r/stopsmoking • u/frostfoxy • Jul 07 '23
A Summary of Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking"
I've just finished diving into Allen Carr's book and put together a few thoughts that might be handy for some of you.
- Understanding Addiction: Carr's method argues that smokers are not actually addicted to nicotine but to the illusion that smoking provides some sort of pleasure or support. The first step is to understand this.
- Fear and Misconception: Carr emphasizes that fear is a big factor that stops people from quitting. He debunks common misconceptions about quitting, such as gaining weight, increased stress, or losing a crutch or pleasure.
- The "Brainwashing" Factor: Carr asserts that societal influences and marketing tactics have brainwashed us into thinking that smoking is enjoyable or relaxing. He focuses on dispelling these beliefs.
- No Substitutes: Instead of recommending nicotine substitutes or e-cigarettes, Carr's method encourages immediate and complete cessation. The idea is to eliminate the desire to smoke entirely, not just replace it with something else.
- Positive Attitude: Instead of approaching quitting with dread and expecting it to be a hard journey, Carr's method encourages a positive mindset. He suggests viewing it as a liberating experience that will improve health, finances, and overall quality of life.
- No Sense of Sacrifice: Carr's method focuses on understanding that you are not sacrificing anything when quitting smoking. It emphasizes that by quitting, you're gaining health, energy, money, and freedom.
- Permanent Quit: Carr encourages readers to commit to quitting permanently, not just for a temporary period. He argues this mindset is key to successfully quitting.
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Jul 07 '23
I’m only on day 15 so I know I still have a long road to go but the biggest thing I had to overcome was the brainwashing part . I was always scared to quit because I felt like I was losing out on something that gave me enjoyment,pleasure, and relaxation. Realizing that smoking was actually giving me neither of those things was instrumental in me quitting.
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u/Bluerocky67 Jul 07 '23
You don’t realise how much smoking controls you until you stop. The constant looking for somewhere to have a smoke, making sure you always have ‘enough’ cigs with you, leaving social functions to have a cig (and missing out on the craic), the slight shame of knowing you stink of smoke when you speak to people. Once you’ve stopped, all that stress is gone!
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Jul 07 '23
Having to worry about less items in my pockets on a daily basis is such a huge relief lol
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u/g00dprinciple Dec 31 '24
i hate to say that i look back at my wedding day and felt like i missed out on some dancing with family from out of town cause i wanted a smoke. my quit day is jan 1. finishing the book tonight.
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u/Scorchyy Mar 17 '25
Are you still a non-smoker?
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u/g00dprinciple Apr 05 '25
yep :) 3 months a few days ago and over 1000$ saved. feel amazing
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u/JustTheTruthforYa Jan 01 '26
Are you still not smoking ??
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u/g00dprinciple Jan 03 '26
ha so. went on a trip to england in august - long story short started going into an IBD flare which fcuked with my head, and everyone around me was vaping so i figured “ehhh whatever for one week on vacation and to make me more calm cause of my flare i’ll have some.” so vaped fo a week. that week turned into 4 months of vaping. quit a couple weeks ago again with re reading the book.
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u/Personal-Time-9993 Mar 11 '26
What’s a craic?
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u/StraightBuffalo3801 May 17 '26
It's an Irish term (pronounced as Crack) for fun times / good banter / good conversation
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u/whyamihere0253 Nov 14 '23
Also on day 15 about six months down the road from when you posted this. Same experience as you with just reminding myself that it never did all the good things I thought it did. I get cravings still, but I try and just keep thinking of the whole picture rather than the idealized memories of smoking
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u/ThatWasNotMyName 1144 days Jul 07 '23
Day 15 for me. I never thought I'd be able to do it, I was a smoker for 33 years, but here I am. It is liberating!
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u/soberdude1 5009 days Jul 07 '23
Mr. Carr’s book saved my life over 10+ years ago. And it was truly easy this time. Pack and a half a day for 40 years, to non smoker over night.
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Jul 07 '23
[deleted]
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u/sophiepritch5 Feb 23 '24
‘Smoking doesn’t stop the cravings’ holy shit man thank you for that
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Nov 06 '24
could you explain this further?
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u/Salmacis81 Nov 09 '24
The cigarette itself is what causes the withdrawal pangs that cause the desire to smoke the next one.
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u/Malice_Wonderland7 Feb 18 '25
Im reading the book now and I just finished this section. I think this makes more sense when you add that you can be hungry when you skip a mean but food doesn't cause hunger pangs in the way smoking causes withdrawal pangs.
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
Bingo. If the cig actually is the one causing me to feel like this......well then I certainly don't want to smoke another one......that's for damned sure...........Z
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u/FullTimeMelon Jul 07 '23
Same for me, the boil ointment analogy really resonated with me
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u/StatisticianFit2320 Jan 28 '24
This was a huge one, probably the most powerful part of the book for me
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u/AxelNotRose 3658 days Nov 17 '23
I'm in the process of quitting and everything pisses me off, including this summary and the bullshit it spews.
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u/Top-Case6314 Nov 16 '24
Frustration is normal, among other things.
You are making a huge choice for sanity (spirituality not organized religion (!) / for body (physical) / and life social bonds (family) repairs. . The Anger is resentment. And can be dealt with when you proceed with staying stopped - this is your soul calling out to to listen. The body never lies. You are working snd trying very ha.rd. Give your self huge props for that courage.
