How to Tell a Loved One You Started Smoking Again

A relative of mine recently began smoking cigarettes again after a long period in which she successfully fought the cravings and remained smoke free. Being a former smoker myself who still battles with the occasional cravings she felt comfortable enough to share this revelation with me. Plagued with guilt and afraid of backlash from those who formerly praised her for her accomplishment, she turned to me for help in sharing this information with her husband and children. Together we worked through her feelings and prepared her for the inevitable conversation in which she shared the news that she had started smoking again. If you find yourself in this uncomfortable situation, I hope that this article will offer comfort and strength to share the news with your own family.

How To Tell A Loved One You Started Smoking Again: Be Honest. Do not go to great lengths to hide your backslide from loved ones. This not only compounds the guilt, but delays the inevitable. Your loved ones will be more upset and feel deceived if you go days, weeks or even months of sneaking cigarettes. This deceit and subterfuge demeans your relationship with your loved ones and makes the situation much more complicated and difficult. Sit your loved ones down and admit that the nicotine demon has once again taken hold and that you have been smoking. Simply sharing your backslide with those people who love you most will help you to see this backslide as a temporary weakness rather than a full blown failure.

How To Tell A Loved One You Started Smoking Again: Be Armed With The Research. Studies show that smokers often quit an upwards of five or more times before becoming permanently smoke free. Remind your love ones that quitting smoking is a process and often takes more than one try to become permanent. By sharing this information with your family, you can educate them on the power of nicotine addiction as well as give yourself a boost of confidence that this is a a very common step in the process of quitting smoking.