My experience

[Andy F]

I stopped for approximately 4 years using Allen Carrs two books 'The easy way' and the only way' to stop smoking. I didn't particularly like the way the books were written and they seemed unecessarily repetative, but, the central message hit the spot for me.

It was not so much the hyped up physical addiction that ensured I kept on smoking or giving in to smoking, but my attitude towards stopping.

Stopping was insurmountable because I believed all the hype that it was. I believed it was going to be hell and so it was. After the initial few days I created my cravings in my mind. I believed I was giving some comfort up and the feeling of deprivation I felt was interpreted as a craving. For as long as I feel deprived I will have cravings. Even the first few days withdrawel can be reasonable with the right attitude.

After the 4 years I started smoking again for a few more years. I stopped again 18 months ago. Even today I sometimes feel apathetic about stopping smoking. Part of me wants to smoke, as pointless as I know it would be. Yet , I could put all these brush all these doubts, which amount to a mild craving, to one side with a little written effort that I learnt before.

Fortunately, I never played around with my drinking addiction this way.

regards

Andy F