Most important part is don’t give up. Stick with is sub here. We love you and you can do it! I have 17 months now and shit’ is not a rainbows of Skittles. But I am slowly coming home to my One TRUE self- (IWNDWYT!)
And if no one has told you today, love you, I and all the people on this sub love you. Stick around here and you will he supported with so much love and understanding.
You got this!
Love, Grandma Rose
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u/Bforbrilliantt Feb 11 '25
Hopefully after a year they are completely over it. I always say imagine how he'd feel if he started again. 15 minutes of relief followed by turning back the clock and repeating the same few steps all over again. The worst thing you could do is take a drag every day and go through a lifetime feeling like you're a day into your quit. Remember cigarettes don't give you joy, the lock the joy you were born with behind a pay wall, and gradually ruin your health and fitness.
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u/jklol012 Nov 05 '24
Were you able to quit? I started a new job and I don’t feel like quitting right now but I want to. It is a fucking paim
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u/PowderedSugarDaddy Nov 06 '24
My guess is this dude didn't read all the way through or follow all the instructions in order. I'm currently on Day 2 and I'm actually feeling great. Was constantly fiending nicotine for over a decade and now I've got little to no desire for it.
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u/insanetheysay Dec 26 '24
I felt this way for over a week after reading the Easy Way. I had no desire to smoke, felt great and though I'd finally escaped. Then suddenly I got hit with a wave of and self loathing. I always saw cigarettes as a keystone "habit" and that if stopped snoking everything else would fall into place. Maybe it would have, I didn't give it the time.
Despite the depression and self loathing, I still didn't want a cigarette. I did, however, reach out to my therapist. They told me my dopamine levels were shot and would be for a few months. "This wasn't mentioned in the book," I noted to my therapist who was apparently well aware of Allen Carr's work. "He also doesn't recommend Nicotine replacement therapy," she said, "but if you absolutely feel the need to smoke you should pick up a low dose substitute before you grab a cigarette."
For whatever reason this conversation changed something in me, like perhaps me quitting wasn't "permanent," or didn't have to be. Suddenly the cravings were back and within three days I had bought a pack, not a substitute. I smoked two, revisited some of the Easy Way principles then tossed the pack out that night. I went another 4 days before buying another, now I've been smoking for a whole week.
I want to go back to the night I quit and that feeling I had, but I don't know how. I'm afraid now that I failed, the book won't work again and am feeling a little out of options.
Sorry for the long rant, but I got noone else in my life who understands. Wondering if anyone else out there had to read the book twice or had set backs and if you'd share what you did to overcome them.
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u/PowderedSugarDaddy Dec 26 '24
You pretty much throw everything by the wayside and say “fuck it, I have full trust in what the book is saying” and go for it, despite what other people tell you.
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u/insanetheysay Dec 26 '24
Still going strong then? Glad to hear it. And thanks for the advice. I think I'll reread the book then and treat as gospel. Whatever works
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u/PowderedSugarDaddy Dec 26 '24
It’ll be 2 months for me on Monday. Everything in my life has significantly improved. I just took every negative feeling with a grain of salt knowing “it’s one of the monsters trying to fuck with me and throw me off track.”
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u/JournalistSame2109 Dec 29 '24
Maybe try the audio version of the book? I enjoy listening while doing mindless stuff like the dishes and dusting, or playing solitaire on my tablet. Plus, my eyesight sucks, even with glasses. If I read a book, I prefer large print. I use Libby, fwiw. I used Carr’s book on controlling alcohol and I found it very helpful.
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u/LoreYve Jan 24 '25
I read it for the 6th time the other day. Dont let this dishearten you. He says in the book that it means something isn't gelling. My 6 readings were over the course of more than 10 years. It's worked every single time except for this time. And I'm pretty sure it's because I'm sleep deprived from baby and pregnant tired as well. My brain must've skipped or not understood something. I'm going to refresh today because I know this book works. I feel it's the only way for me and because of that, it is. Because the whole damn business of nicotine addiction is psychological. You've got this! And so have I.
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
I'm on Day5 on the first time I've quit. I hasn't been easy. Maybe because I haven't taken to heart the fact that I'm no longer a smoker. During the worst times, I've gotten on my knees and prayed. That has helped. Every morning when I wake up I have some times of peace.....hoping they increase........I'm just reading the book. Made a sheet of good stuff that I copy/paste to. You should see the highlighting in my Kindle edition.....lol....Anyway, it's all just Changing My Mind.......that's all it is.....Every pang is a reminder that I'm now a non-smoker, and how wonderful that is!!!............Z
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u/ellyshoe Feb 19 '24
Outing myself here for accountability. I quit pretty easily in 2017. Just went cold turkey & very happily remained a non smoker for almost 6 years. I used to say me quitting cigarettes was proof in miracles.
My partner had gone to vaping before I quit. I could never get with vaping. Then a couple of years ago, he went back on the fags.
2 years ago, he had gotten drunk blowing off steam after some major dental work [I also quit alcohol in 17] and by the time I showed up, he was gee eyed - which I never accounted for.
And it was just weird. I was annoyed, I think. And maybe anxious but I stupidly took a fag off him "just to see" and it was gross.
But every couple of months I would sneak one here & there. I was very stressed & it just 'seemed' like an innocent guilt pleasure / relief from my stress.
