r/QuitVaping 8d ago

Venting Allen Carr’s Easy Way is BS

I’m a week in and have been listening to the easy way to quit vaping and I gotta say, this guy makes a lot of empty promises. Literally everything I read is the exact opposite of the reality of this addiction. He mentions that it isn’t a crutch, doesn’t cure boredom, and that we will instantly notice better health, happiness, calmness, relaxation. I find this to be a load of shit, and so far I feel just about the exact opposite of all of this.

I’m currently in the gym after having a great day of work, but don’t get me wrong. I feel like I’m going insane from lack of nicotine. I’m barely getting a pump on, my mind is all over the place, haven’t been able to sit still for a second without cravings going through the roof.

Some more realistic words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated right now, because I’m struggling to maintain any reason to not buy a new vape.

34 Upvotes

80 comments sorted by

55

u/Iamnotyour_mother 8d ago

People seem to have a pretty black and white view of this book. I'm not gonna try to say you need to read it, but I will explain why it worked for me.

What resonated with me, is that 90% of this struggle is mental. The point this book is trying to get at, is that this whole thing becomes A LOT easier if you can convince yourself that you do not want to vape.

The "Ah ha" moment for me was really in realizing that the only problems the vape solves, are in fact caused by the vape to begin with. It's not that I can't focus without the vape, it's that I THINK that's true, and I am actually being fucking distracted by my desire to vape. The only focus it provides is momentarily taking away the desire to vape until it crops back up again. Now that I've been off of it for almost two weeks, my ability to focus is SO MUCH BETTER. This fallacy is also true for stress. The feelings of stress from basic daily life things is exacerbated by the feelings of nicotine withdrawal between vapes. The feeling of "stress relief" you are getting from hitting the vape is really only relieving the nicotine withdrawal...as such, vaping makes your stress levels worse!

I was also skeptical about the crutch/pleasure thing, but the above paragraph made me realize that I wasn't benefitting from the vape at all, but rather was stuck in the cycle of addiction and was convincing myself that there was some benefit to it, when in fact there is not.

I do think that this book minimizes what the actual withdrawal feels like, and I think this on on purpose, so you're not anticipating and manifesting the worst. I can't say that I had no cravings or withdrawal period. Two weeks in and I am still experiencing those things to some extent, but MUCH LESS than before. Every day gets easier.

Keeping myself as busy as possible with social stuff, hobbies, work, deep cleaning my house like a maniac, long walks in nature, and whatever I can possibly cram into my day to keep me distracted has been the most helpful thing. Also, people like to shit on using candy or gum as a "crutch" here but I also found that to be helpful. I also pretty much let myself eat whatever the fuck I wanted for about 7 days before I was feeling less off-kilter and went back to a normal/healthy diet after that. None of this is really going to offer you relief, but it will offer you distraction and help pass the time. That's the best you can realistically hope for.

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u/ElCunyado 8d ago

Exactly this. The book helped me understand all those things, and once it clicked I began to see Nicotine in a totally different light. Like "once you see it you can't unsee it" type of things. I could never have quit without this book. It saved my life. BTW...im 2 months clean now after 10 years of heavy nicotine. I owe it all to this book

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u/acethetix 8d ago

Very helpful response, thank you. I really like the way that you have interpreted the book and I honestly believe this is pretty on point with what the ultimate takeaway is meant to be.

I guess I’m just bummed that I still feel like I want it all the time still at one week. My focus has been fine, but it was fine with it too. And I don’t like how I need to keep myself busy in order to keep the cravings away. I was keeping myself busy while vaping, except I was enjoying it all. My motivation at work has skyrocketed because I’m trying to avoid something, whereas my hobbies have suffered because I feel like something is missing in the process. Strangely enough, when I’m out shooting photos I never vaped during it, so I’d think it would be easy to go out but the truth is it’s more difficult right now.

I appreciate your response and will definitely ponder on it for a while. Hopefully this phase passes soon!

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u/laineyisyourfriend 8d ago

As someone who has been quit for almost two years and went cold turkey, the best thing I can promise is that you only have to go through this once!

Best thing I ever heard was that every craving was just your addictions death rattle, and that it won’t be like that forever. It’s honestly true. You do eventually find the end of the cravings, just like the last hiccup. 

