Smoking and anxiety

[Ambition]

Do smokers who suffer anxiety and GAD suffer more anxiety with the withdrawal effects when they quit smoking?

I can't understand that people say smoking calms their nerves and anxiety especially if they've had a shock when Nicotine is a stimulant and should provoke anxiety like caffeine does.

[gypsylee]

Do smokers who suffer anxiety and GAD suffer more anxiety with the withdrawal effects when they quit smoking?

I can't understand that people say smoking calms their nerves and anxiety especially if they've had a shock when Nicotine is a stimulant and should provoke anxiety like caffeine does.

Yeah it's a bit more complex than that :) smoking is an addictive behaviour, so there are major psychological effects as well as physical. Alcohol is the same - it's a depressant but depressed people frequently drink alcohol. I've managed to deal with the alcohol (to a degree) but still have a serious cigarette addiction.

When you quit smoking the physical withdrawal only lasts a couple of days but the psychological can last a lifetime. If there was only the physical effects to worry about quitting smoking would be a piece of cake.

Cheers,
Gypsy x

[Dahila]

I think my anxiety went down a bit when I quit smoking.. yeah it had.
^^^ is right :)

[Whir35]

I heard that smoking actually releases adrenalin which is obviously not a good thing for people who have anxiety disorders and although you may get some anxiety from quitting in the short term, in the long term your overall anxiety should reduce. I think they did a study of this and smokers who quit after 12 months showed a 9% reduction in their anxiety rating. Smoking doesn't relax people, that is just an illusion. Smoking causes tension (nicotine withdrawal) and then when the smoker has a cigarette they relieve that withdrawal and mistake that relief of the withdrawal for relaxation when really all they are doing is taking themselves back from an agitated state of withdrawal to a normal state, the state of the non smoker.

Banging your head against a brick wall so you can enjoy the pleasure when you stop is not relaxation.

[Dahila]

How did they came with the number of 9% ? How the heck they come with numbers in this situation. I think it is not study but speculations.
Btw Whir you right about nicotine withdrawal, I had been there being a chain smoker for 30 years or more.

[Whir35]

How did they came with the number of 9% ? How the heck they come with numbers in this situation. I think it is not study but speculations.
Btw Whir you right about nicotine withdrawal, I had been there being a chain smoker for 30 years or more.

Here is the article in case its of any interest to anyone. It said 9 points actually, not 9% oops. It gives a lot of details about how they carried out the tests as well. You have to put the www on the front as I don't have enough points to post links.

.nhs.uk/news/2013/01January/Pages/Quitting-smoking-reduces-anxiety-levels.aspx

[Dahila]

Whir I kind of using internet over 12 years now, Thank you anyway. I do not know how i had seen 9% sorry :) I though smoke relax me too. All smokers are trying to justify the smoking. Not many realize they are slaves to ciggies.
I had read the article, thank you again:)

[lilyjane90]

Do smokers who suffer anxiety and GAD suffer more anxiety with the withdrawal effects when they quit smoking?

I can't understand that people say smoking calms their nerves and anxiety especially if they've had a shock when Nicotine is a stimulant and should provoke anxiety like caffeine does.

When I used to smoke, smoking was a good excuse to leave a room, restaurant or anything like that- so it helped my anxiety because I always had a good excuse to get out of a situation. When I quit, this was the only thing I found difficult to adjust to, not having the excuse! Smoking actually was probably worse for my anxiety, as I really appreciate being able to take deep breaths now I don't smoke!

[gypsylee]

When I used to smoke, smoking was a good excuse to leave a room, restaurant or anything like that- so it helped my anxiety because I always had a good excuse to get out of a situation. When I quit, this was the only thing I found difficult to adjust to, not having the excuse! Smoking actually was probably worse for my anxiety, as I really appreciate being able to take deep breaths now I don't smoke!

I was in a doctor's waiting room the other day - it was pretty packed and there was an extremely annoying girl with an equally annoying mother making a lot of noise. The doctor was late so I went out for a smoke and thought thank god I have an excuse to get out of there lol. Of course, you don't need to smoke to go outside, but yeah sometimes it comes in handy ;)