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The Easy Way to Stop Drinking
Carr offers a startling new view of why we drink and how we can escape the addiction. Step by step, with devastating clarity and simplicity, he applies the Easyway(TM) method, dispelling all the illusions that surround the subject of drinking and that can make it almost impossible to imagine a life without alcohol. Only when we step away from all these supposed pleasures and understand how we are being duped to believe we are receiving real benefits can we begin to live our lives free from any desire or need for drinking.The Easyway(TM) method centers on removing the psychological need to drink--while the drinker is still drinking. Following the Easyway(TM) - You will not need willpower- You will not feel deprived- You will lose your fear of withdrawal pangs- You will enjoy social occasions more- You will be better equipped to handle stress"The Easy Way to Stop Drinking" is a landmark work that offers a simple and painless solution to anyone who wants to escape from dependency on alcohol without feeling deprived.
272 pages, ebook
First published December 25, 2005
1108 people are currently reading
2881 people want to read
About the author
Allen Carr
404 books273 followersAllen Carr was a British author and the founder of the global Allen Carr’s Easyway method, renowned for helping millions overcome smoking and other addictions. Born in Putney, London in 1934, Carr began smoking at 18 during National Service and struggled with the habit for over three decades. A qualified accountant, he finally quit in 1983 following a revelatory visit to a hypnotherapist. The experience didn’t directly cause him to quit, but it led to two key insights: that smoking was simply a form of nicotine addiction, and that withdrawal symptoms were minor and psychological in nature. These revelations inspired Carr to develop a revolutionary approach to quitting, one that did not rely on willpower, scare tactics, or substitution therapies.
Carr’s philosophy centered on removing the smoker’s fear of giving up. He argued that smoking merely relieves withdrawal symptoms from the previous cigarette, and that the supposed satisfaction gained is merely a return to the non-smoker’s normal state. Through live seminars, books, and multimedia resources, the Easyway method encourages smokers to continue smoking while they reframe their beliefs, ultimately extinguishing their final cigarette with clarity and confidence.
In 1985, Carr published The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, which became a bestseller and was translated into more than 45 languages. The success of his London clinic led to the establishment of over 100 Easyway centers in 35 countries, offering seminars to treat smoking, alcohol dependency, sugar addiction, and even fear of flying. His method’s credibility was bolstered by independent clinical trials, including studies in Ireland and the UK which found it as effective—if not more so—than standard cessation methods. This led to its adoption by NHS-approved services in England.
A key element of the Easyway clinics is that all facilitators are former addicts who successfully quit using the method themselves. They must complete extensive training and become licensed members of the Association of Allen Carr Therapists International.
Throughout his career, Carr also co-authored a wide range of Easyway books addressing various addictions and behavioral issues, often collaborating with Robin Hayley and John C. Dicey, the current Chairman and Global CEO of Allen Carr’s Easyway. Dicey, whom Carr mentored, continues to lead the organization’s development and public outreach.
Carr died of lung cancer in 2006 at age 72, though he had not smoked for 23 years. He attributed his illness to second-hand smoke exposure during seminars. Before his death, he remained committed to his mission, challenging governmental ties to nicotine replacement industries and advocating for wider access to his method.
Carr’s legacy continues through his clinics, books, and online programs, which have reached over 50 million people worldwide. His message remains consistent: quitting is not a sacrifice—it’s liberation.
Carr’s philosophy centered on removing the smoker’s fear of giving up. He argued that smoking merely relieves withdrawal symptoms from the previous cigarette, and that the supposed satisfaction gained is merely a return to the non-smoker’s normal state. Through live seminars, books, and multimedia resources, the Easyway method encourages smokers to continue smoking while they reframe their beliefs, ultimately extinguishing their final cigarette with clarity and confidence.
In 1985, Carr published The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, which became a bestseller and was translated into more than 45 languages. The success of his London clinic led to the establishment of over 100 Easyway centers in 35 countries, offering seminars to treat smoking, alcohol dependency, sugar addiction, and even fear of flying. His method’s credibility was bolstered by independent clinical trials, including studies in Ireland and the UK which found it as effective—if not more so—than standard cessation methods. This led to its adoption by NHS-approved services in England.
A key element of the Easyway clinics is that all facilitators are former addicts who successfully quit using the method themselves. They must complete extensive training and become licensed members of the Association of Allen Carr Therapists International.
Throughout his career, Carr also co-authored a wide range of Easyway books addressing various addictions and behavioral issues, often collaborating with Robin Hayley and John C. Dicey, the current Chairman and Global CEO of Allen Carr’s Easyway. Dicey, whom Carr mentored, continues to lead the organization’s development and public outreach.
