How to stop smoking? The famous British writer Allen Carr studied nicotine addiction in detail, tried to understand the thoughts of smokers, and on this basis he published a book called "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking, " and also opened a chain of clinics with the same name. Allen Carr's recommendations were so effective that his "method" became national property, and his books are still published worldwide. According to some reports, Allen Carr's book was able to help 10 million smokers get rid of addiction.
Why is quitting smoking easy?
Allen Carr's position is somewhat paradoxical. He assures: to get rid of a strong addiction like smoking, willpower is not needed!
In his opinion, any violence against oneself will only worsen the problem. You need to act subtly: based on logical arguments and facts, persuade yourself. Well, the book will help with this.
The text is written in lively, figurative language, with many examples and analogies.
Allen Carr spoke his mind openly, clearly and without the least bit of contempt for a smoker. The author treats the reader positively, does not scare or reproach, but tries to convince smokers: friend, you objectively do not have an urgent need to smoke a few cigarettes a day!
The need for tobacco is an illusion
Why do people smoke? Most claim that in this way they try to get rid of problems, relieve stress, or it's just a way to have fun. That is, smoking is a kind of effective action, even if it is dangerous.
Allen Carr thinks differently. He declared: this is self-hypnosis! The brain's attempt to justify itself, to let go of addiction as a conscious choice. Consciously or unconsciously, no adult wants to be a smoker.
In fact, smoking does not bring any positive results. Each new cigarette only gives you a chance to avoid withdrawal symptoms for a while. But people who don't smoke don't experience it at all!
According to Carr, the only objective reason why smokers continue to smoke is fear. On the one hand, a person is afraid of not being able to overcome it, "break". Instead, he fears the upcoming painful sensations caused by withdrawal symptoms. If you overcome this fear, your body will quit smoking easily and painlessly.
Enemy of marketers
Allen Carr, who studies the problem of smoking, considers the issue extensively and comprehensively. He conducted many polls, collected statistics, and delved into psychology and physiology. In many ways, it is this in-depth approach that determines the popularity of his teaching.
He pays a lot of attention to the "external enemies" - those who make money from selling cigarettes. Carr explains the tricks marketers use to get people to buy 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 was actively promoted by the media. Now the situation is different - at least in our country. A smoker does not need to be afraid of external pressure. The community will approve and support his desire to quit. In shops, cigarettes are not stuffed under the nose, but hidden.
And television confidently broadcasts that smoking is bad and dangerous.
However, it is worth reading about this "enemy" for modern smokers. If only to ensure his advantageous position compared to the English men from the 80s. You can also draw an analogy and find out what marketers intensively give us today.
Programming in Allen Carr's book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking"
If we consider Allen Carr's work through the prism of programming, we can highlight some interesting points.
The main idea that is constantly repeated in this book is that anyone can quit smoking, and it is easy for them to do it. Perhaps, this phrase is stored in a person's subconscious, thereby programming, inspiring and motivating him to realize this "facility" of decisive action.
The word "easy" appears more than 60 times in the book.
The book also often conveys the idea that smoking does not give a person an advantage, on the contrary, it explains many of the negative consequences of smoking.
"Smoking is the number one drug addiction, disease and killer. "Being addicted to nicotine is terrible, but staying addicted for the rest of your life is even worse. "
The book contains constant repetition that encourages action:
"Try looking at shiny cigarette packs in a new way - try to see the junk and poison inside. Don't be fooled by cut glass ashtrays, gold lighters and the millions who have been fooled. Start asking yourself the question: Why am I doing this? Am Ireally need this? NOT ALREADY OF COURSE NOT! ". . .
"Take six puffs of this great tobacco and ask yourself, "What's so great about this flavor? ". . .
"First of all, identify the moments or events when smoking seems especially necessary for you. If you are a businessman and smoke for the illusion of stress relief, choose a relatively quiet period, such as an annual vacation. If, as a rule, you smokeout of boredom or laziness, move on from this by choosing the opposite situation. In any case, take the problem seriously and make this experiment the most important event in your life. "
All these are relatively easy methods to influence someone. But, strangely enough, with simple techniques great effectiveness can be achieved. However, it should be noted that this effect is short-term. According to our observations, 7 out of 10 people still go back to smoking after a while. This may happen when the attitude received by a person is forgotten and weakened.
