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Advice if you’ve tried to stop smoking before

Stopping smoking can be hard. If you tried to stop smoking before and it did not work, do not feel like a failure. You can learn something for the next time you try. Never give up giving up.

If you want to try to stop smoking again:

  • congratulate yourself on what you’ve achieved so far - making the decision to quit is a big step
  • learn from your mistakes - for example, if not smoking around certain people is hard, avoid them for a little while
  • try changing your routine if you found certain times of the day hard
  • find healthy ways to deal with stress instead of smoking - smoking increases anxiety and tension
  • ask about how nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (such as patches or gum) or prescription treatments might help you
  • use combination therapy - using a fast-acting form of NRT at the same time as the nicotine patch or prescription treatments is the best way to quit
  • try a different type of NRT or medicine if one type did not work the last time

Smoking and your mental health

Get back on track

Ask yourself what caused you to slip up and decide what you will do differently this time.

How to cope with or avoid situations that trigger you to smoke

If you have a Quit plan, review it and think about doing something different. If you do not have a plan, sign up for help to quit smoking - it can keep you on track.

Find your nearest stop smoking clinic

Quit smoking with our help

Freetext QUIT to 50100 or Freephone 1800 201 203

Page last reviewed: 5 October 2022
Next review due: 5 October 2025