Smoking is a bad habit that can lead to addiction.The symptoms of quitting smoking are so obvious that even strangers can ask the addict: "Why are you so angry? Have you quit smoking?"
Anesthesiologists agree that breaking nicotine addiction is difficult.But professional accountant Alan Carr invented a simple way to quit smoking and wrote a book about it that became a bestseller.
Alan Carr – Biography Facts
A. Carr (1934-2006) himself began smoking at the age of 18 while serving in the military.He works as an accountant and can smoke up to five packs of cigarettes a day.Allen Carr suffered from drug addiction and tried to kick it without success.After about 33 years of smoking, he sought help from a hypnotherapist, but "he started smoking as soon as he left the clinic."
Still, the visit was rewarding.The hypnotherapist explained to him that "smoking is just a nicotine addiction."Soon after, Carr read in a medical manual that physical withdrawal symptoms included a feeling of emptiness and uncertainty.Comparing these two facts, he concluded that it was easy to break the bad habit and was filled with the desire to tell all smokers.
A. Carr wrote "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" and soon opened a clinic called Easyway ("The Easy Way").Over time, one institution grew into a network of medical centers around the world.They work their way and guarantee a refund in case of failure.
A. Carr has also published books on combating alcoholism, being overweight, fear of air travel, and a motivational publication on achieving success.
At age 71, he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and died 4 months after diagnosis.
About the book "Easy Ways to Quit Smoking"
The book "The Simple Way to Quit Smoking" is written in simple and easy-to-understand language.The author explores in detail what causes the deadly habit, debunks myths and shares personal experiences, and describes how to deal with "nicotine critters."
Why do people continue to smoke?
Smoking can lead to mental and physical dependence.A person develops certain habits related to cigarettes; nicotine is incorporated into metabolic processes.To avoid stress and stay comfortable, addicts must smoke at certain intervals.
Alan Carr said that cigarettes do not bring pleasure but only temporarily relieve withdrawal symptoms.If a person continues to smoke, his craving will continue.The sense of relief he experienced when he opened the lighter and took his first puff after the break indicated a return to normal, conditional normalcy.Arriving at the same place where people without cigarettes often find themselves.
In other words, withdrawal syndrome arises from the fear of being deprived of habitual activities.If you overcome this fear, quitting smoking will be easy and painless.Only by recognizing what his end is, what the nicotine trap is, can the addict escape it.Alan Carr shares a secret: The link between quitting smoking and willpower is overstated.And this idea is a great help for those who don't want to be able to grit their teeth and hold on for as long as they want.
A. Carr is convinced that most smokers really don't know why they continue to kill themselves in this unpleasant and expensive way.They feel fooled: in order to start getting used to cigarettes, they already have to get over the frankly unpleasant feeling of cigarettes.Smokers implicitly know this, and so do those who don't have the habit.Nicotine addiction and "brainwashing" are two reasons why you should buy a new cigarette pack."Will I really be happy after quitting smoking?" - another addict thinks and continues to destroy his health.
Misunderstandings about smoking
In his book, the author debunks myths and describes the traps smokers fall into."What would you say to your current self when you lit your first cigarette? Would you praise your child for this new activity?" - A. Carr asked.Addicts sadly admit that they will not make this mistake again and certainly will not be happy for a child who smokes.
So why is the number of smokers only increasing?In his exchanges with them, Carr collected a series of fantasies that supported this addiction:
- In fact, smokers enjoy the process;
- Smoking looks cool and manly;
- Smoking is a habit; once you start it, it is impossible to quit;
- Quitting smoking requires a strong will;
- Quitting smoking is extremely difficult and withdrawal symptoms are severe;
- The smoker should be regularly reminded that this habit is leading him to his grave;
- Smoking is a way to overcome boredom, relax and overcome stress.
