I am 39 years old and have smoked since I was 12.  It is true that when you quit smoking, it's never on your first try.  Rather, it's usually on your 5th or 6th or even more.  For me, it was on my umpteenth try (I quit counting) and I've been smoke-free and not missing it in the slightest for 6 months now.  The only "side effect" I still experience is the occasional dream where I'm smoking and I swear I think I actually wake up sometimes because I'm holding my breath, holding in that smoke to get that perfect "high" before exhaling.  I had about 3 days of withdrawal and ill moods during my successful quit and highly recommend quiting to anyone who's ever thought about it.  I mean it with everything in me when I say "if I can do you, ANYONE can do it".  Just don't go out and spend money on "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" thinking that this is going to finally be the one miracle that takes away the demon of smoking that has literally choked you to near death for so long, because it is not the knight in shining armour that is going to rescue you. I was given "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" by a well-meaning friend who had read the book and successfully quit smoking.  I was also recommended to read the book by several other people.  I hesitantly took the book thinking, "A book is not the thing that is going to get rid of this addiction in my life" but none the less willing to try anything at that point because at 39, I'd seen too many people I love die from the murdering cancer that we can't seem to find a cure for.  It took me a while to get into the book and I honestly had to reread several parts of it after putting it down for a while and then eventually picking it back up when my friend would ask how the attempt to quit was going and asking "isn't that a great book?" While I have heard of others who have used "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" book successfully, I guess it's all in how your mind works relating to smoking and how you psychologically take the advice of others.  What I got out of "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" was that I was stupid for ever beginning to smoke and stupid for continuing to smoke and what in the world was wrong with me that I couldn't simply put down the cigarettes and never pick them up again.  I felt like it was a lot of reverse psychology which doesn't work on me at all. When I was reading the book, I was told by those who recommended it to me to "give it time".  I was told to "read it with an open mind and you'll see how easy it really is."  I know one person who read the book and never picked up another cigarette.  I know of many others who have read the book, marked "good points" in the book, reread the book, meditated over the book, and are still miserable and smoking, even though they will still insist that "the book really works!" I really felt that the author simply wrote a book to make money, not in an honest effort to get people to stop smoking. I have used other programs for smoke cessation (Welbutrin, Chantix, hypnosis, cold-turkey and reading the "Idiot's Guide To Quiting Smoking" among many other published "quit smoking" publications available in print both for sale and for free through various organizations such as The American Cancer Association, etc.)  I have also joined several support groups in the hopes that would help, but honestly the best thing I ever found was my faith in God and the "Idiot's Guide To Quiting Smoking".  

MamaBearMelissa

Waxhaw, NC

It's very intuitive.  Or rather, extremely COUNTER-intuitive.  Be ready to question some of your most basic beliefs and assumptions.  Self-honesty and a willingness to admit being wrong are both necessary.  We got taken for a ride, caught in the "nicotine trap."  But what's important is that we can escape, we can be free! And really, all it takes is some reverse brainwashing. Carr is dogmatic and can be condescending.  Considering his experience as a smoker and successfull quitter, the amazing success of his programs worldwide, and my own personal experiences, I believe it's warranted.  It's kind of like a 12 step, first you gotta admit that you're not in control.  Which, if you're trying to quit, you've probably already realized. Best of luck everyone!  Really, you got NOTHING TO LOSE and everything to gain by using the easy way.  It's been almost a year since I quit(I don't even bother keeping track, after all what is there to miss?!) and I'm happier than ever. 

seaturrrtle

Berkeley, CA

Okay so this is a tough one for anybody that has tried or is trying to quit smoking. I was told to get this book from the online support group I used  it to help me quit smoking. I found the book relevant in some areas but honestly,I dont think there is one thing about quitting smoking that is easy. I am now 14 days smoke free and cant say that it has been easy but I am willing to try anything to help me quit smoking.I took things from the book, used a patch for the first week and occasionally some nicotine gum, but what really has helped me besides the pot of coffee a day( LOL)is the online support group I found on About.com for quitting smoking.Having others who understand how hard this is and finding support day or night has helped me the most.If the book helps, use it.If it is a patch, some gum, a plastic straw, do it.What I will recommend is support.It will help more than I can tell you.Smoking is a drug addiction.Some say stronger than herion.I dont know that for sure, but I can tell you that it is bad and hard to quit but doable,I am doing it so anyone can.If the book helps great! Try anything, just quit!

debigfrog

Tarentum, PA

This book was the only thing that worked for me, after trying to quit numerous times.  Just when you feel like giving in, Mr. Carr talks you out of it.  Quitting smoking is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  Im glad I had the support of this wonderful literature.

scuttervan

Casa Grande, AZ

I started smoking when I was 12. I'm 38 now. I'd been trying to quit since I was about 18. I tried cold turkey; scheduling my cigarettes; buying a pack, smoking one cigarette, and tearing up the rest (I did this for years if you can believe that- sometimes everyday); hypnosis; nicotine gum; nicotine patches (sometimes I would wear 2 full-strength patches at once- and then tear them off by the end of the day and smoke); nicotine nasal spray; shots behind the ears along w/pills of some sort from a clinic I heard about on the radio; wellbutrin/zyban; making wagers for a lot of money if I smoked again... I believe I tried everything over the years to quit. The last 7 years, I sort of decided I wasn't able to quit and I wasn't going to try anymore... and that ended up with me smoking up to 3 packs a day; never less than 2 packs a day. All I wanted to do was smoke cigarettes- like a crack addict of sorts. One night, I saw Ashton Kutcher on Jay Leno and he was describing how he quit smoking so he could be optimal in that coast- guard movie he made with Kevin Costner. He said "I smoked so much, that if there was a contest for smoking, I think I could've won". I immediately identified with that. He said he quit with a book called "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. He said it was EASY to quit. I knew I had to get this book. I had to read the book TWICE- but that was it. I quit after that and it's been over a year now and it has been completely effortless and I never even think about cigarettes and it's been that way all along. No withdrawal; no crankiness; no cravings; no additional eating or candy; no anything- I simply don't smoke anymore and it's been wonderful; absolutely wonderful. I feel very clean and very free- like that was a bad dream I had that I smoked for 26 years. Here's a *really* interesting part- my man had zero interest in quitting. He smoked the same brand as me. He continued to smoke after I quit and so my brand was always around somewhere and I could smell the smoke on him after he'd had one. He would smoke in the car with me at times and they would be laying right there in the console. I swear on the life of all that is dear to me- I could not care less. I was completely unfazed by his smoking and the cigarette packs were just like any other object in my field of vision. I found the smell of smoke on him to be very unpleasant. I told him often that he smelled exactly like an ashtray. I have zero reason to lie or exaggerate about the effectiveness of this method. Most recently, my man was told that he has emphysema. Before this, he had no desire to stop smoking. He wanted to quit now. He read the book and he has stopped smoking now for about 3 weeks and it's been very effortless for him too. He has not been irritable at all and he says he hasn't had any thoughts or cravings for cigarettes. He also goes to AA meetings regularly (where he used to smoke several cigattes while there- along with everyone else there) and he says the smoke has smelled unpleasant to him and he's stood by the door to escape the foul smell. He swears he hasn't been tempted to smoke at all since he quit. He's 56 and has been smoking a pack a day for more than 40 years and has never attempted to quit before. I highly recommend this method to anyone who wants to be free of these ridiculous little things. You continue to smoke the whole time you're reading the book- so don't be afraid to start reading it.

FreeAmy

Spring Hill, FL