Aa
Smoking Cigarettes and Anxiety?
Can smoking make my anxiety worse? Like after I have a cig I feel really dizzy and lightheaded bad. I know smoking naturally causes you to feel lightheaded, but I hae been smoking for 8 yrs and never had this happen. Please let me know if anyone has had this happen. Or why?
i have stopped smoking for nearly 2mths and i feel really dizzy and my pulse is racing can anyone tell me why
These are fantastic entries. I thought I was the only one. I had my first panic attack 5 years, and finally identified it was anxiety. It would come and go, but the main trigger was smoking. I love a good cigarette, especially with a glass of wine or a cocktail. Sometimes, I am able to enjoy one, other times, it sends me into an anxious mess. My heart races, my limbs get tingly, I get dry mouth, palms get sweaty, I get lightheaded, and I can fell my blood pressure racing. Then I think I am going to have a stroke or heartattack, which only makes things worse. I have finally accepted that I do have anxiety, but truly, 90% that I experience symptoms is when I have a cigarette. But that is not to say that every time I have a cigarette this happens. I used to be a pack every 2 day smoker. In the last few years, a pack will last me 1-2 weeks. Just weird that it never affected me before, but has done so the last few years. I guess getting older has something to do with it. I just turned 39.
I started smoking when I was 13 years old. It wasn't long after that I developed GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). Unfortunately Cigarettes were what I reached for when I was anxious. Consequently the anxiety turned into panic attacks and phobias. I withdrew more and more from life.
I sat around and smoked more and more wondering what was wrong with me. I discovered at a young age that drinking was the only thing that brought me relief from my anxiety. After many years I started to hyperventilate after smoking a cigarette. Long story short I finally had to quit and discovered that the Panic Attacks stopped completely . The anxiety subsided considerably and I was able to function without smoking.
I discovered that I am naturally prone to anxiety and the last thing I need is any kind of stimulants affecting my nervous system like nicotine and all the other toxic chemicals they put in cigarettes. I also have to avoid caffeine.
I discovered that for me smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day is like drinking twenty cups of coffee a day. I'm just sorry it took me so long to put two and two together.
I sat around and smoked more and more wondering what was wrong with me. I discovered at a young age that drinking was the only thing that brought me relief from my anxiety. After many years I started to hyperventilate after smoking a cigarette. Long story short I finally had to quit and discovered that the Panic Attacks stopped completely . The anxiety subsided considerably and I was able to function without smoking.
I discovered that I am naturally prone to anxiety and the last thing I need is any kind of stimulants affecting my nervous system like nicotine and all the other toxic chemicals they put in cigarettes. I also have to avoid caffeine.
I discovered that for me smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day is like drinking twenty cups of coffee a day. I'm just sorry it took me so long to put two and two together.
This has been happening to me for about a year now. My panic attacks happen at any time, washing the dishes, showering watching tv...anytime. It is getting harder and harder to go out anywhere because I am scared it will happen in public. I have been doing a lot of research online lately because my doctor prescribed an anti depressant/anxiety medication. I don't want to take it though as I am not big on any sort of prescription drugs. Tomorrow I am going to start eliminating different things from my diet...starting with caffiene. Not a big coffee drinker but it's a start.
The past week I have felt weak light headed jittery my palms get clamy tightness in my chest head aches I start trembling like I feel like I'm bout to die can anybody tell me if this is anxiety and I can constantly feel my heart beat I have 3 kids at home and its starting to interfere with my day to day life nothing has to happen to make me nervous or anything it's jus there all the time I feel like I'm goin crazy and I can't enjoy spending time with my kids because of it plz help
Hi Leah, If you want to change your life then please go to you tube and search ( I love panic attacks ).. The person is called geert verschaeve please watch the videos.
I promise if you follow what he says you will feel so much better.
Kind Regards
I promise if you follow what he says you will feel so much better.
Kind Regards
I had anxiety really bad in my second pregnancy and it was not a good feeling @ all i thought i was going to loose my damn mind i didnt know wwhat was going on with me until i was diagnos i was in and out of the emergency that"s how bad it was i went through depression after my first pregnancy dats another worser feeling.Last year i started smoking no not my first smoking cigaretts but when i did started bck cause i was so stressed months later after i started feeling bad and i stopped for a lil bit then i started bck smoking and now im feeling bad once again so yea it"s time for me to quick cause it"s not worth it....SMOKING AND ANXIETY Don"t Mix
It is fairly possible, if we consider that anxiety tends to be more of an underlining perspective or outlook as it were, onto the things that you do, such things as area's and people you surround yourself by. A panic attack is triggered by by constant sub-conscious focus on the negative area's.
Since there is alot of negative thoughts and views surrounding smoking every time you smoke you are allowing those negative triggering actions. Which will cause a negative outcome. Negative outcome's trigger negative thoughts but Anxiety is having the negative thought before the negative outcome itself. Thus we call it fear. If you are a person who is prone to fear due to a largely shocking event elevating your fear levels to the point where you will receive those similar or equal levels of fear again next time a fear inducing occasion happens.
Your mind has sub-conscious focus on the past,present,future moments at all times so its your brains way of telling you not to smoke. Because its analyzed everything and realized its not a good thing, but your fear will grow the more you feel out of control. Since smoking is addictive it will drastically increase your feeling of being out of control.
Since there is alot of negative thoughts and views surrounding smoking every time you smoke you are allowing those negative triggering actions. Which will cause a negative outcome. Negative outcome's trigger negative thoughts but Anxiety is having the negative thought before the negative outcome itself. Thus we call it fear. If you are a person who is prone to fear due to a largely shocking event elevating your fear levels to the point where you will receive those similar or equal levels of fear again next time a fear inducing occasion happens.
