Quitting smoking: Preventing slips or relapses

Why is it important to deal with slips quickly?

A slip is a warning sign that something is not quite right with your quit attempt. A slip may lead to a sense that you have no control and, possibly, to more slips. Having several slips in a row or facing conditions where you are seriously tempted to start smoking again increases the chance that you will relapse.

Whether you have a single slip or a full relapse, smoking again can make you feel bad about yourself and can trigger depression. If you slip, try to think of it as an opportunity to correct yourself before it leads to a full relapse.

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1. A slip means that something is not working with your quit attempt.

1. True
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Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: July 22, 2009
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry
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