Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking?

31 replies

grotbagz · 06/02/2013 19:23

Hi all,

Has anyone read this? What did you think? Did it help you or someone you know quit smoking?

Equally, if anyone's in the process of reading it let me know what you think so far! Would be nice to discuss it with others in the same boat!

I am currently on chapter 3 and not sure how I feel about it!

OP posts:

FlouncingMintyy · 06/02/2013 19:25

Yes, I read it. I got the point and quit. Its very effective, I believe.

Original poster

grotbagz · 06/02/2013 19:27

How long had you been smoking mintyy? Did you stop immediately? That's encouraging that it helped you! Congrats!!

OP posts:

FlouncingMintyy · 06/02/2013 19:36

Had smoked for 10 years and stopped immediately, and lasted for a year.

The very silly mistake I made was to think I could have one or two a week "socially", which got me started again. How much do I regret that?

Original poster

grotbagz · 06/02/2013 19:38

The fact you stopped is good at least! Oh no! Have you thought about maybe reading it again or do you think it won't work second time round? Or obviously do you just not want to quit again at the moment?

OP posts:

FlouncingMintyy · 06/02/2013 19:41

Oh don't worry, I have quit again. Am born again non-smoker, me.

I recommend that you read the book, quit, and (this is in the later chapters of the book) when he says DON'T EVER THINK YOU CAN SMOKE 1 CHEEKY CIGARETTE AGAIN truly take that on board and remember it.

Then you will be fine .

sickofsocalledexperts · 06/02/2013 19:42

Yes DH and I used it and have both stopped after a combined 70 years smoking!

What he says makes PERFECT sense - smoking is the only addiction which gives no pleasure, other than relief from the craving for smoking itself. Once you dump the nicotine addiction, there is no need to relieve that addiction (ie to smoke). It is common sense, but also a little like self-hypnosis IMHO.

Have to say that my other big impetus was my darling mother dying of (smoking-related) lung cancer, too early.

Good luck!

tealady · 06/02/2013 19:45

Smoked for 15+ years (20 a day). Read this book over 15 years ago. Gave up and have never smoked since. It helped me!

mummybare · 06/02/2013 19:51

I read it, quit, slipped a la FlouncingMintyy and started again - smoked for another few years until I found out I was pregnant when I dug it out again, read it, listened to a couple of hypnosis CDs and haven't smoked for nearly 18 months. Give it a go - it's worked for quite a few people I know. :)

annieatno4 · 06/02/2013 19:55

Hey ...

Yep I used it to give up 9 years ago ... Never looked back. Smoking about 25 a day!

Original poster

grotbagz · 06/02/2013 20:53

thanks for all your feedback everyone, and congrats to you all for quitting! you inspired me to push through and am now on chapter 15 - i think i was put off by the first part because although he's english all i can visualise is a pushy, too loud, american infomercial... after a few more chapters i started to 'get' it!

minty that's ok then! i'm glad you're back on track with not smoking!

sickof sorry to hear of your loss. i can imagine that playing a big role - my mother smokes like a chimney but plays sport constantly and appears to be perfectly healthy, i think that's partly why i haven't been able to properly quit sooner - i am planning on giving the book to my mum after I've read it if it helps me, hopefully she will take it on board also.

tealady and annie so pleased for you, i can't wait to quit!

mummybare i quit, or thought i had, when i found out i was pg but as soon as i was no longer i couldn't help but start again - just like it said in the book it was just the 'I'm too stressed, not the right time, do it tomorrow' thing! glad you're now smoke free!

thanks again everyone!

OP posts:

SofaThrowsAreTheWorkOfTheDevil · 06/02/2013 20:58

I was a 20-30 a day smoker. REad it in an afternoon 13 years ago and haven't had one since.

I often smell fresh smoke and think how lovely it would be to have a cigarette but I know inside a) it wouldn't just be one and b) I really don't want to be a smoker.

I remember not really feeling any urge to actually quit until right at the end of the book - not sure how near the end chapter 15 is.