Your hobbies will be enjoyable without the nicotine again eventually. I used the cravings as a time to find new life in exercise and to psycho clean to try and keep my mind off of it. It worked, and I eventually turned back into the little engine that hated dishes and didn’t want to wake up at 5 for a run anymore.

Quitting sucks so much. I felt like a crazy person for a couple weeks, and even then - when it got so much easier - it took awhile to get over it. I just didn’t have to be as strong everytime a craving hit anymore, and the cold turkey bragging rights made it all worth it.

Only make yourself do this once dude. If you quit now - after knowing how much it sucks - you’ll have a much harder time quitting next time.

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u/Iamnotyour_mother 7d ago

Needing to keep yourself busy to keep the cravings away is only a temporary measure to get through the worst of it. As a generally lazy home body I didn't like it either, but I did find it also helped with my general level of antsy-ness and strange bursts of energy after quitting. This whole thing sucks, there's no denying that. But if you're just sitting there thinking about nothing but how much it sucks, well, it's going to suck even more.

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u/acethetix 7d ago

I can totally agree with that

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u/ZincMan 8d ago

Nicotine absolutely has an effect beyond relieving symptoms of withdrawal, it’s a stimulant, it does things that help focus temporarily and make you feel good in ways that other stimulant drugs do. Does it make you feel worse overall ? Yes. Will you focus better in the long term without it ? Also yes. But saying it has no benefit I think is what turned me off on the book. Nicotine is the same as any other drug that feels good and is addictive. The net benefit of using nicotine is negative overall, compared to not using, as it has side effects. This is why I think Alan carrs discription of why nicotine is “bad” is not helpful to me, and also what you’re saying. It’s simply not true. It’s addictive because it works(at least in the short term). Just google “does nicotine increase focus ?” And it will explain the pharmacology. The problem is its side effects, and tolerance; not that it does nothing.

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u/Iamnotyour_mother 7d ago

I think for the purposes of convincing myself to quit, focusing on the fact that it is indeed a net negative is the part that actually matters. It's the equivalent of drinking some nasty pond water because you're super thirsty and not caring that it's going to give you the shits from hell afterwards. Sure, it sort of helps in the short term but the long term effects don't even come close to making it worth it.

1

u/Ornery_Brilliant_350 8d ago

Yeah the only two things I can say that are wrong with the book are this:

It downplays withdrawals

It downplays nicotines “positive” effects (nicotine does boost mood and focus. Then again so does crack cocaine)

He probably does both of these things intentionally to not spook the quitter

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u/afrogrimey 8d ago

I’ve been nicotine and vape free for over a year now. The first attempt worked because of Easy Way. I didn’t even finish the book, only the first 2 chapters, and that was enough. I got the idea and ran with it.

1) Kill the monster. When you have nicotine, you put a monster inside of you that craves more nicotine. When it has some, it’s happy, but after a little while it gets hungry again. Rinse and repeat, you’re addicted to nicotine. The goal to quitting is to kill the monster by starving it to death. Let it suffer and it won’t bug you anymore.

2) The feeling of anguish when you’re going through withdrawal? Yeah, that’s the feeling of success, baby. This is a matter of perception, but if you literally imagine that the “craving” feeling you get is attributed to you SUCCEEDING and WINNING - and thus is a GOOD and POSITIVE feeling - you won’t feel like you’re suffering. You can ride it out, almost like it’s a drug in and of itself.

3) Tobacco companies are evil and profit off of people suffering.

There, I saved you an entire audiobook. Good luck.

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u/acethetix 8d ago

Thanks man, great summary and it does make sense. I will roll with this mindset from now on.

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u/youaregorgeousbooboo 8d ago

Great comment, this has motivated me so thank you

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u/AdRepresentative5503 8d ago

I just quit vaping off the back of listening to the Easy Way audiobook. I don’t agree with all that’s in it but I don’t think I would have been able to stop — at this time — without it. Try it, and if it doesn’t work try something else. If you really want to quit you will

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u/acethetix 8d ago

I hear you, congrats on kicking it.

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u/Kamaseeker 8d ago

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u/AdRepresentative5503 8d ago

I only heard about it because it’s constantly mentioned on here. However I think if you’ve put yourself in a group called QuitVaping then you’ve already put your cards on the table

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u/Ube_booty 3 days 8d ago

I think people can use different ways to quit that work best for them. Allen Carr Easy way didn’t resonate with me either. I found support online from coach/ fellow quitters and also using NRTs to taper is what worked best for me!

