allen carr has half worked.
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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allen carr has half worked.
i recently (through pure desperation) purchased allen carrs 'how to control alcohol'.
i certainly do feel as though i have been brainwashed to an extent but i dont care about that, and it has definitely opened my eyes to what i am doing to myself.
i read with an open mind and fully accepting that by the end, i would be done with the booze.
problem: i dont get a whole lot of spare time and even 'spare time' is interjected with kids voices/requests/arguments etc (home schooling and children who dont sleep until midnight). the only real quiet time i get is in the bath every 2/3 days, so that is when i choose to read. now, i really didnt want to draw this book out and have it last forever, so i aimed for 5 days. allen encourages you to keep drinking though out the book so thats what i did. i only bought enough beer to last me until the end of the book.
the problem is that i often read a paragraph/analogy/whatever ad thought 'i really should reread that part/think about it for a little longer' but i didnt feel i had the time to do that so continued reading, only to find i had forgotten most of what had been said because i didnt take the time to reflect on the points made.
now (after finishing the book) i feel exceptionally different towards alcohol but i feel i really need to reread the entire book as i still have a craving (not as immense as usual, but the point of the book is that you will be left with no craving whatsoever. allen even says in the book that if i still have a craving i should start the book over.).
also, at the end it says to take my final drink.....i expected this, but it says not to have my favourite drink; instead have something foul tasting and take it neat. well, all i have in the house is my favourite. why would i have something i found to be foul in my home? the local shops are closed and i dont have a foul tasting drink (admittedly, my favourite doesnt taste nice at all but it is a taste i am now used to so i dont think of it as foul).
so i have finished the book feeling half cured and unable to fulfil the last instruction. i need to start again and really take it all in this time.
just wanted to share. no real reason for posting to be honest. feeling confuddled.
anyone else have any experience with this book?
NOTE: i am feeling a hell of a lot better than i have at any point in the last decade. this book has helped me in many ways so far. so, if anyone wishes to reply by knocking the book, i would rather you simply didnt comment. i am fine with 'it didnt work for me personally' but not with 'you are wasting your time. it wont work'-it wont work if you are knocking my confidence and telling me it wont work, will it?! thank you.
i certainly do feel as though i have been brainwashed to an extent but i dont care about that, and it has definitely opened my eyes to what i am doing to myself.
i read with an open mind and fully accepting that by the end, i would be done with the booze.
problem: i dont get a whole lot of spare time and even 'spare time' is interjected with kids voices/requests/arguments etc (home schooling and children who dont sleep until midnight). the only real quiet time i get is in the bath every 2/3 days, so that is when i choose to read. now, i really didnt want to draw this book out and have it last forever, so i aimed for 5 days. allen encourages you to keep drinking though out the book so thats what i did. i only bought enough beer to last me until the end of the book.
the problem is that i often read a paragraph/analogy/whatever ad thought 'i really should reread that part/think about it for a little longer' but i didnt feel i had the time to do that so continued reading, only to find i had forgotten most of what had been said because i didnt take the time to reflect on the points made.
now (after finishing the book) i feel exceptionally different towards alcohol but i feel i really need to reread the entire book as i still have a craving (not as immense as usual, but the point of the book is that you will be left with no craving whatsoever. allen even says in the book that if i still have a craving i should start the book over.).
also, at the end it says to take my final drink.....i expected this, but it says not to have my favourite drink; instead have something foul tasting and take it neat. well, all i have in the house is my favourite. why would i have something i found to be foul in my home? the local shops are closed and i dont have a foul tasting drink (admittedly, my favourite doesnt taste nice at all but it is a taste i am now used to so i dont think of it as foul).
so i have finished the book feeling half cured and unable to fulfil the last instruction. i need to start again and really take it all in this time.
just wanted to share. no real reason for posting to be honest. feeling confuddled.
anyone else have any experience with this book?
NOTE: i am feeling a hell of a lot better than i have at any point in the last decade. this book has helped me in many ways so far. so, if anyone wishes to reply by knocking the book, i would rather you simply didnt comment. i am fine with 'it didnt work for me personally' but not with 'you are wasting your time. it wont work'-it wont work if you are knocking my confidence and telling me it wont work, will it?! thank you.
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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Originally Posted by soberwolf 
I've heard Allen Carr mentioned a lot at SR & how his book has helped ppl
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Location: SE Arizona
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The two books I found most helpful were Allen Carr's book and "Rational Recovery" by Jack Trimpey. Some parts of RR really aren't too rational but the basic "how to quit" ideas were helpful to me. Both books are worth re-reading often in my opinion. You are off to a good start with Carr though, you just need to create an extra hour per day��.
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Originally Posted by Cascabel
The two books I found most helpful were Allen Carr's book and "Rational Recovery" by Jack Trimpey. Some parts of RR really aren't too rational but the basic "how to quit" ideas were helpful to me. Both books are worth re-reading often in my opinion. You are off to a good start with Carr though, you just need to create an extra hour per day��.
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I'm glad that the book is helping you with stopping drinking. And, I think re-reading the book could be helpful, I've re-read a lot of books that I find useful. I think you can find a lot of information and motivation by taking your time to go through a helpful book. And, if you haven't already, please check out our Book List :
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rituality.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rituality.html
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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I haven't read MR Carr , but I would second the recommendation on Mr Trimpey's Rational Recovery.
RR also has a free crash course on its website, the basic "how to" of AVRT, good luck.
wish you well and hope to see you around, SR is a great resource and community
RR also has a free crash course on its website, the basic "how to" of AVRT, good luck.
wish you well and hope to see you around, SR is a great resource and community
Sober since 1st January 2016
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 58
Just a thought but I only read the book on Kindle once, but relapsed soon after.I still had to use willpower becasue I thought there were still benefits to drinking, I thought I could moderate, and I was scared of social events sober.
