Every quitter must deal with the risk of a slip
sooner or later.
This section tells you how.
Don't let though times take you back to smoking
The highest risk times for new quitters are when they're feeling stressed, angry, bored, lonely, low, negative- when things are going badly. These times should throw a warning light and let you know to be on your guard.
What should you do? Research shows that quitters who take any kind of action find it easier to resist smoking. You need to do what's best for you. It may be walking away from urges by avoiding temptations or taking a brisk walk. For a lot of quitters, it helps to share feelings. A hobby may help some. Others turn to prayer. Ask ex-smokers you know to tell you what they did. Find a way that works for you.
Don't be caught off balance
What happens when you find yourself with a lot of your smoking friends and you want to reach for a cigarette? What should you do? Get something else in your hand- a toothpick, a swizzle stick, a piece of gum- anything to take the place of that cigarette. Distract yourself or the next few minutes. Think about how far you've come. Remember, the urge to smoke will pass, whether you light up or not. Most ex-smokers say they're surprised how quickly urges go away.
"I made it through some pretty rough times. I'd been off cigarettes two years when my wife died. It was all I could do not to go back to smoking. But I was determined. Those first six months were very hard. The hardest times were when something reminded me of my wife. I'd feel like I needed cigarettes as a companion, to keep me company. But as I started to get out more, and feel more like myself, things got better. I talked with a man in my apartment who had lost his wife. He knew what I was going through and asked me to join him for lunch or dinner a couple times a week. He's become a good friend."