Carr died of lung cancer in 2006 at age 72, though he had not smoked for 23 years. He attributed his illness to second-hand smoke exposure during seminars. Before his death, he remained committed to his mission, challenging governmental ties to nicotine replacement industries and advocating for wider access to his method.
Carr’s legacy continues through his clinics, books, and online programs, which have reached over 50 million people worldwide. His message remains consistent: quitting is not a sacrifice—it’s liberation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
November 9, 2018
Knew I had quit the days before picking it up, now I am an ex-alcoholic. Freedom at last.
July 24, 2013
I first came across this book on Amazon when I was looking for books to assist a relative to give up alcohol. It had rave reviews. And few detractors. Well I am afraid I am one. The book is very repetitious and rambling. It has shouting words and phrases in capital letters which made me feel he was bonking me on the head with a mallet. And so preachy a style; everyone it seems is wrong except the author. Quite a few times Allen Carr says you don't need willpower to give up alcohol - but never defines willpower, in which case how can he be wrong? But if willpower means a day by day determination how can he be right?
I tried to find the coherent argument as I was reading but couldn't connect. In the end the message seem to be that to give up alcohol you must read the book, not feel guilty and stop drinking. Do you need to read 200 pages to learn that? I am currently, maybe 4/5ths, through, Tania Glyde's Cleaning Up - and that is so much better. But then she's a writer.
I tried to find the coherent argument as I was reading but couldn't connect. In the end the message seem to be that to give up alcohol you must read the book, not feel guilty and stop drinking. Do you need to read 200 pages to learn that? I am currently, maybe 4/5ths, through, Tania Glyde's Cleaning Up - and that is so much better. But then she's a writer.
January 5, 2018
I haven’t drank in over two and a half. Didn’t have a major negative event but just came across it on amazon one day. I’ve never done AA, or anything like it besides reading this book. It is an objective look at alcohol that has stuck with me. Worth a read to anyone on the fence, or that has woken up hungover a few too many times. I’ve never regretted not drinking.
November 26, 2019
Yeah, I drink too much and read self-help books. Don't judge me.
April 4, 2023
This book saved my life.
Since November 27, 2017, I have been completey sober from alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other drugs. Later on, I limited consuming refined sugars to facilitate my recovery process.
Before I read this book, I had a severe poly-drug problem, including, alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, ketamine, morphine, GHB, antidepressants, antipsychotics, cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, sleeping pills, psychedelics and more. I always knew that alcohol was the root of all my problems. My drunken episodes would give me a hedonistic manic rush that lasted for weeks. During these binges, I would usually indulge in all kinds of drugs. I never succeeded in quitting alcohol, except for one month, but relapsed and binged again. This cycle repeated itself.
Alcohol is often the hardest drug to quit, not just for me, but for many others as well. In my community, being a teetotaler can make you feel like an outsider or even an outcast, given its omnipresence in modern-day society. While illegalization isn't the solution, society should stop normalizing and advertising alcohol. It has become like the smoking of the past, which was also very normal back then. Furthermore, many people are unaware that addiction to hard liquor can be more severe than heroin addiction. Severe alcohol addiction can lead to lethal withdrawal symptoms if not tapered off properly. In contrast, heroin withdrawal is severe but is almost never lethal. Additionally, when you quit heroin, people don't try to convince you to start using it again, unlike quitting alcohol, where many will pressure you to start drinking again. This negative stigma around heroin comes from our history, media, and movies. Despite this, statistics and science show that alcohol is worse than heroin.
Even though the version of the book I read was outdated, it was still incredibly valuable to me during that time. It helped me to rationalize my addiction and to see alcohol for what it really is - a toxic liquid that provides no real benefits. Since becoming sober, I have found that sobriety has given me everything that drugs and alcohol promised but never actually delivered in the long term.
This book was precisely what I needed to break free from this unhealthy habit. No other book has impacted my life as greatly, which is why I give it a 5-star rating.
Since November 27, 2017, I have been completey sober from alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other drugs. Later on, I limited consuming refined sugars to facilitate my recovery process.
Before I read this book, I had a severe poly-drug problem, including, alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, ketamine, morphine, GHB, antidepressants, antipsychotics, cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, sleeping pills, psychedelics and more. I always knew that alcohol was the root of all my problems. My drunken episodes would give me a hedonistic manic rush that lasted for weeks. During these binges, I would usually indulge in all kinds of drugs. I never succeeded in quitting alcohol, except for one month, but relapsed and binged again. This cycle repeated itself.