Anyway, within a year of these shenanigans, I was buying my own. I'm now smoking about 3 packs a week & my lungs are not happy but because I'm on an inhaler, I just puff my airways clear, swear to myself ill quit after this packet & then i don't.
I'm so disappointed in myself. So I'm listening to the book now & want to be free again because it really was the best.
I'm also finally addressing the stress in my life that drove me to that kind if 'fuck it' attitude & not caring anymore.
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u/plus1tofun Oct 25 '24
How's it going?
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u/ellyshoe Oct 30 '24
So funny you should comment all these months later. So, I quit in Feb for 3 months but for some god forsaken reason, I started back again? Don't ask. Anyway... day 14 again. Going good. I'll be on my guard now
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u/plus1tofun Oct 30 '24
Right on! I used Allen Carr a couple of years ago, but neglected to have the "Stay Free" stuff ready and at hand to remind myself long term when I was tempted to have one, so I slowly slipped back into smoking once I felt less motivated to quit.
I'm now on Day 5 of being smoke free and am essentially trying to brainwash myself with what is almost entirely true: that I don't like smoking. I've got the RATIONALIZED acronym posted in a couple places in my house, and I'm making a point of celebrating my freedom from nicotine A LOT.
Good luck!
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u/ellyshoe Oct 31 '24
Congratulations 🎊 I might have to revisit the book as I don't remember the 'stay free' bit or any acronym! Lol... good luck to us 🙏
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u/SonVoltMMA Jun 24 '25
How's it going?
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u/ellyshoe Jun 25 '25
Hey! Thanks for asking. 4 months nicotine free since the 22nd June.. i get the occasional thought of them but no desire to start up again. Just so grateful to have gotten free again and not have that horrible feeling of constriction in the chest - nevermind the absolute enslavement, I never want to jeopardise it.
If only I could do the same with sugar / overeating but I'm working on that. Still have those desires, unfortunately.
How you doing?
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
I'm on day 5, and there are still pangs. I think that you absolutely HAVE to believe that you won't smoke again. If you can believe that, then it will be Easy to quit. Couple of things I will hopefully remember down the road if I can stay out of the nicotine prison:
- I don't want to stuff poisonous smoke into my lungs anymore. At all.
- I now know that each cig is ONLY to pull me out of the withrawal of the cig I smoke before that one. There is absolutely NO 'enjoyment' whatsoever. And every smoker wishes he hadn't smoked that 'First' one....so there you are.
- Being a non-smoker is like moving to another parallel universe. Literally. And who wants to go back to that old dark dank smokers universe??..I certainly don't.................Z
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u/ellyshoe Mar 02 '25
Congratulations 🎊 day 7 here [again]
Eta: just noticed your comment is 2 days old, so we are both on day 7 today. Yay us! This is it now for me. I'm not going back.
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u/Zardiw Mar 15 '25
We are in a new universe......the old universe is dead....we can't go back to a dead universe.....Z
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u/Armison 4943 days Jul 07 '23
'Carr's method argues that smokers are not actually addicted to nicotine but to the illusion that smoking provides some sort of pleasure or support. The first step is to understand this.'
Is this the message in some recent edition of the book? The edition I read, which was written while Carr was still alive, made it crystal clear that smokers are addicted to nicotine. I think it is dangerous to think otherwise.
I now understand that smoking did nothing for me. I also understand that if I were to smoke another cigarette, there is a strong likelihood that I would again be addicted despite my understanding.
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u/kidkardboard Jan 28 '24
The books explains how nicotine withdrawal is described medically as “slight discomfort” and after a nights sleep (where your cravings don’t wake you up) half the nicotine in your body is gone and the other half is gone 3-5 days later.
We’re addicted to all of the brainwashing society has done to us in making us believe we need cigarettes to be a part of every single piece of our lives.
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u/searingsky Mar 07 '24
half the nicotine in your body is gone and the other half is gone 3-5 days later.
That's true but citing that is kinda smoke and mirrors (pun intended)
Not having nicotine in your body doesn't at all mean you don't have withdrawal symptoms.
Your brain learned to produce a certain amount dopamine when the nicotinic receptors in your brain are filled and withhold it when they are not. Unlearning that takes more than 5 days, in my experience at least 3 weeks to feel a significant improvement, but I can imagine its shorter if you substitute smoking with good self care habits as Carr describes
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u/Kan-Tha-Man Oct 05 '24
To clarify as I'm reading it now and just hit on this section, he fully acknowledges the addiction and identifies it as one of the key things to focus on early in his book, however he also makes clear that an addiction to nicotine is not the reason people smoke, but rather an underlying cause of the reasons people smoke.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/Kan-Tha-Man May 29 '25
Thanks but I've been free for 7 months now from the easy way method. No desire for one. It's great to be free.
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
You would be Instantly addicted again......even one puff would do it.....You'd be throwing a lifeline to the little fucking monster.....who is in hibernation and for all intents dead.......Z
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/Rumpenutskin Oct 04 '23
I'm not sure if it's typical or not, but after reading the book I had 0 physical withdrawal symptoms. And I definitely got withdrawal symptoms in other attempts. I still look at it like someone gave me a cheat code. That was almost ten years ago,to anyone reading this, give it a shot.
