There's no doubt about it, quitting smoking isn't easy. Relapses often happen.
If you can't stay away from cigarettes, don't panic! Many smokers try several
times before they actually manage to stay ex-smokers. There are a variety of
reasons why you might not have succeeded this time around.
- Not the right time. If you picked a time that's more stressful
than usual or something unexpected has happened, smoking can become very tempting.
Don't worry. Just pick another quit date.
- Not the right method. You may have chosen a method that
doesn't work for you. There are many ways to quit smoking, and you may have
to try a few before you find the one that does the trick.
- Lack of support. Unfortunately, not all smokers who want
to quit are supported by friends and family. If you have smokers in your life
who aren't going to quit, the smell of their cigarettes may be too tempting
for you. If that's the case, you'll need to speak to them about their smoking
and how it's affecting you.
Relapsing doesn't mean you lost the fight. You just need to regroup and approach
quitting smoking from a different angle. Even if it takes a few tries, keep
going. The health benefits make stopping well worth the battle.