On July 15, 1983, Allen Carr, a passionate smoker with thirty years of experience, put out a freshly smoked cigarette and announced the discovery of a new method of quitting nicotine. A method that allows every smoker to quit a bad habit once and for all - without voluntary effort, tricks or substitutions, without suffering from withdrawal syndrome, without gaining weight and, most importantly, without spending the rest of his life in a difficult struggle with the desire to smoke in secret fear, that at a party without a cigarette it would not be so much fun, and with stress without a cigarette he could not cope at all.
At that moment, few people could believe in the reality of such magical healing. After all, everyone knew that smoking cessation required tremendous willpower, usually accompanied by weight gain and the painful consequences of nicotine abstinence. In general, quitting smoking is just as difficult as conquering Mount Everest. Unfortunately, millions of smokers continue to suffer from this misconception.
Given the thousands of hours and millions of dollars doctors have spent searching for an effective method of quitting nicotine, it is quite understandable how hard it is for them to believe that an ex-smoker without any medical education has faced a problem that professionals cannot overcome. This is more likely to be believed by members of the Alcoholics Anonymous Society. As a former Alcoholic Anonymous, I am well aware that millions of us owe our lives not to doctors, but to comrades in distress.
Allen Carr is widely known in the world today as a leading expert in helping smokers get rid of their bad habits. His first book, The Easy Way to Quit Smoking, is a bestseller since 1985, when it was first published by Penguin. This book has been translated into more than 20 languages and has become a bestseller in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Based on the Allen Carr method, a worldwide network of clinics was created.
I first heard of Allen Carr from friends who were on treatment at his clinic and were very pleased with the results. I was skeptical about that enthusiasm because most of them stopped smoking just a few days ago at the time. I had no doubt that they had paid a fortune for the latest "magic" medicine and would try to convince me to fall for the same bait. Now I don’t even believe it myself, but then I wanted them to go back to the old habit. It annoyed me that they didn’t mind at all when I smoked in their presence, so I gradually realized that they were genuinely enjoying their new life. Instead of sympathizing with losing the pleasure of smoking, I began to envy them.
For many years I felt like a pariah because I kept smoking. As a hesitant member of the "fraternity, " I was fully aware that alcohol was ruining my life. My excuse was that I considered alcohol an essential social prop. Because of my alcohol addiction, I felt like a pariah again. So I ended up at the Allen Carr Clinic. With full confidence that it would not help me, I did not say a word about my intention to even my wife, let alone my friends. Four hours later, when I left the clinic, I was eager to tell the whole world about it.
Carr argues that his method is equally effective for all types of addictions. I am thrilled to be able to testify that this method not only saved me from smoking, but also helped me wake up from the nightmare that ruled my life - alcoholism. I was once convinced that alcoholism is incurable. Carr proved me wrong. Today, my only regret is that I didn't know anything about Allen Carr before. Don’t worry if you’re skeptical at first. Allen expects just that from you. I’m not going to talk about how his method works and what its effectiveness is. I can only say one thing: when you finish this book, it will be a mystery to you, because you have not understood such obvious things before. Enjoy your book!
Emanuel Johnson
An easy way to stop drinking
More than twenty years ago, I was able to prove that any smoker can easily quit smoking. Having discovered this method, I seriously expected that smoking would be a thing of the past in a few years. Indeed, since then, according to the most conservative estimate, thanks to my method, more than five million people have got rid of this habit. For most of them, quitting nicotine was easy and enjoyable. However, there are millions of other people in the world who have not heard of Allen Carr or his method. I see the reason for this only in the fact that it takes some time to abandon the generally accepted dogma. After all, everyone knows how hard it is to quit smoking.
For most of our history, we have believed that the Earth is flat and at the center of the universe. It is known that tremendous willpower is needed to overcome alcohol addiction, including several unsuccessful attempts to stop drinking. It is also believed that controlling their drinking habits is the most difficult for those who need it most.