Alcohol is often the hardest drug to quit, not just for me, but for many others as well. In my community, being a teetotaler can make you feel like an outsider or even an outcast, given its omnipresence in modern-day society. While illegalization isn't the solution, society should stop normalizing and advertising alcohol. It has become like the smoking of the past, which was also very normal back then. Furthermore, many people are unaware that addiction to hard liquor can be more severe than heroin addiction. Severe alcohol addiction can lead to lethal withdrawal symptoms if not tapered off properly. In contrast, heroin withdrawal is severe but is almost never lethal. Additionally, when you quit heroin, people don't try to convince you to start using it again, unlike quitting alcohol, where many will pressure you to start drinking again. This negative stigma around heroin comes from our history, media, and movies. Despite this, statistics and science show that alcohol is worse than heroin.
Even though the version of the book I read was outdated, it was still incredibly valuable to me during that time. It helped me to rationalize my addiction and to see alcohol for what it really is - a toxic liquid that provides no real benefits. Since becoming sober, I have found that sobriety has given me everything that drugs and alcohol promised but never actually delivered in the long term.
This book was precisely what I needed to break free from this unhealthy habit. No other book has impacted my life as greatly, which is why I give it a 5-star rating.
October 20, 2020
Allen Carr's Easyway is a fundamentally different approach to recovery than conventional substance recovery programs. As opposed to most other methods, Carr's program works without the use of willpower (hence, Easyway). Developed in his first book, Easy Way to Stop Smoking, Carr's approach helps people quit their addictions by getting them to challenge their assumptions of benefit. The method is simple: realize the ugly truth about the nature of your problem and deliberately undo your conditioning toward it. This approach works by changing one's desire, not by changing one's behavior toward the desire. As one learns more about their addiction, their internal cost-benefit equation regarding it changes. When what was once seen as fun and pleasure is now seen as dangerous and toxic, avoiding the behavior is effortless. In contrast to willpower techniques (various types of forced abstention techniques), which logically and inevitably entail an internal, psychological conflict between "I want" and "I shouldn't," Easyway doesn't involve any conflict at all. It is a method of destroying the basis for "I want" so that all that remains is a sober view of the object of the addiction and "I shouldn't" wins by default. His approach isn't unlike some types of CBT.
Quit Drinking Without Willpower is a book using Easyway to help people eliminate the desire to drink alcohol. Overall, Carr's claim is certainly true. Most drinkers ("normal" and otherwise) are not aware that they are addicts to a drug that will harm their health, spend their money, ruin their relationships, corrupt their happiness, impair their judgment, and impede their progress; being unaware of their own addiction, and the subsequent rationalizations an addicted mind makes, they believe alcohol is genuinely a good thing, that it adds substantial value to their lives, that it improves their sociability, that life would be much poorer without it, etc. However, if they reeducate themselves and reinterpret their "fun habit" as something vicious, then they begin to see the so-called poison as real poison, and they can escape the alcohol trap easily and become a happy nondrinker (just as we are all presumably happy nondrinkers of arsenic).
Beyond the value of Easyway as a whole (which deserves 5 stars) and its application to alcohol addiction, I found Quit Drinking to be a little too dogmatic. Carr's assertions that the only benefit from alcohol is that it satisfies a prior craving for alcohol (created by the unease of detoxing the previous drink), that any benefit to alcohol is merely perceived and not real (because the terrifying prospect of chemical addiction forces one to rationalize their enjoyment of alcohol), and that all of alcohol's "virtues" are false is too strong a claim to make. Alcohol has many terrible effects, but it does have a few true non-circular benefits. For example, alcohol is known to temporarily reduce self-consciousness and social anxiety. Carr himself admits alcohol is useful as an antiseptic and anesthetic. These facts undermine Carr's message in Quit Drinking - which sometimes can take an aggressive tone - but not the Easyway method. I am not sure I will become a lifelong nondrinker, but reading Quit Drinking destroyed almost all of alcohol's appeal to me.
Related: Annie Grace's "This Naked Mind" is a personal retelling of Quit Drinking, but more plausible, more entertaining, and with updated scientific information.
Quit Drinking Without Willpower is a book using Easyway to help people eliminate the desire to drink alcohol. Overall, Carr's claim is certainly true. Most drinkers ("normal" and otherwise) are not aware that they are addicts to a drug that will harm their health, spend their money, ruin their relationships, corrupt their happiness, impair their judgment, and impede their progress; being unaware of their own addiction, and the subsequent rationalizations an addicted mind makes, they believe alcohol is genuinely a good thing, that it adds substantial value to their lives, that it improves their sociability, that life would be much poorer without it, etc. However, if they reeducate themselves and reinterpret their "fun habit" as something vicious, then they begin to see the so-called poison as real poison, and they can escape the alcohol trap easily and become a happy nondrinker (just as we are all presumably happy nondrinkers of arsenic).
