Comments on: Why I wish Douglas Adams had stopped smoking

By: Ambient Sheep

Ambient Sheep — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:32:31 +0000

The biggest thing I got from the excellent Allen Carr book was this:

That the relief you feel when you smoke a cigarette, that good feeling you get, is simply how everyone else is feeling ALL THE TIME. Smoking a cigarette doesn’t make you feel better than normal, it’s just bringing you from a crappy place back up to the normal baseline that everyone else enjoys anyway.

Once you realise that, it becomes a lot easier to give up.

The other really useful thing to draw from that is to then realise that if you smoke one a few days after having given up, it won’t do anything positive for you at ALL, since you’re already at the normal baseline…all it will do is make you start feeling bad and craving the next one in 45 minutes’ time.

By: Jefferson Harp

Jefferson Harp — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:42:27 +0000

I smoked for most of my life and giving them up was very hard. I bought all of the stop smoking gadgets but none helped. Then I discovered the e cigarette. The ecig uses a nicotine liquid that contains only nicotine. No cancerous substances at all. They have completely saved my life.

By: Bobbie from the States

Bobbie from the States — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:07:21 +0000

Hello, all! I haven’t smoked a cigarette in 3 days now (well, the day’s not over yet) but I really want to quit for good this time (again), and so I, like you, thought that maybe if I research it as much as possible, I would have no other option than to not do it. I’m only 22, but I figure it’s better to quit sooner than later. Not only that, but I’m taking Anatomy & Physiology classes right now, and learning what smoking does physiologically to your body is repulsive. I’d be ashamed if I were to suffer the consequences of my own doing. Better to have someone else to blame. To get to my point, I think your blog is hilarious and very uplifting, keep up the good work… I think it also has to do alot with your speech. No punt intended; I’m from the states and it tickles me to hear you say “fag”. It almost makes me value the cigarette that much more… ALMOST! Much appreciated!!!!

By: Herbal vaporizer

Herbal vaporizer — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:43:47 +0000

you are right.. smoking can give us a lot of illenesses. One of these illnesses is heart deseases as you had mentioned. Good for you that you realized the deseases smoking can give to your health and that you quitted already.. Try making another blog about smoking.

By: Gabby Stein

Gabby Stein — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:38:06 +0000

Nice article. The situations you describe gave me a fit of laughter, especially the need to smoke when calling your parents ;-) That shouldn’t make one nervous, right? Somehow, it does anyway. As for Douglas Adams, I recently found a guy who seems to have the same style of writing going, only not as polished as Doug Adams. It’s some kind of “Stuff White People Like” about German people: http://www.ichwerdeeinberliner.com/ – Recommended…

By: Eliot

Eliot — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:21:18 +0000

I had the misfortune to spend a week in hospital last year (not smoking related, I gave up 5 years ago), and I saw many many old people who had been admitted for smoking-related problems. Frankly, it’s horrific, and they should bring youngsters in to see these poor wretches, in order to prevent people ever smoking in the first place.

Having said that, if I’m still alive at 70, I’m gonna start smoking again.

By: happyinoz

happyinoz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:04:39 +0000

Way to go Rob – I’m 12 weeks ciggie free, used the patches though so only about 2 weeks nicotine free…………..

Tried Allen Carr’s book a few years back but relapsed badly………

Anyhow, I’m enjoying the extra wealth for now.

Wish that DA had finished that Dirk Gently book he was working on.

Good luck all.

By: clinton

clinton — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:48:30 +0000

I am ciggy free for over a year and a half now (I’ve stopped counting the days). I decided to quit (I was a 20- a day for 10 years) when my wife became pregnant. As I am a lazy bugger I went to my GP and said give me some drugs to stop me smoking. He was very helpful and gave me Varenicline (Champix). It was brilliant, you take it for a week while you smoke and then stop smoking in week two. It was miraculous I haven’t had a cig since then or crucially wanted one.

The only wavering times were as you mentioned your trigger times like at the bus stop, in the car. getting outside at an airport terminal. And the smoking ban in pubs has been avery good thing for me.

Try Champix, it may work for you

Good luck.

By: moped

moped — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:55:24 +0000

Allan Carr should be sainted, for he helped me quit too (five years ago). I agree with ‘Spacker’ that giving up (or stopping, to use the proper term) is actually quite easy. It just takes a little bit of reverse brainwashing that Mr. Carr provides. I have a feeling that the whole ‘giving up is hell’ thing is all part of the smoking myth that we have burdened ourselves with all these years.

Good on u Rob.

By: Tommytank

Tommytank — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:32:08 +0000

I gave up a year ago, i’m still gasping now…

Well done for having the balls to say you pissed yourself in front of your wife, i think the best of us have! :D