Odd question but thankyou

[Mrfitz]

Gday not sure if riite group to post this on but...

So im tryin to quit my smoking but i think its hard for me as i get full on anxiety attacks just going out into the public and tryin to go places eg coffee food etc on my own and my smoking seems to be like a step back from reality for me n help calm me . Like how some people need music up so loud or have few drinks ya no . If i feel down ill get a coffee n go cruising havin fair few ciggs . Wondering if anyone has same sorta issue or advise

[geoff]

hi Mrfitz, glad to welcome you to the site.

My Mum used to always say as soon she has a drink of any kind, she has to have a smoke otherwise she was missing something in her life, this was back in the late 60's and 70's.

She had to have an operation and when she was lying in a hospital bed decided to light up a cigarette, that's when her 2 packs a day stopped, she said it was the worst thing she had done, it tasted horrible and was suddenly cured.

One thing you need to do is to try and get your anxiety under control, I know it's easier said than done but help can make you do this.

Sit down with an empty cup or an empty glass and pretend to have a drink, once you are comfortable then put some water in it and do it when you have company.

You can't progress until you are happy to pick up this cup/glass with water in it, then a bit of coffee, not the full cup, just a mouthful is added.

This is a way to help you with your anxiety. Geoff.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Mrfitz,

Good on you for trying to quit smoking. I think success is largely in the the effort itself so well done on trying.

I must admit that I’m a non-smoker so I’m probably not the ideal person to reply but I thought that I would give it a go anyway. I hear what you’re saying about how you use smoking to cope and to try to stay calm.

My equivalent would be alcohol and I don’t mind some loud music when I’m out either. I use alcohol for a similar reason to your cigarettes, it’s basically to cope.

Sorry if I’m not being very helpful...I wonder if calling the smoking quitline for advice and tips might be a good option (if you haven’t already called them).

I hope we hear from you again.

Well wishes and kind thoughts,

Pepper

[White_Rose]

Hello Mrfitz

Welcome to Beyond Blue.

Habits of any kind are difficult to change and become default options when we are anxious in any way. There is lots of help available, including the smoking quitline, but I think you are looking for something more than how to quit. Becoming anxious can be overwhelming and any action we can take that reduces this anxiety seems good.

You feel some panic in public places and feel like avoiding going out. At the same time you want to be with others so have a few cigarettes to help you relax. Then it becomes so necessary that it's hard to out without smoking.

I wonder if the smoking makes you breathe more deeply and it is this additional oxygen that calms you. I realise that you are inhaling more smoke at the same time but overall you are breathing more deeply. It's relatively easy to test this. Try taking a deep breath and holding it for a count of five, then slowly release the breath. Try this a couple of times and notice how you feel afterwards.

Does it help you to slow a little? Try this before going out and see how well you manage. There is more to stopping smoking and reducing panic attacks. This is a first aid process and helps you manage in the immediate moment.

I suggest you visit your GP about stopping smoking. They are good at these things. One suggestion is to put the cost of a packet of cigarettes in a box every time you have stopped yourself smoking the equivalent number of cigarettes. I think you will be surprised at how much you are spending. However, this may not be a sufficient deterrent for you. Horses for courses.

I believe your GP will ask about your reasons for smoking and help you to manage these reasons.

Other people find it helpful to post here. Please post as often as you wish.

Mary