Quitting Smoking

[jugoso]

So I quit smoking about 25 Days ago . I certainly don´t consider it to be a done deal or anything but I feel pretty good about it and confident that I can remain a non-smoker. It´s kind of strange because I have never tried to quit before and really thought it would be much harder than it has proven to be (so far). I consider myself to be a fairly hard-core smoker, first starting when I was 11 and smoking daily by 12. I smoked at least a pack a day for over 30 years. I´d never planned on remaining a smoker my whole life and although entertained the idea of quitting never really thought too much about it other than in an abstract kind of way. Anyway, a good buddy of mine from Canada sent me a book a couple of months ago. He told me that three friends he knows independently of each other had all read this book and all three quit smoking and have remained that way (between 1 and 3 years) Since that time I´ve spoken to two other people who both smoked for over 40 years, read the book, and no longer smoke.

It´s called Allen Carr´s Easyway to Stop Smoking The fellow who wrote it claims to have helped over 10 million people quit smoking. It has been super helpful for me particularly around the psychological component to smoking as all smokers can attest that that is what leads you back to smoking.

I´m wondering if other people are familiar with this book and whether or not they were successful and overall opinions on it.

I´m also interested to hear other methods that people have used to help them. From the little research I did, it seems that hypnosis has the best success rate. The various “nicotine substitution methods” and drugs seem to vary in their success rate but the overall percentage for even the best seems quite low. This method claims a much higher success rate but I haven´t been able to find any independent verification.

Celebrity clients include –

Sir Richard Branson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Hrithik Roshan, Ellen DeGeneres, Ashton Kutcher, Stefano Gabbana, Michael McIntyre, Michael Ball, Anjelica Huston, Bruce Oldfield, Neve Campbell, Ruby Wax, Lou Reed, Jason Mraz, Gianluca Vialli, David Blaine, Arlene Phillips, Ferzan Ozpetek, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Bruce Oldfield, Alberto Vázquez, Martin Clunes…and many others who wish to remain anonymous.

Corporate clients include –

IBM, BP, Ford, BT, Total, Nestlé, British Airways, Inland Revenue, BMW, Microsoft, Tesco, Sony, Esso, Unilever, Ikea…and many more

Client testimonials – read thousands of unsolicited testimonials from happy non-smokers

http://www.allencarrseasyway.com/

Edited May 17, 2012 by jugoso

[Robbie333]

Tough one. I quit one years ago and began again. I have not smoked in fifteen years and it will allow you to feel much better. You will really notice the difference. Hang in there. For me, I could only go cold turkey. The first two weeks I kept the guns unloaded but after that it was easier. LOL

[keninsc]

Nothing worked for me until I had a massive heart attack complete with six by-passes.

Some how that sort of put a buzz kill on smoking.

[Professor Buzzkill]

I quit smoking about 2 months ago. I had been smoking for 7 years. All i needed was a bag of dope over a three day weekend, every time i wanted a smoke i just had a joint instead. By the end of the weekend i was over the physical side effects and will power did the rest.

[+Sherapy]

So I quit smoking about 25 Days ago . I certainly don´t consider it to be a done deal or anything but I feel pretty good about it and confident that I can remain a non-smoker. It´s kind of strange because I have never tried to quit before and really thought it would be much harder than it has proven to be (so far). I consider myself to be a fairly hard-core smoker, first starting when I was 11 and smoking daily by 12. I smoked at least a pack a day for over 30 years. I´d never planned on remaining a smoker my whole life and although entertained the idea of quitting never really thought too much about it other than in an abstract kind of way. Anyway, a good buddy of mine from Canada sent me a book a couple of months ago. He told me that three friends he knows independently of each other had all read this book and all three quit smoking and have remained that way (between 1 and 3 years) Since that time I´ve spoken to two other people who both smoked for over 40 years, read the book, and no longer smoke.

It´s called Allen Carr´s Easyway to Stop Smoking The fellow who wrote it claims to have helped over 10 million people quit smoking. It has been super helpful for me particularly around the psychological component to smoking as all smokers can attest that that is what leads you back to smoking.

I´m wondering if other people are familiar with this book and whether or not they were successful and overall opinions on it.

