When it gets down to it, quitting can be the easy part. It's staying quit that can often take work. If you've gone back to smoking after trying to quit, there's a few things you can do to make sure you quit smoking for good this time.
Be ready to quit
It's normal to be in two minds about quitting. Your motivation to quit will go up and down as your situation changes. But it's important that you do want to quit. Think of ways to strengthen your desire to quit.
Be clear about your reasons to quit
Make a list of why you want to quit. What keeps you motivated to stay stopped after you quit can be different, so add that too. Keep it with you so you can look at it when you have a craving or are tempted to smoke. Remind yourself often why you want to be smokefree and what your new smokefree life will be like.
Build on past success
Think about what worked for you when you quit in the past and put that into practice this time.
Work out where you went wrong last time
Think about what made you slip up and have a cigarette last time. How can you avoid it happening again? Don't think of past attempts as failures – think of them as practise runs for when you will quit for good.
Know the health benefits of quitting
Think about how your body is becoming healthier the longer you stay smokefree. Your body begins to recover as soon as you stop smoking. Some health effects of smoking reverse in a few weeks or months, others improve more slowly over time. Some damage from smoking is permanent but quitting helps stop it from getting worse, so it's less likely to affect your life. The sooner you quit, the better for your health .