Beyond the value of Easyway as a whole (which deserves 5 stars) and its application to alcohol addiction, I found Quit Drinking to be a little too dogmatic. Carr's assertions that the only benefit from alcohol is that it satisfies a prior craving for alcohol (created by the unease of detoxing the previous drink), that any benefit to alcohol is merely perceived and not real (because the terrifying prospect of chemical addiction forces one to rationalize their enjoyment of alcohol), and that all of alcohol's "virtues" are false is too strong a claim to make. Alcohol has many terrible effects, but it does have a few true non-circular benefits. For example, alcohol is known to temporarily reduce self-consciousness and social anxiety. Carr himself admits alcohol is useful as an antiseptic and anesthetic. These facts undermine Carr's message in Quit Drinking - which sometimes can take an aggressive tone - but not the Easyway method. I am not sure I will become a lifelong nondrinker, but reading Quit Drinking destroyed almost all of alcohol's appeal to me.
Related: Annie Grace's "This Naked Mind" is a personal retelling of Quit Drinking, but more plausible, more entertaining, and with updated scientific information.
April 21, 2024
I first heard the term “sober curious” from my good friend Maddie. I don’t consider myself as someone that has a drinking problem, but there were definitely nights I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. I have always viewed alcohol as a “life enhancer” and a symbolism for celebration and good time and often thought “more is more” during nights with alcohol involved. This, combined with a phrase that stuck with me “there is no healthy amount of alcohol”, motivated me to analyze my relationship with alcohol with this book.
I can see how this book can help someone facing recovery. There were a lot of things that I felt I could relate to and a lot of reasons why we justify drinking that made sense. This book gave me a lot of perspective which is something I value most when I read. If you know someone that is battling addiction, I highly recommend learning more about it with books like these because I think gaining perspective could be enough to really make a difference in supporting someone in recovery.
My gripes with this book mostly surrounds safety, both physically and emotionally. This book strongly implies “read this book and you can quit cold-turkey” which can be a death sentence for alcoholics deep in their addiction. It also heavily downplays physical withdrawal symptoms. Quitting alcohol without the help of a physician can result in life-threatening seizures. I’m not saying all people in alcohol recovery require the help of a physician, but the book could have at least mentioned it. Fun fact - alcohol and benzodiazepine detox are the only two drugs that can result in death.
My other frustration with this book is the terminology they used. It wasn’t uncommon for someone mentioned with an addiction to heroin to be referred to as a “junkie”. Addiction is a diagnosable disease and I feel we should delete degrading terms like “junkie” from our vocabulary to create a socially safer space for everyone battling addiction.
Overall an enjoyable read to gain perspective. I don’t see myself cutting alcohol completely out of my life but it has made me become more self-aware of the reasons why I feel like wanting to drink which I think will benefit me long term.
I can see how this book can help someone facing recovery. There were a lot of things that I felt I could relate to and a lot of reasons why we justify drinking that made sense. This book gave me a lot of perspective which is something I value most when I read. If you know someone that is battling addiction, I highly recommend learning more about it with books like these because I think gaining perspective could be enough to really make a difference in supporting someone in recovery.
My gripes with this book mostly surrounds safety, both physically and emotionally. This book strongly implies “read this book and you can quit cold-turkey” which can be a death sentence for alcoholics deep in their addiction. It also heavily downplays physical withdrawal symptoms. Quitting alcohol without the help of a physician can result in life-threatening seizures. I’m not saying all people in alcohol recovery require the help of a physician, but the book could have at least mentioned it. Fun fact - alcohol and benzodiazepine detox are the only two drugs that can result in death.
My other frustration with this book is the terminology they used. It wasn’t uncommon for someone mentioned with an addiction to heroin to be referred to as a “junkie”. Addiction is a diagnosable disease and I feel we should delete degrading terms like “junkie” from our vocabulary to create a socially safer space for everyone battling addiction.
Overall an enjoyable read to gain perspective. I don’t see myself cutting alcohol completely out of my life but it has made me become more self-aware of the reasons why I feel like wanting to drink which I think will benefit me long term.
June 16, 2021
2. Yep, I read it twice. I need repetition.
1. This book was referenced in Holly Whitaker's Quit like a Woman so I picked it up. Carr's fundamentally different approach to quitting alcohol is sublime and liberating. Of course, it's repetitive and pragmatic. Carr's method aims to undo years of brainwashing and has proven to be very successful.
You don't have to want to quit to read this book, and you have everything to gain from reading it. Take what works for you and use it to your advantage, whenever you need it.
Undeniably, alcohol is an insidious drug, an adroit killer.
1. This book was referenced in Holly Whitaker's Quit like a Woman so I picked it up. Carr's fundamentally different approach to quitting alcohol is sublime and liberating. Of course, it's repetitive and pragmatic. Carr's method aims to undo years of brainwashing and has proven to be very successful.