I´m also interested to hear other methods that people have used to help them. From the little research I did, it seems that hypnosis has the best success rate. The various “nicotine substitution methods” and drugs seem to vary in their success rate but the overall percentage for even the best seems quite low. This method claims a much higher success rate but I haven´t been able to find any independent verification.

Celebrity clients include –

Sir Richard Branson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Hrithik Roshan, Ellen DeGeneres, Ashton Kutcher, Stefano Gabbana, Michael McIntyre, Michael Ball, Anjelica Huston, Bruce Oldfield, Neve Campbell, Ruby Wax, Lou Reed, Jason Mraz, Gianluca Vialli, David Blaine, Arlene Phillips, Ferzan Ozpetek, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Bruce Oldfield, Alberto Vázquez, Martin Clunes…and many others who wish to remain anonymous.

Corporate clients include –

IBM, BP, Ford, BT, Total, Nestlé, British Airways, Inland Revenue, BMW, Microsoft, Tesco, Sony, Esso, Unilever, Ikea…and many more

Client testimonials – read thousands of unsolicited testimonials from happy non-smokers

http://www.allencarrseasyway.com/

I quit 12 years ago, I used the patches. That did it for me. Same for my hubby, he quit on the patches took a few weeks.We are both typical reformed smokers too, we feel we deserve to be. I do regret smoking at all, what a waste of my time, health, and money.

To be addiction free is awesome!

Edited May 17, 2012 by Sherapy

[keninsc]

I quit smoking about 2 months ago. I had been smoking for 7 years. All i needed was a bag of dope over a three day weekend, every time i wanted a smoke i just had a joint instead. By the end of the weekend i was over the physical side effects and will power did the rest.

I have to admit, that's a method I'd not have thought of........

[Professor Buzzkill]

I have to admit, that's a method I'd not have thought of........

I know its not an orthodox solution, and is probably illegal, but it worked for me.

[jugoso]

I quit smoking about 2 months ago. I had been smoking for 7 years. All i needed was a bag of dope over a three day weekend, every time i wanted a smoke i just had a joint instead. By the end of the weekend i was over the physical side effects and will power did the rest.

That´s interesting that you felt that the weed helped you with the physical aspect of cigarette dependency. The addictive chemical in tobacco is nicotine and it IS NOT found in marijuana.

The pharmacological effects of tobacco and cannabis smoke differ in many ways, mainly because tobacco smoke contains nicotine while cannabis smoke contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

http://www.medicalne...eases/32229.php

I guess the "buzz" may help you to not really notice the physical effects. In reality, the physical withdrawl from nicotine is pretty mild when compared to most other addictive drugs.

So it seems as if your weekend of smoking weed helped with the short-term psychological effects of not having cigarettes to puff on, and may have eased your sense of physical withdrawl, but phamacologically couldn´t have helped with the actual physical withdrawl.

I know its not an orthodox solution, and is probably illegal, but it worked for me.

Hey man......whatever works for ya!

Has nobody heard / read of the book I mentioned in the OP ?

Edited May 18, 2012 by jugoso

[Techlicious]

for cold-turkey quitting

Within ...

• 20 minutes
  

Your blood pressure, pulse rate, and the temperature of your hands and feet will all return to normal.

• 8 hours
  

Remaining nicotine in your bloodstream will have fallen to 6.25% of normal peak daily levels, a 93.25% reduction.

• 12 hours
  

Your blood oxygen level will have increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels will have dropped to normal.

• 24 hours
  

Anxieties peak in intensity and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.

• 48 hours
  

Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability peaks.

• 72 hours
  

Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites (the chemicals it breaks down into) will now have passed from your body via your urine. Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. The number of cue induced crave episodes experienced during any quitting day will peak for the "average" ex-user. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and the lungs functional abilities are starting to increase.

• 5 - 8 days
  

The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue induced crave episodes per day. Although we may not be "average" and although serious cessation time distortion can make minutes feel like hours, it is unlikely that any single episode will last longer than 3 minutes. Keep a clock handy and time them.

• 10 days
  

10 days - The "average ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes.

• 10 days to 2 weeks
  

Recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in our gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.

• 2 to 4 weeks
  

Cessation related anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended. If still experiencing any of these symptoms get seen and evaluated by your physician.

