smoking, anxiety and panic

[GAD]

Ive been a smoker on and off since i was 13, im now 28. I feel that when i am smoking it tends to make my panic alot worse as obviously i get breathless and this brings on panic. i have tried so hard to give up, in fact i went four years without a cigarette but just dont seem to be able to kick it now with the stresses of work, its just soo easy to go out for a fag to break the day. is it just me or do the ciggarettes make the panic so much worse, its got the the point were im panicking straight after ive had a fag - does anyone else get this feeling?

Michelle.

[meatybuddy]

hi there

that sounds exactly what i went through before i stopped smoking ive now been smoke free so to speak gave up nearly 7months ago and my panic does seemed to have got a lttle better and little better being the key words i still suffer really bad panic attacks..


all the best


darren

There is light at the end of the tunnel its just fiding it thats the hard part

[lotus]

Michelle, I know what you mean. When my anxiety was at its worse I felt like smoking made my breathing irregular, so I stopped for a couple of months. Then, when I was feeling a little better, I started again. My advice is - don't do things that make you feel bad.

Take care,
Allie

[vernon]

I have smoked for about over 40 years but latley its gave me a cough but cough so hard till ny back and chest hurts but nothing there to come up, breathless but like you realy cant seem to stop. the harder i think about stopping the more i seem to smoke. I did manage to stop drinking through fear 2 years ago, that was realy hard, I did give up smoking once through bad chest and breathlessnes and doc sent me for xray as she said my chest sounded bad. I gave up for 4 weeks got a all clear chest xray result and just started again:(. I would love to stop too. Take care Vernon

[Meg]

HELP TO STOP SMOKING (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=599)
Teaching (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4576)
Giving up smoking! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=531)
Smoking increasing my Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5443)
smoking (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5703)


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[lara100]

Hi Gad,

I know how you feel. I was ok having cigs, although Ive never been a really heavy smoker. However, a couple of months ago I had a cig and about ten minutes after I suddenly went really lightheaded and dizzy. I started sweating and had a hot flush. This really frightened me cause although Ive had panic for over ten years now, I wasnt feeling panicky at all after the cig and it happened so suddenly I thought I was having a stroke. I know its just panic but it was a horrible feeling, my arms and legs went weak and I had to lie down. After half an hour I started shaking which is apparently just your muscles working off the adrenaline. It was a very scarey feeling though made worse because usually I recognise when the panic feelings start but this time it jst hit me out of the blue Has anyone else ever had this.?

Lara