yrs and tried many times to give up before and all unsuccessful. My wife still smokes and my best mate smokes and so the cigarettes are there... but I have not been even remotely tempted, even when a large night has been involved!
I just wanted to hear other peoples experiences.

[N Dentressangle]

I read the book twice, following the instructions precisely, and felt none of what Carr describes, other than resentment at having been ripped off. Carr obviously believed his own hype though, and it's good that it's worked for you.

I've been a non-smoker for 4 years, but quit using 'conventional' methods. Carr's book went in the bin long ago.

Everyone smokes for different reasons: there's no universal panacea for quitting. That's partly why it's hard!

[nickmac209]

N Dentressangle said:

I read the book twice, following the instructions precisely, and felt none of what Carr describes, other than resentment at having been ripped off. Carr obviously believed his own hype though, and it's good that it's worked for you.

I've been a non-smoker for 4 years, but quit using 'conventional' methods. Carr's book went in the bin long ago.

Everyone smokes for different reasons: there's no universal panacea for quitting. That's partly why it's hard!

Glad you managed to quit - well done on the 4 yrs. What method did you use in the end?
I think your last sentence sums up your not "getting" Carr's book. "Everyone smokes for different reasons"... We only smoke because we become addicted to nicotine.. nothing more & nothing less than that. While smoking we create arguments for "reasons"... stress, enjoyment etc but its about not being able to cope without nicotine... no other reason. Once you knock the addiction on the head its about never sampling another... EVER... or the addiction starts. Its very simple and the same for everyone. Would you agree?

[LordGrover]

Worked for me. >8 months now.
Don't know what the 'hype' is - just a point of view, ideas and an opinion. Also don't understand how above can feel 'ripped off' for his own failures. Blaming someone else is not helping anyone.
I and many others have succeeded with Allen Carr's book - but as above - there's not a panacea for all circumstances. Worst case is it'll cost you the price of a pack of fags or two - certainly way better than the NRT industry.

[N Dentressangle]

nickmac209 said:

Glad you managed to quit - well done on the 4 yrs. What method did you use in the end?
I think your last sentence sums up your not "getting" Carr's book. "Everyone smokes for different reasons"... We only smoke because we become addicted to nicotine.. nothing more & nothing less than that. While smoking we create arguments for "reasons"... stress, enjoyment etc but its about not being able to cope without nicotine... no other reason. Once you knock the addiction on the head its about never sampling another... EVER... or the addiction starts. Its very simple and the same for everyone. Would you agree?

Absolutely. Nicotine is powerfully addictive - for me it was counter-productive hearing the daft Allen Carr message that quitting smoking was 'easy'. If it were that easy then no-one would smoke, and AC wouldn't make money out of 'workshops'...

I used Zyban and http://whyquit.com/

If AC works for you, that's great. For me, I found it immensely helpful when my GP acknowledged that quitting smoking was difficult and that it was OK to fail. AC just came across as yet another smug ex-smoker.

[jas xjr]

I was a pathetic smoker. Trying everything half heartedly.
Champix worked for me.
If a book can help , I would try that first

[GTIR]

It was ok but kept going out.

[Flat6time]

^^^^^^

I quit with it in 2003 and haven't looked back. was as easy as you experienced, and I wish someone had told me about it years earlier.

[NorthDave]

Worked for me and my uncle too.he'd been a 40 a day man for about 40 years too.

[nickmac209]

It sounds incredibly simple but the key is not to ever, ever have another smoke.... it's that addictive and at the same time that simple. If you can get through 2 weeks the addiction is gone... the book just makes you realize that all the "self mind washing" you've created and you don't need the cigarettes. Its just purely an addiction. Until I read the book I thought I liked, enjoyed and needed to smoke.
Did anyone here who gave up using the book have recurrent dreams where they smoked a cigarette and woke up stressed out that they had had one?I had these for about 4 months on and off.

[LordGrover]

Nope.
It was like flicking a switch.
One day I was a 'born smoker', the next a non-smoker.
No giving up phase. End of.

[jas xjr]

nickmac209 said:

It sounds incredibly simple but the key is not to ever, ever have another smoke.... it's that addictive and at the same time that simple. If you can get through 2 weeks the addiction is gone... the book just makes you realize that all the "self mind washing" you've created and you don't need the cigarettes. Its just purely an addiction. Until I read the book I thought I liked, enjoyed and needed to smoke.
Did anyone here who gave up using the book have recurrent dreams where they smoked a cigarette and woke up stressed out that they had had one?I had these for about 4 months on and off.

I had the dream thing for months. Always felt really guilty in the dream too.