Smoking take the edge off

[Jessica123]

Hi guys well this year I have two rather bad bouts of anxiety , now I don't know why but I immediately run to tesco and buy myself a packet of menthol cigs for some strange reason it just takes the edge of the anxiety I know smoking is bad for you and so on but if I don't have one I nearly climb the walls now I have to say when things are ok and the anxiety is at bay I don't need to smoke or maybe the odd one when I socialising , I get so angry with myself and hubby has a moan but I just say to him I just need to get through this I was wondering does anyone else do this or what do you do when the anxiety is so bad it takes over your life x

[lifesfighter92]

Please don't smoke , the are other ways , if you smoke then you are letting the anxiety beat you smoking is horrendous dont do it , it is not too late to reverse the damage these fags have done to you inbox me. Have other ways of fighting your anxiety x

[xBettyBoopx]

Although I used to reach for my ciggies, I have to say that smoking made my anxiety worse coz it's a stimulant. I gave up 4 years ago and I still want one!!

You could smoke those e ciggies, they have no tar so won't be bad for you and you'll get your nicotine fix.

Els
xx

[Leem]

At the moment you are using smoking as a safety/comfort behaviour in order to reduce the feeling of anxiety in the same way I used to chew gum and drink water (odd I know but these were my cigs!). Its almost distraction technique that will not help you in the long term. The reason why is because it is a very fragile way of coping because the day you cannot run out and get some cigs you will panic even more. I used to think that without my gum or water to distract me I would go mad, but that is not the case.

You need to sit with your anxiety, no matter how uncomfortable in order to know how to manage it. It will then lose strength over the long term.

[Lissa101]

I used to cigs to help and they were a massive crutch for a while. I've stopped now and feel really happy that I don't depend on them for anxious moments. They are a stimulant but I felt they did help to calm me. Although a doc would never agree with me I feel this was because they made me breath slowly and deeply, changing my breathing pattern from shallow and quick. Also, they constrict the arteries which could help reduce the flow of adrenaline and help you to feel calmer.

Must better to stop for your health but don't beat yourself up about it - there's no point getting anxious about another issue :) x

[SarahH]

Ok so I am not going to preach about this because I am a lifelong smoker!!! Yes I know it is very very bad for me AND it increases anxiety. You are smoking as an emotional crutch, sitting and having that ciggie psychologically gives you a calming feeling BUT physiologically it is giving you a stimulant....i.e nicotine.

You could try another crutch instead....chocolate:D

As I say I would never preach about smoking it's a terrible addiction.

Sarah

[Dizzy_Dave]

When I used to drink and smoke I never felt so healthy.

[Fishmanpa]

With the dangers of tobacco it would seem to me that smoking would bring on more anxiety concerning your health. If you have to smoke, at the very least get yourself an e-cigarette. You'll still get the nicotine in a vapor(they even have 0mg cartridges) but it's way better than inhaling the 4000+ chemicals in tobacco smoke.

[MRS STRESS ED]

I no how hard it is it stopped smoking two years ago ,theres been times I nearly had one ,but thankfully I haven't its not the answer :hugs:

[Eyji1]

I used to do this too. And I don't think there's really anything wrong with it if you find it helps you in some way. Of course it's unhealthy but so many things are.

I myself stopped smoking about two and a half years ago. Even though I feel better in my lungs and all that I don't view it as destructive.