Revolutionary technique!
Having finally decided to quit, he did not rely on his own will, but went to a man who promised liberation in one medical session. Well, two at most. The magical doctor poked my mother's ear with a needle and occasionally turned it, like the dial of a radio receiver. Mother patiently endured the pain, trying to quickly catch the desired wave, but did not know in what range to look. "Do you want to smoke? " - asked the witch angrily. "Son! "- Mom answered honestly, and she twisted it even harder. After five visits, tired of the exoticism of oriental medicine, with red ears from injections, and with depleted "qi", he stopped going to the witch doctor.
Mother quit smoking after a month. To my question "how? " answered: "I am angry with myself. He not only bears all these needles, but he also paid money. I better buy shoes! "And then he shrugged his shoulders: "Or maybe the needle works . . . "
I "gave up" on tobacco overnight. That's what I tell everyone. And I hasten to add: however, this was preceded by four years of torment. During this time I tried everything. Reduce the number of cigarettes (following the example of my father). Traditionally thrown out on Mondays, New Year's Day, birthdays and May 31; from early morning and on the full moon; on an empty stomach and a full stomach. I tried to "substitute" by eating a handful of barberries and crackers. I tried an electronic cigarette - this vapor powered nicotine stick. I ask my friends not to smoke in front of me. He also left town. I read hundreds of scientific (and not so scientific) articles on the problem of smoking. I got a book by Allen Carr, which was in short supply at the time, and read it cover to cover. All in vain! Why didn't Allen Carr help me? I think I already knew almost everything there was to learn from this book by then, so the necessary wow effect the author was hoping for didn't happen while reading. I'm desperate. To all 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've had enough of my nerves, my self-esteem is down the drain, and my loved ones shun me if they don't see a cigarette in my hand. What makes me so angry is the fact that I, a healthy man, have to suffer and humiliate myself, every day begging for freedom from something that is nonsense—smoking. It seems that the hated habit has taken over not only my consciousness and body, but also a different quantity - my past and my future. Over and over again, the cigarette looked at me blankly with Terminator red eyes, 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. No matter the amount of effort expended along the way. Each of us has the same story, and all these stories are not about the main thing. One door closes, another opens, and we make a decision that at first we didn't really care about - we just took a step from the past to the future.
One bright morning I woke up. Showered. Already dressed. I have breakfast. I drink coffee. I read the news. Leaving home. I took the bus that took me to work. I didn't know yet that this was the first morning of my new life. I can't hope. I was busy with something all day, talking with colleagues and friends. He talks, answers questions, laughs, jokes. And with every minute, every hour, my confidence grew and was strengthened - it happened. One of the most important events in my life happened! I came home from work. I had dinner. I watch movies, surf the Internet. Lying on a bed. Falling asleep, at the end of the day, I said to myself:
youAgain. Nope. You smoke.
And the next day there is life. Jobs change, friends leave, new ones appear. I struggled with pressure, 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 never want to smoke again! Even to test yourself (even though that's really stupid). I can only be happy with the change and wonder why I didn't do it earlier, because it is so easy to quit smoking!
"Easy Ways to Quit Smoking" – Quit Smoking Using the Allen Carr Method
Smoking is a bad habit that leads to addiction. The symptoms of smoking cessation are so obvious that even strangers can ask the addict: "Why are you so angry? Did you stop smoking?
Narcologists believe that getting rid of nicotine addiction is difficult. 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 the age of 18 during his military service. He works as an accountant and can smoke up to 5 packs of cigarettes a day. Allen Carr suffered from addiction and was unsuccessful in getting rid of it. When he had been using for about 33 years, he turned to a hypnotist, but "he started smoking as soon as he left the clinic. "
However, this visit was beneficial. The hypnotist explained to him that "smoking is just nicotine addiction. " Soon, Carr read in a medical manual that physical withdrawal symptoms consisted of feelings of emptiness and uncertainty. Comparing these two facts, he concluded that quitting the bad habit was actually easy, and was filled with the desire to tell all smokers about it.
