How to quit smoking? The famous British writer Allen Carr studied nicotine addiction in detail, tried to understand the thoughts of smokers and, based on this, published a book called "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" and also opened anetwork of clinics of the same name. Allen Carr's recommendations were so effective that his "method" became a national asset and his book is still published around the world. According to some reports, Allen Carr's book could have helped 10 million smokers kick their addiction.
Why is it easy to quit smoking?
Allen Carr's position is somewhat paradoxical. He assures: to get rid of an addiction as powerful as tobacco, willpower is not necessary!
According to him, any violence against oneself will only make the problem worse. You need to act delicately: on the basis of logical arguments and facts, convince yourself. Well, the book will help you with that.
The text is written in lively and figurative language, with numerous examples and analogies.
Allen Carr expresses his thoughts openly, clearly and without the slightest humiliation for a smoker. The author treats the reader positively, does not intimidate or reproach him, but tries to convince the smoker: buddy, you objectively do not have an urgent need to smoke several cigarettes a day!
The need for tobacco is an illusion
Why do people smoke? Most say they are trying to get rid of problems, relieve stress, or just have fun. That is, smoking is a kind of effective action, although harmful.
Allen Carr thinks differently. He declares: it's self-hypnosis! The brain's attempt to justify itself, to make addiction seem like a conscious choice. Subconsciously, no adult wants to smoke.
In fact, smoking does not bring any positive results. Each new cigarette only gives you the chance of not suffering withdrawal symptoms for a while. But non-smokers don’t suffer from it at all!
According to Carr, the only objective reason smokers continue to smoke is fear. On the one hand, a person is afraid of not getting through it, of "collapse". On the other hand, he is frightened by the upcoming painful sensations caused by the withdrawal symptoms. If you overcome this fear, your body will quit smoking easily and painlessly.
Enemies of Marketing
Allen Carr, studying the problem of smoking, examined the issue broadly and comprehensively. He conducted numerous opinion polls, collected statistics, and delved into psychology and physiology. In many ways, it is this profound approach that has determined the popularity of his teaching.
He paid great attention to "external enemies": those who make money selling cigarettes. Carr describes marketers' tricks to force people to buy more and more packs and urges them not to give in.
The book "The Easy Way" was written in 1985. At that time, smoking was considered fashionable and actively promoted by the media. Today the situation is different – at least in our country. A smoker should not be afraid of external pressures. Society will approve and support his desire to stop. In stores, cigarettes are not put in front of people, but hidden.
And television confidently broadcasts that smoking is bad and harmful.
Nevertheless, it is worth reading about these "enemies" for the modern smoker. If only to ensure its advantageous position compared to the Englishman of the 80s. You can also draw analogies and find out what marketers are intensively feeding us today.
Programming in Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking"
If we consider Allen Carr's work through the prism of programming, we can highlight several interesting points.
The main idea that keeps coming up in the book is that anyone can quit smoking and that it will be easy for them to do so. Probably, these phrases are deposited in the subconscious of a person, thereby programming, inspiring and motivating him to realize the "ease" of this decisive action.
The word "easy" appears over 60 times in the book.
The book also regularly conveys the idea that smoking does not bring any benefits to a person, and even on the contrary, it describes many negative consequences of smoking.
"Smoking is a drug addiction, a disease and the leading cause of death. »Becoming addicted to nicotine is terrible, but being addicted to it for the rest of your life is even worse.
The book contains constant repetitions that encourage action:
"Try to look at shiny cigarette packs in a new way - try to see the waste and poison in them. Don't be fooled by the cut glass ashtrays, gold lighters and the millions of people who have already been fooled. Start asking yourself questions: Why am I doing this? Do I really need this? NO OF COURSE NOT! ". . .
"Take six deep puffs of this great tobacco and ask yourself, 'What's so great about this flavor? '". . .
"First, identify the times or events when smoking seems absolutely necessary to you. If you are a businessman and smoke for the illusion of relieving stress, choose a time of relative calm, such as the annual vacation. If, as a rule, you smoke out of boredom or idleness, go from there by choosing the opposite state. In any case, take the problem seriously and make this attempt the most important event of your life.
These are all fairly simple methods of influencing a person. But curiously, it is with simple techniques that great efficiency can be obtained. It should be noted, however, that this effect is short-lived. According to our observations, 7 out of 10 people start smoking again after a certain period of time. This probably happens when the attitudes a person received are forgotten and weakened.