You don't have to want to quit to read this book, and you have everything to gain from reading it. Take what works for you and use it to your advantage, whenever you need it.
Undeniably, alcohol is an insidious drug, an adroit killer.
October 5, 2022
I think this might work which is very annoying.
April 27, 2022
Once the drinker recognizes that his drinking is causing him a problem, he has not one new problem but two. When he is drinking he feels guilty and miserable, and when he is not drinking he feels deprived and miserable. I call this the “critical point” because at the same time he is drinking too much, he can’t get enough to drink.<<..>>
Just as the more the fly struggles the more trapped it becomes, so the more the alcoholic tries to exercise control the more precious the pleasure and crutch appear to him, so the more dependent he feels. In order to control his intake, he has to exercise willpower and discipline. No matter how strong-willed he is, eventually he finds himself drinking more than he did before he decided to cut down. After several failed attempts to cut down, the alcoholic comes to the conclusion that the only solution is to quit completely.
---
Normally inhibited people don’t become more interesting when they are inebriated; on the contrary they become overemotional, repetitive, incoherent, and boring. It wouldn’t be so bad if the inhibited person felt better for it, but they don’t; they are in a stupor and you cannot appreciate a situation unless you have your senses to appreciate it with. - I disagree with that I'm afraid. I have a close acquaintance in fact, with whom we used to get along with just fine, until she gave up drinking completely after her pregnancy 8 years ago. Well, suffice it to say, both me and my husband, as well as her bridesmaid, happen to agree that she was much more interesting before she stopped drinking, as she's lost all her fun and became very uptight and boring since then.
---
I'm having issues with his reasoning unfortunately :( He's comparing sober people, to people completely drunk, those who have no recollection the next day what they said or did instead of merely inebriated. Thus, his arguments are not convincing me at all, as he's referring 99% of the time to people who drink themselves into a stupor almost daily, not people who overindulge, which is what I'm interested at. Disappointing in general, even if there were a few good points in the beginning.
Just as the more the fly struggles the more trapped it becomes, so the more the alcoholic tries to exercise control the more precious the pleasure and crutch appear to him, so the more dependent he feels. In order to control his intake, he has to exercise willpower and discipline. No matter how strong-willed he is, eventually he finds himself drinking more than he did before he decided to cut down. After several failed attempts to cut down, the alcoholic comes to the conclusion that the only solution is to quit completely.
---
Normally inhibited people don’t become more interesting when they are inebriated; on the contrary they become overemotional, repetitive, incoherent, and boring. It wouldn’t be so bad if the inhibited person felt better for it, but they don’t; they are in a stupor and you cannot appreciate a situation unless you have your senses to appreciate it with. - I disagree with that I'm afraid. I have a close acquaintance in fact, with whom we used to get along with just fine, until she gave up drinking completely after her pregnancy 8 years ago. Well, suffice it to say, both me and my husband, as well as her bridesmaid, happen to agree that she was much more interesting before she stopped drinking, as she's lost all her fun and became very uptight and boring since then.
---
I'm having issues with his reasoning unfortunately :( He's comparing sober people, to people completely drunk, those who have no recollection the next day what they said or did instead of merely inebriated. Thus, his arguments are not convincing me at all, as he's referring 99% of the time to people who drink themselves into a stupor almost daily, not people who overindulge, which is what I'm interested at. Disappointing in general, even if there were a few good points in the beginning.
April 20, 2021
This book is repetitive, illogical and is aimed at a very specific audience: people like Allen Carr.
I see now on Goodreads that there is an Easyway to stop drinking for women, maybe I should have read that instead.
Carr makes a lot of statements in a "ofcourse that is ridiculous" way, when the thing he describes is not ridiculous at all and also he is not an expert in (like medical procedures around pregnancy and birth for example).
What also really annoyed me was his recurring argument that if one drink would make you happy/sociable then many drinks would make you even happier/more sociable, and since that is not true, one drink does not make you happy/sociable. That is a stupid argument, especially to make about a substance, because sometimes a little is beneficial when a lot is not (vaccines, food, medicine, even water one can drink too much of).
I'm not against the principle of joyfully embracing a non-alcoholic life, and I believe that it may be possible. But Carr uses examples that turn me against him and overlooks people that are not like him. When he states that we do not need alcohol to have fun at a party because as children we did enjoy many parties without alcohol I want to scream "I HATED parties as a child!" "I was depressed my entire teenage years and I never drank!" Where is the chapter about people who need to do a lot of work when they no longer soften the evil voices in their head with alcohol? Many people drink because they survived trauma or because they self medicate undiagnosed adhd or other mental problems. I am not saying they should keep on drinking! Just that Allen Carr has not helped everyone with this book, and did not sweep all excuses off the table.