A. Carr wrote "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking" and soon opened his own clinic, which has a name similar to the book. Over time, one institution grew into a network of medical centers around the world. They work according to their own method and guarantee a refund in case of failure.
A. Carr is also the author of books about the fight against alcohol, overweight, fear of air travel, and motivational publications about achieving success.
At the age of 71, he was diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer, which resulted in death 4 months after diagnosis.
About the book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking"
The book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking" is written in simple and accessible language. The author examines in detail the reasons that lead to the formation of a deadly habit, debunks myths and shares personal experiences and explains how to deal with the "little nicotine creature. "
Why do people continue to smoke?
Smoking leads to mental and physical dependence. A person develops certain rituals related to cigarettes; nicotine is integrated into the metabolic process. To avoid stress and maintain comfort, addicts need to smoke at certain intervals.
Allen Carr said that cigarettes do not give pleasure, but only temporarily relieve the symptoms of withdrawal. If a person continues to smoke, he maintains his addiction. And the relief he felt when he flicked his lighter and took his first drag after the break indicated a return to conditional normality. To the same place where non-smokers find themselves constantly.
In other words, withdrawal syndrome is born from the fear of being deprived of habitual activities. If you overcome this fear, quitting smoking is easy and painless. Only by realizing where he has ended up, what a nicotine trap, an addict can get out of it. Allen Carr shares the secret that the relationship between quitting smoking and willpower has been exaggerated. And this thought is a good help for those who do not hope that "they will be able to grit their teeth and last as long as necessary. "
A. Carr is convinced that most smokers do not really know why they continue to kill themselves in such an unpleasant and expensive way. They feel deceived: to begin to get used to cigarettes, they already had to overcome the feeling that it is frankly unpleasant. Implicitly, smokers understand that those who are free of this habit know about it. Nicotine addiction and "brainwashing" are two reasons that make you run for a new pack. "Am I really happy when I quit smoking? " - thought another addict and continued to destroy his health.
Myths about smoking
In his book, the author debunks myths and explains the pitfalls that smokers go through. "What will you say to yourself when you light your first cigarette? Will you praise your children for this new activity? "- asked A. Carr. And addicts sadly admit that they will not repeat this mistake and certainly will not be happy for children who smoke.
Then why does the number of smokers only increase? Communicating with them, Carr assembled a "collection" of illusions that support addiction:
- in fact, smokers enjoy the process;
- smoking looks cool and masculine;
- Smoking is a habit; once you start, it's impossible to stop;
- it takes a strong will to stop;
- quitting smoking is very difficult, withdrawal symptoms are severe;
- smokers should always be reminded that the habit takes them to their graves;
- Smoking is a way to overcome boredom, relax, and cope with stress.
All myths about smoking come down to three statements: cigarettes are pleasant, quitting is almost impossible, giving up nicotine is an irreparable loss. Allen Carr ridiculed the idea that smoking was a means of obtaining pleasure and unconditional acceptance (by analogy with the child at the mother's breast, Freud's verbal stage concept). "This is not true, " said the bestselling author. – People who light up cigarettes want to look mature and brave. Invite them for a walk with a nipple in their teeth - they will die of embarrassment. "
A little about withdrawal syndrome
Nicotine is a drug. Acts quickly and leaves organs and tissues quickly. What happens if you stop supplying the body with this substance? "Rumors of terrible experiences are exaggerated, " Allen Carr wrote in his book. Unbearable "withdrawal" is nothing more than a feeling of lack of inner support or joy.
No physical pain in the ordinary sense. Smokers may complain of low mood, anxiety, and an obsessive desire to "have something with their hands. " The reason is a habit, an addiction. It happens when a person starts smoking regularly. These are "little nicotine creatures" that sit in the stomach and need food. The desire to get a cigarette starts immediately after the cigarette butt is thrown into the trash can. By choosing to continue, one only extends the chain of episodes of thirst and short-term relief.
