The Loop Guide to Clubbing, Drinking, plus West Essex and East London living.

My initial thought when I was asked to review the Allan Carr Easy Way Clinic (the magical place that is suppose to stop you smoking) was scepticism but also I was a little bit scared. Although I knew that smoking was bad for your health, a waste of money and makes your clothes and hair smell the thought of actually never smoking again really worried me. What if this 5 hour session worked & I actually did stop smoking? After having had this habit for so long the thought of giving up made me feel nervous like I was going to miss it. I started to reminisce about all those times when I had enjoyed having a cigarette, I remembered how satisfying it was to have one when you really really fancied one or after you’ve eaten or with a glass of wine. I was loving the new trend since the smoking ban, of smirting ‘smoking and flirting’ outside various clubs and bars and how nice it was to chat to other smokers. Even writing this and pondering about it makes me think ‘If I enjoy in that much then why bother giving it up?’ I need to force myself to think of its bad points. So here goes, I hate having to buy cigarettes, having to need something and the fact that I spend at least £100.00 a month on them is equally as annoying. I hate smoking in the cold or rain or on my own outside because none of the other girls smoke. I hate how I couldn’t settle at home or on a long journey unless I knew I had enough cigarettes to last me. I hate my hair & skin look dull and teeth looking discoloured. I hate that feeling when you’ve smoked yourself silly at a party the night before, dreading the first cigarette of the day but knowing you need it. I hate having to cover up the fact that I still smoke from my dad who has recently had a heart transplant – if he had smoked he wouldn’t have survived. Then there’s the guilt on TV of all those adverts, the NHS helpline constantly trying to help & the warnings on the cigarette packets. I hate walking down the street smoking, I look rough! I hate the head rush you get when you have your first fag of the day. I hate the fear I feel when I get a cough, convinced this was it! I hate the fact I can’t run more that a minute without near enough collapsing and most of all I hate that I am addicted to something as pathetic as a smoking when I am otherwise quite sensible! Right now I am ready!

Armed with all the thoughts of the above I am on the train my way to Wimbledon for my Allan Carr session. I am still nervous still and apprehensive plus due to my bad journey planning I have just realised I am actually going to be late. Half of me is slightly relieved that there is a chance I will miss my session, thus putting off the stopping of smoking but half of me just wants to get it over with, I have been worrying about it for the last two weeks! I ring the clinic and they assure me I will still make it, Damm! This is actually going to happen or worse what if I go there and it doesn’t happen! What if there is no cure for my smoking! That is an even more horrific thought!

Rushing in the clinic and I am the last person arrive and sit myself nervously into on of the comfy but very unattractive chairs sort of like the ones you see in an old peoples home. All the chairs are the same and I feel my mind wondering..... How did they manage to get so many of one hideous looking chair.. Right focus! See this is the problem with me how am I going to listen to this very nice lady talk me out of smoking if I find it so hard to focus?  I am going to try!

After what seemed like 10 minutes (but was actually an hour) of discussions and talking about the reasons why we smoke etc. we are sent out for a cigarette break and there are breaks throughout the day, including smoking your last cigarette with the rest of the group. Once in the smoking room I overheard a few people saying things like ‘I don’t know how this is going to work’ and ‘I can’t see how it can work’ it was clear that people had come here because they were desperate to give up and the thought of not doing it made them really scared. It made me realise how powerful a hold it has over people and that it’s a terrible addiction.
Part two of the seminar and this is what really hit home with me just how pointless smoking is, they were talking about absent minded smoking, smoking and not even realising you’re doing it but lighting one up out of sheer habit and this is something I always do. They also spoke about what we thought smoking did for us, like relaxes us and helps us concentrate – a massive contradiction what other drug both relaxes you and helps you concertrate it just doesn’t exist! Another hour and half gone and time for lunch and more cigarettes where at this point I started to feel really silly for smoking!
The next part of the seminar went on to explain the health risks and why as such rational people we do something that will eventually kill us also that when we started smoking we never actually signed up to it for life, which proves how addictive it is.
After some relaxation exercises in the fold back chairs (ahh comfort rather than style!) it was time for the last cigarette ever and to this day that cigarette has remained the last for me!
It might sound really boring reading a review about the Allan Carr clinic and this is only a very brief outline but all I can say is that its been 2 weeks and I am a non smoker in fact I feel like I have never smoked and I don’t miss it from life one bit, in fact I have more time to think, more energy and I feel completely free. I would recommend this stop smoking method more than any others because it makes giving up smoking easy and an enjoyable experience like you’ve really achieved something! Give it a go you’ve got nothing to lose!!!!!