How to quit 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 "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking, " and also opened a network of clinics with the same name. Allen Carr's recommendations were so effective that his "method" became a national property, and his book is still being published around the world. 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: in order to get rid of such a powerful addiction as smoking, willpower is not needed!
In his opinion, any violence against oneself will only worsen the problem. You need to act delicately: 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 expresses his thoughts openly, clearly and without a hint of humiliation for a smoker. The author treats the reader positively, does not intimidate or reproach, 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 claim that in this way they are trying to get rid of problems, relieve stress, or it is just a way to have fun. That is, smoking is a kind of effective action, albeit harmful.
Allen Carr thinks differently. He declares: this is self-hypnosis! The brain’s attempt to justify itself, to pass off addiction as a conscious choice. Subconsciously, no adult wants to be a smoker.
In fact, smoking does not bring any positive results. Each new cigarette only gives you the opportunity to not suffer from withdrawal symptoms for some time. But non-smoking people do not suffer from 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 coping, of "breaking down. "On the other hand, he is frightened by the upcoming painful sensations caused by withdrawal symptoms. If you overcome this fear, your body will give up smoking easily and painlessly.
Marketer enemies
Allen Carr, studying the problem of smoking, considered the issue broadly and completely. He conducted numerous opinion polls, collected statistics, and delved into psychology and physiology. In many ways, it was this deep approach that determined the popularity of his teaching.
He paid much attention to the "external enemy" - those who make money from selling cigarettes. Carr describes the tricks of marketers 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 was actively promoted by the media. Now the situation is different - at least in our country. A smoker should not be afraid of external pressure. Society will approve and support his desire to quit. In stores, cigarettes are not shoved under the nose, 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 make sure what an advantageous position he is in in comparison with the Englishman from the 80s. You can also draw analogies and find out what marketers are intensely feeding us with today.
Programming in Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking"
If we consider the work of Allen Carr through the prism of programming, we can highlight several interesting points.
The main idea that is constantly repeated 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 a person’s subconscious, thereby programming, inspiring and motivating him to realize the "ease" of this decisive action.
The word "easy" appears more than 60 times in the book.
The book also regularly conveys the idea that smoking does not give a person any advantages, and even on the contrary, it describes many negative consequences of smoking.
"Smoking is a drug addiction, a disease and the number one killer. "Becoming addicted to nicotine is terrible, but remaining 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 rubbish and poison inside them. Don't be fooled by cut glass ashtrays, gold lighters and the millions 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 of all, identify those moments or events when smoking seems absolutely necessary to you. If you are a businessman and smoke for the illusion of stress relief, choose a period of relative calm, such as annual vacation. If, as a rule, you smoke out of boredom or idleness, proceed from this by choosing the opposite state. In any case, take the problem seriously and make this attempt the most important event in your life. "
All of these are fairly simple methods of influencing a person. But, oddly enough, it is with simple techniques that great effectiveness can be achieved. However, it is worth noting that this effect is short-lived. According to our observations, 7 out of 10 people still return to smoking after some time. This probably happens when the attitudes a person has received are forgotten and weakened.
Revolutionary technique!
Having finally decided to quit, she did not rely on her own willpower, but went to a man who promised deliverance in one medical session. Well, two at most. The miracle doctor pierced my mother's ears with needles and every now and then twisted them, like the dials of a radio receiver. Mom steadfastly endured the pain, trying to quickly catch the desired wave, but did not know in what range to look. "Do you want to smoke? "- the magician asked angrily. "Want! "- Mom answered honestly, and he twisted it even harder. After five visits, tired of the exoticism of oriental medicine, with ears red from injections, and with depleted "qi, " she stopped going to the sorcerer.
