Stoptober: How to deal with a smoking relapse

Quitting smoking is rarely a straightforward path – it’s often marked by unexpected ups and downs, and the occasional slip-up. One day you’re celebrating your progress, counting smoke-free days with pride; the next, you might find yourself lighting a cigarette you thought you’d left behind for good.

Relapses can stir up feelings of guilt and frustration, but what truly matters is how you respond to these moments – not that they happened in the first place.

Ahead of Stoptober (the Department of Health and Social Care’s annual stop smoking campaign), we spoke to Louise Ross, clinical consultant at the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT), about the most common triggers for relapses. She also shared some helpful tips on how to get back on track after a setback.

What are some common triggers for a smoking relapse?

“Experimenting to see if you’re strong enough to not smoke again is definitely one of the biggest reasons for relapsing,” highlights Ross. “People often say ‘I just thought I’d try one to see what it was like after all this time of not smoking’ and then often find that just that one is enough to put them back on the whole cycle of smoking again.”

Being surrounded by other people smoking can also prompt a relapse.

“For example, at a wedding, party or a funeral, it might feel like everybody else is smoking, so you just give yourself the excuse that smoking goes along with having an emotional or a good time,” says Ross.

Boredom, stress and withdrawal symptoms also play a significant role.

“Some of the withdrawal symptoms of giving up smoking can feel quite unpleasant, so people often tend to pick up a cigarette to make that horrible feeling go away,” explains Ross.

Here are some tips about what to do after a relapse…

Don’t give up

“Don’t give up. If you do relapse and have one cigarette, you can turn that round really quickly,” says Ross. “Tell yourself that you’re never going to hold a cigarette in your hand again as that can be quite powerful.”

Think about what you can learn from it

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, you can’t turn the clock back,” says Ross. “Think about what you can learn from it. You need to learn how to say no to people that offer you a cigarette. Try practising saying something like, ‘no thanks, I don’t smoke’ or ‘no thanks, I really don’t want one’.”

Find some effective distraction techniques

“If you suddenly get an urge to have a cigarette, think about what you can do instead,” advises Ross. “You could go and play a game on your phone, call a friend, make a list of jobs that need doing, go and tidy out a drawer in your bedroom etc. Have a ready made list so you can default to a different activity that doesn’t involve lighting up a cigarette.”

Have a support system

“Having some support is really good because you need encouragement,” says Ross. “When you first stop smoking, you feel really good about it, perhaps for the first few days, and then it gets a bit boring.

“It can be really helpful to have someone to talk to about it, especially if they have been through it themselves.”

Consider using products

“If you have a feeling that you’re in danger of relapse, it’s really worth thinking about using something to actually stop you actually picking up a cigarette – whether that be a vape, prescription medication or nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) like nicotine gum or a patch,” suggests Ross.

Seek advice from your local Stop Smoking Service

“Seeking support from the Stop Smoking Service is a very sensible choice, because they’re run by people who know what it’s like to go through this and who have had lots of experience helping people stop smoking,” says Ross.

“They can help guide you away from that cliff edge where you might have fallen off and had a cigarette. There is lots of support out there, so remember that you don’t have to do it on your own.”

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