"I'll stop smoking on Monday"
 Apr 17th, 2004
(Feb 1st, 2005)
Advantages:
Makes you see smoking for what it really is .
Disadvantages:
You get left with a peculiar feeling, you CAN'T smoke, though that might be a good thing .
Recommendable:
Yes
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  steffee
About me:
Hurrah! I'm 25, I'm a proud (well not so proud, but y'know) member of the "Quarter of a Century...
Member since:05.07.2000
Reviews:42
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Review rated by 82 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
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That's what I used to say nearly every day, "I'll stop smoking on Monday". I meant it too, but people used to laugh, "yeah yeah" they'd say. Now I know why I said that. And why a lot of people say that, it's because we were afraid of quitting. Of course we are, we've been brainwashed into believing we need to smoke. But more about that later. I read the book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr only last night. I smoked my last cigarette at 2am this morning and have so far been stopped for 17 hours and 22 minutes. You all may ask why I'm writing this op so soon, shouldn't I wait to see if I can stop first, before I write a review of the book? Well, no. Because one thing about Allen Carr is that he promises it will be easy, that it is the EASY WAY. Therefore if I wait a few weeks/months or whatever, how can I then truly recall whether or not it is easy?
Besides, I will update this op frequently over the next year or so. ~~~A little about me~~~
I'm only 23 years old. I smoked for 10 years and most of which I had smoked 20 a day. Lately it had crept upto 25. I know this because in two days my husband and I bought 100 cigarettes between us, and they all were smoked. That's £21.10 every two days we spent on cigarettes. Duh. There was my problem. I have always wanted to stop, and tried many a time. I stopped for three months when I was 18 and found it hard. I can't believe that was five years ago. I stopped last week but hated every second, every cigarette I couldn't smoke, everybody who did smoke, and things were so bad my husband has gone away for the weekend this week because of my mood swings. Uh oh.
So then I did a little research into cognitive smoking, and what illusions smokers (and non-smokers) suffer from about what smoking gives them. I did an online course for free at www.quitsmokingonline.com (which I have to recommend to anyone interested in stopping smoking, as it's free and really makes you think),
and heard about Allen Carrs book, so rushed out to buy that too... But I digress. Back to the book. ~~~Allen Carr~~~
Allen Carr smoked between sixty and a hundred cigarettes every day for over thirty years. He hated smoking (don't we all) and thought there must be an easier way to give up than willpower or nicotine replacement. He used to look forward to evenings because he didn't smoke then, instead confusing the pangs for hunger, and ate. He was two stone overweight. Mr. Carr thought a lot about smoking, why he smoked, why he couldn't stop, when he wanted to desperately. He lied to his wife, argued with close friends and genuinely expected to suffer a brain hemorrhage at any moment. Yet, eventually he found the answer to stopping smoking, and quit. Though he smoked 60-100 cigarettes every day, he suffered no withdrawal symptoms and has honestly never missed smoking (all his admissions, and I have no reason to doubt him). This was 20 years ago.
He realised he had found the answer, and has since devoted his life to helping others stop smoking too. He has clinics, cds, cassettes, videos, online courses and of course, the book. Allen Carr is rather disappointed he doesn't have the backing of the government and the media with his method, but is hopeful that he will one day gain their support. His book "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" has sold four million copies over the past twenty years and has been a bestseller every year. The book has been translated into twenty languages and has even came ahead of Harry Potter in the sales tables.
~~~The Easyway Method~~~ I don't know if I should give this away. Apparently, if you know what the book is going to say before you start reading it, your subconscious has already prepared the answers to the questions the book throws at you.
Let's just say Allen Carr outlines exactly what you're doing, without shock tactics (his words, not mine, I would disagree and say he did use shock tactics, though admittedly, through one chapter he tells you if you're not yet convinced you're going to stop smoking, to skip the rest of the chapter and read it later), without being patronising, and actually knowing what he's talking about through experience. ~~~So does it work?~~~
Well, I HAVE stopped smoking. I'll admit it has given me more incentive to quit, by outlining and dispelling a few illusions, and one thing I learned from the book has had a HUGE impact on my quitting, which is: I'm a drug addict. Mood swings I have are attributed to my body craving nicotine from cigarettes, however, cigarettes no longer fully satisfy my craving, I am never ever again going to be kind, patient, considerate etc.