Revolutionary technique!
Having finally decided to stop, she did not rely on her own will, but turned to a man who promised her deliverance in one medical session. Well, two at the most. The miracle doctor pierced my mother's ears with needles and twisted them from time to time, like the dials of a radio receiver. Mom endured the pain steadfastly, trying to quickly catch the desired wave, but did not know in which range to look. "Do you want to smoke? "- asked the magician angrily. "Want! "- Mom answered honestly, and he twisted it even harder. After five visits, tired of the exoticism of oriental medicine, red ears from injections and exhausted "qi", she stopped going to the sorcerer.
Mom stopped smoking after a month. To my question "how? "» replied: "I was angry with myself. Not only did she endure all those needles, but she also paid money. It would be better if I bought shoes! And then she shrugged, "Or maybe the needles worked. ". . »
I "gave up" smoking overnight. That's what I tell everyone. And I immediately add: however, this was preceded by four years of torment. During this time, I tried everything. I reduced the number of cigarettes (following my father's example). Traditionally launched on Monday, New Year's Day, birthday and May 31; from early morning and at full moon; on an empty stomach and on an empty stomach. I tried to "replace" by eating handfuls of barberries and crackers. I tried an electronic cigarette, those vapor and nicotine crutches. I asked my friends not to smoke in front of me. He even left town. I have read hundreds of scientific (and not so scientific) articles on the problem of smoking. I got hold of a book by Allen Carr, which was in short supply at the time, and read it cover to cover. All in nothing! Why didn't Allen Carr help me? I think I already knew almost everything that could be learned from this book at that time, so the necessary wow effect that the author was counting on did not occur while reading. I was desperate. To all the complaints about the futility of my attempts, Dad replied: "In life, only the first fifty years are difficult. Then you get used to it. "
I was at the end of my tether, my self-esteem had plummeted and my loved ones would move away from me if they didn't see a cigarette in my hand. What made me particularly angry was the fact that I, a healthy man, had to suffer and humiliate myself, begging daily for freedom from an essentially absurd thing: smoke. It seemed that the hated habit had taken possession not only of my consciousness and my body, but also of quantities of another order: my past and my future. Again and again, the cigarette looked at me blankly with the Terminator's red eye, and I seemed to hear his voice: "I'll be back. "»And so on for four long years. But one day everything changed. . .
It doesn't matter when the decision is made to get rid of the addiction. It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in along the way. Each of us has a similar story, and not all of those stories are about the basics. One door closes, another opens and we make a decision to which we do not attach much importance at first - we simply take a step from the past into the future.
One fine morning, I woke up. Took a shower. I got dressed. I had breakfast. I drank coffee. I read the news. Leave the house. I got on the bus that was taking me to work. I didn't yet know that it was the first morning of my new life. I couldn't hope. I was busy with something all day, talking with colleagues and friends. He talked, answered questions, laughed, joked. And every minute, every hour, my confidence grew and strengthened – it had happened. One of the most important events of my life has happened! I came home from work. I dined. I watched a movie, surfed the Internet. Lie down on the bed. As I fell asleep, at the very end of that day, I said to myself:
You. More. Not. You smoke.
And the next day, there was life. Jobs changed, friends left, new ones appeared. I battled stress, celebrated some personal victories. I learned to accept big losses and enjoy small gains. Everything is like everyone else. I've been single for five years and I've never wanted to smoke again! Even to test yourself (even if that would be completely stupid). I could only rejoice at the changes and wonder why I hadn't done it sooner, because it's so easy to quit smoking!
"The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" – Quit Smoking Using the Allen Carr Method
Smoking is a bad habit that leads to addiction. The symptoms of quitting smoking are so recognizable that even strangers may ask the addict, "Why are you so angry? "Are you quitting smoking?
Narcologists believe that it is difficult to get rid of nicotine addiction. But Allen Carr, an accountant by profession, invented a simple way to quit smoking and wrote a book about it, which became a bestseller.
Allen Carr – biography facts
A. Carr (1934-2006) himself started smoking at age 18 during his military service. He worked as an accountant and could smoke up to 5 packs of cigarettes a day. Allen Carr suffered from addiction and tried unsuccessfully to kick it. When he had been using for about 33 years, he turned to a hypnotherapist, but "he started smoking as soon as he left the clinic. "
However, this visit was beneficial. The hypnotherapist explained to him that "smoking is just an addiction to nicotine". A little later, Carr read in a medical textbook that the physical symptoms of withdrawal consisted of a feeling of emptiness and uncertainty. Comparing these two facts, he came to the conclusion that it was actually easy to give up this bad habit and he was filled with the desire to tell all smokers about it.
