Becoming A Non-Smoker Forever

Over 1000 Americans die every day of smoking-related diseases. Quitting reduces or eliminates all of the harmful effects of smoking. But all too many who quit, go back to smoking.

Quitting smoking takes practice. It takes more practice for some people than for others. In fact, almost everyone who tries to quit slips up once or twice and smokes a cigarette.

Having a couple of cigarettes is one thing. It’s a slip-up. And you should not get depressed over the fact that you had a cigarette.

But having a couple, then a couple more, then a couple each day –is quite another thing. Before you know it, you’re back to smoking at least a few cigarettes every day. It’s a judgment call, but at that point you’ve probably gone from slip to relapse.

If you realize that you have relapsed, don’t get down on yourself. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Give yourself a break. And forgive yourself. Millions of people who have quit smoking don’t succeed on the first try, or even a second or third try. Mark Twain said: “Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”

But many ex-smokers who relapse do end up quitting for good. So each time you try to quit, you make a real step forward. Research has shown that those who try to quit make at least five unsuccessful attempts. Most of these smokers who tried to quit started smoking again within a month’s time. Many said they began smoking again because they faced a stressful situation and needed a cigarette to cope. Being around others who smoke was also a common reason for resuming the smoking habit.

How to Get Back on Track.

If your most recent attempt didn’t succeed, what can you do about your smoking now? You have two choices:

·        If you have smoked just a few cigarettes for two or three days, and you feel you had made some good progress toward successfully quitting, treat this setback as a temporary slip. Stop smoking immediately! Throw away all your cigarettes! Find out what went wrong, and do better this time around. Remember, this is an emergency. You must act now.

·        If you have gone back to smoking several cigarettes a day for more than a couple of days, you may conclude that you have relapsed. At this point, you need to decide whether to re-start your quitting program immediately, or take a few days’ break to get your thoughts together.

What is important is the fact that you must quit with determination and clarity. You may do better if you take some time to gather your thoughts, review your reasons and plans for quitting and start over.

Keep in mind the following facts:

·        Slips and relapses are often part of the path to success.

·        Half of the smokers (millions of heavy smokers) have already quit.

·        Quitting is more important than the other things you do for your health.

·        You really want to quit! (More Info - Relapses)