A relapse is what happens when you smoke again after a period of time of not smoking. The question is how to you actually perceive a relapse? I personally believe almost all smokers will experience a relapse and it should also be viewed as a learning experience.
It is also an opportunity to find more about why did you pick up the cigarette again during that time. For example, you can learn about what are the triggers you should be watchful for or how to better position and have better preparation with your next attempt.
Actually, unless a relapse happens, it’s harder to gauge the real reason for you to smoke. The relapses play a part as stepping stones to the pathway of being smoke-free.
Now, a relapse does not mean that you have failed. The moment you have failed is the moment you decide that you don’t want to ever try to quit.
Relapse Causes
At time, you are able to predict that when you are about to smoke again. You may find yourself unusually thinking about smoking more often than normal.
The level of anxiety and irritation may also increase, so much so that the people around you may notice these changes and provide a feedback to you.
When you are able to recognize that a relapse is going to happen, you can often block the process.
Quit smoking studies have shown that smokers who have tried to quit experienced relapsed five or six times before entirely giving up smoking altogether.
There are some reasons for you to have a relapse.
1. Situation of stress
2. Unbearable cravings to smoke
3. Going through depression
4. Conditioned to smoke when you were in a situation, and you are in that situation again
5. Not prepared with a plan when facing stress.
The Denial-Binge Cycle
There is also another reason or cause of relapse happening. It’s called the denial-binge cycle. This starts when you suddenly changing your patterns of usage towards something or that when you deny yourself of having something.
Let’s say you want to stop eating chocolates at night to lose weight. The moment you decide so, the next phase of the cycle takes place by you developing extreme cravings for the chocolate that you have denied yourself.
As your cravings grow, you tend to think about consuming it more and more often.
Guide To Quit Smoking By Understanding Relapses Part 2
As you are going through the denial-binge cycle and denying yourself from smoking, you stress level will continue to rise as you keep thinking about lighting up a cigarette over and over again.
Finding Out Why The Ways To Stop Smoking Didn’t Work For You
If you went searching on how to quit smoking online, you will already have come across plenty of resources on ways and methods to quit smoking. Most of them actually states ways that actually are effective to quit smoking but it’s not universal.
How To Quit Smoking By Looking At The Methods Of Attempts
Looking back at your attempts and let’s analyze what has seemed to work for you. At times, your attempts may have been just a short while, perhaps for months, weeks, days or even hours.