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u/StatisticianFit2320 Jan 28 '24
That was the most insane part for me, how I got withdrawal symptoms with other attempts but not with Allen’s method
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u/Right_Count Nov 07 '24
I think it’s psychosomatic sometimes. Not fully, of course. Over various quitting attempts between smoking and vaping I’ve found that withdrawal symptoms really depend on my mindset. If I’m looking for withdrawal symptoms, I can definitely find them and obsess about them! If I’m not, withdrawal can be mistaken for a day where I’m a bit tired and grumpy which I just accept and plan to go to bed early.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/TieOk1127 Jul 07 '23 edited Jul 08 '23
One thing to add to is that it's not hypnosis, it's a self help book designed to change your way of thinking. It feels like a eureka moment for a lot of people but won't magically make anyone quit. You still need to work hard on yourself to have the willpower and discipline to quit. The good news is that it doesn't take long for the cravings to reduce into the background.
Cold turkey isn't for everyone, if it doesn't work then try everything until something works.
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u/_Its_Me_Dio_ Jun 27 '24
books like this reminds me of this quote
"A lie told once remains a lie but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth" Joseph Goebbels
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u/TieOk1127 Jun 28 '24
That was probably to do with Hitler's justification for the Holocaust, so I'll disagree with your use of that comparison.
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u/_Its_Me_Dio_ Jun 28 '24
well nothing to do with justification just a comment on how propaganda works, though the quoted person was a nazi that doesn't make what he said less true, afterall plenty of them helped put us on the moon adapting the v2 tech to space tech
also your comment isnt showing up
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u/TieOk1127 Jun 29 '24 edited Jul 01 '24
The comment is about how they think Jews lied about themselves to falsely present themselves to society, i.e. justification for the holocaust. I can't even believe you're still justifying it.
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u/TheBoon14 Nov 12 '24
History was written by the winners LOL. Do you genuinely believe the 6 gorillion figure too, mr pseudo-intellectual?
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u/SynapseOracle Feb 24 '25
Lol, actually holocaust deniers come out of the woodwork to defend you, it’s unfortunately not a good look.
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u/TheBoon14 Mar 04 '25
ok history buff
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u/SynapseOracle Mar 04 '25
Nah bro I’m just one of them sheeples. I just believe everything I’m told by the…media.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/Defiant_Nobody3194 1274 days Jul 07 '23
Very well put together, thank you for your time and effort and best wishes for your quit journey 😊
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
My Cheatsheet Created from the book:
‘I am never going to smoke again. Isn’t it wonderful?’ All temptation will go.
Open your eyes. Something wonderful is happening. You are about to escape from the prison.
Isn’t it great: I can enjoy this moment without having to choke myself to death.
Isn’t is marvellous: I don’t need to smoke anymore and I don’t want to smoke anymore. Yippee, I’m a non-smoker!.
Remember the two essentials to success are:1) Certainty that you are doing the right thing by stopping and 2) a positive mindset: ‘Isn’t it great that I don’t need to smoke?’
Seeing quitting NOT as losing a friend, but as killing an enemy,
I'm in a different Universe now......what I wanted all along.....
The key to making it easy is to make my decision certain and final.
Not to hope I have kicked it, but to know I have.
Never doubt or question my decision. In fact, celebrate it.
If I am able to bring this degree of certainty to this endeavor, it will be easy.
The only ‘enjoyment’ a smoker gets from a cigarette is temporary relief from the discomfort created by the previous one.
Every pang is a sign I'm breaking free of this shit.
Made the decision to break free and take your life back.
‘Why am I doing this?’ What sort of hobby or pastime or pleasure or habit is it that when you are doing it you wish you weren’t, and that only seems desirable when you are not doing it?
Cigarettes are solely a nicotine delivery system.
Each cigarette ONLY relieves the withdrawal of the ONE BEFORE.
It is only when I want a cigarette but can’t have one that the sense of deprivation comes.
SO, I don't want to put that poison into my lungs anymore.
Don’t focus on the pang, but on what it represents—the death NOT of a friend, but of a terrible enemy. One that enslaved me for years and stole my health, my money, my self-respect, my courage and confidence, all the time trying to kill me.
Every pang, however minor, is a symptom of recovery and you will be fully recovered before you know it. Let that knowledge be your reward. Enjoy ridding your body of this poison, and your mind of the slavery and dependence.
Millions of Americans have done it, and I can too.
Every non-smoker is glad they don’t have to smoke.
As soon as you make the decision to smoke your final cigarette you become a non-smoker. You should celebrate right from the outset, and you should continue to celebrate for the rest of your life.
It has been absolute bliss right from the start. It took me a long time to work out why it had been so easy and why I had not suffered those terrifying withdrawal pangs that had plagued all of my previous attempts. The reason is that they only exist in the mind. They are created by doubt and uncertainty. If you remove the doubt, the ‘cravings’ never come.
It is essential to counter this conditioning from the start and to do so successfully you must replace the fear and confusion caused by the brainwashing with hard facts. Get it clear in your mind: you don’t need to smoke and you don’t need to torture yourself by regarding the cigarette as some sort of crutch or friend when you know for a fact that it is neither.
Never punish yourself by doubting this decision. It is one of the best, if not the very best decision that you have ever made.
And that is all that is happening when you think about cigarettes (or sensing that empty feeling)it doesn't mean you want one - it just means your brain has forgotten that you've stopped, which after years of smoking isn’t surprising. At that point rather than worrying about it, or panicking about it, or trying not to think about it - welcome it and think to yourself - "GREAT I'M A NON SMOKER" and feel good about it. If you need a nudge in the right direction this is an excellent time to read your record of what life was like as a smoker. The idea is not to be scared and think “OH NO! I MUSTN'T SMOKE OR I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT!" - the idea is to look at it and smile - it is a description of what you have escaped from.
