3. Don't have even one puff…
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Having 'just one cigarette' usually leads back to regular smoking.

It is easy for the mind to play games and for people to say to themselves things like
"Ahh it's just…
- 'one puff'
- 'one cigarette'
- 'this once'
- 'a quick one'
- 'because I've had a hard day'
- 'because it's been offered to me'
- 'to make my friend who smokes feel better, but I wont have any more after this'.
or
- 'I wonder what they taste like?'
- 'I'll test myself with this one - I know I don't want to smoke again'.
- etc.
- etc.

But the research shows that there are very few permanent ex-smokers who have allowed themselves even one puff since their quit date.

There are also lots of smokers who had given up until they had 'just one puff' or 'just one cigarette'. Your body and mind don't need to be reminded of nicotine and it's effects.


Most 'first' cigarettes occur in response to a particular sistuation or craving (eg: an argument with someone, feeling stressed at work, having too much drink etc). These situations will happen again and if you have smoked in response to them the first time then you are more likely to smoke when they happen again.

Once you've given in to a craving caused by one thing, it is much easier to give in to a craving caused by something else.

If you don't put a cigarette to your lips, if you don't smoke that 'first' cigarette then you won't have to go through this whole quitting thing again.



But what if I have made a mistake and had one cigarette?
One cigarette doesn't make you a smoker again. There is no reason why, just because you have had one cigarette, that you have to have a second.

But you will need to strengthen your resolve and plan to deal with future risky situations better. Plan to do something specific the next time that you are in a situation and really want a cigarette: take a walk, have a bath etc see tip number 8.

 
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Don't give up giving up!