Tobacco smoking is a bad habit that leads to addiction.The symptoms of smoking cessation are so well known that a stranger can ask an addict: "Why are you so angry? Did you quit smoking?
Narcissists 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 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, the visit was worthwhile.The hypnotherapist explained to him that "smoking is just nicotine addiction."Soon after, Carr read in a medical manual that physical withdrawal symptoms consisted of feelings of emptiness and uncertainty.Comparing these two facts, he came to the conclusion that giving up a bad habit is actually easy, and is filled with the desire to tell all smokers about it.
A. Carr wrote "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking" and soon opened a clinic called Easyway ("Easy Way").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 on the fight against alcoholism, 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 led to his death 4 months after diagnosis.
About the book "Easy Ways 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 lead to the formation of a deadly habit, refutes 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 metabolic processes.To avoid stress and maintain comfort, addicts should smoke at certain intervals.
Allen Carr said that cigarettes do not give pleasure, but only temporarily relieve the symptoms of withdrawal symptoms.If a person continues to smoke, he maintains his addiction.And the feeling of relief he experienced when he picked up lighter and took the first drag after the break indicated a return to normality and normality.To the same place where non-smokers find themselves constantly.
In other words, withdrawal syndrome is born from the fear of losing a normal activity.If you overcome this fear, quitting smoking is easy and painless.Only by realizing where he has ended up, what is the nicotine trap, can the addict get out of there.Allen Carr shares the secret that the relationship between smoking cessation and willpower has been exaggerated.And this thought is a good help for those who do not hope that "they will be able to bite their teeth and hold as long as necessary."
A. Carr is convinced that most smokers really do not know why they continue to kill themselves in such an unpleasant and expensive way.They feel cheated: To begin to get used to cigarettes, they already have 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 2 reasons that make you run for a new pack."Will I be happy when I quit smoking?"- Think of other addicts and continue to destroy his health.
Myths about smoking
In his book, the author refutes myths and describes the traps that smokers fall into."What will you say to yourself now 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 a child who smokes.
Then why is the number of smokers only growing?Communicating with them, Carr amasses 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;
- The smoker should be reminded regularly that the habit is leading him to his grave;
- 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 despises the idea that smoking is a way to get pleasure and unconditional acceptance (by analogy with a child at the mother's breast, S. freud's verbal stage concept)."This is not true," said the best-selling author.- People who light up cigarettes want to look mature and bold.Invite them to walk around with a pacifier in their teeth - they will die of embarrassment."
A little about withdrawal syndrome
Nicotine is a drug.Acts quickly and leaves organs and tissues as soon as possible.What happens if you stop supplying the body with this substance?"Rumors of terrible experiences are exaggerated," wrote Allen Carr 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 to do with their hands."The reason is habit, 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 almost 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, depicting the injection process in vivid colors.Changes in perception - Actions that are really unpleasant, foreign to those who do not suffer from this disease, cause the release of the addict.
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.Describing the methodology, he points to 2 conditions:
- A clear decision that there will be no more smoking.
- Do not be discouraged by such shortcomings.We must be happy.
The authors of the method explain that people who do not start smoking are actually not weakness and cleaners.They have the power to overcome stress and anxiety.They are livelier and more 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 goals, in this you are no worse than others.
- There is nothing to throw away, you do not leave, but gain.
- There is no single cigarette: each 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 get the right state of mind, then it is 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 worth giving up smoking for a certain period of time (a month, six months, a year).
Alain Carr states that his method only works if you really give up cigarettes and without replacing them with any products containing nicotine.Why?The author's vision of this 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 noted that the author did not write anything supernatural, but called a spade a spade and offered a good motivation for action.
Why do failures occur?
"Quit 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 cigarettes does not always lead to a person who is truly free once and for all.Unsuccessful attempts to quit are what support the myth that it's impossible to get rid of 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 deviation of the idea itself.Maybe the recommendations seem too harsh, but they make the process easier and make addicts believe in the success of the enterprise.These include:
- immediate cessation of smoking;
- ban on products containing nicotine.
The authors agree that even among those who ignore this tip and look for other treatment options, there are people who really break up with cigarettes.However, he urges not to judge tricks as a way to help overcome the habit.
The inability to understand is the desire to accept an existing answer.Smoking culture and the tobacco industry regularly broadcast thousands of installations to the world.To break the habit, you should choose statements that resonate in your heart and try to understand them.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 usual need for cigarettes."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 recommendations for effective ways to get rid of the habit make him a good assistant in the fight against deadly diseases.