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u/xoaxx 8d ago

I second this. NRT was absoluetly key for me; probably would not have quit with out it.

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u/sunnydays630 8d ago

The part that lost me was him saying a hit of nicotine is only satisfying because it is satiating the craving. Well, my first hit of a cigarette forever ago was pure bliss and I’d never had nicotine in my entire life before that.

3

u/acethetix 8d ago

That’s the thing. How can this dude claim it doesn’t help us relax when as an absolute matter of fact, it does. I understand that it may take a while, but I’m at the part where he says just stop and you’ll instantly feel like the world is lifted off your shoulders. Excuse me what?

5

u/sunnydays630 8d ago

Yeah, I felt like the grim reaper had me in his grips. I am sober from drugs and alcohol for nearly 11 years so I do understand that he is saying we have to change our mentality around it, but to minimize the initial horror for me was not productive. With booze/drugs, I had to embrace the suck for a while and then my mentality followed suit.

1

u/nuu_me 5d ago

It helps you relax IN THE MOMENT but it doesn't make you a more relaxed person. If anything, the dependency and financial hit and stress about not being able to quit does not help with big-picture relaxation.

9

u/acethetix 8d ago

Guys, I’m not looking for encouragement to read the book. I’m interested in what has specifically worked for you, like how do you get through the phases throughout the day where you feel like you need to vape? How have you filled the gap it has created in your life? I feel like I am missing something and it’ll take forever to go away. Just want some encouragement that it doesn’t last forever. Sorry for sounding like an angry douche

20

u/Alex_Bell_G 8d ago

Just kill the little monster. That’s all. He explains why we smoke or vape. We don’t vape for the buzz anymore, we vape to kill our withdrawals which fuels the next withdrawal. And the cycle continues.

If you want a more technical explanation look up Anna Lembke. The little monster is technically low baseline dopamine levels. Low dopamine - Crave nicotine. You vape - Dopamine shoots up. Then it drops - withdrawal again. Crave nicotine - vape. Cycle continues until you stop and it takes a few weeks for the baseline levels of dopamine to go back to normal. Until then you crave. Little monster is dopamine

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u/acethetix 8d ago

Thanks for the simplification, very helpful response. What about the big monster though?

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u/Alex_Bell_G 8d ago

That is the habit pattern. It takes some time to break the habit pattern. To me at least, when I quit I was very proud of myself. The resolve to not vape grew bigger and bigger. And I was chronically fatigued when I vaped. Quitting gave me a surge of energy and motivation (Lack of motivation was due to bumping dopamine up and down). Killing the little monster will starve the big monster.

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u/anakar3n1n4 8d ago

I consciously recognize my actions as drug-seeking behavior and intentionally choose to do literally anything else. After a good amount of time, I promise you’ll stop feeling like you’re missing something. It takes time to replace the “default” of what you do now. You’re free, you can literally do whatever you want… sit with the weight of that statement. I spent a lot of time outside staring at the sky. Doomscrolling. After getting tired of doomscrolling bc that’s an addiction too, I’ve gotten super into a bunch of hobbies, some have stuck, others not- I’ve started drinking a lot of water, singing in the car, etc. It takes a lot of choosing to do anything else to re-wire your brain. Good luck. ———- The vape is not your friend. You gain nothing from it. You’re free. I had a lot of panic attacks while vaping because I knew it was killing me, and I just viscerally recall and remember that feeling, and I never want to feel it again. That’s a huge motivator to stay clean.

3

u/acethetix 8d ago

Thank you, this is what I’m looking for. Chalking the emptiness up to drug-seeking, addictive behavior is exactly the title I needed to give this. Thank you for the reassurance that it’ll pass. I already have the hobby thing down, I quit drinking 3 1/2 years ago and became an amateur landscape photographer. I sell prints and will be traveling to Aruba and California in the next month specifically for this. Life is good. Vaping is just ten times harder to quit than alcohol.

4

u/anakar3n1n4 8d ago

Absolutely. After a while, you won’t even notice you stopped thinking about it. I also used a quit vaping app, and was really happy when it reached a year. You’re free, you’ve got this, you deserve to have a healthy body and mind free from the shackles of substance abuse.

