Relapse is common to most smokers1 and remains a difficult problem for many women who have quit smoking.
Figure out what caused relapse, plan what to do next time, see relapse as “practice quitting” rather than failure.1
In order to help women avoid relapse it’s important to:
- recognize there is a need for social support: friends, coworkers, spouse, and family members play a big role in quitting and in avoiding relapse
- address concerns about weight gain
- identify attitudes and beliefs about stress
- understand that smoking is more than a bad habit, it is an addiction
Intervention programs for women need to focus on relapse prevention and longer follow-up support to help them maintain abstinence.
1 Smoking Cessation: Clinical Practice Guideline Number 18. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 1996. |