If I find it hard to convince people that there is an easy and pleasant way to quit smoking, how much effort will it take to convince you that anyone can easily, permanently and immediately solve the problem of alcohol on their own? If you suspect that you are addicted to alcohol or already consider yourself an alcoholic, it is unlikely that Alcoholics Anonymous (A. A. ), known for its authority in the fight against alcoholism, will do me a favor with its categorical statement:
"Alcoholism is a chronic disease for which there is no known cure. "
Unfortunately, this opinion enjoys the active support of many well-known medical professionals, the media and society in general. The belief that alcoholism is incurable is so deeply rooted that I won’t be offended if you throw this book in the bin without even opening it. But please don't do that. Many doctors do not share the views of A. A. and other similar organizations, but are very reluctant to speak to national television with their remarks.
One of the most terrible consequences of alcoholism is that the victim runs out of money. Rich enough people whose alcohol situation is out of control can go to rehabilitation, but for the vast majority of alcoholics, AA is the only way to get effective help. Why then do I question the core of A. A. ’s strategy: the idea that alcoholism is a disease for which there is no known cure?
Because it is based on delusion!
What attracts me the most at AA meetings is that any speaker who is given the floor can make any scandalous statements, feel free to sob or express anger, use expressions that would make the sergeant of the construction battalion blush, and all this without public protest. . . . Politicians should be required to attend A. A. meetings to learn how to debate.
I understand that some of my judgments can evoke different feelings in you, from relief to anger, fear, and disbelief. But for whoever you consider yourself to be a person with less alcohol dependence or to be fully recovering, or vice versa, I have only good news for you. I ask only one thing: do me the same favor as all the speakers at the A. A. meeting.
Let me make it clear that no matter what I say about A. A. , I am by no means his opponent or competitor. For most alcoholics, A. A. is the only available source of help. But according to the doctrine of this society, alcoholism is incurable, and the path to recovery can be long and painful. Imagine that there is a universal, simple and inexpensive cure for anyone with an alcohol addiction who:
- Act now!
- It worked all the time!
- It did not require willful effort!
- Eliminate the suffering of withdrawal symptoms!
- It made it possible to enjoy the holidays more!
- Helped you cope better with stress!
- It did not evoke a sense of sacrifice or deprivation and the need to constantly fight temptation!
It is probably easier to believe in fairy tales. But imagine for a moment that such a cure exists. Suppose it is used by A. A. How long do you think alcoholism will torment our planet? What reasonable person would refuse to use such a drug?
But it exists. It is in your hands. If you have read so far, then you are somewhat worried about the problem of alcohol abuse. In my opinion, in that case it would not be wise not to read the book to the end. It is natural to inquire about a drug, especially if it is claimed to have an immediate and lasting effect, if it is effortless and easy to apply.
Why would they believe me? And I’m not asking you about it. On the contrary, I am ready to accept your skepticism. An important part of my method is that you don’t have to question only every statement I make, but also all your views regarding alcohol and alcoholism, which you have so far perceived as an unchanging truth.
When I first announced that my method would make it easier for everyone to quit smoking, my family and close friends thought it was a joke. They were gentle enough not to smile in my face, but it was clear they considered me a potential patient in a mental hospital.
It is not surprising when you consider that I have tried countless times to quit smoking and made this statement by putting out a freshly smoked cigarette. Today, passers-by stop me on the street and thank me for saving their lives, the lives of a close friend or relative. Every day I receive letters in which they write to me that I am a genius and offer to be knighted or even proclaimed a saint. I was even offered a place on the royal podium in Ascot, but personally I think that’s too much. Such honors outweigh my merits.
Like all great discoveries, the Easy Way is more a manifestation of happiness than any genius of my nature. The truth, honor and respect that surround me still shame me today. But like any normal person, I can't help but feel pleasure about this. All of this has helped me to assert myself and I will not risk my reputation in the least by making statements I cannot substantiate.
If you are a shrewd person, then you have probably already asked yourself the question:
"If Allen Carr's method is as unique as he claims, why not use AA, ASH, QUIT, authorities, etc.? Without a doubt, with modern means of communication, this method of treatment could spread around the world like a hurricane. "
You may be interested in why people come from all over the world to consult this humble loner with no medical experience who does not even advertise his method, and why he is widely known as the world's leading expert in this field. There is only one simple answer:
The easy way is effective!