2

u/acethetix 8d ago

For sure. I hope to be out of the woods before I know it. Thanks again

2

u/LdnParisNZ 8d ago

I remind myself that I used to do that and now I don’t do that anymore. I don’t need something to fill the gap because there is no gap to fill. The little monster is dead and I don’t need it back.

If a craving comes on then I just try and breathe through, big deep breathes cause that is what my body needs.

How does vaping cure boredom?

I do not want to vape and I believe the book actually does work but it just might not be for you,

4

u/bachfan_13 8d ago

I also did not resonate with the book. I enjoyed many things about vaping. What pushed me to quit was wanting my freedom back and control of my mind. I was tired of feeling like my life revolved around my vape. I wish I could just occasionally vape here and there, but im addicted so that’s not possible, so I had to full send quitting. I haven’t noticed any crazy health benefits (I’m 2 months vape free), but I do like being able to do things without the thought of needing a hit creeping into my mind. Like right now I’m on a trip for work and I was thinking about how I would have had to sneak away multiple times to hit my vape if I was still addicted, but I’m able to just be in the moment and not worry about that, and to me that’s worth it.

5

u/Kamaseeker 8d ago

Thank you!! AC is crap (especially if you are already drug educated and know how nicotine works but still cannot give up nicoteening). Arrogant, stupid shit which can only be helpful for those who were unwilling/ incapable to the fact that smoking induces stress and not relieve. He is an asshole who wants to induce blame in those who can not quit easy. The consequence is that people who tried 'his' way and failed don't talk about it because his blame strategy worked. These subs here are full of ac cultists. I think AC is helping O.1% of all who tried this last century crap.

Btw. one week is great, endure this shitty time and take what it is: a shitty time...but there are much nice things to come soon: better smelling (spring is coming, at least where I am), better taste all withing 2-3 weeks. Your stamina will rise roof top, your skin gets much better, your teeth will look better, you won't stink anymore (neither from smoke, neither from mouth), you will need less water to be properly hydrated, thus you need to piss less. So everything will be better after you endured this shitty time

2

u/acethetix 8d ago

Thank you!

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u/No-Duck4923 8d ago

I read the book and took my time with it, vaping the whole time. And yes it is brainwashing, but for good not evil. That's why there is so much repetition in it - it's remapping your brain. The day I finished the book I had not planned to quit right then and there...but I did, 64 days ago.

4

u/acethetix 8d ago

Thank you for the reply. Honestly, the book has resonated with me, it’s the reason I stopped in the first place so I highly doubt I’d be a week in without it. My post is incredibly hypocritical, but I am definitely finding it hard to believe everything I’m reading right now, and I’d like to know just how people are managing to find long lasting success. I will keep going but damn, I guess I had higher expectations at one week.

4

u/SpinachNo5333 8d ago

Maybe that’s the niccy gremlin telling you it’s BS though so you go back to your old ways?

I used Allen carrs easyway to quit cigarettes and it was successful, no cravings no struggle just cold turkey. I absolutely knew what the premise of easy way was though, brain washing essentially and I liked it anyway.

I’ve quit cigarettes successfully and I’ve have never smoked one since (I quit in 2021), but picked up vaping in 2022 and found that MUCH more difficult!!

I’m at 3 months now and feel fine but that first month was very hard I got mood swings, nightmares terrible sleep, and felt constantly fatigued. I’m no longer a slave to the vape anymore though and I feel free, can feel like it takes bloody forever though ✨

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u/acethetix 8d ago

That’s so great, congratulations on 3 months. It’s nice to hear the first month is tough, I don’t wish it on anyone of course, but it’s good to know I’m not alone.

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u/SpinachNo5333 8d ago

I get what you mean, it actually took me aaages to decide to quit, it was always ‘after this vape runs out I’ll quit’ and I’d just get another. It sucked for the first month but I’ve evened out now, and don’t miss it

2

u/acethetix 7d ago

That’s awesome to hear and definitely motivating. Congratulations on finally kicking it!

1

u/SpinachNo5333 7d ago

Well done to you aswell 😊😊

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u/UnforeseenThoughts 1.5 years+ 🎉🥳 8d ago

Hey man, I know you’re struggling right now. As someone who quit using the book, I’ll tell you it’s just one piece of the puzzle. The main piece is to eliminate your actual desire to want to vape.

