ABOUT SMOKING

[andrew england 2]

I found in the past that if I went thru the hell of a few wks not smoking my anxiety would turn itself off and my feelings of derealisation would disapear - maybe I am too far gone now for such a simple cure for my anxiety state - I used to stop smoking and that in turn would turn off my derealisation which in turn would reduce my anxiety which in turn would raise my energy levels which in turn stopped me craving caffeine which in turn stopped me craving alcohol to cool down my nerves and cope with my derealisation and bingo I was ok and I ate healthy concentrated well and was in totally calm and normal - but me being me - I got bored and thought well one packet of cigs wont hurt while I chat which then got joined by lots of coffee which then needed beer to calm me down and the whole cycle started all over again and it I always said tomorrow I will turn myself round and tomorrow never came and now I have a permanent underlying anxiety state with de realisation which I can only cope with through alcohol which leads to out and out panic attacks the next day and I know its not the alcohol alone that does it cos I stopped drinking for nearly 2 months and it didnt make a difference - QUESTION IS - HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE ? that by smoking and raising blood pressure and pulse rate it can set off a whole sequence of events ?

[ANXIETY26]

Hi Andrew,

I quit smoking New Years Day, I also stopped taking Anti-Depressants which I had been weaning myself off for some time. It's now two months down the line and my derealization is really bad. I just find it strange that your derealization stops when you stop smoking. Wish that was the same for me. Everybody tells me that derealization is caused by underlying anxiety and quitting smoking does'nt really help stop the anxiety, (maybe in the long run it will). That certainly has'nt been the case for me though.

Im trying to do all the right things yet I feel like Im banging my head against a ****ing brick wall!!

[Ma Larkin]

Hi Andrew, I find that one triggers another off, you have a fag, if you're home you want coffee to go with it, if you're out you want a pint. Smoking accelerates the heartbeat, yet why do we smoke? People say to me "why do you smoke?" and I say "because I get stressed, single parent, 3 kids, full-time job, etc.", but surely if my heart is beating faster, then its doing nowt for me! When we suffer a shock we go straight for a fag! I smoke & drink too much, but i'd rather have those periods of "normality" than be anxious 24/7, which is what I usually am when I haven't had a drink. I know this is bad advice, but this is just me & how I cope.

Les

[andrew england 2]

yes lesley one does lead to another and we find ourselves doing all the things that we know fine well lead directly to anxiety states just to be able to feel normal for a short time everyday - how I wish someone would develop a program and say do this - that - other - for 6 wks then u will be totally ok - if only life were that simple - but sadly were all human and were all flawed and crazy enough I have found that when I do all the right things in the past my anxiety did pass - but dang I WAS SO BORED LOL - NOW GIVE ME A PILL TO CURE BEING BORED HEHEHE'