Anxiety of Smoking – Kicking the habit of smoking is not an easy task. Often, those who try faced with episodes of anxiety. How to control it? This time we share some strategies. Cigarette smoking is known to be harmful to health; it represents the leading preventable cause of illness and death in western countries. However, calming the cravings to smoke is not easy for most smokers, as it requires motivation, dedication, and tolerance.
A large number of tobacco users believe that they will never be able to quit smoking. They tend to say that they do not have enough will power or comment that they have tried several times but have failed. How to deal with this situation? The truth of all is that there are several strategies to quit this habit before it compromises health. Also, there is never a wrong time to take the initiative. To help you in this process, here are some tips that allow you to reduce anxiety about smoking. Take note!
Table of Contents
1. Avoid Contact with People Who Smoke
One of the first steps in calming your cravings to smoke is to avoid exposure to environments where there are more smokers. Just watching other people smoke may be enough to make you want to. Therefore, if you are planning to give up tobacco, it is best to avoid it as much as you can.
In this regard, you can talk to your friends to tell them that you are trying to quit smoking. This prevents them from smoking in your presence. Also, if possible, you can spend more time with those who do not have this habit. Without a doubt, they will become a support to maintain your decision.
2. When it Triggers You to Smoke, Change Your Thoughts
Do not let yourself overcome by your negative thoughts, recognize that it is the addiction that is trying to convince you, and remember that your will is healthier than a cigarette. These moments are usually annoying and intense, but the urge to smoke doesn’t last forever; instead, they soon disappear.
According to the Guide to Quit Smoking, it is worth taking a deep breath and thinking about this:
What will happen if I don’t smoke right now? I’m not going to die, and nothing terrible is going to happen to me. This desire is uncomfortable, but it will diminish.
3. Avoid the Drinks with which You Usually Accompany Tobacco
The consumption of cigarettes usually accompanied by coffee and alcoholic beverages. In this way, the brain establishes an association between both products. Therefore, in the presence of one, the desire to consume the other arises. Instead, drink lots of water or natural juices.
4. When you Feel Anxious about Smoking, Try to Distract Yourself
People tend to smoke because they feel bored or depressed. In these cases, the ideal is to find exciting and fun things to do, such as going to the movies, dancing, walking, going shopping, etc. In general, any pleasant activity can help ease the craving for smoking. Therefore, it is also an excellent time to practice a hobby or hobbies that forgotten. This will not only help you relax, but it will also provide satisfaction.
5. Develop an Activity to Deal with Difficult Situations
Another context that tends to promote the desire to smoke is stressful or distressing moments. In such circumstances, people light a cigarette to calm these feelings. However, after a few minutes, the effect turns out to be the opposite.
In this sense, you should bear in mind that there are many ways to improve your mood. Thus, to calm the anxiety of smoking under challenging situations, the ideal thing is to practice some simple relaxation techniques. Some examples are the following:
- Breathing exercises.
- Stretching.
- Go for a walk.
- Listen to music.
- Read a book.
6. Start the Day with Relaxing Activities
How about starting the day by exercising your lungs? To do this, spend a few minutes practicing physical activity or deep breathing. If possible, choose a place outside where you can breathe fresh air. When you are doing the exercise, try to be aware of how the air enters the lungs.
Then, in the end, take a relaxing bath and try to take advantage of the moment to meditate or reflect. Your goal will be to beat those thoughts that you can’t quit. Change your mindset early and try to stay focused throughout the day.
7. Change Your Routine
Replace activities that induce you to smoke with others that you have not done. For example, after eating, instead of sitting down to watch TV, do something else. It can be going for a walk, going up to the roof, sharing with the children, and so on. The important thing is to switch activities to keep yourself busy and distracted.
8. Eat Healthy Foods
Another method to calm the anxiety of smoking is consuming other products that replace it. Of course, the ideal is that they are healthy because it is useless to replace one harmful habit with another. In these cases, drink a glass of water or natural fruit juice. They are putting something in your mouth to chew also works, such as sugar-free gum, mints, apple pieces, strawberries, orange wedges, among others.
9. Make a List of Reasons Not to Smoke
Make a list of the reasons that drive you to quit smoking. Review it from time to time, especially in times of anxiety. If you have not used cigarettes for days, you can add new reasons, such as the effort it has taken you to get there or the health improvements you have experienced.
Quitting Anxiety of Smoking is Possible: Don’t Give Up!
These tips will help you ease your cravings for smoking. We know that it is not an easy task, but it is not impossible either. Many people go back to using tobacco after days or months without doing so. If this has happened to you, keep in mind why you started smoking again, don’t think you failed, and try new techniques that will help you quit. There are several programs focused on helping smokers to stop.
