Set backs and trying to quit again
You may be feeling very confident about quitting but suddenly your resolve starts to weaken.
There are warning signs:
- You start thinking "Just one will be okay"
- You're missing smoking and question whether quitting is worth the effort
- You take puffs of other people's cigarettes
Remember that just one WILL hurt
Having "just one" is the way that most people go back to regular smoking. Quitting means resisting the urge to smoke even one cigarette, despite the cravings, the habit, the pressure and your own emotional reasons.
- Remember every craving only lasts a few minutes. Do the 4 D's – delay, deep breathe, drink water or do something else.
- Remind yourself how far you have come – you don't want to have to go through all that again.
- Write a list of your reasons for quitting and read it when you have cravings.
- Reward yourself for staying quit.
- Think about what you can do to enjoy life without cigarettes.
- Use the calculator to work out how much money you have saved.
- If you slip up …remember, that's all it is. One cigarette doesn't make you a smoker. Don't use a slip-up as an excuse to go back to smoking.
Trying to quit again
So you've started smoking again - it's not the end of the world! In fact relapse is a normal part of the quitting process. Maybe you:
- Were triggered by another smoker?
- Had a crisis in your life?
- Quit when the time wasn't right?
- Stopped without knowing what it would feel like?
- Still think of yourself as a "smoker"?
- Thought your craving was a real need?
- Thought it would be okay to have just one?
- Stopped using your nicotine patches, gum or lozenges too soon?
You will have your own reasons you have relapsed. It doesn't mean "all is lost," and that you might as well keep on smoking. It's important to remember that quitting is a process. It's like when you learn any new skill, you have a few mishaps along the way but you learn from them and keep on going.
You've stopped before - you can stop again. It may be hard work - but you have done other hard things before.
Remember, you don't have to quit smoking alone. We're here to support you with a range of free services.
Don't give up, Quit.
Looking for extra pages for the "Know Your Triggers" page in your Quit Book's Tear-Out Diary? Click here for the page to print off.
