Has anyone else failed after reading Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way"?

Question

I was excited to read his book, expecting a whole lot. I am ready to quit smoking and I thought this book would help me tremendously. I didn't get anything out of the book. Anyone else have any suggestions to help me? Anyone else not "get" the book? Didn't he say in it that he was hypnotized and that's what worked for him???

Answer 1

I'm in the same boat you are ... trying to quit. I have smoked for 26 years and I finally had my head in the right place. I researched a little bit on the internet and found that cutting down was most successful for women. Unfortunately, I got a very, very bad cold that lasted a good week 3 days after I started the cutting down process (I NEVER get sick) and it really threw me off my game. I'm down to about 10 a day (down from about 22 a day) and sticking with it. Some days it is 12, some 13, but I'm determined that I'm going to do it even if it is a slow process. After smoking that many years I know that I've got to change the habit more than the addiction (at least for me).

Good luck!

Answer 2

First, I must tell you that I did not read the book. Second, I must tell you that you do not need a book, hypnosis, acupuncture, patch, gum, lozenge, etc. etc. etc. If you are truly ready to quit smoking, you do not need any crutch. You just need sheer determination. You need to remind yourself constantly that you are ready to quit smoking and are doing it now. No more excuses. Acknowledge the pain. Don't ignore it. Delve into it and tell yourself that your starting a bad habit has resulted in your body reacting in this way when you quit. It is normal. You can handle it. You also need to acknowledge that you honestly cannot have just one cigarette. You have to acknowledge that you are addicted and cannot have even one little cigarette or you will be back to smoking again. I smoked for 50 years and tried everything on the market to quit and kept going back to smoking within a day or two. I refused to accept the fact that I was addicted and so, kept lighting up "just one more time". I had the beginning stages of emphysema and a tumor. I made a pact with God that if the tumor were not malignant, I would quit. Well, when I was told the tumor was not malignant, I pitched the half empty pack of cigarettes. I have not touched one since and it has been over a year. I want one but I won't so much as take one drag. Cold Turkey. It's the only way to do it. Most important of all, you have to be convinced that you CAN do it. It is not that hard. We go back to smoking not because we couldn't give it up, but because we didn't WANT to give it up.

Answer 3

I, personally never read Mr. Carr's book, but I did conquer my bad habit of smoking. I was a smoker for about 40 years, and was having a lot of bronchial problems, coughing, and shortness of breath. naturally, I blamed everything else but my smoking habit for my ills. I got a real medical scare and was told that I had the beginnings of emphysema. I went home, tore each and every cigarette into pieces threw all of my lighters away, and told myself to live without tobacco. Was it easy? NO, but each day got a little better. When I had the urge, I would go out for a nice long walk and enjoy just breathing. I enrolled in college and began keeping myself busy, and away from smokers, so that I would not be "tempted." In about three weeks the urges became fewer and farther between and by the end of the second month, I was irritated by the smell of smoke. I still am to this day. It has been almost three years and I can breathe, no further advance of emphysema, no bronchial infections, and I am active and can enjoy doing things I used to do before smoking. Believe me when I say, " breathing without wheezing and coughing is WONDERFUL." Please take the plunge and quit. Life only gets better.

Answer 4

I didn't read the Allen Carr book when I gave up smoking but I did read an article in a Sunday magazine that he wrote and I followed his instructions. That was 16 years ago and I haven't smoked since so I would say that it can work very well indeed.

Answer 5

Allen Carr Method

Answer 6

If you truly want to quit smoking you can and will. I have been smoke free for 9 years. I was a social smoker and easily influenced by environment and stress. So, I enrolled in a Karate program...the money I would have spent on butts paid the tuition...and the physical exercise made me realize how much I wanted to be able to breathe without hacking and wheezing. I did not buy any cigarettes so that if I wanted one I had to "bum it". After six months of training I was smoke free...I stayed out of places where smoking was a predominant part of the atmosphere. It was hard for a while and got easier every time I realized I had said no or gotten through a craving. I stopped smoking because I wanted to and it is gone for good. You can do it too. BTW...I am now a second degree black belt and in awesome shape.

Answer 7

I have not read his book. If you are trying to quit smoking, drinking or any other addiction, you have do so cold turkey. It is like ripping a bandaide off, you do so fast and with no mercy. If you feel you are having withdrawl symptoms, don 't to what they tell you to do, ie, using a nicotine patch, ect. The idea is to quit cold turkey, so you have to do other activities that take the place of that addiction. If you gamble, don't go near areas you know have casinos, buy lottery tickets or anything else that encourages that sort of risk taking activity. If you smoke, and can chew gum, do it, use mints, hard candy anything sugarless to keep your mouth busy. If you have to put something between your fingers, use pencils, pens, or straws. Eventually what will happen is those urges will slowly fade away. If its diet you need to control, choose a diet like an all protien diet that allows you to eat non stop, but is high protien, for 2 weeks, slowly adding low carb foods to counter those cravings. Your taste for both sugar and other bad things will go away on thier own. Excercise, take walks, do leg lifts, swim, go for hikes or anything you would not want food or alcohol, nicotine to slow you down. Drink diet soda or tea, water, glasses of flavored no cal or low cal drinks, or milk. All are good for you. You don't need books to get you to quit, or gimmicks, just hard work and determination.

Answer 8

To Quit smoking you must want too! It is an addiction! It will take your time and effort and a whole lot of networking with the people you love assisting you. It can be done some people do it right off others go for years before they really want too do it! So, if you really want too stop do it! It will be hard but stick with it and it will happen! Good Luck ! Oh and Book and programs are just for Money! Your the only one that can stop!

Answer 9

well ur not quite a smart chickie beliving in hypnotism i thought most of the ppl knew that the hypnotism was just all a big hoax nobody can really be hypnotized and especially not from reading a book....mayb u should go on that smoking plan of that 1..2..3..step it worked 4 my mom but for ur info in the near future never belive everything you hear and only half of what u read

Answer 10

I didn't read the book but I did quit smoking eight years ago. If you're serious about quiting, go to your doctor and see if they have a class you can take, that's what I did and my husband went with me to show support. He ended up quiting too and it's the best accomplishment we ever did. I couldn't even leave a room without picking up my cigarettes first. It was tough the first 2 weeks, after that it was simply keeping my hands busy.