Is It OK to Smoke Just One Cigarette After Quitting

Is It OK to Smoke Just One Cigarette After Quitting Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit Print Is It OK to Smoke a Cigarette After Quitting? By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on January 19, 2020 Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD Updated on January 28, 2020 Creativ Studio Heinemann / Getty Images More in Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery As of Dec. 20, 2019, the new legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U.S. As ex-smokers are fond of saying, cigarettes travel in packs. Research shows that ex-smokers have an increased likelihood of a smoking relapse when theres greater exposure to other smokers in social situations, work, or at home. ?? If you decide to go ahead and smoke just one, chances are youll be back to smoking as much as you used to before long.  Dont kid yourself that you can control nicotine  once you get a taste of it. It just doesnt work that way for nicotine addicts. The only way to keep the beast at bay is to keep  nicotine  out of your system. If You Slipped and Smoked a Cigarette If you slipped and smoked a cigarette, recognize that you can easily relapse completely, but you havent yet gone that far. Look for tactics to make it harder to take another smoke. Reach out  to your social support. Dont let feelings of failure snowball until you give up on quitting. Ask Yourself 7 Questions Before Smoking a Cigarette If you absolutely cannot shake  thoughts of smoking and are worried youre about to cave in and smoke, stop everything. Sit down with a pen and paper and honestly answer  the questions below. Or, answer these questions in advance and carry them with you to review when needed. Thinking back to  the day you quit, how were you feeling about smoking?How many years did you smoke? How long did you want to stop?If you go back to smoking will you want to quit again? Will you wish you hadnt lit up?When will you quit again? Will it be weeks, months, years, or when  illness strikes?What benefits will smoking offer you?Is smoking now  worth giving up all of the work youve invested in cessation?Will quitting be any easier the next time around? Taking an honest look at these questions and their answers will help you find balance when the urge to smoke seems so important that youre ready to throw everything youve worked for away and give in. Keep your memory green and dont lose sight of the  reasons you quit smoking. They are no less true today than they were when you quit, but if youre not careful, they can feel less critical. Dont Give Addictive Thoughts Power When many people quit smoking they go through a fair amount of  junkie thinkingâ€"the internal battle between  nicotine addiction  and themselves. Early in smoking cessation that  dialog  can seem relentless. The voice in your head trying to convince you to smoke is  persistent, annoying and  exhausting. This phase of  nicotine withdrawal  is temporary.??  The less attention you give to unhealthy thoughts of smoking, the better. But how can you do that? Its important to realize ahead of time that the mental contortions youre going to experience after you stub out your last cigarette are a normal part of the recovery process. Dont panic and think youre failing because you want a cigarette. Think of that inner chatter as a sign of healing, because that is exactly what it is. Distracting Yourself From Smoking Thoughts Time will lessen the pull of thoughts that trigger cravings to smoke. In the meantime, use distraction as a tool to jolt yourself out of a bad mindset  as smoking thoughts come up. Create a list of activities you can do at a moments notice so that youre not left struggling when the urge to smoke hits. Be proactive and know that with each urge you overcome, your brain is registering new ways of coping. In time, it will be easier to redirect yourself, and with more time, thoughts of smoking will lose their power entirely. Some days will be worse than others. Such is smoking cessation, and such is life. On days when simple distractions dont work and youre feeling agitated and unhappy, pull out a different listâ€"one that details rewards tailored to your interests. Create a List of Rewards Many people tend to neglect their own comfort in favor of the needs of others who are important to them. You put them first on the list, and while this is admirable, you must take care of your own needs, especially while quitting tobacco. Put a list together of ways to pamper yourself.  Include items that you know will make you feel good and will rejuvenate your body and mind after a hard day. Ideas could include: Dinner out or dinner in with take-out (or have someone else in the family cook)Taking a long walk in nature with the dog.Give yourself an hour to soak in a long hot bath.Relax with a good book in a quiet room.Head to the gym for a workout and a swim.Take a power nap.Schedule some time to work on a hobby you enjoy. Make your treats self-indulgent and guilt-free. Youre working hard to recover from a tough addiction, and a little positive reinforcement goes a long way. If all else fails and cigarette cravings wont give you any peace, put your mind on ignore and go to bed earlier than usual. Tomorrow will be a better day. Reach out for Online Support You can call or text the National Cancer Institutes  quitline  or sign up  for their  live chat, including a real-time link to a counselor. Even if you are not a person who likes to participate in forums or group support, stop in and take a browse through a  smoking cessation support forum. Join an active community of people who are at all stages of quitting, and theres no doubt your motivation will be bolstered by what you read there. Cigarettes Offer You Nothing of Value The truth of the matter is that smoking offers you nothing of value, and that empty feeling you have that smoking used to fill will go away in time...as long as you dont smoke. Recovery from nicotine addiction can feel like it will never end, but thats just not true. It does take time to reprogram old associations, but it doesnt take forever. Be patient with yourself and allow the healing process to take place, regardless of how long it takes. Nurture and protect your quit program because its the path to the healthier and happier life that you deserve.