Mom quit smoking after a month. To my question "how? "answered: "I was angry with myself. Not only did she endure all these 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" with tobacco 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. Reduced the number of cigarettes (following my father’s example). Traditionally thrown on Monday, New Year's Day, birthday and May 31st; from early morning and on the full moon; on an empty stomach and on a full stomach. I tried to "replace" by eating handfuls of barberries and crackers. I tried an electronic cigarette - these steam-powered nicotine crutches. I asked my friends not to smoke in front of me. He even left the city. I 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 from cover to cover. All to no avail! Why didn't Allen Carr help me? I think that 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 happen during reading. I was desperate. To all complaints about the futility of my attempts, dad answered: "In life, only the first fifty years are difficult. Then you get used to it. "
I had pretty much frayed my nerves, my self-esteem went down the drain, and my loved ones shied away from me if they didn’t see a cigarette in my hand. What made me especially angry was the fact that I, a healthy man, had to suffer and humiliate myself, daily begging for freedom from some essentially nonsense thing—smoke. It seemed that the hated habit had taken possession not only of my consciousness and body, but also of quantities of a different order - my past and future. Over and over again, the cigarette looked at me blankly with the red eye of the Terminator, and I seemed to hear its 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 addiction. It doesn't matter the amount of effort spent along the way. Each of us has a similar 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 don’t attach much importance to - we simply take a step from the past to the future.
One fine morning I woke up. Took a shower. Got dressed. I had breakfast. I drank coffee. I read the news. Left the house. I got on the bus that took me to work. I didn’t yet know that this 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 spoke, answered questions, laughed, joked. And with every minute, with every hour, my confidence grew and strengthened - it had happened. One of the most important events in my life happened! I returned home from work. I had dinner. I watched a movie, surfed the Internet. Lay down in bed. Falling asleep, at the very edge 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 struggled with stress, celebrated some personal victories. I learned to accept big losses and enjoy small gains. Everything is like everyone else. It's been five years since I've been single, and I've never once wanted to smoke again! Even to test yourself (although that would be completely stupid). I could only rejoice at the changes and wonder why I didn’t do it earlier, because it’s so easy to quit smoking!
"The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" – Quit Smoking Using the Allen Carr Method
Tobacco smoking is a bad habit that leads to addiction. The symptoms of quitting cigarettes are so recognizable that even strangers can ask the addict: "Why are you so angry? Are you quitting smoking?
Narcologists believe that getting rid of nicotine addiction is difficult. But Allen Carr, an accountant by profession, invented an easy way to quit smoking and wrote a book about it, which became a bestseller.
Allen Carr - biography facts
A. Carr (1934-2006) himself began 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 get rid of 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 a nicotine addiction. "A little later, Carr read in a medical manual that physical withdrawal symptoms consisted of a feeling of emptiness and uncertainty. Comparing these two facts, he came to the conclusion that giving up the bad habit was actually easy, and 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 was called the same way as the book written. 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 also became the author of books about the fight against alcoholism, excess weight, fear of air travel, and a motivational publication about achieving success.
At the age of 71, he was diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer, which caused 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, accessible language. The author examines in detail the reasons leading to the formation of a deadly habit, debunks myths and shares personal experience and describes 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 associated with cigarettes; nicotine is integrated into metabolic processes. To avoid stress and maintain comfort, the addict has to smoke at certain intervals.
Allen Carr said that cigarettes do not give pleasure, but only temporarily relieve symptoms of withdrawal symptoms. If a person continues to smoke, he maintains his addiction. And the feeling of relief that he experiences when he flicks on his lighter and takes his first drag after a break indicates a return to a normal, conditionally normal state. To the same place in which people without cigarettes find themselves constantly.
In other words, withdrawal syndrome is born out of the fear of being deprived of a habitual 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 get out of it. Allen Carr shares the secret that the connection 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 hold on as long as necessary. "
A. Carr is convinced that most smokers do not really know why they continue to kill themselves with such an unpleasant and expensive means. They feel fooled: in order to begin to get used to the cigarette, they already had to overcome the feeling that it was frankly unpleasant. Implicitly, smokers understand that those free from this habit know about it. Nicotine addiction and "brainwashing" are two reasons that make you run for 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 as you light your first cigarette? Would you praise your children for this new activity? "- asks A. Carr. And addicts sadly admit that they would not repeat this mistake and certainly would not be happy for a child who smokes.
Then why is the number of smokers only growing? Communicating with them, Carr collected a "collection" of illusions that support the addiction:
- in fact, smokers enjoy the process;
- smoking looks cool and manly;
- Smoking is a habit; once you start it, it’s impossible to quit;
- it takes a strong will to quit;
- quitting smoking is incredibly difficult, withdrawal symptoms are severe;
- the smoker should be regularly reminded that the habit is leading him to his grave;
- Smoking is a way to overcome boredom, relax, and overcome 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 ridicules the idea that smoking is a way of obtaining unconditional pleasure and acceptance (by analogy with a child at the mother's breast, the concept of the oral stage of Freud). "This is not true, " says the bestselling author. – People who light a cigarette want to look mature and courageous. Invite them to take a walk with a pacifier in their teeth - they will die of shame. "
A little about withdrawal syndrome
Nicotine is a drug. Fast-acting and leaving organs and tissues just as quickly. What happens if you stop supplying the body with this substance? "Rumors of terrible experiences are exaggerated, " writes Allen Carr in his book. Unbearable "withdrawal" is nothing more than a feeling of lack of internal support or joy.