You may have the impression that mainstream medicine opposes my method as such. Indeed, at first I was considered a fraud and a charlatan. But today, it is doctors who seek help from our clinics more often than representatives of other professions, so you will hear most of our recommendations from doctors and nurses. The medical profession is extremely responsible and full of stress, so doctors are more vulnerable to pitfalls than ordinary people, especially if you consider that they have open access to medicines.
If an ordinary general practitioner had decided to apply my method to his patients, he would have succeeded. The entire course of treatment requires at least four hours of therapy, and it takes a year to train specialists. Organizations such as DRINKLINE, [ASH and QUIT are charitable organizations run by well-meaning amateurs, most of whom are not personally familiar with these issues. Their recommendations boil down to hacker phrases that have already caused your past failures and breakdowns.
Still, I am convinced that the A. A. members who have been in this pit have enough experience, ability, motivation and enthusiasm. If you add the necessary information to their recommendations, perhaps in a few years alcoholism will remain just a school history course.
Does this mean that Easy Way cannot operate without the support of an organization like A. A.? No it's not. Patients come to our clinic desperate, convinced that they will get rid of their addiction only after weeks, months or even years of torture. Most of them believe that even with a successful solution to the problem, the holidays will no longer be so much fun, there will be nothing to reduce stress, and they will have to fight the temptation for the rest of their lives.
"Wait a minute! Wait. I've been abusing alcohol for over 30 years. Don't consider me a fool. There's no way I'm going to be cured in just four hours. "
I didn't say you could be cured in four hours. I said your problem can be solved in four hours. Have you noticed that the toothache that has been bothering you for a few weeks miraculously disappears as soon as you gain the courage to go to the doctor? This is the "law of meanness. "
Have you noticed the dissatisfied facial expressions of people entering the dental office and how hard they can suppress a happy smile when they leave the dental chair? You can relieve toothache by placing a filling or extracting a tooth. The recovery period after such pain may take longer. The gums remain inflamed for several days. But regardless of the inflammation, leaving the doctor’s office makes you feel happy, especially if this is his last visit.
This applies to any problem, physical or mental: you feel a rush of strength and confidence if you know the solution. The more serious the problem, the longer it has plagued you, the more confident you are in its hopelessness, the more exalted you will feel when you find a solution.
"But how can there be a simple and quick solution to such long and complex problems like alcoholism? "
Imagine you are locked in a cell with a combination lock. You can spend years picking a code and not get anywhere. But if I give you the code, you will be free, easy and forever.
"But alcoholism is something else entirely. "
Alcoholism is just that, and the easy way is the main key to a prison jail.
So this book is just an advertisement for Allen Carr’s clinics? No. It offers the same treatment and that alone is enough. Clinics and books are different ways of conducting the same treatment. The advantage of the clinic is the ability to ask questions to a trained therapist and discuss controversial issues with him on the spot. Unfortunately, this is not possible with the book.
Your doctor can also tell you if you missed something important. Of course, a book can’t do that. I said the treatment is current. Obviously, it gives an immediate effect only after the end of the course. Clinical treatment includes one session lasting four hours. The treatment with the book continues until you have read it to the end. The advantage of the book is that you can read it in your free time. But in practice this can be a drawback. I often get emails with comments like this:
"My daughter bought me your book three years ago. I finished reading it ten days ago. How right you were! It's wonderful to be free. Why did I lose these three years? "
Really, why? There are many reasons why a person will not deal with this book in any way. At the clinic, the patient will most likely go through the entire session. I personally treated more than 25, 000 people who turned to me for help. Only one patient left the session because her husband tricked her into visiting us.
Like many people, I hate manuals and instructions, most of which are exciting to read as well as watch the paint dry. So I made every effort to make the book fun. I hope I did well enough to read it to the end, because this book will guarantee that you will solve your alcohol problem on your own.
In principle, your problem can be considered solved as soon as you adopt the information contained herein. To do this, you need to have a fresh and sober head so that you can easily concentrate on the task you have. Some people read a book at once, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
I have already said that healing is guaranteed. At the clinic, in case of a breakdown, we return the money to the patient (you will find information about that at the end of the book). I’m sorry I can’t promise to refund you when you buy the book. No doubt you are wondering why failures happen and whether you have become one of those failures. Happiness or failure has nothing to do with it.
