Bumming smokes or taking a few puffs are commonplace for most people who try to quit smoking. Statistics show that most people will try to quit smoking four to five times before they are successful.

This doesn't mean that you should accept you will fail the first few times if you haven't already tried. This information is worthwhile for you to know if you have made other attempts and failed as you can be assured that even with the prior slipups you can succeed as many other people have already done.

Any time that you relapse and start smoking again you will have learnt something. You will know what happened to cause you to start smoking again and this will strengthen your position to finally succeed the next time you try.

If you have a slip up and have a cigarette when you are trying to quit the first thing you need to do is immediately remove any forms of temptation so it won't happen again. A slip up doesn't mean that you will begin smoking again if you get back onto your program and don't have any more cigarettes. Avoid the situation that caused the problem and if necessary avoid the person or people that encouraged you to have that smoke.

Maybe there are some other issues in your life that need attention such as reducing some emotional problems or stress that is a precursor for you to have a cigarette.

Maybe the process of quitting has made you feel somewhat depressed and you thought a cigarette would help you to cope with the situation when other alternatives would have given you the lift you needed.

Now might be a good time to add something else to your life that will help you to act and think more positively and reduce your dependence on cigarettes. Consider a fitness program to help release the endorphins that will make you feel as good as the cigarettes have been doing.

Maybe this will be a sign that other aspects of your life are where the real problem lies and lifestyle choices such as socializing and alcohol consumption might need to be curbed a little to get more of a balance in your life where you no longer feel the need for cigarettes.

These slipups can be turned around and used as steps to bigger things including quitting smoking and being able to have more control over more aspects of your life.

One of the problems that many people encounter after they quit smoking is the fact that they believe they will never smoke again and this feeling gives them the security to feel comfortable to have the occasional puff.

It comes as quite a surprise to find that even after a very long time there are receptors in the brain that are only too willing to react to the nicotine like it was yesterday and for many people this can result in a relapse to their previous habit all too soon.

It is simply not worth the risk to let this happen again after all you went through to get off the habit in the first place.

You will be risking all the repair work to your health and within minutes of taking that puff you could be headed back to the addiction of the previous habit.

Smoking habits all start with one puff and that's how it all started for you in the first place.

It will happen more easily the second time because the receptors are there and they are always ready to invite back the nicotine.

There is no reason to prove to yourself or anyone else that you can have a smoke and not fall back into your old ways. You should remember the addictive power of nicotine and the fact that no one is safe to 'test' it without setting themselves up for disaster.

Consider yourself lucky to have managed to quit when so many are trying everyday to do the same. Your health will have been improving from the minute you quit and will continue to do so. For many people their long term health outlook will be as good as they would have expected had they never smoked at all.

Rather than having another test to prove something you will be better working at goals to improve your overall health on a daily basis with good lifestyle choices, good nutrition and sufficient exercise to maintain that good health into old age.