Paul McKenna - Quit Smoking Now (DVD)

...Allan Carr's book and the Paul McKenna Quit Smoking DVD.

By the time my quit smoking day arrived I was so ready to give up, I could have stopped earlier. But I didn't, I had a plan and was sticking to it. I even bought a pack of 10 the night before to last me until 'quitting time'.

It was just after 12 noon on 27th March 2005 when I calmly smoked the last cigarette in the pack, scrunched up the box, took the ashtray ...
...the car and remembered the Paul McKenna DVD.

By the time I was ready to sit down and watch my body was shaking uncontrollably. I knew it couldn't be nicotine craving as tests have shown that nicotine leaves the body within 48 hours. It was either the rest of the cr*p they put into cigarettes or my psychological dependency.

The DVD starts with testimonies of people who were successful after using Paul McKenna's DVD. ... more

I smoked at least 20 cigarettes a day for at least as many years. I tried to quit a few times, most of them half-heartedly and of course I failed miserably. Sometimes I lasted a few weeks other times only a few days before I fell off the wagon again. I thought I tried it all: willpower alone, Allan Carr's book, various nicotine replacement products and last but not least Zyban. I had high hopes for Zyban, my doctor prescribed it for me 5 years ago. I was under constant observation by the surgery nurse who I had to see once a week. The tablets were the biggest success, no side effects when taking and I was off the cigarettes for about 6 months. Then something happened and before I knew it I was making up for lost time and smoking more than I had before. That had also been the last time I tried quitting.

Fast forward to last year February when I announced that I was going to stop smoking. I had set a date (Easter Sunday) and I was expecting everyone to support me in my decision. My friends were in hysterics, thought it was the funniest thing they had heard in ages.

To prepare for the big day I had stocked up on a new copy of Allan Carr's book and the Paul McKenna Quit Smoking DVD.

By the time my quit smoking day arrived I was so ready to give up, I could have stopped earlier. But I didn't, I had a plan and was sticking to it. I even bought a pack of 10 the night before to last me until 'quitting time'.

It was just after 12 noon on 27th March 2005 when I calmly smoked the last cigarette in the pack, scrunched up the box, took the ashtray from the garden (never smoked in the house) and plonked everything in the dustbin outside. I felt relieved.

I was two weeks into my quitting by willpower alone and I had not smoked, didn't want to smoke and felt the worst was over - or was it?

I'd been feeling a little nervous all evening, I was craving cigarettes but I was not giving in. There was no way I was starting again after I had so successfully managed to stay off for two weeks. I started climbing up the walls (mentally, not figuratively).

Around midnight I put on my shoes, grabbed my coat and car keys and rushed out of the house to get to my 24 hours Tesco. I stopped in my tracks just before I reached the car and remembered the Paul McKenna DVD.

By the time I was ready to sit down and watch my body was shaking uncontrollably. I knew it couldn't be nicotine craving as tests have shown that nicotine leaves the body within 48 hours. It was either the rest of the cr*p they put into cigarettes or my psychological dependency.

The DVD starts with testimonies of people who were successful after using Paul McKenna's DVD. Then the man himself comes on and explains what smoking is about, what it does to the body and why it is so addictive. There are some handy tips and hints what to do when you are caught out somewhere with an enormous craving. A lot is actually breathing techniques, like breathing in deep three times when you feel the need for a cigarette.

I must admit, I skipped most of the introduction, or part one. It's not recommended and as far as I remember Paul McKenna also says that you should watch it all the way through, at least in the beginning.

One thing Paul McKenna makes perfectly clear within the first couple of sentences is that you have to be ready to quit there and then. If you still have doubts then he suggests to stop the DVD and return when you are actually ready as he can only support your desire to quit by helping you relax and re-educate the brain and subconscious.

I was only interested in the hypnosis section of the DVD. I had once owned one of his stop smoking videos but I only used it a couple of times when I wasn't ready to stop smoking about 10 years ago. I knew what to expect.

I made myself comfortable on top of my bed, popped a few pillows into my back to prop me up and started the DVD. You hear Paul McKenna's voice going in and out, sometimes louder, sometimes very quite so that you barely hear him. After the relaxation routine you continue watching the pretty pictures on the screen, landscapes, clouds, water and so on, listen to music and sounds and his voice becomes even more monotonous and he drones on and on and on and on and on and on about how good you feel as a non smoker, how breathing becomes easier, how …. Well I zonked out and the next thing I remember is Paul McKenna counting me back in … 5 … and you feel a little more awake … 4 … you stretch … 3 … 2 … 1 … and you are wide awake and bla bla bla.

I could not believe I had spent almost half an hour staring at the screen of my TV not actually realising what was happening around me. I was well under but coming out of the trance I felt absolutely calm, relaxed, no cravings and ready to face the world head-on. And I was angry with myself that I had allowed myself to suffer all evening with cravings knowing I had the DVD at home.

This one session was all I needed and I was free of cravings ever since. At the time of writing this I have been a non smoker for just over 18 months and saved in excess of £2500.

Hypnosis or deep relaxation might not work for everyone. Not everyone is susceptible to hypnosis and deep relaxation, some don't take it serious enough or open their minds to something new. Some people are getting along fine with just nicotine replacement or Zyban, some even do it with willpower alone. I found this DVD extremely helpful as it relaxed me so much that all my cravings were gone and I felt refreshed. I am not sure what exactly Paul McKenna says when he is talking you through the relaxation routine but I'm sure something must have stuck in my subconscious because I have not ever had cravings again.

In case you are wondering. Paul McKenna explains that although you may be in deep relaxation mode or under hypnosis, if you need to be awoken for whatever reason, you will snap out of it straight away. I know this to be the case as I tried the DVD a second time (not because I had cravings) knowing it would relax me when my phone rang and I was wide awake straight away. I was also rather irritated and felt a little head-achy at being snatched from deep relaxation.

I don't know if it was just my copy (or my DVD player) but at the beginning of the tape the sound quality was rather bad. The voices sounded like they came out of a tin, very hollow and almost in the background. As I only watched it briefly it didn't bother me and I skipped most of the introduction (although, if you are just starting it might be a good idea to watch from beginning to end). The deep relaxation part is fine, both picture and sound are good.

If you are using the DVD as part of quitting then you should follow the instructions and watch it regularly, in particular part two once as day, then start reducing when you feel more comfortable and have quit. In the end you will only need it from time to time to refresh the suggestions in your subconscious until you don't need it at all. But it is all explained on the DVD and the box itself. As I said, I watched it once because I thought I was going mad with cravings and then another time just because I knew it would relax me after a busy day.

It always makes me laugh when the instructions say not to drive or use heavy machinery while watching the deep relaxation part. I imagined a steam-roller coming down the road with the driver slumped over the wheel watching the DVD on a portable player. But I guess they have to in case some people try and watch it when they're not supposed to.

You might have to look for a copy of the DVD as they seem to be sold out most of the time. I got mine last year from Amazon and paid around £16.00 for it. I later sold it on their marketplace for almost the same.

If you are serious about quitting, speak to your doctor or nurse. Not only do they know what method might be best for you, tablets or nicotine replacement and a lot of surgeries nowadays have support groups where you can go for help and support. The internet provides links to organisations willing to help. You are not alone, there is always someone willing to help, not just preach and try and make you feel uncomfortable.

Allan Carr's book remains unread to this day, well, a friend saw it at my place and asked to borrow it. I told her she could keep it as a present if it helps her. She quit smoking after finishing the last page after unsuccessfully battling for ages with nicotine replacement products.
 

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