Healing is guaranteed to every person, provided all the rules are followed. By following all the instructions, you will be able to get rid of alcohol addiction incredibly easily. Many people do it with pleasure. Now you might think:
"Something is wrong here. Probably your rules look something like this: take a solemn oath that you will never touch alcohol again, be faithful to this oath, and as soon as you feel tempted, say to yourself, "How wonderful it is to be free! "
In principle, if you follow these simple instructions, it will definitely help you keep control. But I doubt it will make your life happier. In addition, we would not get so many positive reviews and achieve more than 90 percent performance if the method applied only to that. You may now think:
"Understand. The catch is that the rules are so complex that only Einstein can follow them, and Allen Carr will accuse me of being too stupid to properly understand and successfully apply my method. "
Nothing like this. If you were smart enough to read this book, you need to be smart enough to succeed. Consider each rule a number on a combination lock. Skip or shuffle one number and the lock will not open.
So, the first rule:
Follow all the rules.
Remember, more than 90 percent of patients who visit our clinic have stopped drinking. This is due to the fact that they adhere to all the prescribed rules during the session. You should behave the same way while reading a book. I have already mentioned that I hate instructions and manuals; if you don’t like them either, I’m happy to report that there are only seven rules, and they are listed on the following pages.
The second rule says:
Be patient.
When I say "be patient, " I don’t think I should go to the next parts of the book without reading all the previous material. Treat the book like a detective. In fact, this is a detective. The drug trap is the biggest scam in human history. In the words of Abraham Lincoln:
"You can cheat all people for a while, or some people all the time, but you can't cheat all people all the time! "
That’s what could be said about drug addiction until I discovered The Easy Way. This does not mean that everyone has become addicted, but all this time people have been held captive by illusions. Like any scam, drugs can play a cruel joke even with an intellectual. But the revealed deception is not able to deceive even a weak person.
Unlike other detective stories, this book may have a different ending. For some, reading can prove sad, even tragic. But for most, this is the happiest ending in their lives. The choice is yours. For a happy ending you just need to follow all the rules. The third rule says:
Start reading in a good mood.
How can you do that if you are one of those who believe that alcohol addiction is in principle incurable, not to mention easy treatments? However, this is a question of the priority of chicken or eggs. If you could travel forward through time and experience for a moment the excitement that will arise after reading this book, your mood could not be any different.
It’s like learning to jump into the water. The depth of the pool is 2. 5 meters, but it seems that the bottom is not more than half a meter. The plate on which you stand is only 50 centimeters above the water, but you have the feeling that everything is 2. 5 meters below you. You have no doubt that you will break your head, and despite the coach’s efforts and safety beliefs, you need to gather all the courage to decide to jump.
The thought of getting rid of drunkenness sometimes seems to a person who has already made several unsuccessful attempts, no less daunting. Before the jump you can feel the feeling of a beginner in diving. But you are not a diver. You are in a much more enviable position to gain everything without losing anything. The worst that can happen is failure. In that case, your situation will not get worse than the one you started with. Follow the rules and you will be fine.
Some people think it’s an easy way to practice positive thinking. You know yourself: if you believe in a goal, you will achieve it. That is not necessarily the case. I always thought positively, but it didn’t help me escape the drug trap, just as it wouldn’t help me escape the prison cell. Yet, positive thinking greatly increases your chances of success, and the opposite position is almost doomed to failure. So, the fourth rule is:
Think positive.
Let’s discard all pessimistic thoughts. There is no point in feeling unhappy and deprived. You have to find something amazing, something that others find impossible - a permanent cure for alcoholism. Treat your journey through this book as a truly exciting endeavor. Imagine how proud your friends and family will be.
The advantage of the simple method is that you can continue drinking during the treatment. It probably sounds unbelievable, but I promise you that gradually everything will become clear. So, your fifth rule is:
Don’t stop drinking or reduce alcohol until you read the book.
There is one exception to this rule. If you are in rehab or have abstained from alcohol for more than a day, try to keep yourself under control as much as possible. Rule Six:
Read this book only on a sober head.
The last, seventh rule is the most difficult to follow:
Be objective and open to new ideas.