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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Have you read Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking??

72 replies

SmileItsANewYear · 02/01/2014 18:15

Huge stretch of AIBU here but have posted elsewhere a no response...

I'm just about to start reading this, I quit while I was pregnant but quickly started back up after separating from my husband. I am now looking to kick the habit for good and wonder if anybody else has read this.

Did you rate it?

And most importantly, did it work for you?

Thanks

OP posts:
Footface · 02/01/2014 18:51

It's brilliant. Made me feel like a fool for smoking and being so influenced by tobacco companies without even realizing.

I smoked for 15 years, bloody enjoyed it too!

Really read the book don't skim or it won't work

chipsandpeas · 02/01/2014 18:51

didnt work for me

FourFlapjacksPlease · 02/01/2014 18:52

worked for me! It was 12 years ago and the only bit i can remember was something about smoking to relieve stress/give pleasure being like smacking your head repeatedly against a wall so it was pleasurable when you stopped. Stuck in my head and as someone else said was a bit of a lightbulb moment.

Original poster
SmileItsANewYear · 02/01/2014 18:53

Thanks everyone. Please all keep your fingers crossed for me. Wanted to try something that wouldn't be substituting one addiction for another although wine as a sub is interesting

OP posts:
astyinmyeye · 02/01/2014 18:54

Didn't work the first time but worked the second time ! It also worked with alcohol.

FuckyNell · 02/01/2014 18:56

Yes it worked for me. I am a happy non smoker of almost four years.

teenagetantrums · 02/01/2014 18:57

I read it did not make me stop smoking at all, i read it really slowly as it says you can smoke while you finish the book. I get what he is trying to say, but didn't work for me. Am on the Ecigs but still want a fag, i wonder if the urge will ever stop?

TheRealAmandaClarke · 02/01/2014 18:58

Yes.
I read "Easyway" and loved it. Stopped smoking for a year. But. Lapsed (broke a rule) then I read the slightly longer version and haven't looked back. That was five years ago.
I really rate it.

LadyintheRadiator · 02/01/2014 18:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

heliumheart · 02/01/2014 19:05

I really rate it too. I have given up three times I think using it, but each time I did it (I have been to the group session too, it is brilliant) I gave up for a LONG time, several years. The last time I went after having started again after a traumatic incident in my life, got to the point where I was buying them again and just thought 'time to go back to Allen Carr' and that was that. It just makes so much logical sense, and at the end of the session you all throw your cigarette packets into a mountain of packets in the corner of the room and walk out knowing you are a non-smoker. I remember the first time, afterwards I wandered into a newsagent and stood there scratching my head wondering what I was doing there until I realised I was a non smoker and walked straight back out again Grin

Good luck!

thornrose · 02/01/2014 19:05

Don't worry Smile I was just kidding about the wineGrin

I spent my life smoking on balconies, out of windows, out in the rain etc. Realising that it was a relief not to do this was simple but hadn't occurred to me!

The realisation that I was in a vicious circle of withdrawing from nicotine between cigs, needing a smoke to top up that nicotine and all the time thinking smoking was relieving my stress!

Life without cigarettes is a million times less stressful.

Mintyy · 02/01/2014 19:05

Its a very simple message: put a positive spin on not smoking, don't feel sorry for yourself for what you are missing out on. You aren't giving anything up, you are doing yourself a massive great big fucking favour and after a week or two you will sincerely wonder what all the fuss was about.

onedogandababy · 02/01/2014 19:07

I gave up for about 9 months after reading it but started having social fags again. Finally quit by doing month long bets with a friend. Then the ban came in and haven't smoked since Aug 06.

But yes it does work, the hardest thing I found was following the instruction to keep smoking til you finish the book, I really wanted to stop halfway through!

swampusdonkus · 02/01/2014 19:08

I stopped smoking straight after reading it, but started again a year later when I had a stressful life event. Argh. To me, he talked a lot of sense in terms of stopping smoking being about conquering primarily the (bigger) monster of psychological dependence, and that dealing with the (smaller) monster of actual physical dependence is not as bad as we believe it will be. So that really stayed with me. I would not advise reading his follow-up book The Only Way to Stop Smoking Permanently as it is basically the first book padded out with a lot of rambling and unnecessary waffle. I ended up stopping smoking after the GP prescribed me Champix but I still rate Allen Carr's perspective on stopping smoking. Good luck!

leezl · 02/01/2014 19:18

I read it after going cold turkey for two weeks and it completely cemented my decision to stop smoking. Two and a half years later, I haven't had even a puff! Good luck, you can do it!

SilverOldie · 02/01/2014 19:47

I've tried reading it on 3 different occasions but didn't work for me - only wish it did. May investigate hypnotherapy as I would love to give up.

ivegotaniphone · 02/01/2014 20:29

It was the single most useful thing I ever read when trying to give up. GPS/nurses nhs are rubbish IMO. All they do is tell you how hard it is going to be. They don't deal with why you do it.

ProfondoRosso · 04/01/2014 15:40

It didn't work for me Sad

I have some MH issues (generalized anxiety disorder) and found it was a bit lightweight for the intense anxiety I suffered when I tried to quit. But I can see the sense in it. I need to work on getting more emotionally stable (which I'm working on with medication and mindfulness meditation) and I know I'll quit one day.

meganorks · 04/01/2014 15:43

My other half stopped reading it because he knew it was going to work and he didn't want yo stop smoking then it turned out! What a weirdo! Stopped smoking now though anyway

Doinmummy · 04/01/2014 15:49

It didn't work for me. I could see what he was doing and sort of rebelled against it! Hypnotism didn't work either.

I'm now vaping and haven't had the urge for a fag at all

sleeplessbunny · 04/01/2014 15:51

This worked well for DH. He read it twice before actually quitting, I think you have to really get into the mindset for it to work. He has stopped for 2 yrs now. Smile

mrsjay · 04/01/2014 15:54

yes twice hides fags Blush

BillyBanter · 04/01/2014 15:57

Yes. No.

ProfondoRosso · 04/01/2014 16:00

Well done, Doing Smile

I went for hypnosis and honestly thought it was the most useless £100 I'd ever spent. I never felt remotely in any kind of 'zone.' Not helped by the fact that I could hear the hypnotherapist checking her Blackberry! But I don't want to tar all hypnotherapists with the same brush, I'm sure many are very good.

mamapants · 04/01/2014 16:04

I read it and successfully quit smoking.
That was about 3 or 4 yrs ago.
It really worked for me.
I decide to quit and started reading the book the day after so I wasn't smoking while reading it like it tells you to. But I would read a chapter or two every night which really helped any time I felt tempted he would remind me not to.

DP used it previously and quit for a year, unfortunately he still smokes but that is the longest he ever lasted.