Customer Reviews

Hooked but Not Helpless

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4 star:		(1)
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Patricia Allison ran a nicotine addiction treatment program in Portland, Oregon for more than 17 years. This program was taught through 22 major medical centers from Seattle to Eugene. All of the employees were ex-smokers who had stopped with this unique method. She helped well over 6,000 smokers break free.

In her book, Allison teaches folks a way to stop smoking that treats nicotine as an addiciton. The method is known as cognitive restructuring and rational emotive therapy. Basically, she teaches nicotine addicts how to treat and ultimately eliminate the desire to smoke which comes into smokers minds as thoughts (ie. I'll just smoke one) and rationalizations.

As an ex-smoker who stopped with Allison's program, my one word of advice would be to follow all the steps. Most folks want to pick and choose and what she teaches is a complete program that works, is easy and you'll love if you just follow her instructions. Read this first before you spend money on anything else.

I had the pleasure of a personal secession with Patricia Allison over 10 years ago. Her program really works by enpowering you to take control over your life. TRY IT!

after smoking a pack a day (two packs a day on weekends) for 17 years and quitting and relapsing innumerable times, i finally succeeded using this method. i have been an ex-smoker now for 4 1/2 years!!! the arguments here give you the rationale to combat addict thinking and overcome the mental tricks your addiction uses to get you to start smoking again. i bought this book after my father and step-mother used it to quit about 7 yrs ago (they are both still ex-smokers). i had it on my shelf for a year and one day i decided to quit smoking and i grabbed the book and read it instead of buying another pack of cigarettes. i haven't had one puff since. i recommend buying it and let it sit on your shelf til you are ready.

I think this book is really useful for people who are quitting smoking. It helps you to look at your addiction in a new way (not just willpower). The way that the book is laid out is the author is counseling others and you end up identifying with each of the group. She also talks about "junkie thinking" and "lies that keep us trapped" and how we rationalize our smoking. She gives lots of information on how to break that false rationalization. I recommend this book to everyone I know who is quitting.

AFTER NEARLY 42 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SMOKING I READ HOOKED BUT NOT HELPLESS. I PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND NEVER PICKED UP A CIGARETTE AGAIN THAT WAS 6 YEARS AGO THIS PAST JANUARY, 05.
I HAD TRIED TO QUIT MANY TIMES TO NO AVAIL. SOMEHOW AFTER READING THE BOOK IT GAVE ME A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MIND SET ON SMOKING. I DIDN'T FOLLOW THE BOOK TOTALLY. THE BOOK RECOMMENDED YOU TO PICK A QUIT DATE. BUT AS I MENTIONED AFTER READING IT I WAS CONVINCED AND NEVER PICKED UP AGAIN.