# Has anyone tried any of Allen Carr's books or advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035 "2015-08-17T01:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035/1 "2015-08-17T01:41:37Z")
I just heard of this guy. I don’t know a lot about him, I get the impression that he works via reframing and making people think positive lifestyle changes are a benefit instead of a sacrifice. If that is wrong, please tell me because that is the impression I get. I don’t smoke, but I’m considering getting his book on quitting smoking so I can see if the reframing tactics are any good. Has anyone tried his stuff? > **[Allen Carr: books, biography, latest update](https://www.amazon.com/stores/Allen%20Carr/author/B001XSUEK4)** > > Follow Allen Carr and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Allen Carr Author Page. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035/2 "2015-08-17T01:51:42Z")
I know three people who read the book, immediately stopped and have never gone back, several years later. When I read it, I quit immediately, for about 4 months, gave the book away. Mistake. I started again, but have since quit. I confess prior to reading it, I viewed the book most derisively, it’s says ‘Easy Way’ right in the title, after all! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035/3 "2015-08-17T02:14:32Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I know three people who read the book, immediately stopped and have never gone back, several years later. > > When I read it, I quit immediately, for about 4 months, gave the book away. Mistake. I started again, but have since quit. > > I confess prior to reading it, I viewed the book most derisively, it’s says ‘Easy Way’ right in the title, after all! Cool. Do his methods apply to other bad habits or helping people gain new good habits? As I said I don’t smoke, but I’m hoping his smoking book has insights I can use in other areas of my life. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035/4 "2015-08-17T08:10:44Z")
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**Author:** ![And\_his\_buzzer\_goes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/and_his_buzzer_goes/32/377_2.png) [@And\_his\_buzzer\_goes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/And_his_buzzer_goes)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-any-of-allen-carrs-books-or-advice/728035/5 "2015-08-17T09:19:04Z")
I’m another ex-smoker who used Allan Carr’s book. It’s been more than 10 years I guess, but as far as I recall it goes to long lengths in explaining why smoking is silly and nicotine addiction is not a real long-term thing. Essentially you understand there’s no real reason to smoke as it has no benefits, the perceived craving is only induced because you smoke in the first place. All it leaves are downsides, so quiting knowing that becomes a lot easier. If you can somehow make your own list of positives and negatives from other bad habits, I suppose you can apply the same principle there.