A. Carr wrote "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" and soon opened his own clinic, which had a name similar to that of the book. Over time, an institution evolved into a network of medical centers around the world. They work according to their own method and guarantee a refund in the event of a breakdown.
A. Carr also became the author of books on the fight against alcoholism, overweight, fear of air travel and a motivational publication about success.
At the age of 71, he was diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer, which led to death 4 months after diagnosis.
About the book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking"
The book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" is written in simple and accessible language. The author examines in detail the reasons that led to the formation of a deadly habit, debunks myths, shares personal experience and describes how to deal with the "little nicotine creature".
Why do people continue to smoke?
Smoking causes mental and physical dependence. A person develops certain rituals associated with cigarettes, nicotine is integrated into metabolic processes. To avoid stress and maintain comfort, the addict should smoke at certain intervals.
Allen Carr said cigarettes do not provide pleasure, but only temporarily relieve withdrawal symptoms. If a person continues to smoke, they are maintaining their addiction. And the feeling of relief he experiences when he lights his lighter and takes his first puff after a break indicates a return to a normal, conditionally normal state. In the same place where people without cigarettes constantly find themselves.
In other words, withdrawal syndrome arises from the fear of being deprived of a usual activity. If you overcome this fear, quitting smoking is easy and painless. Only by realizing where he has ended up, what a nicotine trap is, can an addict escape from it. Allen Carr shares the secret that the link between quitting smoking and willpower has been exaggerated. And this thought is of great help to those who do not expect "to be able to grit my teeth and hold on as long as it takes. "
A. Carr is convinced that most smokers don't really know why they continue to commit suicide with such an unpleasant and expensive means. They feel fooled: to begin to get used to cigarettes, they have already had to overcome the feeling that it was frankly unpleasant. Implicitly, smokers understand that those who are free from the habit know it. Nicotine addiction and "brainwashing" are two reasons why you might want to introduce yourself to a new pack. "Will I really be happy when I quit smoking? "- thinks another addict and continues to destroy his health.
Myths about smoking
In his book, the author debunks myths and describes the traps that smokers fall into. "What would you say to your current self when you light your first cigarette? Do you congratulate your children on this new activity? »- asks A. Carr. And addicts unfortunately admit that they would not repeat this mistake and they certainly would not be happy for a child who smokes.
So why is the number of smokers only increasing? By communicating with them, Carr assembled a "collection" of illusions that support addiction:
- in fact, smokers enjoy the process;
- smoking looks cool and manly;
- Smoking is a habit: once you start it, it is impossible to stop;
- it takes a strong will to quit smoking;
- quitting smoking is incredibly difficult, withdrawal symptoms are severe;
- smokers should be regularly reminded that this habit leads them to the grave;
- Smoking is a way to overcome boredom, relax and overcome stress.
All myths about smoking boil down to three statements: cigarettes are pleasant, quitting smoking is almost impossible, giving up nicotine is an irreparable loss. Allen Carr ridicules the idea that smoking is a means of achieving unconditional pleasure and acceptance (by analogy with a child at its mother's breast, Freud's oral stage concept). "That’s not true, " says the bestselling author. – People who light a cigarette want to appear mature and courageous. Invite them to walk around with a pacifier in their teeth, they will die of shame. »
A little about withdrawal syndrome
Nicotine is a drug. Rapid action and exit from organs and tissues just as quickly. What happens if you stop supplying this substance to the body? "Reports of terrible experiences are exaggerated, " writes Allen Carr in his book. Unbearable "withdrawal" is nothing more than a feeling of lack of inner support or joy.
There is no physical pain in the usual sense of the term. Smokers may complain of low mood, anxiety, and an obsessive desire to "have something to do with their hands. "The reason is habit, addiction. This happens when a person starts smoking regularly. This is the "little nicotine creature" that sits in the stomach and needs food. The urge to smoke a cigarette begins to arise almost immediately after a cigarette butt is thrown into the trash. By choosing to continue, a person only prolongs a chain of episodes of thirst and short-term relief.
Allen Carr compares smokers to heroin addicts, describing the injection process in vivid colors. Changes in perception - completely unsightly actions, alien to those who do not suffer from these diseases, bring relief to drug addicts.
