Allen Carr's easy way to stop smoking - it worked for me...

[AlfieMcWawa 10]

Read the book three times. Still smoke.

[onewheeldave 22]

Read the book three times. Still smoke.

 

Noone's ever said that you'll quit smoking if you read the book (however many times).

 

To quit you have to understand what Carr is saying, and agree with it. Carr specifically says in the book that, if you've read it, and, either don't understand it, or, don't agree with it, then you'd be best not trying to quit using it at that time- instead, carry on smoking (or trying the standard quitting methods) until such a time as you feel you'd like to read the book again.

[BoroughGal 10]

Poor Alfie. Never mind. Maybe next time, eh?

[Draggletail 58]

I know I'm early, but I feel confident I'll make it to my * 6 year * anniversary next Tuesday. Hello Draggletail.....!

Hi BoroughGal

Six years smoke free ey?

[AlfieMcWawa 10]

Noone's ever said that you'll quit smoking if you read the book (however many times).

 

To quit you have to understand what Carr is saying, and agree with it. Carr specifically says in the book that, if you've read it, and, either don't understand it, or, don't agree with it, then you'd be best not trying to quit using it at that time- instead, carry on smoking (or trying the standard quitting methods) until such a time as you feel you'd like to read the book again.

 

I know what he says, but it's a little arrogant of him to say if you don't succeed it's because you didn't understand it. I understood it, and I agreed with everything he said, it just didn't stop me smoking.

Not being contrary, just don't want readers of this thread to see the book as a magic pill. Every current smoker I know has read the book at one time or another.

[onewheeldave 22]

I know what he says, but it's a little arrogant of him to say if you don't succeed it's because you didn't understand it. I understood it, and I agreed with everything he said, it just didn't stop me smoking.

Not being contrary, just don't want readers of this thread to see the book as a magic pill. Every current smoker I know has read the book at one time or another.

 

I've known a lot of people who believe they understood what he was saying, but, a few questions showed that they actually didn't. I'm not saying you didn't understand it, but I think it's pretty unlikely that anyone who did understand it would still be smoking and being critical of the book.

 

You're right that it's not a magic pill- many who've read it have quit and gone on to say it's a work of genius: equally, many who've read it have not quit and gone on to say that Carr is arrogant and overly dogmatic.

 

Then again, no-one's claiming the book is a magic pill

 

Just out of interest, if you did understand the book and agreed with everything he said, why did you choose to continue smoking?

[AlfieMcWawa 10]

I've known a lot of people who believe they understood what he was saying, but, a few questions showed that they actually didn't. I'm not saying you didn't understand it, but I think it's pretty unlikely that anyone who did understand it would still be smoking and being critical of the book.

 

You're right that it's not a magic pill- many who've read it have quit and gone on to say it's a work of genius: equally, many who've read it have not quit and gone on to say that Carr is arrogant and overly dogmatic.

 

Then again, no-one's claiming the book is a magic pill

 

Just out of interest, if you did understand the book and agreed with everything he said, why did you choose to continue smoking?

 

The answer is simple. I still wanted a cigarette.

[Fudbeer 12]

Carr writes some good books and makes some valid points, his one on alcohol is good too.

 

However they read a bit like he is selling you something to me, in the drinking one he never accepted there were any positives about drinking.

 

But on balance I think they do help provided you want to give up.

[onewheeldave 22]

The answer is simple. I still wanted a cigarette.

 

Well, you said you'd understood the book, and, agreed with everything Carr said.

 

In which case, you'd believe that your 'wanting' a cigarette was purely an addictive craving, and, that the majority of that craving must consist of delusory beliefs you held about smoking?

 

Which would indicate that you either didn't understand the book fully, or, that you disagreed with some of what Carr said, wouldn't it?

[focusedhypno 10]

I read the Allen Carr book when I was a smoker and I felt it working so I stopped reading! A year or two later I was ready to really stop and read it again and it worked....for a time.

I then found myself smoking again and was a smoker for another 5 years or so until I stopped smoking through hypnosis.

When I compare the two techniques for stopping smoking there are some similarities in technique but whereas Allen Carr hammers away at your conscious hypnotherapy instead felt like it slipped under the radar and was just incorporated into who I am.

Perhaps the fact that Allen Carr has to go on and on made if feel like there was a lot to overcome to become a non-smoker whereas with hypnosis I just shifted into being a non-smoker so it seemed more straight forward I think.