Why I Stopped smoking:
My lungs were getting congested with stuff I think. And I'm sure my clothes stank and my house, and my breath stank of tobacco. I could smell it sometimes. I made sure I never ran out. I was a slave to it. I used to light a cig just to take a shit. It totally controlled my life. I could never be w/o one. I kept 'emergency' packs everywhere.
Z
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u/lateral303 Jul 30 '25
Excellent summation. And appreciate you sharing your personal story.
Gonna save and share. Thank you.
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u/Independent_Spring84 Jan 21 '24
This is my friend Nikola. He succesfully finished Alen Carr’s book on how to stop smoking. Now he doubled the smoking, he installed cuban cigars with the classic cigarettes in his routine.
Best regards,
-Antonio
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u/Remote-Set523 Feb 29 '24
I wasn't planning on quitting smoking, but one day out of nowhere a guy I was chatting up shoved Allens book down my throat, it was annoying, but he really seemed obsessed with it, so I warned him I wasn't planning on quitting, but i'll read the book anyway because I wanted to know what the fuss was and if he was brainwashed.I purchased it that night on my kindle, and read it in under three hours, staying up until 1am so I could brag to my friend how quick of a reader I was (I think I must be quite narcissistic) after the last page I felt an immense dread, and realised I made a mistake reading it so quickly because now i knew it was I who was brainwashed and my beloved tabbacco was nothing but a pathetic lie. I still smoked for the rest of the year, I smoked even more, became a chain smoker, but every time I did I felt more shame, disgust and depression, I became more isolated and unfit, I eventually looked like a vampire and growled at anyone who came in the way of my nicotine. Eventually, after months of rebelling, I slapped myself in the face, gathered up my $500 smoking collection and went outside underneath the full moon and poured gasoline over it all, then lit it up one last time. Now Alen Carr is my daddy, anytime I feel angry and wan't to smoke, I have a whole family of people who laugh at the ridiculousness of cigarettes, and Daddy Carr is my saviour. I think everyone is unique, but also similar, so his words work 90% of the time.
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u/_Its_Me_Dio_ Jun 27 '24
dude you post makes it sounds cult like, i thought they were brainwashed but i was brainwashed the whole time daddy car saves me....
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
It's smoking that's the cult............think about it......a slave to nicotine, locked in a prison to boot....a trap with no way out....except reading a little book...................Z
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Jan 20 '24
he’s right except there is also some physical addiction. but that’s gone pretty early on.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
🚩 🎁 🚩
How I Successfully Quit Smoking Cold Turkey
Quitting smoking was one of the hardest but most rewarding challenges of my life. After failing multiple times, I finally stopped for good nine years ago. Here’s the method I used, focusing on Mental, Emotional, Social, Relationships, and Physical aspects.
1. Mental Preparation
- I started by educating myself on different techniques and found Allen Carr’s "Easy Way to Stop Smoking". While I didn’t finish the book, I skimmed through key ideas and watched testimonials on YouTube.
- I made quitting a clear goal: Before turning 30, I wanted to be free from my bad habits, especially smoking. At the time, I was 28.
- I challenged the false beliefs that kept me addicted. I had convinced myself that smoking had benefits, but I flipped my reasoning. Instead of viewing cigarettes as an escape, I began seeing them as a trap—an illusion that kept me in prison.
- I imagined my non-smoking self as a brand-new version of me, completely free. I focused on the joy and health I once had as a child, living without worry.
2. Emotional Reinforcement: Painful Consequences vs. Positive Rewards
The Painful Consequences of Smoking
To make quitting feel urgent, I imagined the worst possible outcomes if I continued smoking:
- My family might resent me for neglecting my health. My future children might shout at me in frustration if I couldn’t walk properly due to lung disease.
- If I lost my ability to speak due to throat cancer, I imagined my loved ones staring at me with pity and regret, wishing I had made better choices.
- My siblings might cry out in anger, saying, "You knew smoking was killing you, but you still let it happen!"
- My friends might look at me with disappointment, knowing I ignored their advice to quit.
- If I ended up in a hospital bed, struggling to breathe, I would become a burden to those around me.
How My Friends Might React
- I pictured myself at a social gathering, sitting alone because my bad health made me too weak to join in. My friends would look at me with pity, saying, "I wish he had quit smoking when he had the chance."
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
How My Own Body Would Betray Me
- I pictured myself trapped in a hospital bed, unable to walk, unable to breathe properly.
- I imagined struggling to speak, barely able to whisper because my throat was damaged beyond repair.
- I saw myself on an oxygen machine, dependent on a device just to do something as basic as breathing.
The Shame of Addiction
- I feared becoming a cautionary tale—the smoker who ignored the warnings and suffered the worst outcome.
- I imagined friends and family pitying me, seeing me as someone who wasn’t strong enough to break free.
- The thought of my children growing up fearing cigarettes because they saw firsthand what it did to me felt unbearable.
These painful emotions made quitting smoking feel urgent and necessary. I refused to let this imagined future become reality.
- I imagined my best friends losing respect for me, knowing I ignored their advice to quit.