TooMuchRain · 06/02/2013 21:10

I found it very unreadable and repetitive and disliked him immensely but it works precisely because it is so repetitive, it just brainwashes you basically. I stopped with it and then started again a few years later (the old, 'just the one' argument) but have now been a non-smoker for several years and love it

Dothraki · 06/02/2013 21:17

It worked for me. 20 a day for over 20 years. 5 years this month

Original poster

grotbagz · 06/02/2013 23:36

sofathrows, dothraki and too much rain congrats on quitting!

I see what you mean now - chapter 15 was around half way through and I'm now at chapter 30 and have for the last 5-10 chapters been thinking I'm not so convinced! Not sure if that's because he keeps trying to sell me his other books though... Hopefully it'll click for me too!

Thanks everyone!

OP posts:

2cats222 · 06/02/2013 23:42

To give some balance, I read it, hated it and didn't stop. Am now stopped after 16 years smoking. I stopped thanks to electric cigs. Different things work for different people I guess, and also if the time is right and you REALLY want to stop

Dothraki · 06/02/2013 23:53

2cats and grotbagz I didn't finish the book then throw my cigs away. I finished the book (and I agree - it has alot of crapityness ! ) buta few weeks later I was watching a tv programme and they were discussing the risks of strokes. The people who were being told were all really shocked - and I watched thinking - I am high risk. That was the day I quit. It also helped that a good friend said "you'll never give up" - that was like the extra push I needed. So- read the book - ignore the shit and style - then pick your day carefully.............goodluck

Original poster

grotbagz · 07/02/2013 10:53

2cats i'm glad there was some balance - starting to think it was madness! i really hated it also, yeah i want to give the book to my mum but i think she'll be the same as you! glad you've stopped though! and thanks!

dothraki thanks for the advice - i finished the book, and even at the end thought 'this isn't going to work for me' but actually I'm not interested in smoking right now and i usually like the morning one (as he says haha) - strange, i feel like he's been inside my brain haha!

OP posts:

trickydickie · 11/02/2013 13:41

I had given up for a few weeks and I read the book as was getting desperate to smoke again. So I know he recommends reading the book and then stopping but I did it the other way round.

I believe that if I hadn't read his books a few weeks into my 'quit', I would still be smoking. I loved taking all the phrases on board (though many think it is crappiness)." I loved the I am only ever one cigarrette away from 40 a day."

I think I have a very addictive personality though. I smoked for over 20 years and smoked 40 a day. I haven't had a cigarrette in over 8 years now.

trickydickie · 11/02/2013 13:43

Good luck with giving up Grot

Original poster

grotbagz · 11/02/2013 18:13

tricky that's interesting that you did it that way! I completely get what you mean, it actually makes sense - mine was the £40,000 cigarette! I haven't quit yet - I'm going to give it another read through as I 'got' it but I think I read it too quickly trying to fast track and missed something! Congrats on giving up! I'm still in the phase where anyone who can give up is amazing to me haha! One day !

OP posts:

Norem · 15/02/2013 16:47

Grotbagz I saw this thread in active last week, downloaded the book, read it in 2 days and have given up.
I smoked about 15 a day for years.
It made a lot of sense to me and I now feel happy that I don't have to smoke bloody fags any more.
Keep reading you can do it.

FlouncingMintyy · 15/02/2013 16:52

grotbagz its quite simple: all you have to take on board is that you will feel better for not smoking. It won't be like you are craving cigarettes for the rest of your life but you have to do this pesky giving-up thing because its expensive and bad for you, you will actually be free of cigarettes, you won't think about them, you won't crave them, you will go to the pub and have a drink and cigarettes won't even cross your mind.

All of the above is guaranteed if you can get through the slight twitchiness of the first few weeks without the fags.

CuriousMama · 15/02/2013 16:59

I think I'll buy this for my friend. I'm an ex smoker who had the odd few when drunk. But have non at all now. I found it cheap on ebay here.

sebsmama · 24/02/2013 19:24

My dad who I thought would never give up read this book and quit after probably 30 odd years of smoking. It was the only thing that worked, seemed to just click. He hasn't smoked for 4 years now, and I am so pleased. Good luck, I hope it works for you.

TheEscapeGoat · 24/02/2013 19:50

Went on a seminar 15 years ago. Haven't smoked since. Easiest thing I've ever done, best £80 I've ever spent!

Flip

1 2