That was more powerful to me than any health risks or financial costs could do... That means I am a bad mother. I have to be a bad mother. I'm a drug addict and I don't get enough of that drug to satisfy my cravings. My kids deserve better than this. So, in that respect, yes, it does work. I am never going to smoke again, that's for true. I have had quite a hard time today with cravings though, which he promised I wouldn't but I know I haven't quite understood some of his messages yet because I am still missing them a little... apparently there will be a "revelation" later and all the cravings will magically disappear and I will feel liberated. I really hope so because at the moment I know I can't smoke, but I don't like not smoking still...
DAY 2:
More of the principles of the book is starting to sink in. When I decided to quit the night before last, and stubbed out my last cigarette I was unsure that I meant what I was vowing... however, now I do mean it. I've not actually wanted to smoke, but have had cravings, and some of them pretty bad, lol... however, I WILL NOT give in, and in that respect it's quite amusing watching my body recovering from the evil weed. I don't miss smoking at all, and firmly believe I will never go back - also, I'm not saying that because I feel I have to, I can smoke if I want, but I don't want to. DAY 5:
Cravings or "withdrawal pangs" as Carr calls them are indeed managable. I find myself subconciously picking my husbands box up, or thinking about smoking, and have to remind myself that I don't smoke anymore. No heartache though, just changing something I've been used to doing for a long time. I also find it helps to read about smoking on the net... www.whyquit.com is especially helpful.
DAY 10:
Jeez, 10 days already, this is really really easy. Actually it's strange, because though I know I'm never gonna smoke again, I feel like a smoker still, so it's all very confusing. I presume this will go though... 31st JAN 2005:
Well, I thought it was about time I updated this review. I stopped smoking using the help of this book in April last year (the 17th if you must know, and at 2am!!), and managed to painlessly stay stopped for four months. Then you guessed it, I started again, and for the exact same reason that had made me stop - THAT IT WAS A CHOICE. Some people might think that I should go back and re-review this book now, saying "oh no, it didn't work for me. I'm doomed!!" But that's not true. And here's why...
I stopped smoking because I decided I know longer wanted to smoke anymore. (I still can't divulge the books secrets, so will have to stick with that excuse.) A couple of months after I stopped I started piling on weight, became tired and lethargic, moody and breathless walking up stairs, with aching legs and arms. I joined weightwatchers, but in the month, despite sticking to my points allowance religiously, I put on a stone in weight. I then decided I needed to see a doctor and made an appointment. I also decided that maybe I was snacking too much, so to start smoking again would control that aspect. I decided to smoke again... I wasn't tempted, I actually found the first few cigarettes disgusting and it took me a week of forcing those filthy things down my throat before I could re-addict myself and actually want to smoke. By this time I'd been to a doctor, who'd straight away guessed that I could have an underactive thyroid and taken a blood test. The test came back positive, and I was prescribed thyroid tablets. But I was also a smoker again. Oh no!!
I tried re-reading the book. IT DOESN'T WORK THE SECOND TIME ROUND. Doomed then huh? Oh no, because the fabulous Mr. Carr has prepared for this eventuality by providing a more thorough indepth book (almost like a sequel but not quite) called The Only Way to Stop Smoking. And after spending a week reading this book (the writing is teeny weeny and its still more than twice as thick as Easy Way), I stopped smoking again. And this time permanently. I will never ever "change my mind" again, and that's the only way I would ever smoke. So, rather than re-review the book, I think this story actually emphasises the fact that the book does work. It really does. Because I had to "force" myself to smoke... now how many ex-smokers would say that?
THIS BIT TO BE UPDATED ~~~The boring bits, and the interesting bits~~~
Of course, the rest of this op hasn't been boring, hehe... - Firstly there is a phone number!! You can phone up and Allen Carr himelf will give you advice (though presumably it's pre-recorded). The number is 0891 664401
- Another thing I like is a slip at the back of the book where you write your name and address and post it off to him to let him know you've stopped. I think it's really sweet of him to care that Joe-Bloggs-spending-£8.99-on-a-book has stopped smoking. - Oh yeah, and the book is £8.99 (though only £6.99 on amazon) from any good bookstore.
www.allencarreasyway.co.uk
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by (6%):
08.01.2006 17:17
Very good review. To stop smoking a strong will is required, Damona
28.10.2005 17:03
I reviewed this book after reading it, but have since relapsed, perhaps I should read the second one. Mum is on the weightloss version but says its mindnumbingly boring and can't be bothered!
06.10.2005 22:33
Congratulations on giving up