Allen Carr: Did it work for you?
 

Following on from my hypnotherapy thread; how successful have people been with quitting smoking after reading the Allen Carr book?

To those who have been successful, would you tell me how long you have stopped for?

I've only read the first 8 chapters, but I'm quite confident it will help! :)

it helped me give up........





































.........reading


bought it, read 3 pages, put it down, I might give it another whirl.

me :)

and a close friend



chopper

There needs to be another choice in the poll for "No, and I continued smoking regardless" ;)

I read his book and thought that his method basically boiled down to using will power - albeit with brass knobs on. Interesting read though.

Surely that's either the second or third option! ;)

I mean if you read the book, but carried on smoking, then really the book the didn't work for you! :o

I was just being pedantic. The second option implies (to me at least) that the reader gave up and then went back to smoking, rather than carry on smoking throughout reading the book and after finishing it. :)

Allen Carr and zyban at the same time seemed quite effective

"Well they were trialed as an anti-depressant........"
 

Zyban !!!!!!!

Terrible stuff, my doctor put me on them.....................

Turned me into a monster, spent 6 weeks as a 'passenger' in my own head, actually came to within '3 more words of a full blown punch up' with some guy in Tesco's whilst on em. Made me bad tempered, irratic, aggressive, generally nasty.



















Back on the smokes now (10-ish a day)

you sure that wasn't lack of nicotine?

Seriously, no it had nothing to do with lack of nicotine, I am far from an aggressive person but 6 weeks on those things and I'd have taken on anyone, anywhere..........perhaps Stan's on em atm ?

Wife bought it me.

I never read it

Gave up smoking 1 New Years Eve

4 days later glanced at it to see what it was all about & saw "Now that you have stopped, you are now a Non-Smoker". Those words did it for me & I never looked back or have had a fag since.

Can't admit to having read the damn thing though...

Asked my doc if this would be a good way to quit years ago...

He had a quick look through my medical records, errrr history of depression and anxiety, don't think so mate. It can turn the most rational balanced people into complete basket cases, so I certainly wouldn't be prescribing it to you.....

Didn't sound like the best way to quit to me :D

Combination of reading Allen Carr's book and buckets of physical exercise is the only way to go IMHO.

My best mate smoked countless roll-ups every day. He went to an Allen Carr session and gave up there and then. He swears by it.

HOWEVER, due to his personal circumstances changing, my mates back on the weed. He says that once his situation has changed, he will be going back for another session.

I've just finished reading the book, had my last cigarette and happy I'm now a NON-SMOKER! :)

Yes time will tell, but I haven't been this happy or this confident about stopping smoking! :D

Excellent

Worked for my wife and I BUT we paid up the 120 notes (refundable) and went to the 4 1/2 hour session......walked out non smokers.

Did it at the Alderly Edge branch - SO worth it. Spent that much a month in fags!

Coach

Having read the book, I feel I might have gained more (or got the concept quicker) by going to the session, but I read it yesterday (about 5-6 hours) and I believe I am a non-smoker!

i read the book... and quit.... for 18months!!!

so guess it failed for me!!!

After 18 months you failed yourself, the book says in weak moments read it again to refresh your thoughts on why you don't want/need to smoke.

At least your boby had an 18 month break from smoking so not all is lost.


chopper :)

Instead of buying the £8.99 paperback version of the book, I got the £12.99 hardback version which also comes with two CD's of Allen Carr talking.

The CD's are there for after you've read the book and I can see them being really handy for a refresher! :)

A chap I work with found it worked unbelievably well, he sellotaped a copy of it over his mouth and hasnt had a fag since.................<groan>

you're right... i did fail myself.... am i going to try again... not yet!!!

hope that didn't sound too harsh :)

If you have stopped for 18 months you will beable to do it again...good luck.


The smoke free chopper :D

I tried the Zyban route too - and like Bottomfeeder, it turned me into a complete monster.

I also tried the Allen Carr book, and I gave up for 3 months. Must re-read it soon ;)

If you overlook the patronising side of it, I found it worked very well (albeit short-term for me)

It's only patronising if you believe you knew what was being told to you.

It changed my outlook on various elements of nicotine addiction, therefore it was not patronising as it was informing me of a way of thinking that I had not done before.

I've just spent an hour in the pub with two smokers and I had a couple of drinks, but I didn't have the "I would kill for a cigarette" moment that I would using the "willpower method"

Fair point Andy - and if it's worked for so many people, it has to be of value.

Best of luck, you've done the right thing.

I suppose the good thing is that it worked for you in the past, so there is no reason that it won't work for you in the future.

Good luck to you, if you decide to stop smoking again :)