Slips and relapse - avoiding them and what to do if you have one
It's best not to smoke at all - smoking when using NRT makes quitting longer and harder. If you slip up and smoke, do try your hardest not to slip up again and keep on using your NRT as usual. If you slip up every day for two weeks or more - speak with you Stop Smoking Practitioner.
Tips for avoiding smoking slip ups
- Smoking slips can feel like a setback. Smoking causes cravings, so smoking the occasional cigarette while using NRT will mean it takes longer for your cravings to disappear. Here we give some tips for avoiding slip ups and – if you should have one – what to do.
- Avoid situations that you think could 'trigger' your smoking. 'Trigger situations' are times when you think it is very likely that you will feel strong urges to smoke. For example, smoking is strongly linked to certain times and situations, so:
- If you have a packet of cigarettes or tobacco pouch, throw it away.
- Move any ashtrays out of sight, especially from areas around the house where you used to smoke.
- If you had a cigarette first thing in the morning, get up and have a shower instead.
- If you enjoyed a cigarette after a meal, try cleaning your teeth or chewing sugar-free gum after eating
- If you smoked when stressed, and are feeling stressed, take a few slow, deep breaths - in through your nose, out through your mouth. You may feel your body start to relax. Remember that smoking gives only temporary stress relief and quitting will lead to less stress in the long run. Smokers are less stressed within a week or two after quitting.
- Be prepared – always have lozenges or your inhalator and cartridge with you. That way, if you find yourself in a situation when you are tempted to smoke, you can have a nicotine 'top up' to try stop you from lighting up. You can use these before situations where you know you’ll be tempted to smoke – for example, you could 'top up' before eating or while cooking to avoid after-meal cravings.
- Talk to someone - talk to your Stop Smoking Practitioner if you need more help to cope with cravings, or look out for useful tips from our text messaging service.
- Relieve cravings as much as you can - make sure you are taking enough NRT. The best way to withstand cravings is a combination of NRT and changes to your behaviour.
What to do if you have a slip up
I got a bit brazen and thought I didn't need the patch anymore and then didn't take them to work with me and had a cigarette.
Hannah, 23
- If, after quitting, you smoke a cigarette or two, don’t let that put you off as it doesn’t mean you’re failing! The important thing is to carry on using your NRT as normal and try very hard not to smoke any more cigarettes. Carrying on with your NRT will make it more likely that you'll stay off cigarettes.
- Remember that your aim is to stop smoking completely - if you do have a slip up, the quicker you recover the better. After a slip up:
- Keep on trying not to smoke but also make a note of the days on which you do smoke to see how often this is.
- Keep on using your NRT as normal. It’s not dangerous to smoke and use NRT together. If, after 2 weeks, you find that you have smoked on every day or almost every day or almost every day, you should talk to your Stop Smoking Practitioner. They may recommend that you have a break from quitting and that, soon after your break, you have another try.
- Try to understand what made you have a slip up. Think of ways you could have avoided smoking. Work on your coping skills so you're prepared next time you're in the same situation.
- Stay positive - remind yourself why you want to quit. Then take control again. Making mistakes or slipping up can be a useful experience if you're prepared to learn from it. Remember, you'll be stronger next time because you'll know what to look out for.
Dealing with persistent cravings to smoke
NRT just isn't working for me – I’m still desperate to smoke.
Jess, 33
- Firstly, are you taking enough NRT? Remember that most pregnant women don’t use enough. If you feel like you really, really want to smoke, you may not be using enough NRT, so first try using more of your inhalator or lozenges to help ease your cravings. Experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms is also a sign that you may need more NRT.
- Secondly, are you still having the occasional cigarette? Smoking after your quit date will make your cigarette cravings carry on for longer, making quitting more difficult. You should try hard not to smoke at all when using NRT as this will break your habit and make your cravings go away sooner. Don’t panic if you do have a slip up though.
- It can be frustrating if, despite using plenty of NRT, you still feel urges to smoke. Cravings can still happen on NRT - especially in the early days of quitting - though they’ll be much milder than without it.
- If you are using the maximum amount of NRT and still getting cravings, it’s important to find additional ways to deal with them. Cravings often come from being in trigger situations where you previously smoked, because your brain has learnt to expect cigarettes in these situations. Cravings that happen in trigger situations can take longer to stop occuring than other cravings but, as long as you don't smoke in trigger situations, the cravings will lessen and lessen over time. Remember – cravings will only last for a few minutes so try to hang in there and ride them out or try distracting yourself from the urge.
Tips for taking your mind of cravings
Here are a few tips to take your mind off cravings. You may find these tips more helpful if you form a plan to use one or more of them in advance e.g. if I get a craving then I will:
- Talk to someone, or call a friend or relative to get support.
- Have a change of scene. Just moving to another room can help, or stepping outside to get some fresh air.
- Drink a glass of water or have a healthy snack. Try to keep yourself occupied for those crucial few minutes.
- Distract myself by doing something active. Going for a brisk walk will help to clear your head and lungs and is good for you and your baby.
- Keep my hands busy e.g. by playing a game on my phone.
- Try thinking through all the reasons I want to stop smoking. Make this a mental routine.
- Not stress myself or fight with it. When a craving comes, try just being aware of the feeling and focusing on it until it passes - don’t wrestle with it.
- Re-read the supportive text messages we send you. Hang on to those you find most helpful.
If you feel that your NRT isn’t working for you, please speak to your Stop Smoking Practitioner as soon as possible. In the meantime, you should try to carry on using your NRT as usual.