Helping Someone Quit Or Who Relapses
Helping someone who is quitting

Family and friends can provide valuable support and motivation for a person trying to quit tobacco. If a person asks for your support in trying to quit, here are some ways you can help:
  • Distract the person from tobacco. Join them in activities they’ve chose to offset their cravings – sports, hobbies, lunchtime walks, etc.
  • Provide a reward or small gift when the person reaches a milestone, such as 1 week, 1 month, or 3 months without using tobacco.
  • Ask the person if they want you to call or visit regularly to see how they’re doing. Let them know it’s OK to call you when they need encouragement.
  • If you use tobacco, don’t use it around the person who’s trying to quit. Don’t leave tobacco products where they can tempt the person to slip up.
  • If you’ve quit tobacco, talk to the person often about the positive differences quitting has made in your life. Talk about the times quitting was tough, and about how you got through those situations.


Helping someone who relapses

Most tobacco users try to quit 5 to 7 times before they succeed. Don’t give up on someone just because they relapse. If they do slip up, you can:
  • Praise them for trying to quit, and for whatever length of time (days, weeks, months) they succeeded.
  • Encourage them to try again. Most people who don’t succeed are ready to try again soon, so say “when you try again,” rather than “if you try.”
  • Encourage them to learn from each attempt. A relapse can provide useful experience for the next attempt.
  • Suggest that they try a different way of quitting, such as calling OhioQuits at 800-QUIT-NOW.