There is no physical pain in its usual meaning. Smokers may complain of low mood, anxiety, and an obsessive desire to "have something to do with their hands. "The reason is habit, addiction. It occurs when a person starts smoking regularly. This is the "little nicotine creature" that sits in the stomach and requires food. The desire to get a cigarette begins to arise almost immediately after a cigarette butt is thrown into the trash. By choosing to continue, a person is only extending a chain of episodes of thirst and short-term relief.
Allen Carr compares smokers with heroin addicts, describing the injection process in vivid colors. Perception changes - completely unsightly actions, alien to those who do not suffer from these diseases, cause relief in addicts.
Of course, it can be said that deprivation of cigarettes and deprivation of food cause similar suffering. But eating is a vital necessity, and smoking is not.
Description of the method
"It’s ridiculously easy to stop smoking, " wrote A. Carr. Describing the methodology, he points to 2 conditions:
- A clear decision that there will be no more smoking.
- Do not be discouraged by such deprivation. We should be happy.
The author of the method explains that people who do not start smoking are in fact not weaklings and cleansers. They have the power to cope with stress and anxiety. They are much livelier and more active than those who require stimulation in the form of a cigarette.
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, you do not leave, but acquire.
- There is no single cigarette: each one will be followed by others.
- 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 acquire the right state of mind, then it will be easy to refrain from trying to take a cigarette during the first 3 weeks, when the body is cleansing. The reader will find it interesting to know why it is not worth giving up quitting smoking for a specific period of time (a month, six months, a year).
Alain Carr stipulates that his method only works if you completely give up cigarettes and without replacing them with any products 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 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 to a person truly becoming free once and for all. Repeated unsuccessful attempts to quit are what support the myth that it is impossible to get rid of addiction once it has formed.
In his materials, A. Carr indicates that the effectiveness of his method is 95%. There are 2 main reasons behind 5% of failures: failure to follow directions and failure to understand.
Inability to follow instructions - lack of willingness to follow the methodology, attempts to adapt it to oneself with a distortion of the idea itself. Perhaps the recommendations seem overly harsh, but they make the process easier and make the addict believe in the success of the enterprise. This includes:
- immediate cessation of smoking;
- ban on products containing nicotine.
The author agrees that even among those who ignored these tips and looked for other treatment options, there were those who actually parted with the cigarette. However, he urges not to evaluate tricks as ways to help cope with the habit.
The inability to understand is the desire to receive a ready answer. The culture of smoking and the tobacco industry regularly broadcast thousands of installations to the world. To break the habit, you should choose those statements that resonated in your heart and try to comprehend them. For example, a person may believe that cigarettes are 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 "hard days" that cause a habitual need for a cigarette. "This is not a loss, but a recovery, " the author warns.
The book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" is not a medical publication. However, the accuracy and sincerity in the description of the problem and the author’s proposal of an effective way to get rid of the habit make it a good assistant in the fight against a deadly disease.
Allen Carr - Quit Smoking
Allen Carr became famous thanks to his books in which he talked about an easy way 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.
The Easy Way to Quit Smoking - Allen Carr
When picking up Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking, " many are skeptical. And all because they think that they will now see another publication that describes 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 smoking. The book can change you a lot, because it motivates you to give up cigarettes. 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 it. The author brilliantly debunks all the myths and fears associated with quitting smoking, while many postulates are tediously repeated from one chapter to another. By the end of listening to the book, the reader has no doubt that he will ever smoke again. . . his only desire is to quickly finish listening to this tediousness and run out into the street as happy as a child because he is a non-smoker.
His method, demonstrating phenomenal effectiveness, has gained recognition among specialists, gained wide popularity and enjoys enormous success in many countries around the world. Allen Carr has created a worldwide network of clinics whose specialists help smokers quit smoking and overcome nicotine addiction. Allen Carr's books have been published in twenty languages and have become bestsellers.