I see now on Goodreads that there is an Easyway to stop drinking for women, maybe I should have read that instead.
Carr makes a lot of statements in a "ofcourse that is ridiculous" way, when the thing he describes is not ridiculous at all and also he is not an expert in (like medical procedures around pregnancy and birth for example).
What also really annoyed me was his recurring argument that if one drink would make you happy/sociable then many drinks would make you even happier/more sociable, and since that is not true, one drink does not make you happy/sociable. That is a stupid argument, especially to make about a substance, because sometimes a little is beneficial when a lot is not (vaccines, food, medicine, even water one can drink too much of).
I'm not against the principle of joyfully embracing a non-alcoholic life, and I believe that it may be possible. But Carr uses examples that turn me against him and overlooks people that are not like him. When he states that we do not need alcohol to have fun at a party because as children we did enjoy many parties without alcohol I want to scream "I HATED parties as a child!" "I was depressed my entire teenage years and I never drank!" Where is the chapter about people who need to do a lot of work when they no longer soften the evil voices in their head with alcohol? Many people drink because they survived trauma or because they self medicate undiagnosed adhd or other mental problems. I am not saying they should keep on drinking! Just that Allen Carr has not helped everyone with this book, and did not sweep all excuses off the table.
August 9, 2020
Yes fellow goodreads people, I was a heavy drinker. Surprisingly helpful. I’ll be sure to see if this works.
Read
January 17, 2024So my buddy recommended this book and although I had no intentions of permanently quitting I figured it would be motivating while I do 75 hard.
I’m amused by the approach Carr uses to convince us to stop drinking. He instills one of the most powerful feelings beyond addiction - peer pressure and the fear of missing out. Except this time it’s about what you miss by choosing to drink. He talks about how alcohol really provides nothing for us and we’ve gotten all our happy experiences mixed up. The company, environment, food, these are the things that really made the moments happy. The inebriation gets praise by association.
I think he underplays the power of alcohol as a social lubricant but hits on something important. We’re all nervous. Even giving us something to do with our hands solves half of the problem. A bar can serve as a middle man for an adult play date or a cop out to stand up and leave any conversation. It’s an excuse to hang out and a barrier for too much intimacy. Physically and psychologically. Alcohol steps into our lives at a time when we’re uncertain about who we are and the habit tends to stay with us even once we’ve figured out what we want out of life. And for those of us who don’t want to know, it’s just something to do.
I’m amused by the approach Carr uses to convince us to stop drinking. He instills one of the most powerful feelings beyond addiction - peer pressure and the fear of missing out. Except this time it’s about what you miss by choosing to drink. He talks about how alcohol really provides nothing for us and we’ve gotten all our happy experiences mixed up. The company, environment, food, these are the things that really made the moments happy. The inebriation gets praise by association.
I think he underplays the power of alcohol as a social lubricant but hits on something important. We’re all nervous. Even giving us something to do with our hands solves half of the problem. A bar can serve as a middle man for an adult play date or a cop out to stand up and leave any conversation. It’s an excuse to hang out and a barrier for too much intimacy. Physically and psychologically. Alcohol steps into our lives at a time when we’re uncertain about who we are and the habit tends to stay with us even once we’ve figured out what we want out of life. And for those of us who don’t want to know, it’s just something to do.
August 21, 2024
I was already aware of the mind game Allen Carr plays with you, but it was interesting to see it in use. I paid attention to every time the phrase "your last drink" came up, which started happening with more and more frequency as the book went on, until suddenly it is time for Your Last Drink. I had my last drink months ago, so I didn't do the ritual, but I have a similar Important Moment that I recognize as Kaila's Last Night of Drinking. If I ever drank again, that event would be ruined, and there is some poetic justice to it that I won't bore you with now but it involves a large group of friends deciding I was no longer a friend because I stopped drinking. They of course would not tell you that, it's for a hundred other reasons, but it was definitely because I stopped drinking.
Not that I'm still bitter about it.
It was nice to further cement the importance of that night. It was My Last Night of Drinking, and can be cherished as such.
Not that I'm still bitter about it.
It was nice to further cement the importance of that night. It was My Last Night of Drinking, and can be cherished as such.
July 29, 2021
Changer my view of drinking
I always believer I HAD to drink. Dinner out? Have to drink. Party? Drink. Celebration? Drink. Seeing friends? Drink. I don't drink everyday, in fact I'll drink only a few times month. But the point is, I drank because I felt like that us what I was SUPPOSED to so. Allen Carr's Easyway has helped me realize i don't ever have to drink again if I don't want to, and what's more, if I never have a drink again my life will be perfectly fine. In fact it will be better! I feel free from an illusion that everyone seems to believe. If you want to stop or even cut back on drinking I highly recommend this book. Honestly the next time you're given a drink, you most likely wollnt want it after reading this.