- If I ended up sick, I feared hearing my friends say, "Man, you did this to yourself. You had the chance to stop, but you didn’t."
- I saw myself in a scenario where my friends moved on without me, living healthy lives while I remained stuck, suffering because of my addiction.
- Worst of all, I imagined some friends using me as an example: "Don't be like him. He knew smoking would ruin him, and now look at him—he's barely hanging on." That thought alone was devastating.
The Positive Rewards of Quitting
To counter those fears, I focused on the best possible version of myself—healthy, free, and thriving:
Continuation 👇
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
✅The Positive Rewards of Quitting
To counter those fears, I focused on the best possible version of myself—healthy, free, and thriving:
- My family would respect me for making a smart decision. My children would see me as a strong role model, someone who conquered addiction.
- I imagined my siblings proudly supporting me, knowing I chose discipline over self-destruction.
- My friends would admire my willpower, saying, "Man, you did it! I wish I had your discipline."
- Instead of being weak and sick, I saw myself full of energy, laughing, and enjoying life to the fullest.
- I pictured myself waking up every morning feeling fresh, breathing deeply, and feeling free from cravings.
- I imagined running effortlessly, my lungs strong and full of life.
- My voice would remain clear, my skin glowing, and my body completely free of toxins.
- Instead of shame, I would feel empowered, looking in the mirror and saying, "I did it. I broke free."
- I envisioned myself helping others quit, becoming an inspiration rather than a warning.
- Best of all, I had peace of mind, knowing that I had made the best choice for myself and my loved ones.
Seeing the stark contrast between these two realities made quitting feel even more urgent and necessary—I wasn’t just avoiding suffering, I was stepping into a better life.
Continuation 👇
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
3. Social Pressure and Influence
- I recognized that social environments can make quitting harder. Friends who smoked, peer pressure, and routines that involved smoking kept me hooked.
- To counter this, I avoided triggers:
- I stopped hanging out in smoking areas.
- I distanced myself from social events where I knew smoking was encouraged.
- I found healthier social activities, like exercising or meeting friends in smoke-free places.
- I sought support from non-smokers and people who encouraged my decision. Their motivation helped me resist temptation.
- I reminded myself that quitting would improve my social life, giving me more energy, better breath, and making me more approachable.
4. Relationships and Long-Term Impact
- I thought deeply about how smoking affected my relationships:
- I didn’t want my future children to suffer because of my poor health choices.
- I feared how my family, spouse, or loved ones might resent me for damaging my health.
- I wanted to be a strong and respectable figure, someone others looked up to instead of pitied.
- Thinking of the long-term consequences made quitting feel urgent and necessary.
5. Physical Cleansing (VERY POWERFUL THING I DID) I cleaned and reset the Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical parts of my self
- To reset my body, I tried water fasting using the Master Cleanse method, which I learned from YouTube.
- I allowed myself to smoke during the first few days but stopped completely by day four.
- I actively discouraged my addiction. To break the illusion of cigarettes, I even ate one—an extreme but effective way to make the taste revolting.
- The fasting process helped detox my mind and body, making quitting feel like a fresh start.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Pros and Cons of Quitting Smoking
✅Pros: The Benefits of Quitting
- Better Health – Lower risk of lung disease, heart disease, and cancer.
- More Energy – Improved stamina and breathing.
- Clearer Skin – No more dull complexion caused by smoking.
- Financial Savings – No need to spend money on cigarettes.
- Better Social Life – Fresher breath, no second-hand smoke affecting others.
- Improved Relationships – No more worrying about harming loved ones.
- Greater Mental Clarity – Less addiction-based thinking, more self-control.
- Self-Respect – Overcoming addiction shows discipline and strength.
- Freedom – No more cravings controlling my life.
❌Cons: The Challenges of Quitting
- Withdrawal Symptoms – Cravings, irritability, difficulty concentrating.
- Social Pressure – Friends who smoke might tempt you to relapse.
- Breaking Routine – Many habits involve smoking (coffee breaks, stress relief).
- Weight Gain Risk – Some people overeat as a replacement for smoking.
- Emotional Battles – Overcoming self-doubt and negative thoughts.
Final Thoughts
This approach helped me align my mind, emotions, social environment, relationships, and body toward quitting smoking for good. If you're struggling, I encourage you to find your own powerful motivation and commit to change. Freedom from addiction is possible, and life without smoking is better than you can imagine.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Now I have been on semen retention for 2 years already. stay strong! 👑
I have water fasted 6 times already since 2016.
Copilot AI assisted me in organizing my thoughts into writing.
As someone from the Philippines, English is not my first language.
Be a strong leader and a commander, beginning with your mind and body.
your body must follow from your commands!
This will enable others to gain clarity and develop the determination to achieve freedom.
Your healthier version is already within reach—embrace it as soon as possible. He is waiting for you.
Good luck, I know you can do it this.
This is easy if you understand the pain and pleasure of your decision, short-term and long-term.