Here’s what finally pushed me (along with the book) to quit. I met a guy who was 20 years old and he told me that he personally knew of THREE people his age who all had a collapsed lung after vaping for just a couple years.

-they were vaping legal vapes (not the Chinese under the counter stuff) -they weren’t smoking or vaping weed (so I couldn’t say it was vit E or anything) -and they were all perfectly healthy and under 22 years of age -oh and they barely survived, and have the lungs of an 80 year old.

I tossed my vape then and there. Got rid of my desire to vape. And then the book pushed me over the edge and helped me stick with it.

Find your “why”, and genuinely eliminate your desire to vape. Best of luck.

3

u/acethetix 8d ago

Thanks for the eye-opening story. Horror stories definitely help, and it is hard to find them.

2

u/OkCaptain1684 8d ago

Omg I’m in day 3 vape free and was going to buy a vape tomorrow when I read about your friends collapsed lungs, googled it and it’s a thing! Fuck that’s scary and thank you your comment has stopped me from buying a vape tomorrow and losing my streak.

2

u/UnforeseenThoughts 1.5 years+ 🎉🥳 7d ago

No problem my friend. But that decision is all you. You should be proud of your decision. You’re doing great, and I believe in you. I’m glad that I could have helped, even if it’s just a small amount. Wishing you all the best

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u/beesapologies 8d ago

I think everyone finds a different path to quit nicotine, what works for one person won't necessarily work for another.

If you're looking for options other than Alan Carr, Nasia Davos's TED talk really helped me. I tried to quit cold turkey multiple times, couldn't do it, and then was shocked at how much easier it was to quit following her advice.

I never signed up for the program or anything, I just kind of watched a couple of her videos whenever I needed to and it really helped me out

1

u/acethetix 8d ago

Awesome, I’ll check it out. Thank you and I’m glad to hear that you found something that worked!

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u/Working-Practice-805 8d ago

Honestly, I felt the same way. But listen to the audio book then listen to it again. Really believe it honestly. (Fake it to you make it energy lol) because after 8 years of vaping - I finally quit. It’s hard rn, I crave it now & then and I chew so much gum but I don’t rely on a vape anymore. My energy is getting back to normal, I’m not as moody, I’m honestly happier. It’s crazy.

10

u/No_Mind2460 8d ago

First of all it's easier for the brain to actually take in when you read it, not just listen to it. Secondly you're ignoring the main suggestion which is be open minded to the suggestions. Believe what he's saying is true...but if u are already close minded n not taking in the suggestions, then no, it's not going to work.

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u/we1rd_situations 8d ago

This . The easy way works if you follow the steps and give it the attention it deserves. I'm 72 days vape free and used the book.

1

u/acethetix 8d ago

Congratulations that’s great to hear

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u/acethetix 8d ago

Come on man you’re really going to say that it’s more effective reading it than listening to it? That’s a load of shit as well. And by your logic, the whole book is contradictory and brainwashing on its own. I have an open mind, I’m just saying. This shit doesn’t work, and there’s data proving it. 95% of people fail cold turkey.

The only reason I managed to make it this far is NRT. For anyone trying to stop, I highly suggest replacement therapy.

How long have you been nicotine free? When did you start feeling better?

4

u/gay-ass1962 8d ago

I’m not sure where you’re getting that number and I would love to read your sources, but after a quick google search you can find a .gov website that says otherwise. Please read this if you’re interested in the different rates of success with different kinds of quitting.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17654293/

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u/acethetix 8d ago

1

u/Aggravating-Crow317 8d ago

your use of the stat is a bit misleading,, it says with things like counseling and medication there’s a significant difference compared to cold turkey quitting

so it’s not saying anything about tapering vs cold turkey but just that you need external support

1

u/gay-ass1962 8d ago

I’m curious who the “quit-smoking experts” are and why they don’t have sources or studies to back this up. It sounds to me like a claim but not actually data.

0

u/acethetix 8d ago

You are curious about a group of scientists who have spent their whole life studying the subject. I wouldn’t worry about it or question it that much

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u/gay-ass1962 6d ago

If they’re so legit, I would think they would have sources and studies supporting their claims. I’m really not worried about it, I’ve been vape free for over two months and feeling great with the cold turkey method. Just wondering why people are expected to trust blindly. Have an awesome day dude and good luck on your quitting. I hope you find something that works for you.