Your mind has sub-conscious focus on the past,present,future moments at all times so its your brains way of telling you not to smoke. Because its analyzed everything and realized its not a good thing, but your fear will grow the more you feel out of control. Since smoking is addictive it will drastically increase your feeling of being out of control.
It is fairly possible, if we consider that anxiety tends to be more of an underlining perspective or outlook as it were, onto the things that you do, such things as area's and people you surround yourself by. A panic attack is triggered by by constant sub-conscious focus on the negative area's.
Since there is alot of negative thoughts and views surrounding smoking every time you smoke you are allowing those negative triggering actions. Which will cause a negative outcome. Negative outcome's trigger negative thoughts but Anxiety is having the negative thought before the negative outcome itself. Thus we call it fear. If you are a person who is prone to fear due to a largely shocking event elevating your fear levels to the point where you will receive those similar or equal levels of fear again next time a fear inducing occasion happens.
Your mind has sub-conscious focus on the past,present,future moments at all times so its your brains way of telling you not to smoke. Because its analyzed everything and realized its not a good thing, but your fear will grow the more you feel out of control. Since smoking is addictive it will drastically increase your feeling of being out of control.
Since there is alot of negative thoughts and views surrounding smoking every time you smoke you are allowing those negative triggering actions. Which will cause a negative outcome. Negative outcome's trigger negative thoughts but Anxiety is having the negative thought before the negative outcome itself. Thus we call it fear. If you are a person who is prone to fear due to a largely shocking event elevating your fear levels to the point where you will receive those similar or equal levels of fear again next time a fear inducing occasion happens.
Your mind has sub-conscious focus on the past,present,future moments at all times so its your brains way of telling you not to smoke. Because its analyzed everything and realized its not a good thing, but your fear will grow the more you feel out of control. Since smoking is addictive it will drastically increase your feeling of being out of control.
I am the same way with my partner, I just try to go and do things with him to overcome my anxiety. Sometimes Im okay, but other times I have an attack. You just have to try to go places and tell yourself your okay and work through it, thats what I do. Hope this helps your not alone in this.
Hi I saw your message and wanted to write to you I also suffer with anxiety and panic and I was wondering if i could ask you a couple of questions. With anxiety do you find it hard to go to partys, down down with friends, or just doing things in general because with me I have a partner who wants me to do things with him like go out, meet his family and go on holiday but i feel really anxious just talking about it i would appreciate it if you could maybe help me out in some way maybe you know something that will help if you want to get intouch my e-mail address is ***@**** thanks
I too suffer from anxiety/panic disorder. My disorders started after I gave birth to my first son. I was 16 when I got pregnant & 16 when I gave birth. My first attack was extremely terrifying & it felt as if I was having a heart attack & I was going to just faint & never wake up ): . After a year of dealing with my panic attcks & anxiety I have learned to deal with them & just sit them out.. I also realize that when I do smoke a cigarett I feel very light- headed, dizzy, & very faint. When I did lower the amount of my cigarette intake a day I did feel better & I noticed I had alot more energy. I can relate to many of you. Smoking isn't always a nerve-calmer, it can make you very jittery & cause you to worry. I feel so much better when I quit. You should do the same.
I stopped drinking caffiene & smoking b/c it makes my anxiety symptoms worse. I'm feeling much better after 7 months.....but i'm not dare to have any coffee or cig. Even a soda can cause shortness of breath. My doctor said when you have anxiety your body does not like any "stimulants".
I suffer from anxiety/ panic attacks, and my doctor said that smoking and caffiene can cause anxiety to come on. she told me to stop both, i cut out the caffiene but can't seem to stop smoking, I can't smoke during an attack but after it passes it seems to calm, though it does speed up ur heart rate. Its just one of those things that doesn't seem to make sence. I always tell my self that i'm gonig to stop smoking during an attack but always seem to light up after to calm my nerves.
I suffer from anxiety/ panic attacks, and my doctor said that smoking and caffiene can cause anxiety to come on. she told me to stop both, i cut out the caffiene but can't seem to stop smoking, I can't smoke during an attack but after it passes it seems to calm, though it does speed up ur heart rate. Its just one of those things that doesn't seem to make sence. I always tell my self that i'm gonig to stop smoking during an attack but always seem to light up after to calm my nerves.
Smoking calmed me down for a while after I smoked, but it also sped up my heart rate unitll one day I had a panic attack after smoking. I had a cig, then went to physical therapy and worked out. Dumb move, I know, but it was only my second or third smoke of the day. My heart rate continued to increase with the excercise until it reached approx. 120 and then I paniced. My body changed over the years. I used to smoke 1.5 packs of Camel non filters a day - that was 30 years ago. Now I've finally quit, and it was the panic attack that enabled me to do so. After that I lost my desire and even my cravings for a smoke! Granted, I was down to 2 - 4 a day, but I was smoking everyday and I would get serious nicotine withdrawal cravings if I didnt smoke for even 1 day. Unitl January when I stopped. Of course your body reacts differently over time and if will affect you more and more over the years. Good luck. Please do yourself a favor and try to stop by whatever means works for you.
yes smoking tends to make my anxiety worse, but i feel like i have to smoke to calm me down...doesnt make much sence huh!!
1 Comments
That is because you are looking at short term affect and long term affect. Your brain is very much happy to see the nicotine and that is a sense calms you down. But, it is very short lived with the fist few puffs. The long term affects, over time, it increases your chance of having panic attacks, higher stress levels and higher anxiety, not too mention depression.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