I always believer I HAD to drink. Dinner out? Have to drink. Party? Drink. Celebration? Drink. Seeing friends? Drink. I don't drink everyday, in fact I'll drink only a few times month. But the point is, I drank because I felt like that us what I was SUPPOSED to so. Allen Carr's Easyway has helped me realize i don't ever have to drink again if I don't want to, and what's more, if I never have a drink again my life will be perfectly fine. In fact it will be better! I feel free from an illusion that everyone seems to believe. If you want to stop or even cut back on drinking I highly recommend this book. Honestly the next time you're given a drink, you most likely wollnt want it after reading this.
December 22, 2020
It is almost too easy. The late Allen Carr was a master of using logic to help smokers, overeaters, and drinkers look objectively at their vices and see a clear, simple way out.
I was brought to this book by a mention in Holly Whitaker's Quit Like A Woman, and she was right-- in a couple days my relationship to alcohol has turned around. Painlessly. I bought a copy so I can refer back to it if my motivation every gets low again.
If you're struggling with alcohol -- whether you think you're an addict or not -- read this book. It changed my life & it made the change easy -- not hard.
I was brought to this book by a mention in Holly Whitaker's Quit Like A Woman, and she was right-- in a couple days my relationship to alcohol has turned around. Painlessly. I bought a copy so I can refer back to it if my motivation every gets low again.
If you're struggling with alcohol -- whether you think you're an addict or not -- read this book. It changed my life & it made the change easy -- not hard.
August 1, 2021
Awful writing. Rambling, repetitive, and lacking structure. I had to skim read the latter 2/3 after persevering for the first 1/3. Scientifically lacking too, underplaying the potentially deadly effects of stopping drinking alcohol outright if you're a physically dependent drinker. Many better quit lit books out there.
August 17, 2008
Very Buddhist
January 26, 2025
I read this book because I decided to do Dry January and saw a clip of comedian Nikki Glaser raving about it. I wouldn’t consider myself an alcoholic, but I enjoyed learning about this method maybe as a means to help others. As an unintended byproduct, it’s changed the way I view alcohol and very much look forward to reducing it in my life.
July 23, 2014
A lot more compelling than I expected. It was obvious from the start that I wasn't the target audience, so I can't say how well the method works for someone trying to quit alcohol (at times I didn't feel like I would have been convinced), but the Amazon testimonials had me intrigued.
Carr's writing style is very didactic, but his method is straightforward and he seems to me to take a much more reasonable approach to addiction and substance abuse than most. Though I don't know much about AA, it has completely changed the lives of some of my friends, so I don't want to belittle that. But I loved that Carr's method is empowering and gives the choice back to the individual. Like the title implies, he doesn't make it any harder than it has to be.
Carr may seem patronizing and dismissive at first glance, but he's personally experienced years of alcohol and nicotine addiction, and helped countless others to overcome it. He's not naive in his perspective. This book has made me rethink the way I view both addictive and social behaviors and even some of my own habits.
Carr's writing style is very didactic, but his method is straightforward and he seems to me to take a much more reasonable approach to addiction and substance abuse than most. Though I don't know much about AA, it has completely changed the lives of some of my friends, so I don't want to belittle that. But I loved that Carr's method is empowering and gives the choice back to the individual. Like the title implies, he doesn't make it any harder than it has to be.
Carr may seem patronizing and dismissive at first glance, but he's personally experienced years of alcohol and nicotine addiction, and helped countless others to overcome it. He's not naive in his perspective. This book has made me rethink the way I view both addictive and social behaviors and even some of my own habits.
April 28, 2025
Update: I gave this book two stars, because it struck me as incredibly stupid, but I had to come back to edit my review because I actually haven't had any alcohol since reading this book over 3 months ago. I still maintain this book is incredibly stupid, but I now must admit it was effective. How mortifying, to be so wrong.
Original review: A friend mentioned using a different version of this book to quit smoking, so I was curious to check it out during my annual dry month (which has been a little damp this year due to travel). I can see how the approach would work for smokers, but I actually LOL’d at the attempt to pivot the format to alcohol. Maybe it was the illustrations? Best of luck to anyone looking to cut back, though.
Original review: A friend mentioned using a different version of this book to quit smoking, so I was curious to check it out during my annual dry month (which has been a little damp this year due to travel). I can see how the approach would work for smokers, but I actually LOL’d at the attempt to pivot the format to alcohol. Maybe it was the illustrations? Best of luck to anyone looking to cut back, though.
June 19, 2013
Well, we will see, I suppose.
Years ago, I read the Easy Way to Stop Smoking and, magically, it worked. Immediately and absolutely. Haven't had a cigarette since.
