Stay on Your Quit Streak
You’ve Quit! Congratulations! Challenges are to be expected in the first few weeks but there are many ways to work through them. To help keep you on track, here are some tips on how to prevent a relapse.
- If you’re in your first 2 weeks of quitting, you might be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Remember that withdrawal is a good sign; it means your body is healing. Remain positive.
- Strengthen your commitment to staying quit. Remind yourself about your reasons for quitting and the many benefits of quitting.
- Continue to build healthier habits and routines.
- Be aware of your triggers and have a plan for how to deal with them.
- Be prepared to cope with stress, frustration and other negative feelings that might trigger an urge to smoke or vape.
- Feeling stress is one of the most common reasons people relapse back to smoking/vaping. Plan ahead and have a solid stress management plan that may include:
- Deep breathing
- Journalling
- Mindfulness practices
- Connecting with a friend or family member for support
- Doing activities you enjoy
- Getting physical activity (like going for a walk)
- Ask people around you to not smoke or vape around you.
- Spend time in smoke-free/vape-free places.
- Focus on your wellbeing – healthy diet, quality sleep, drinking water. Do things that make you feel good.
- Be sure to reward yourself. It’s important to recognize and celebrate your success. You can try rewarding yourself each day, week, or month since becoming smoke-free or vape-free… or even when you need a special treat. We all need those from time to time, and you deserve it!
- Look for additional support from a partner, friend, or a healthcare provider. Connect with the Smokers’ Helpline for programs to help with staying quit.
- Unfollow online accounts which promote vaping, and start following accounts and sites which promote health and wellness.
- It can be easy to hide your vape use, which may make it easy to return to using it occasionally. Remind yourself of how important it is to stay nicotine-free.