I then bought it as an audio book and listened to it whenever I drove to work or on long journeys. That really helped a lot as it seemed to sink in much better...
That said I've listened to it twice and relapsed both times. Coming on here though is completely different, I'm completely serious about quitting now. I suspect for you it will be a combination of posting and getting involved in SR and reading books like Allen Carr.
Try the Liz Hemingway book as well, that's good. The Caroline Knapp memoir and "Dry" are also both excellent.
I then bought it as an audio book and listened to it whenever I drove to work or on long journeys. That really helped a lot as it seemed to sink in much better...
That said I've listened to it twice and relapsed both times. Coming on here though is completely different, I'm completely serious about quitting now. I suspect for you it will be a combination of posting and getting involved in SR and reading books like Allen Carr.
Try the Liz Hemingway book as well, that's good. The Caroline Knapp memoir and "Dry" are also both excellent.
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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i am so glad i took the time to post tonight. i will look into all the books you guys have recommended and im sure they will be a great help-they certainly cant make things any worse! thank you all for your replies!
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 507
I read the Allen Carr book and thought it was excellent. Really helpful.
I had, however, already stopped drinking and was looking for extra reinforcement to help keep my AV at bay. The one thing I didn't like in his book was his advice to keep drinking while reading it, and the having a last drink ritual. To be fair, he does say if you've quit already not to start drinking again, but I just found myself wondering about all the people who start his book and put it down, and forget to pick it up again for a month or two. How many would use that as an extra excuse to keep drinking. I'd strongly suggest reading it after you've already quit like I did.
But the rest really helped me see alcohol differently. To see just how much of what we think about alcohol simply isn't true. I really can't recommend it highly enough.
I had, however, already stopped drinking and was looking for extra reinforcement to help keep my AV at bay. The one thing I didn't like in his book was his advice to keep drinking while reading it, and the having a last drink ritual. To be fair, he does say if you've quit already not to start drinking again, but I just found myself wondering about all the people who start his book and put it down, and forget to pick it up again for a month or two. How many would use that as an extra excuse to keep drinking. I'd strongly suggest reading it after you've already quit like I did.
But the rest really helped me see alcohol differently. To see just how much of what we think about alcohol simply isn't true. I really can't recommend it highly enough.
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Join Date: Jan 2011
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I read it after I had quit already, and that's how I'd recommend people do it. Something about taking that last sip seemed a bit risky and/or fake to me.
Later, I smelled some wine and was reminded of the book, and how foul-smelling it seemed. That was enough, I didn't need to drink it to know.
Otherwise I thought the book had a lot of useful stuff. I'm only some weeks sober and am no expert at anything but I think about it often.
Later, I smelled some wine and was reminded of the book, and how foul-smelling it seemed. That was enough, I didn't need to drink it to know.
Otherwise I thought the book had a lot of useful stuff. I'm only some weeks sober and am no expert at anything but I think about it often.
Into the Void
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: California
Posts: 931
I second the suggestion that you get the Allen Carr audio book on iTunes. It's like five dollars and eight hours long and the reader has a really proper English accent, which added to the experience for me. Another book I really like on audiobook is Empowering Your Sober Self by Martin Nicolaus. He's one of the founders of LifeRing, a 12 step alternative. I like Rational Recovery too except that the author goes off on some rabid anti-AA tirades. I realize they have their reasons, but I found that tiring.
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Join Date: Jun 2015
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Originally Posted by ZeldaFan
Another vote for checking out Rational Recovery here. It helped me a lot in changing the way I thought about drinking and learning to take control over my AV.
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I read Carr's "Alcohol Lied to Me", which I think is an earlier book. Carr has written multiple books with essentially the same message. Although I was miffed when tricked into buying a second book of the same stuff, his main premise is solid: that alcohol isn't as desirable as we've been raised to believe. Instead, it is an especially dirty intoxicant that, by its nature, perpetuates its own abuse. I totally bought into this and I have to say it really got me thinking hard about my relationship to the drug. Like others I found R.R. to be the ultimate tool to stay dry. Like cognitive therapy, its based on the simple truth that anything learned can be unlearned or replaced.
My alcohol habit was not all that intentional. The things I replaced it with were, and took some practice.
My alcohol habit was not all that intentional. The things I replaced it with were, and took some practice.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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I read Carr after I quit too, and I also agree with Reset that that's a good safe way to read it.
I didn't need any more drinks to prove to me I had to quit - I already knew that
Why not have a notebook handy this time and jot down the things you find important in the book?
D
I didn't need any more drinks to prove to me I had to quit - I already knew that
Why not have a notebook handy this time and jot down the things you find important in the book?
D
Into the Void
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: California
Posts: 931
Originally Posted by leviathan
I read Carr's "Alcohol Lied to Me", which I think is an earlier book. Carr has written multiple books with essentially the same message. Although I was miffed when tricked into buying a second book of the same stuff, his main premise is solid: that alcohol isn't as desirable as we've been raised to believe. Instead, it is an especially dirty intoxicant that, by its nature, perpetuates its own abuse. I totally bought into this and I have to say it really got me thinking hard about my relationship to the drug. Like others I found R.R. to be the ultimate tool to stay dry. Like cognitive therapy, its based on the simple truth that anything learned can be unlearned or replaced.
My alcohol habit was not all that intentional. The things I replaced it with were, and took some practice.
My alcohol habit was not all that intentional. The things I replaced it with were, and took some practice.
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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Originally Posted by Dee74
Why not have a notebook handy this time and jot down the things you find important in the book?
D
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