gerry's story

I smoked 20 a day for 18 yrs; I started at 19 yrs old. Most of us start when we're young because we think we’re indestructible, and it’s so horrible you never believe you'd get addicted then when you decide to stop you find you're hooked.
The last time I quit was partly to encourage my wife, there are some smoking related health issues in her family and her smoking was concerning to us both she managed to kick the habit but I secretly started again.
I got the book from the library 'how to quit smoking the easy way by Alan Carr’, I had to pre-order it at the library it was so popular, I read half of the book and got bored of it so didn't finish it and carried on smoking merrily

A few weeks later I realized that I had to stop making excuses and that I couldn't keep putting off the day that I quit so started reading the book from the beginning again, it took me a day to read the book and by seven o’clock I was three quarters of the way through the book and I had what I knew would be my last cigarette.

The book made me look at quitting in a different way, giving up was an enjoyable experience, I wasn't losing something I was achieving something. I’d recommend the book to anyone it really helps and makes you think differently, It’s claimed thousands of people have given up with this method, there are Alan Carr clinics that you can go to and they claim to be very successful. I didn’t need any substitutes like gum or food. I finished the book in bed that night. I still have an unfinished pack of cigarettes that I don't touch; it doesn't affect me at all. I can't pick one part that made me to give up the book is an individual personal experience, deep down every one wants to give up. I hated my teeth, I was disgusted when I saw photographs of myself and my brown yellow teeth would be so noticeable, they started to go whiter after the first week.

When I get the urge to have a cigarette I feel I’ve come this far why ruin it, the urge lasts a few seconds and then its gone, I get the urge about three times a day, but I think I’m only cheating myself, I’ll never smoke again, they say once a smoker always a smoker but I get a great feeling of self fulfillment. My mouth feels a lot cleaner especially in the mornings and I don't cough up phlegm in the mornings like I used to. You know you've got to give up sooner or later so why not make it today, rather than when a doctor says you have to. I hate to sound like a self righteous ex-smoker but I now look at smokers and instead of being tempted I feel sorry for them knowing that they're still addicted to ‘the monster’ when it's actually really easy to quit.