Stress & Smoking

Smokers often report that cigarettes help relieve feelings of stress. However, the stress levels of adult smokers are slightly higher than those of nonsmokers, adolescent smokers report increasing levels of stress as they develop regular patterns of smoking, and smoking cessation leads to reduced stress. Far from acting as an aid for mood control, nicotine dependency seems to exacerbate stress.

This is confirmed in the daily mood patterns described by smokers, with normal moods during smoking and worsening moods between cigarettes. Thus, the apparent relaxant effect of smoking only reflects the reversal of the tension and irritability that develop during nicotine depletion. Dependent smokers need nicotine to remain feeling normal. The message that tobacco use does not alleviate stress but actually increases it needs to be far more widely known. It could help those adult smokers who wish to quit and might prevent some schoolchildren from starting.

5 tips to stop smoking

1. Set yourself up psychologically. Think about quitting, and talk to others about it. Find out how other ex-smokers did it. When you get the urge to light up, resist for a minute and experience the feeling. Think of at least three other ways to respond. Smoke a cigarette in front of a mirror, observe all of the negative aspects of smoking. Make up your mind to quit.

2. Set a date ... then follow through. Schedule activities for your first day as a non-smoker, and complete the first 24 hours. Then set your sights on your second 24 hours. Throw out all of your ashtrays. When you have completed your first week, you deserve a reward. Notice how much better food tastes.

3. Use a quitting aid if you wish. There are several generally accepted methods, including:

Hypnosis - has been documented to increase motivation, particularly in the initial stages of stopping smoking. Effectiveness is usually short - term.

Nicotine Gum- while it must be prescribed by a physician, nicotine gum (polacrilex) is the only form of nicotine replacement approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It delivers nicotine without the damaging smoke, allowing the quitter to abandon the habits associated with smoking while delaying the fight against nicotine addiction. Success, as with all treatments, depends on proper use and willpower.

3. Monitoring Reduction- there are commercially marketed methods for monitoring your reduction of smoking, including a small hand-held computer called 'LifeSign' that was developed with funding from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The computer paces the smoker through a personalized 'withdrawal schedule' that is geared to his or her smoking patterns.

Support Groups- A group stop-smoking program can be the difference between success and failure for the smoker who has tried to quit by himself, and feels he or she needs more support. These groups are offered through employers, private agencies and hospitals, including Houston Northwest Medical Center.

4 . Modify your lifestyle. This means gradually incorporating these habits into your life: Exercise- Moderate exercise can prevent weight gain, reduce stress, and provide the same psychoactive rewards that nicotine once did; namely, mental sharpening, greater ability to relax, and an increased sense of control.
Stress Reduction- Many smokers light up to provide a small 'vacation' from stress, and successful quitters find other ways to alleviate stress. This may be as simple as allowing yourself five minutes of 'quiet time,' or learning simple biofeedback techniques.

Healthy Diet- Always a good idea... the American Cancer Society claims that eating fruit may somewhat reduce the high risk of lung cancer incurred by cigarette smoking. The vitamins A and V, and fiber, are important anti-cancer nutrients. These are plentiful in vegetables, fruits and grains, which - incidentally - are a significant part of a low fat diet. A low fat diet can help the quitting smoker avoid gaining those extra pounds associated with substitution of snacking for smoking.

5. Avoid smoking 'triggers'-identify the circumstances under which you light up, and avoid these situations. They commonly include social get-togethers, periods of depression, boredom, personal conflicts, meeting a deadline, drinking, or lighting up after a meal. the dangers associated with tobacco use have long been recognized. As early as the year 1604, James I of England said, '(smoking is) a custom loathsome too the eye, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, and in the black stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomless.'

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