So I figured... Why not?
It took me a lot longer to read this one as I didn't really want to finish it - guess I thought on some level that it was working.
The problem is, I just didn't find it as convincing as the smoking book. Maybe that problem is me as, apparently, I am a very different drinker than Mr. Carr was.
Still, there were definitely things that made me think about alcohol and alcoholism in a very different light.
Giving it three stars for now. Will reevaluate in a few months.
Years ago, I read the Easy Way to Stop Smoking and, magically, it worked. Immediately and absolutely. Haven't had a cigarette since.
So I figured... Why not?
It took me a lot longer to read this one as I didn't really want to finish it - guess I thought on some level that it was working.
The problem is, I just didn't find it as convincing as the smoking book. Maybe that problem is me as, apparently, I am a very different drinker than Mr. Carr was.
Still, there were definitely things that made me think about alcohol and alcoholism in a very different light.
Giving it three stars for now. Will reevaluate in a few months.
April 7, 2020
Love these books. Read Carr's "Quit Smoking" as well.
These books break down addiction based on the brainwashing aspects behind them. It's a look at how you undergo drug addiction, booze or nicotine or whatever, based on bullshit. In under 300 pages he breaks all that garbage up, and showcases how underneath all of them lie the same two things: a lie, and plain drug addiction.
Phenomenal books, highly recommended.
These books break down addiction based on the brainwashing aspects behind them. It's a look at how you undergo drug addiction, booze or nicotine or whatever, based on bullshit. In under 300 pages he breaks all that garbage up, and showcases how underneath all of them lie the same two things: a lie, and plain drug addiction.
Phenomenal books, highly recommended.
January 3, 2022
Just finished this and feeling positive that it has worked for me. It gets repetitive but that is the point as the message needs to be drummed in but this can make it a struggle to get through the middle. I'm also any ex smoker and Carr relates back to quitting smoking regularly which resonates with me but not sure how that the comparison would land with someone who has never smoked.
All in all happy with the book, very interesting and I'm away to enjoy my life now.
All in all happy with the book, very interesting and I'm away to enjoy my life now.
January 30, 2013
I am very impressed with the easyway method. It has been very helpful to me this year when I made a resolution to quit drinking and smoking. I would suggest the most important thing is to have an open mind when reading this book. If you truly want to improve your life and health follow the instructions and it will be easy.
April 30, 2018
I found this book a drag. Too long and drawn out. Not clear, nor concise. I could only manage to read the first few pages, before I felt like having a drink out of frustration. It was like wading through a very dense forest, and not getting anywhere.
Their are many other books, on this subject, that are way more helpful.
Their are many other books, on this subject, that are way more helpful.
February 28, 2017
Repetitive, basic, and not written very well. Probably won't help someone in need but who knows, his book on smoking is pretty highly regarded and this is essentially the same thing, only for drinking. It's heart is in the right place, but it's a pass.
December 16, 2015
Could definitely have been half the length and equally persuasive. Glad I read it. We'll see if it works for me.
May 22, 2024
Listened to the audiobook and I liked it. I definitely love just a nice smack to the head on stuff and benefit from hearing the facts and just having the full power of changing my mind..
Why do you drink? Social? Stress? Happiness? Habit?
So many reasons to have a drink, but does it make your situation better? If you’re having a drink in good company, isn’t it your company that makes it fun?
If your having a drink because your stressed, is that helping you out or making it worse? Are you benefiting from adding it? Can you cope with stress, social anxiety, and hard times without it?
Being hungover riddled with hangxity…Spending countless dollars on something that hinders your memories, judgement, and safety? Do we have to?
Your mind is a powerful thing and if you really want to, you can.
Give’r a listen. What could it hurt?
Why do you drink? Social? Stress? Happiness? Habit?
So many reasons to have a drink, but does it make your situation better? If you’re having a drink in good company, isn’t it your company that makes it fun?
If your having a drink because your stressed, is that helping you out or making it worse? Are you benefiting from adding it? Can you cope with stress, social anxiety, and hard times without it?
Being hungover riddled with hangxity…Spending countless dollars on something that hinders your memories, judgement, and safety? Do we have to?
Your mind is a powerful thing and if you really want to, you can.
Give’r a listen. What could it hurt?
January 16, 2025
I think anyone who drinks alcohol (even the occasional 1 drink) should read this book or research more into alcohol because it just makes you reevaluate what you’re doing and WHY you’re doing it. This book was ultimately about toxic relationship with alcohol but about halfway through, I related it to other toxic relationships/tendencies I have in my life. The alcohol stuff got really repetitive LOL. Cons to book - there are no sources of any of the statements presented as facts so just something to consider. And then the book ended with a link to a free hypnotherapy session — not doing that lol.
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