Stopping smoking while suffering from anxiety...:-(

[kazzadaz]

Hi! I'm 56 years old. I've smoked, on and off, since about 19. Gave up completely when pregnant and nursing, and smoked very little when the kids were small. Then my nervous breakdown hit, and the daily couple of cigarettes turned into twenty a day, because of my anxiety. Help!! Now I've really got something to be anxious about: the damage I'm doing to my health. Am now using e cigarettes to try to kick the habit, even though I'm not 100% recovered and my nerves are in tatters. Any advice gratefully received!

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky]

Hiya kazz and a big warm welcome to quit support😊

You've come to the best place to help you as we're all very friendly here, so nothing to worry about😉

The good thing about the ecig is it will help you with the cravings👍🏼

My advice is just take one day at a time and use your ecig when you need it and if you have any problems or just feel like a chat, there's always someone around to help 😊

We have some very good breathing techniques on the right to help you. Lots of sips of water will help flush out the toxins and if you can get a little excercise as well, maybe a walk will help relax you. You can do this and we're here to help, so here's to a healthier future. Good luck with your quit😊x

[Hidden]

I am too suffering from anxiety. I believe i got this while i was smoking.Sometimes i got panic attacks too.They are worst form of anxiety. I accepted the fact that its mind overreacting to something which is really harmless, just like our immune system does in case of allergy.

I was never able to understand what it was. But after taking deep breaths for 5-6 minutes and accepting the fact that its nothing but mind's overreaction, It always went away.

After quitting it gets worse because of quitting effects.(chest discomfort,breathing difficulties and many more withdrawal symptoms)

It gets better as withdrawal symptoms go away.And once its totally out there is nothing to be anxious about. So no anxiety.

And don't google anything. Google will make it worse.You write your symptoms and this search engine will give you worse possibilities and make your anxiety worse. Better consult doctors if you feel something really wrong.

And this is my experience and may not happen with you.

Deep breathing exercise will help in this transition as mentioned by Briarwood.

[Jojo2015 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Hidden]

Hi

Hope your ok, I suffer with anxiety too, I quit 5 days ago and the anxiety has got worse. BUT no where near as bad as worrying about smoking. Every day it's getting better. As previous people have said breathing exercises work. You just need to chill for a few mins and put things back into perspective, that's what I've found works for me.

Chat go everyone on here they are great.

[Hidden in reply to Jojo2015]

Hey jojo,

I hope you overcome your anxiety. Its treatable with will power and counselling.

My anxiety was totally related to health and smoking i guess because i dont get worried about anything else.

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer]

Aup Kazzadaz, its lovely to meet you and a big warm welcome to our lovely quit support community

Now then gal, just slow down a bit eh for one thing, cigs dont help you with anxiety they fool your brain into thinking they do they just make it worse, so you have MORE cigs I see you've had some great advice from some of our lovely members

Kazz, quite a few of our members suffer from anxiety, especially after they have quit soo, your not alone gal Kazz, its your mind that makes you anxious, nothing else, you are worrying too much you can worry today, you can worry next week, but will it change anything on saying that, I think we all worry about our health at some point Soooo, what do we do we try to do the best thing for our bodies which one of the main factors is to quit flippin smoking

You have an e-cig, same as me, cos they do help a lot try to make it your new friend instead of mr nic get used to it, make it your comfort zone cos although you will be taking in nicotine, you will NOT be taking in any of those other 4000 toxins in a cig Sooo, this has got to be beneficial to you hasnt it

Kazz, I would strongly recommend you to make a quit plan, so that your ready for any changes in your life while you are on your quit journey If you have a look to your right, you will see TOPICS, go down to '' Quit smoking plan '' and have a look through their cos it just may help you when you need it

You take care now Kazz and hope to speak soon

Pete

[Rosslyn20 9 MONTH WINNER]

Am 52 and like yourself suffer anxiety I've not had a breakdown like yourself but hve got a good friend who did and she gave up years ago am using an e cig n a patch but I also listen to mindfullness app which helps maybe if you try that it will help yr anxiety which in turn will mke it bit easier to handle not smoking good luck x

[droopyJ]

Oh Kaz you've had a rotten time of it...... giving up smoking, no matter how you do it, will always be the best thing you can do for your health 😊

You've taken that very brave step to quit, smoking will not help your anxiety but it could make it worse.....some of us give up then have a bad day, or something goes wrong in our lives and we think (wrongly) that a cig will help, so we have a crafty puff and the next thing we are back smoking 20 a day... the issues are still there, it doesn't solve any problems it just makes us smell and skint... please keep at it hun, we are here for you, stay strong and keep focused 😊😊