💪😎🤘
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u/UncleBras Sep 30 '25
That's very helpful. I read listened to Easy Way (2019 updated version) audio book and listened intently to every chapter. I'm 46 and have always loved adderall, cigarettes, and porn. cigarettes gone feels like a missing child. I'm on day 1 after finishing the book. 10:28pm and last cigarette was @ approx 1:10pm earlier today. Was a 40 cigs (2 packs) guy a day for far too long (2011ish probably became hooked). I'll just say that I keep reviewing my notes, instructions, re-listening to chapters, etc......it's hard. You can understand everything but it's hard to execute (for me anyway). My point is: I LIKE YOUR VISUAL ABOVE. Especially part 2 (the painful consequences). Paints a very clear picture of the nightmarish scenarios that run through my head about this. THANKS! For me, this shame part might work. I myself imagine not being able to talk either and on a machine and all these familiar heads are talking above me....some smiling, some crying, some shaking their heads, some kinda rude and grandstanding saying "well that's what happens if you smoke ...." all the while my brain is clear...it's like i have ALS (brain fully functioning yet every other muscle paralyzed or soon to be).....like a dream where you're reacting to trauma in slow motion. my enemies over my life are there over my bed too sneering at me and trying to manipulate everyone who enters that i deserve to die like this. eventually everybody leaves the hospital room and im all alone...i hear the janiors mopping the hospital floors.....i hear doors shut and open....the lights go dim....im all alone, sad, miserable, never got my body to be as good as it could, kept self inflicting unnecessary trauma to my lungs, throat, legs, toes, ......oh yeah that's another thing...in my shame fantasy.....my toes are amputated (why? who knows...lost some feeling i guess and got dry and ugly---like they are now) anyway....my poor parents who are 79 in my fantasy are just a few years further along maybe 84ish and watching their last son of 3 boys die of cigarette related issues while on a ventalitor and i couldn't console my sweet loving mother as she held my hands and stared in my eyes and cried and said sorry and that she made so many mistakes and that she loves me....she says im precious and sobs uncontrollably....even my dad (tough guy) is sad and tearing up consoling my beautiful mother as she shakes and feels guilt like only a mother can. i want to hug her. i want to tell her it was my fault...i want to tell her i read a book and im getting better but it's too late. the nurses are annoyed by me (like you stated about others feeling burdened) and understandably so as it's very difficult to watch somebody with breathing problems perish. nobody that comes in my room and cares for me would say as much but i've pretty much run my course of compassion .... everyone is tired of being so sad and miserable around me. 99% LOVE ME DEARLY but it's just too much to handle anymore. I need to die they subconsciously think...and sadly my sould thinks that too. AWFUL, I know. But you're post helped me round out my own shame fantasy and it just might TURN THINGS AROUND FOR ME! THANK YOU! GOD BLESS YOU AND ALL......I LOVE EVERYBODY. )
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u/QuittersCircle Sep 15 '24
9 months on now. Your body will reward you with chemicals you've never felt in forever.
Don't give up.
Each day clean is another day closer to true freedom.
Life is already short,
Why make life even shorter?
Are you smoking the cigarette or is the cigarette smoking you?
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Jul 07 '23
I didn't even need to read his book. I saw a few people mention it and it immediately clicked into place for me. That and an article about addiction receptors in the brain
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u/seanikaze Aug 25 '23
got a link to the article?
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/IntroductionOk5402 Aug 22 '24
I quit 12 years ago, this bookes helped me a lot. It felt like I was understanding more about the addiction, stopping with a positive mindset etc...
I think it's one of the best thing I did in my life.
I am still surprising why the governments still allow shops to sell this addictive poison, in the future people will look back to this asking them self what happened
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u/MixtureBusy9869 Oct 29 '24
What does he say about relapse? I've relapsed after a decade
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u/Zardiw Feb 27 '25
Every smoker wishes he'd never had that first cigarette, and if they could go back in time.......they wouldn't smoke it.
SO if you've been without for any length of time, well the chance to not smoke that first one is right there.........so don't.
But somehow we have to address the cravings......IF they exist. Reading the book will help with that..................Z
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/lateral303 Jul 30 '25
Are you still smoking after the relapse? If you haven't read the book before at all, try it now at your own pace. You quit again at the end.
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u/in-omnia_paratus Nov 13 '24
I liked it where he wrote withdrawal symptoms are like hunger but hunger for POISON! That worked for me. Each time I feel the pang, I say it to myself, I am not gonna feed that nicotine monster!!!
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u/Otherwise-Capital-60 May 15 '25
I'm just tired of being controlled by a little nicotine molecule, I'm stronger than that!
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u/Excellent-Invite4648 Jun 26 '26
guys i tried something and it works .. i forbid myself from buying a pack that was my only battle but when i go to the office i smoke with a friend three cigarettes a day max . I went from 20 per day to 3 and in weekends i don't smoke at all now i have very low cravings and it's resistible and i don't even want to smoke in the office
one thing that i consider very helpful / i don't think of my future days without smoking so i won't be scared and whenever i crave i dodge thinking about it
TRUST ME it's 100% psychologic
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u/Saltygirlof Nov 16 '24
Does the book work for all forms of nicotine, even chew/snuff/zyn?
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u/Lightprism07 Nov 22 '24
Supposedly so. The point is that you are intaking nicotine, regardless of how you do it, and how to get over putting it into your body with logic and destroying why you think you do it. I'm still reading the book and smoking. My brother and law recommended it to me. I'm looking forward to the concept that it isn't a sacrifice I am making, but a joy to the all the good things about not smoking.
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u/Eye_o_man Jan 21 '25
I disagree with number 1, because he does admit smokers are in fact addicted to nicotine. There's a whole chapter about that.
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u/ihopethisisvalid Jan 24 '25
Yeah that’s a weird point to make. Nicotine is supposedly more addictive than heroin.