• 21 days
  

Brain acetylcholine receptor counts up-regulated in response to nicotine's presence have now down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in the brains of non-smokers.

• 2 weeks to 3 months
  

Your heart attack risk has started to drop. Your lung function is beginning to improve.

• 3 weeks to 3 months
  

Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared.

• 1 to 9 months
  

Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean, and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.

• 1 year
  

Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke has dropped to less than half that of a smoker.

• 5 to 15 years
  

Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.

• 10 years
  

Your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker (2005 study). Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day). Your risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker (2011 study), while risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus has also declined. Your risk of developing diabetes is now similar to that of a never-smoker (2012 study).

• 13 years
  

Your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker (2006 study).

• 15 years
  

Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked.

• 20 years
  

Female excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never-smoker (2008 study). Risk of pancreatic cancer reduced to that of a never-smoker (2011 study).

also, i would comment on the marijuana but i cannot..

Edited May 18, 2012 by Fox Mccloud

[Still Waters]

I'm a non smoker, but a friend of mine quit by changing to e-cigs.

[MissMelsWell]

I quit 2 months ago. I was a smoker for 30 years, 2 packs a day. Kid you not. The moment I picked up an ecig was the moment I was done with nasty tobacco forever.

I quit easy as pie with electrics. I dont want a cigarette, I don't crave them, I can go 5-6 hours without the ecig and not think twice about it (inconceivable on the combustable cigs). Frankly the thought of a nasty cigarette is nauseating.

Nicotine in and of itself is addictive in the same way caffiene is. It's a mild stimulant all by itself. When you mix it with the other chemicals and addictive substances in combustible cigarettes you get a POWERFUL addiction. One I tried to kick MANY MANY times.

With an e-cig you still statisfy the hand to mouth, and a very good simulation of smoking (IF you have the right equipment, and not all ecigs are fabulous, you have to do a lot of research and lay out a good amount of cash to find the right niquids, batteries and atomizers), which is psychologically beneficial. But you only get a small dose of pure nicotine, some flavoring and steam. It's extremely effective. This week I plan to start using 0 nicotine in my ecigs at certain times of day... we'll see how it goes. My goal is to be able to set the ecig aside eventually, but I'm not going to too unhappy if I don't to be honest. There's nothing wrong with the ecig on its own.

Edited May 18, 2012 by MissMelsWell

[jugoso]

I quit 2 months ago. I was a smoker for 30 years, 2 packs a day. Kid you not. The moment I picked up an ecig was the moment I was done with nasty tobacco forever.

I quit easy as pie with electrics. I dont want a cigarette, I don't crave them, I can go 5-6 hours without the ecig and not think twice about it (inconceivable on the combustable cigs). Frankly the thought of a nasty cigarette is nauseating.

Nicotine in and of itself is addictive in the same way caffiene is. It's a mild stimulant all by itself. When you mix it with the other chemicals and addictive substances in combustible cigarettes you get a POWERFUL addiction. One I tried to kick MANY MANY times.

With an e-cig you still statisfy the hand to mouth, and a very good simulation of smoking (IF you have the right equipment, and not all ecigs are fabulous, you have to do a lot of research and lay out a good amount of cash to find the right niquids, batteries and atomizers), which is psychologically beneficial. But you only get a small dose of pure nicotine, some flavoring and steam. It's extremely effective. This week I plan to start using 0 nicotine in my ecigs at certain times of day... we'll see how it goes. My goal is to be able to set the ecig aside eventually, but I'm not going to too unhappy if I don't to be honest. There's nothing wrong with the ecig on its own.

Thanks for your response and explanation. I am not familiar with ecigarettes. The only thing I really have issue with in your post is about nicotine being a VERY POWERFUL addiction. AS the poster above you mentioned, within three days you are completely nicotine free. The physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawl, though uncomfortable, are not very powerful. I really believed this before I tried to quit. Equivalent to mild hunger pangs with some irratability thrown in IMO but quite mild compared to other addictive drugs.. In the book I mentioned in the OP, he suggests using no form of NRTs ( nicotine reductine therapy). I highly recommend it.

The other question I have is why do you think you only crave the ecigs once every 5-6 hours? Are you not essentially engaging i n the same process as you would if you were smoking normal cigarettes?