Allen Carr compares smokers to heroin addicts, describing the injection process in vivid color. Changes in perception - actions that are completely unsightly, foreign to those who do not suffer from this disease, cause relief in addicts.
Of course, it can be said that lack of cigarettes and lack of food cause the same suffering. But eating is an essential necessity, and smoking is not.
Method description
"It is very easy to quit smoking, " writes A. Carr. Elaborating on the methodology, he points to 2 conditions:
- A clear decision that there will be no more smoking.
- Do not be discouraged by these shortcomings. We should be happy.
The author of the method explains that people who do not start smoking are actually not weak and clean people. They have the power to overcome stress and anxiety. They are much more alive and more active than those who need stimulation in the form of cigarettes.
Anyone can stop bad habits. To quit smoking on your own, you just need to understand the following:
- You can achieve your goals, in this you are no worse than others.
- There is nothing to throw away, you do not leave, but gain.
- There is not one cigarette: each will be followed by another.
- Smoking is a disease that shortens life.
- Having decided that the last cigarette has been smoked, a person becomes a non-smoker.
According to the author, if you get the right state of mind, then it will be easy to refrain from trying to smoke for the first 3 weeks, when the body is cleaning. Readers will find it interesting to know why it is not worthwhile to quit smoking for a certain period of time (a month, six months, a year).
Alain Carr states that the method is only effective if you completely stop smoking and without replacing it with any product containing nicotine. why? 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 does not write anything supernatural, but calls a spade a spade and offers a good motivation to act.
Why do failures occur?
"Quit smoking is easy. I myself have quit a hundred times" - the famous quote by Mark Twain accurately illustrates that the intention to part with cigarettes does not always lead to a person who is completely free forever. Repeated unsuccessful attempts to quit are what support the myth that it's impossible to break an addiction once it's formed.
In his materials, A. Carr shows that the effectiveness of his method is 95%. There are 2 main reasons behind the 5% failure: failure to follow instructions and failure to understand.
Inability to follow instructions - lack of willingness to follow the methodology, trying to adapt it to oneself with the distortion of the idea itself. Perhaps the proposal seems too harsh, but it makes the process easier and makes addicts believe in the success of the enterprise. This includes:
- stop smoking immediately;
- banning products containing nicotine.
The authors agree that even among those who ignore these tips and look for other treatment options, some actually break up with cigarettes. However, he urges against judging tricks as a way to help overcome the habit.
The inability to understand is the desire to accept ready answers. Smoking culture and the tobacco industry regularly broadcast thousands of installations to the world. To break the habit, you should choose a statement that resonates in your heart and try to understand it. For example, a person may believe that cigarettes are a source of pleasure. You should think about why it is easier to let go of 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 the habitual need for cigarettes. "This is not a loss, but a recovery, " the author warns.
The book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking" is not a medical publication. However, the accuracy and sincerity in the description of the problem and the author's recommendations on effective ways to get rid of the habit make him a good assistant in the fight against the deadly disease.
Allen Carr - Quit Smoking
Allen Carr became famous thanks to his book in which he talks about easy ways to quit smoking. This method has helped many people quit smoking.
Allen Carr himself died 23 years after he quit smoking. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. British anti-tobacco guru, author of The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.
Easy Ways to Quit Smoking - Allen Carr
When picking up Allen Carr's book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking, " many are skeptical. And all because they think that they will now see another publication that describes all the pleasures 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 suggests to continue smoking while reading it. The author brilliantly refutes all the myths and fears associated with quitting smoking, while many postulates are repeated boringly from one chapter to another. At the end of listening to the book, the reader has no doubt that he will smoke again. . . his only desire is to quickly finish listening to this boring and run out into the street with joy like a child because he is a non-smoker.
His method, showing extraordinary effectiveness, has gained recognition among experts, gained widespread popularity and enjoyed great success in many countries around the world. Allen Carr has created a worldwide network of clinics whose experts help smokers quit smoking and overcome nicotine addiction. Allen Carr's books have been published in twenty languages and have become bestsellers.