All myths about smoking boil down to three points: cigarettes are pleasurable, quitting is nearly impossible, and giving up nicotine is an irreparable loss.Alan Carr scoffs at the idea that smoking is a way to achieve unconditional pleasure and acceptance (by analogy to a child in a mother's arms, S. Freud's concept of the oral stage)."That's not true," says the best-selling author.– People who light up cigarettes want to look mature and brave.Invite them for a walk with a pacifier - they will die of shame."
Some information about withdrawal syndrome
Nicotine is a drug.It has a rapid onset of action and leaves organs and tissues equally quickly.What would happen if this substance was stopped being supplied to the body?"Rumors of horrific experiences are greatly exaggerated," Alan Carr wrote 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.Smokers may complain of low mood, anxiety, and a strong desire to "do something with their hands."The reason is habit, addiction.This happens when a person starts smoking regularly.These are the "nicotine critters" that live in the stomach and need food.After the cigarette butt is thrown into the trash can, the desire to smoke is almost immediately felt.By choosing to continue, a person is only prolonging a series of thirst and short-term relief.
Alan Carr compares smokers to heroin addicts and describes the injection process in vivid color.Changes in perspective - completely unsightly behaviors that are foreign to those who do not suffer from these disorders - can bring addicts into remission.
Of course, one could argue that cigarette deprivation and food deprivation cause similar suffering.But diet is crucial, smoking is not.
Method description
"Quitting smoking is easy," A. Carr wrote.In describing the method, he noted two conditions:
- Make a clear decision not to smoke anymore.
- Don’t be discouraged by this deprivation.We should be happy.
The authors of this method explain that people who do not start smoking are actually not weak and purified.They have the ability to cope with stress and anxiety.They are livelier and more active than those who need the stimulation of cigarettes.
Anyone can break bad habits.To quit smoking on your own, all you need to know is the following:
- You can achieve your goals, and you're no worse than anyone else at that.
- There is nothing to throw away, you are not leaving, you are gaining.
- There is no single cigarette: every one is followed by others.
- Smoking is a life-shortening disease.
- When a person decides to smoke his last cigarette, he becomes a non-smoker.
The author believes that if you have the right mindset, it's easy to avoid smoking during the first three weeks of body cleansing.Readers will find it interesting to learn why quitting smoking is not worth it within a certain period of time (one month, six months, one year).
Alan Carr stipulates that his method only works if you quit smoking completely and do not replace it with any nicotine-containing products.Why?This book details the author's views on this issue.
What do readers think?They said in their reviews that the book really helped them kick their addiction.Readers notice that the author does not write anything supernatural but rather straightforwardly provides good motivations for action.
Why does failure occur?
"It's easy to quit smoking. I've quit a hundred times myself" - Mark Twain's famous quote very accurately describes how the intention of quitting smoking does not always make a person truly free once and for all.Multiple failed attempts to quit smoking have given credence to the myth that once an addiction is established, it is impossible to break it.
A. Carr states in his material that the effectiveness of his method is 95%.There are two main reasons behind 5% of failures: failure to follow instructions and failure to understand.
Inability to follow instructions - Lack of willingness to follow methods, trying to adapt to oneself by twisting the idea itself.Maybe these suggestions seem too harsh, but they make the process easier and give the addict confidence in the success of the business.This includes:
- Quit smoking immediately;
- Products containing nicotine are prohibited.
The authors agree that even among those who ignore these tips and seek other treatment options, some actually quit cigarettes.However, he urges not to view techniques as a way to help overcome this habit.
Incomprehension is the desire for ready answers.Smoking culture and the tobacco industry regularly broadcast thousands of devices to the world.To break this habit, you should choose those statements that resonate within you and try to understand them.For example, a person may believe that cigarettes are a source of happiness.You should think about why it’s easier to give up on other things that bring you more pleasurable emotions.
Risk factors that may shake people's confidence in the correctness of the decision they make include other smokers in the environment and "hard days" leading to habitual smoking."It's not a loss, it's a recovery," the authors warn.
The book "Simple Ways to Quit Smoking" is not a medical publication.However, the accuracy and sincerity with which the problem is described, as well as the effective methods the author proposes to break this habit, make it a good assistant in the fight against deadly diseases.