Have you tried quitting smoking and then relapsed? It’s normal for people to need a few tries before successfully remaining tobacco-free.

Relapse regret

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 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. Stay positive. Take what you learned from your smoking attempt, 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.