quitting smoking

[TheBlondRocker]

There may have already been a thread on this but didn't feel like searching. I obviously have anxiety (GAD) I want to quit smoking but I'm afraid of the effects it may have on my anxiety and was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with that.
I talked to my Dr about it and she told me to gradually cut down.....yeah easier said than done. She didn't come rite out and say it but hinted the withdraw would send my anxiety back to panic attack level. The funny, or ironic thing is I get anxiety from smoking at this point b/c of the health issues thing but I know withdraw would give me anxiety too. I'm almost at the point where I wonder if the anxiety I get from smoking would balance with the anxiety I'd get from quitting. Anyway I was wondering if anyone on here has had any experience with this? If so how bad is the anxiety and how long does it last? I think the nicotine is out of the system after 72 hours but does that mean the anxiety would go down at that point too? See these are the things I need to know.

Thanks.

[Robbed]

Since I myself don't smoke, perhaps my advice is not the best available on this matter. But I will try. Quitting smoking can be quite tricky. But then again, you surely already know this. Anyway, one thing to remember is that no two people respond the same to quitting smoking. Someone might not have too much of a problem. But someone else might go through hell. I don't know where you fall. But since you already have an anxiety disorder, quitting cold turkey might not be the answer. Quite often, this can cause intense withdrawal. And this could certainly worsen your anxiety. I agree with your doctor that a slow approach is probably best for you. This way, you can minimize withdrawal so as to minimize any impact on your anxiety disorder. Also, a slower approach will leave you less susceptible to relapse. And as far as anxiety caused by the smoking itself, this can be reduced if you know that you are making a genuine effort towards eventually being smoke-free, and that you will be relatively soon. Something else you might try is nicotine substitution. This allows you to take nicotine in a MUCH less toxic form (ie gum or patch) rather than cigarettes. And it can help buffer your withdrawal if chemical addiction is a BIG part of what is keeping you smoking.

[TheBlondRocker]

I've done a lot of research and surprisingly there's not much out there about quitting smoking with anxiety and/or panic disorder. I hate the word disorder but I also hate suffer from. I don't suffer from it I deal with it. Anyway the very little I could find gum seems to be the pop idea but that's for quitting cold turkey. I'd prefer to quit cold turkey but people w/o anxiety get anxiety when they quit. A person can also supposedly have a heart attack from nicotine withdraw. It's rare but it apparently can happen. I've been in rehabs for alcohol addiction and they always ask do you want to quit smoking too? No one at a time thanks. They'd talk about smoking tho and they said nicotine is the most addictive drug.

[StevieH]

Hi Blonderocker
I gave up smoking 10 years ago because of my illness, anxiety etc,but also because I had a pneumonia in my lung, which was brought on by a chest infection. I was also having similar problems with extra heartbeats that I am having at the moment. I will be honest at first it was easy because I was scared into doing it because of how bad I had been but afterwards I felt like I could eat a packet.I know thats not what you want to hear but to be honest with you I dont think I ever felt any better. I got high blood pressure after I quit and put on about 2 stone or so.I had always been very active with a lot of water sports and I dont know wether its because of my mental illness but have never felt that much benefit from stopping.I totally agree that its a good thing to do both for your health and financially. Do you drink? because I seemed to use probably a little more alcohol for a while(only at night). I think that once you have done a few weeks (if you can) you will then keep thinking"well i've gone this far, so why go back now" and the further you get, the less you want to break it.I hope this makes sense,but you can do it.But if you are down at the moment,maybe cut down gradually.
Hope this has been of some help to you
All the best
StevieH

[TheBlondRocker]

I really appreciate the replies. From searching around the only thing I've been able to find out so far is people who have anxiety usually have less after they quit but nothing about anxiety levels during withdraw. I'm really starting to feel like it's a catch 22. I at the point I get anxiety form smoking, I know I'll initially get it from quitting but sooner than later that should go away. As to where if I keep smoking I think the anxiety levels will just keep growing. Maybe instead of worrying about quitting tomorrow , or next week , or next month I should wait til the anxiety levels from smoking get so high it it could only get easier by quitting. I can understand how quitting could eleviate anxiety b/c you start breathing easier. I used to be VERY active too but now I feel like if I overexert myself my heart will literally go boom and I'm sure some of that fear has to do with smoking.

[LAnn]

Hi TheBlondRocker - I have really bad health anxiety and am a smoker too. Bc of the health anxiety, I recently decided to give it up(at least something good will come of it). I haven't stopped completely yet, although am down to one/day. I have to say, my anxiety got a lot better, almost the same day I decided to stop. Over time, it really has eased up. However, whenever I go 'off the wagon' and have about 3-4/day, I notice my anxiety gets bad again. Strange, I know but maybe the idea of having a goal to concentrate on, such as quitting smoking, as taken my mind off the anxiety some. Hope this helps and that you are doing well!

[TheBlondRocker]

^^^^That does help a lot thanks. I realized my major prob is I'm looking for a definite, concrete answer on what to expect anxiety wise and nobody's going to be able to tell me that b/c everyone's different. One person could have no anxiety at all, another be nearly paralyzed by it, and everything in between. I've basically dedicated the last 2 days trying to figure this out and I'm simply not going to get the concrete answer I'm looking for. One thing I have figured out is that if I can get thru the withdraw my anxiety will go down in general afterwards. My concern is getting thru that first 3-7 days.


However, whenever I go 'off the wagon' and have about 3-4/day, I notice my anxiety gets bad again. Strange, I know but maybe the idea of having a goal to concentrate on, such as quitting smoking, as taken my mind off the anxiety some. Hope this helps and that you are doing well!

I don't think that's strange at all. In fact I think that makes a lot of sense.....especially if you have anxiety over health.

[LAnn]

With anxiety, there really are no concrete answer I think. Everyone is different and will experience different things, albeit similar and that is why this site helps a lot. The very idea that there are others out there that have anxiety and experience things similar to what we experience is reassuring. All I can really say is try not to expect anything and when something does occur, put it down to the idea that its anxiety and move on from there. I don't know if this is helpful and if I am explaining myself right, but do know that I understand what you mean.

As for the smoking, I am on the patch. I find the physical effects to be slim to none, I really do not crave one. However, the mental part of it all is what I seem to be having trouble with. Like the ones with coffee or after eating or while driving. I am currently cutting back coffee for now, moving around after eating, and taking a different route to work.

[TheBlondRocker]

It's very helpful. Anybody with anxiety who's quit smoking no how......gum, patch, cold turkey, whatever it's helpful b/c that means it can be done.

[strezzed]

Everyone is different and each quit is different. i just started smoking again after 7 mths quit because my doctor is confinced that my numbness is stress. Anxiety started about 5 mths after quitting for me. So I said i hate feeling numb , so I started smoking again this week. But I am really trying not to smoke as much as I did before I quit because I get coughing and etc. As for my numbness it has calmed abit. Its a win lose situation.

[mcinz]

Hi, i'm new to this forum and new to anxiety. been suffering for over a month now and gave up smoking two weeks ago today.
The reason i gave up was because of the anxiety as i thought it would increase my anxiety with it being a stimulant. So i guess you could say i was scared into giving up.
Giving up hasn't made my anxiety any worse and it's hard to say wether it's any better, except phsycologically with having the strength to quit after smoking for over 12 years. I have bad days and good days but i suppose atleast there's one good thing come out of my attacks lol.
I would say go for it, i was a 20/40 a dayer and giving up has done me no harm at all and it might well do some good in the future. :D