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Smoking to Relieve Tension or Improve Mood

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Smoking to Relieve Tension or Improve Mood

Overview

Smoking is not a long-term solution for dealing with stress, tension, or depression. The relief you get from smoking comes from the act of taking time out to smoke and from the actions of nicotine in your brain. If you return to the stressful situation after you finish smoking, it doesn't take long before the tension comes back. And then you need another cigarette.

  • Ask yourself questions about why you smoke.

    Ask yourself these questions to see whether you smoke to relieve stress, tension, and irritability or to improve your mood:

    • Does smoking a cigarette automatically come to mind when you are frustrated, angry, or sad?
    • Does smoking a cigarette calm you when you are upset?
    • Do you smoke more cigarettes when you're under stress?
    • If you tried to quit smoking in the past, did you miss smoking cigarettes the most during times of stress?

Credits

Current as of: August 2, 2022

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Michael F. Bierer MD - Internal Medicine, Addiction Medicine

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Healthwise is a URAC accredited health web site content provider. Privacy Policy. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more, visit Healthwise.org

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