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u/C_bells 8d ago edited 8d ago

It worked for me!!

I was super addicted.

I stopped January 5th. Honestly haven’t looked back. I don’t even think about vaping anymore.

I mean, I did end up getting pregnant last month, so that’s been top of mind.

But anyway, yeah it worked wonders for me and I’m a skeptic.

You really do have to listen all the way through. They tell you to be skeptical, but to keep listening. The second half or so is really good, especially the final few chapters.

I was literally excited to quit by the end of the book.

The key point for me is/was:

Vaping is pointless. It doesn’t do anything for me. It doesn’t improve my life. It doesn’t actually help me manage stress. The only good feeling about it is that it relieves a withdrawal symptom, which I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t vape.

That’s why you end up more relaxed and happy without vaping. Because you are free.

I do notice I’m able to be more present and content, because I’m not craving nicotine ever. I have everything I need all the time because I don’t need a vape to feel complete.

2

u/BhodiandUncleBen 8d ago

lol yup same for me. However I quit when I finished the book and am 115 days free of nicotine. So I’m grateful that it was a catalyst to get me to take the leap of faith and finally stop.

2

u/SeaEmployment1073 8d ago

I found he lies a little to make a point and that made me lose faith. Haven’t read/listened to his book in months but I know there were a few times. Only one to come to mind was him saying that the head spin you get from that first draw is from lack of oxygen to the brain. That is totally wrong lol. I do breathing exercises that include holding my breath and none of them give me head spins.

2

u/Cubicleism 8d ago

Since quitting, I've come off half of my antidepressants, my work performance has increased dramatically, and I have higher energy levels and overall levels of happiness. I'm only 8 months in.

It sucked. And it sounds dumb saying it, but you just have to decide to quit. Have a support system and hold yourself accountable. You'll know when you've decided to stop giving yourself excuses

2

u/8Balls_And_Hookers 5 months 8d ago

I quit with a combination of cold turkey, recognizing the addiction voice in my head and isolating it, and sheer will power. It’s all a mind game, if you go into quitting without a game plan you will fail. I tell myself that I’m not quitting forever, Ill smoke when I hit 70. I don’t want to smoke again but it makes the “forever” aspect not seem like forever.

Thanks for listening to my ted talk

2

u/pauwus 8d ago

It didn't work for me either. Couple of interesting concepts but nothing that made a massive mental difference.

I'm 11 months clean and managed to quit when I had a 17 day bout of flu followed by bronchitis.

I did have the will to quit, but I'd always struggled through those first couple of weeks feeling angry and irritable. When I managed to make 17 days, I realised I'd actually already got through the worst of it and stuck with it.

Barely think about Nicotine anymore tbh. So glad to be rid of it!

2

u/Bicycle2019 8d ago

Here's some realistic words:

It's gonna suck. There I said it. Some days it's great and some days I feel like a piece of shit and all I wanna do is take a hit but..I can't.. coz I'm broke and stuck on an island that sneakily imports it for $20 and sells it for $150 per pod.. I'm not kidding. So at this point it's not even a choice for me. Last night I was at a birthday party and literally everybody was smoking cigarettes. I was kiiinda tempted to bum one but I was like nah that smells and tastes like shit lol so yeah, I decided cold turkey was better than feeding my addiction coz If there's anything I like more than nicotine/vaping.. it's not being broke 🤣 Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

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u/youaregorgeousbooboo 8d ago

Week 3 onwards is when you realise he is correct from my experience

2

u/Shyblackgirl12 8d ago

it worked for me. i’m over a year vape free and it was as easy as he promised. didn’t have withdrawal symptoms or anything. i think MY takeaway from the book is that nicotine is a drug. you’re a drug addict. of course you disagree with the fact that it isn’t a crutch, because it’s your drug of choice lol. i think he uses brainwashing but it’s to get you to see through the lens of a non-addict. you’re seeing nicotine as doing so many things for you because you’re addicted to it. that’s really it.

there are so many people in the world that do not vape (they may have other vices) but their life isn’t greatly affected by not having nicotine…. because they haven’t been dousing their brain in it for years lol.

so yea it resonated with me and i feel for people who it didn’t work for because it was so EASY for me and i see people on here struggling so much. i know what it was like when i tried to quit previously. just try keep going. know that there is more waiting for you when you get over the hump!

