My Stop Smoking Tips

[nsd_user663_60538]

Hi, I'd been trying to stop smoking for years, I've most likely done what all of us do and thats go through stages where we say we're give up tomorrow and going through the stage of just being a casual smoker and then gradually buying packs everyday. A couple of years ago I read Allen Carr's book and I stopped for sometime but ended up stupidy starting again by just having 1 when I'm nervous about something or at a pub round other smokers. I've skimmed through the book a few times since but hadn't really given it my full attention. Anyway now I sat back down and read it word for word and wrote it out so I could understand it better. I'm happy to say I've stopped smoking now and I thought I'd post what I wrote out hoping it may help someone else out.

First off he uses the comparison that smoking cigarettes is the same as a insects getting killed by a pitcher plant. This is actually a great comparison as the pitcher plant gives of a scent that is addictive to the insect. The insect tastes the plant but he never decided to become hooked - the plant trapped him.

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This is the same with cigarettes... We all decided to smoke for whatever reason usually to look cool at school but we never decided to become addicted to them and when we want to stop we can't. The addiction is what traps a person.

The Illusions

all the reasons we give for smoking are all illusions the only reason we smoke is because it contains nicotine which is addictive.

I Like the taste?

Really? If you like the taste of cigarettes then you wouldn't be smoking them - you would be eating them.

I like the smell

Really? So if they sold a air freshener In the supermarket which smelt of cigarette smoke would you buy that and spray it around your house?

I like Cigarettes

Compare this to something else you like! I like almonds but I don't carry them around with me all day long and when I don't have them on me I don't start getting stressful or paniky about when will I get some next.

It's a social prop

It kills social occasions! Especially nowaday where your not allowed to smoke In pubs, you have to leave your group of mates to go smoke outside.

The worse thing I found was doing things like going to the cinema even if it was my favorite film I couldn't relax long enough and enjoy it because I was thinking in my head "hurry up and finish because I want a cigarette now".

I found going on dates also suck when your a smoker because you don't want to smoke in front of them but you end up doing so after awhile and then you worry about them kissing you as your mouth must taste like licking a ashtray. Thankfully I haven't got to worry about that anymore haha.

It's stylish and Cool

I never really thought that myself but I guess I must of been a little influenced by watching movies... for instance if I watched a James Dean film when I was younger I would after want to smoke all for instance if you watch Basic Instinct I gaurantee you that you think smoking is hot lol

It's not the cigarette that stylish and cool - It's the person doing it!

Imagine someone you find attractive smoking and then picture someone you find unattractive smoking.

- It's not the cigarette it's the person.

Don't fall for market strategies!

I like Inhaling

If you like inhaling then go put your mouth over an exhaust pipe I'm sure that isn't a pleasent feeling. It just shows that we don't like inhaling it's the addiction that makes us think we like it.

It helps me concentration

Smoking is what stops you being able to concentrate because your thinking always about relieving the craving.

I like the Ritual

This was a hard one to swallow when I read this part. Nicotine is the most addictive drug in mankind. If you think about a herion addict injecting themselfs... If your like me that grosses you out but we are exactly the same. Smoking cigarettes you are a drug addict we inhale it they inject it.

Those are only some of the illusions that he talks about which made the most sense to me. I realised that all the reasons I gave for smoking were all illusions and some more.

Nicotine

This part of the book was most helpful, he explains the addiction in better detail and uses some imaginary ways of explaining his point.

So when you start smoking you plant a seed in your body which is nicotine he calls it the nicotine monster lol. What he goes on to say is that now you have this monster in your body you have to feed it otherwise you become uptight stressed and angry. The reality is that the nicotine has started to leave your body which is the withdrawl feeling - the only way to stop that feeling is to smoke so you plant fresh nicotine in your body which relieves the feeling.

Your ok for sometime after but the longer you smoke the shorter the craving will be and thats how you end up a chain smoker.

It only takes 3 weeks for the nicotine to leave your body so the cravings shouldn't last much longer than that. I found personally its the first 3 days and then it's easier. I suppose it depends what mind frame your in and thats why I think this book is good because It sets you up and puts you in the right mind frame. Even when you have a craving you just think "ah this my body craving nicotine but it will all be out of my system soon".

I'm sorry for my bad spelling and grammer but I hope this could possibly help someone.

Stopping smoking has been one of the best decisions I've made so far, I feel so much better and running has become easier lol plus what I spent on cigarettes I can now afford the healthy diet and lifestyle I wanted todo for such a long time.

Stuart

[nsd_user663_60538]

Thanks mate I appreciate that. Well done on 10 months, Are the cravings just every now and again? The hardest part for me I find is at work because so many of them smoke.

[nsd_user663_60538]

What a post Jon just read that 3 times. A lot of what Allan Carr said in the book went over my head but what you wrote is all I need to know Thanks. xx

Thank you x

[nsd_user663_49415]

Stuart that is a really good and thoughtful post.

You eloquently help debunk the myths that make us keep smoking-even now for me after 10 months,I could fancy a fag-but I won't because my common sense/logic and sense of self preservation now is much stronger than the addiction.

Thanks for that post

Bang on with all of that. I still get daily triggers (not cravings) and think about smoking every day, and this is after 17 months and counting, but then I smoked for over 40 years so the daily associations are probably not surprising. Point is, as Max says and as you've demonstrated in the post, knowledge and education is power. I could happily spark one up from time to time, but I'm not going to, as my new found self-respect now stops me.

Good luck with your quit, although you should not need luck now, as you've proved the level of understanding required to stop smoking for good. I don't know how long you smoked for; the longer the habit lasted, the longer the daily associations will still remain. However, there's absolutely no need to smoke anymore. Those days are gone.

[nsd_user663_27255]

Excellent post thanks for sharing

[nsd_user663_53649]

excellent post, I will be rereading that on a daily basis.

[nsd_user663_61059]

Nice post and good read. Helped a little with my day 1..

[nsd_user663_61676]

Allen Carr is Magic

Great post. I quit the Easy Way too. Forget nicotine patches and the rest. Smoking is easy to quit using the Allen Carr method. No willpower required and no cravings ever again. Just wish the NHS used it instead of their nicotine replacement rubbish.