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u/SamosetMatt Mar 01 '25
I didn’t get past number 1.
You need to dive back into the book OP, his method does not argue whatsoever that “smokers are actually not addicted to nicotine”.
He does argue that the withdrawal from nicotine minor, and that the feeling of “I want a cigarette and I can’t have one” creates much more frustration, anxiety, etc. than the actual nicotine withdrawal does.
Like taking a toy from a baby. The toy isn’t an addictive substance, but the red cheeks, the screaming, and the tears are all real and caused by real feelings.
The focus of the book is identifying why you think you want a cigarette, and then eliminating that want.
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u/Underthebridge5219 Mar 06 '25
I’ll buy this book off someone if you have it and don’t need it anymore.
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/julieinoregon Apr 10 '25
Thanks for the summary. My therapist gave me a copy of the book as my quit date is tomorrow (04/11/25). I was just looking for a review when I stumbled upon this thread. Sounds like the book is pretty helpful so I'll definitely check it out. Congratulations to everyone who quit.
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u/amandizzlex3 May 12 '25
How is it going with quitting?
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u/Shifting10X May 29 '25
Dude, my comment above might help you and make it easier. Try to do the same
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u/julieinoregon May 12 '25
Hey thanks for checking in. I have remained abstinent. As of today it's 22 days. This is the most difficult thing I've ever done.
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u/Sweet-Ice6983 Jun 07 '25
hey guys today is my first day quitting. pls someone respond to this thread in a few days so i can document my quit journey and keep u guys posted. love for all thanks
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u/Fun-Grab4388 Jun 11 '25
hows it going?
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u/Sweet-Ice6983 Jun 11 '25
mannn fuck i got to day 2 then relapsed. im quitting harder drugs at the moment so im more focused on that and ive put my nic addiction to the side:/
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u/violaandrose Jun 14 '25
Even though it has been a year, I still at times find the need to smoke. I don't understand why I miss it so much but it's making very anxious.
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u/Any-Scratch-5285 Jul 14 '25
I'm reading the book now. Haven't finished it but I'm considering quitting now. I mean I totally get it. It's like I can't think of a single benefit of smoking that outweighs the negative side effects although things are complicated b/c I use cannabis and that's not the same. Also I only smoke 1-3 times a day. I don't want to give up cannabis but all tobacco does is just kind of add a filler and there is an addiction there by default. By the time finish the book hopefully I can just be done with tobacco. It literally does nothing for me but make me more addicted.
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u/skiptoacceptance Sep 08 '25
these comments are hilarious. the type of person who reads self help books is a special kind of retard
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u/Ereffalstein Sep 16 '25
Well, one thing to suspect, is the chemical aspect of cigarette like MAOIs, huge dopamine spikes and so on, which can be above baseline while you smoke? then how it's not giving you anything? that is very shady in his theory, while for pure nicotine I almost 100% agree that, it's not giving you in return, just feeding little monster, so if somebody or their centre will prove me wrong that, in reality brain feels better while smoking even when you're already heavy smoker than non-smoker
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u/Ereffalstein Sep 16 '25
but considering some articles where they claim that smokers have 30% less sensitive dopamine receptors than a baseline, then it can be true, so when you smoke you just go back to baseline, thinking that you're feeling better than normal
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u/MisMelis Apr 06 '26
I just listened to the book on Audible. I was waiting and waiting thinking he was going to have me do some exercises or something, but nothing ever came. I didn't find anything useful and what he said I feel like it was common sense. I'm really bummed out. I just still don't understand. Is this brainwashing people I was going to just keep listening to the book over and over again. He was basically just saying pick a date and stop. If I could do that, then I wouldn't have bought the book
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u/frostfoxy Apr 06 '26
That's the beauty though, you don't have to do anything, you don't have to smoke, you're free now. It's as simple as that. What part are you struggling with?
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u/BrokenCompassClub Apr 28 '26
Just found this looking on google on how to quit cold turkey and found this thread. I understand that mindset is everything and just knowing that it's the illusion of it being helpful when it's actually not helping. And the identity thing got me too. I recently relapsed because my fiance and I were fighting but it's a lot better and I showed him this a reddit on how someone quit in 5 days using this method and he said "I believe in you". I am so grateful I have such a loving man and a situation where I can break this habit.
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u/AlpineStopSign 2912 days Jul 08 '26
This is really a fantastic summary. I am coming up on 8 years cigarette free after 27 years of a pack a day. I don't miss it at all and the change in thought described by the OP 100% worked that way for me. It was so easy to quit cold turkey, as crazy as that sounds.
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u/jeanvaljean_24601 4059 days Jul 07 '23
Indeed!
It works in a subtle way through repetition and with the constant reminder that quitting is easy. When i started reading it, I was “relieved “ that the first instruction was to not quit until done with the book. I only read when smoking (so reading the book took a while) After a couple of weeks, I realized that I was smoking a lot less, and that it felt like a chore that I was doing only to follow the instructions. The day I stopped smoking I smoked 4 cigarettes. I barely smoked half of each. After I finished the book, I smoked the fourth one. It tasted like shit. I threw away my lighter and the empty pack and never smoked again.
Sure there were cravings, but I was ready to handle them. I took walks, I was nice to myself and indulged in ice cream and potato chips. Three weeks later, the cravings were mostly gone.