Slipped Up? Don’t Worry 

Whether you’ve had one or two cigarettes or gone back to smoking again, don’t be too hard on yourself. Many ex-smokers tried to give up several times before they succeeded, so don’t panic! It’ll only make you feel worse and distract you from starting to quit again.

Read on for our tips to get you back on track.

Little slip

If you’ve had one or two cigarettes then do your very best not to have any more! Get rid of your cigarettes and lighter or matches, and if possible get away from the situation that leads you to smoke. Your attempt to quit isn’t over and you haven’t necessarily undone all the benefits to your body since you stopped smoking. Try to develop ways to deal with tricky situations like going to parties or cigarette breaks at work.

But most importantly, don’t beat yourself up about it. Focus on the dozens of cigarettes you haven’t smoked since you quit rather than the one or two you have.

Medium slip

If you smoked a few cigarettes in one session, take a look at what made you do it. Was it triggered by a habit like going to the pub or perhaps an emotional situation such as stress? Learn from the experience rather than feeling bad, and you’re less likely to slip up again.

A simple breathing exercise can help you keep calm, and there are lots of simple things you can do to help you manage the urge to smoke – like mentally rehearsing how you’ll deal with that situation next time.

And if you’ve been using NiQuitin products, check that you’re using the right strength and following the directions for use properly.

Big slip

If you’ve fallen back into your old habit again, take a little time to think and, when you’re sure you’re committed to trying to give up again, choose a new quit date. Get ready for giving up again and remind yourself of your motivations.

Then look at where you were successful in avoiding temptation and the situation that led you to slip up. Write down any positive lessons you can learn from it and keep them in mind until your next quit date. Remember, the more you try, the more likely you are to succeed!