This is something of a cautionary tale to the spouses, significant others, friends or family members of smokers; smokers who had once quit and are now hiding or sneaking it (cheating).
Former smokers who experience a relapse will often attempt to hide their relapse from others. They may hide it to avoid shame, disappointment or lecturing that often accompanies a relapse.
This story has three endings:
- The smoker, while trying to hide their smoking, will smoke less. As far as smoking goes-this is good!
- The smoker gets busted and feels obligated to make another quit attempt-this is great!
- The smoker gets busted, so reverts back to his/her normal smoking habit since is no longer needs to be concealed-this is not good.
If you are a disapproving spouse, it can be a tricky play. You have to know your spouse, but it might be insightful to consider these outcomes before reacting if you have a spouse or loved one struggling in a battle against nicotine addiction.
I’m not a counselor or therapist, but if I suspected that a loved one was “sneaking,” I might get creative. I would appeal to his conscience and bombard him with words of praise and admiration. I might offer up special incentives for quitting hoping the guilt would encourage him to make another quit attempt immediately before he gets caught. There is the risk that he will buckle and return to his full smoking habit. Even if the latter is the case, another attempt is probably forthcoming.
No, I’m not a counselor or therapist, but I am a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist which means that I am qualified to help individuals navigate the complexities of nicotine addiction. If your spouse or loved one is “cheating,” we can help them achieve freedom from nicotine addiction once and for all with our single visit laser therapy program.