Of course, it can be said that lack of cigarettes and lack of food cause similar suffering. But eating is a vital necessity, and smoking is not.
Description of the method
"It is ridiculously easy to quit smoking, " wrote A. Carr. Describing the methodology, he highlights 2 conditions:
- A clear decision: there will be no more tobacco.
- Don't let such deprivation discourage you. We should be happy.
The author of the method explains that people who don't start smoking are actually not wimps and cleaners. They have the power to cope with stress and anxiety. They are much more lively and active than those who need stimulation in the form of cigarettes.
Anyone can break a bad habit. To quit smoking on your own, you just need to understand the following:
- You can achieve your goal, in this you are no worse than others.
- There is nothing to throw away, we do not leave, but we acquire.
- There is not just one cigarette: each one will be followed by others.
- Smoking is a life-shortening disease.
- Having decided that the last cigarette has been smoked, a person becomes a non-smoker.
According to the author, if you acquire the right mindset, then it will be easy to refrain from trying to smoke for the first 3 weeks, when the body is cleansing itself. The reader will find it interesting to know why it is not worth quitting smoking for a specific period of time (a month, six months, a year).
Alain Carr specifies that his method only works if you completely abandon cigarettes and without replacing them with products containing nicotine. For what? The author's vision of the problem is described in detail on the pages of the book.
What do readers think? In their reviews, they say that the book really helped them get rid of their addiction. Readers note that the author did not write anything supernatural, but called a spade a spade and offered good motivation for action.
Why do failures happen?
"Quitting smoking is easy. I myself have quit a hundred times" - the famous quote by Mark Twain very accurately describes that the intention to part with a cigarette does not always lead a person to becoming truly free once and for all. Repeated and failed attempts to quit smoking support the myth that it is impossible to kick an addiction once it has formed.
In his documents, A. Carr indicates that the effectiveness of his method is 95%. There are 2 main reasons behind 5% of failures: failure to follow instructions and failure to understand.
Inability to follow instructions - lack of desire to follow the methodology, attempts to adapt it to oneself with distortion of the idea itself. The recommendations may seem too harsh, but they make the process easier and make the addict believe in the success of the endeavor. This includes:
- immediate cessation of smoking;
- ban on products containing nicotine.
The author agrees that even among those who ignored this advice and sought other treatment options, some actually gave up smoking. However, he recommends not looking at tricks as ways to deal with the habit.
The inability to understand is the desire to receive a ready answer. Smoking culture and the tobacco industry regularly spread thousands of installations around the world. To break this habit, you need to choose the statements that resonated in your heart and try to understand them. For example, a person may believe that smoking is a source of pleasure. You should think about why it is easier to give up other things that bring more pleasant emotions.
Among the dangerous factors that can shake confidence in the correctness of the decision made are other smokers in the environment and "difficult days" that cause a habitual urge to smoke. "This is not a loss, but a recovery, " warns the author.
The book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" is not a medical publication. However, the accuracy and sincerity of the description of the problem and the author's proposal of an effective way to get rid of this habit make it a good assistant in the fight against a deadly disease.
Allen Carr - Quit Smoking
Allen Carr became famous for his books in which he talked about a simple way to quit smoking. This method has helped many people quit smoking.
Allen Carr himself died 23 years after quitting smoking. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. British tobacco control guru, author of The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.
The Easy Way to Quit Smoking - Allen Carr
Reading Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking", many people are skeptical. And all because they think that now they will see another publication describing all the delights of the consequences of smoking.
As you read, something changes in your perception and you calmly accept the idea that you don't need to smoke. The book can change you a lot because it motivates you to quit smoking. Many who have read this book agree with this.
There are no horror stories in the book about the dangers of smoking, the author does not force us to do anything, he even recommends continuing to smoke while reading. The author brilliantly debunks all the myths and fears associated with quitting smoking, while many assumptions are tediously repeated from one chapter to another. At the end of reading the book, the reader no longer has any doubt that he will smoke again one day. . . his only desire is to put an end to this boredom as quickly as possible and to run into the street happy like a child because he is a non-smoker. -smoking.
His method, demonstrating phenomenal effectiveness, is recognized among specialists, is gaining popularity and is enjoying enormous success in many countries around the world. Allen Carr has created a global network of clinics whose specialists help smokers quit smoking and overcome their nicotine addiction. Allen Carr's books have been published in twenty languages and have become bestsellers.