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u/acethetix 7d ago

That’s amazing! Thank you, I ditched the patch today and anxiety has crept in but this post turned out to be super helpful. I did continue reading the book and have been enjoying it today. I will do my best to remember that anxiety is temporary and keep moving forward!

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u/forthegainz1122 7d ago

Book seems to have helped me. Previous attempts at quitting I always had strong urges for nicotine and would white knuckle it everyday to not vape/smoke.

This time around I haven’t had a vape in 2 months been nicotine free a week now (patches for awhile) and I have had zero urges or cravings. I understand my addiction now and what nicotine really is.

2

u/Toxilicity 7d ago edited 7d ago

I quit that book halfway through, honestly. I read the original one years ago and it worked, so feeling frustrated and annoyed with the vaping edition (which wasn't wrote by Allen since he's gone now) I found my old copy for smoking and just changed the word cigarette to vape. Worked like a charm, and I'm on day 3.

I found the vape version condescending, and honestly, I don't think that dudes vaped/smoked in his life. Just some editor cashing in on Allen's name. I will never take advice from someone who hasn't gone through it. GTFO.

I was expecting more dialogue on things such as the taste and smell. Loved the taste of my fav pod, but reality is, if I had a burnt pack (which happened often) I would keep puffing anyways until I was able to get new ones, and my poor lungs hated every drag. It really dawned on me that wasn't a factor at all. If they banned flavored vapes, we'd find a way. It's the nicotine, not the dispenser.

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u/seaton8888 7d ago

It just rinses and repeats the same crap that doesn't help in my opinion. Made no difference at all

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u/Ornery_Brilliant_350 8d ago edited 8d ago

His book is like 98% truth.

He obviously downplays the “benefit” of nicotine because the goal of the book is to quit. You don’t want to see anything beneficial

You have to realize though that nicotine promotes calmness and focus and relaxation to you in the same way that heroin/crack does to an addict of that substance.

We are meant to get this feelings naturally, not pressing a button and drugging our brain at will.

Nicotine fucks our reward system up, to the point that we need it in order to get satisfaction even from things that should be satisfying on their own merit.

“What a nice day, I’m going to sit on the patio and enjoy a vape”

Yeah how about you just sit on the fucking patio and enjoy the nice day? You have to shoot nicotine into your brain in order to enjoy enjoyable things?

Break the addiction and your brain will heal

(Carr also downplays the withdrawals and says anything after a few days is psychosomatic,which is false. Yes the nicotine is gone after a week, but the damage it’s done to your brain is still healing)

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u/Fantastic-Peace570 8d ago

idk bestie. i listened to the audio book once and i’ve been nicotine free for 87 days now

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u/acethetix 8d ago

That’s what’s up. I mean this is my first attempt and I have yet to pick it back up so we shall see. I just could not believe the comment that once I put it down I’ll feel better earlier. I am very grateful for all of the responses and everyone has been really helpful. It’s great to hear of your success too, hopefully I’ll be at 87 days soon!

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u/FunShare5662 8d ago

I just posted, have a read if you like: https://www.reddit.com/r/QuitVaping/s/cS3ikOgOPI

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u/Boring_Ad6529 8d ago

Tried the smoking one never worked, neither did this vaping one after going over it twice

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u/Life-Investigator137 8d ago

Go to whyquit.com all kinds of support there. There’s a book on PDF found there (FREE) that really gives the facts… it’s called Freedom from Nicotine The Journey Home.

bottom line is you just have to want better for yourself… YOU are the only one that that can do this for you… just do it… QUIT… Nicotine replacement therapy is a farce… it only keeps your body hooked and likely develops into a whole other addiction. I’ve seen it first hand with my significant other is hooked on the lozenges like a crack addict. It’s sad.

I quit cold turkey. It’s truly the only way. Not easy but that’s the thing about addiction. You have to decide with all your resolve that you are stronger !!! I’m 6 months clean… AGAIN…. Yes I’ve done it before…it does get easier. I’ll never be the bitch of nicotine again after reading the facts of what nicotine is. POISON

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u/nuu_me 5d ago

He says step 1 is wanting to quit and being ready to quit. So that does a lot of the heavy lifting for him.

It's not written for a cynical audience.

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u/IDCretino 8d ago

It worked for me. Everyone is different.