| You cannot give up smoking unless you reduce your | | | | heart rate to slow, muscles to relax, and the wrinkles in |
| stress level first. Here is why: | | | | the forehead to disappear. |
| Smokers have found a way to reduce the feeling of | | | | The stress/smoking combination can easily become a |
| stress that they experience on a daily basis and that | | | | vicious cycle. Thus, anyone who wants to successfully |
| way is through the calming effects of nicotine. If you | | | | quit smoking must learn how to reduce their stress |
| smoke, lighting up is a natural first response to any | | | | levels. If one's job causes them stress, quitting and |
| stressor that you encounter throughout the day. The | | | | becoming unemployed may not be a wise alternative. |
| effects of nicotine are not psychological, they are | | | | Eliminating stress altogether is just not realistic. Still, if |
| physical. Therefore, no matter how often you are told | | | | smokers take steps to manage and deal with |
| that quitting is simply mind over matter, unless you | | | | unavoidable stressors that they encounter throughout |
| make lifestyle changes to reduce the stressors that | | | | the day, they will have fewer reasons to light a |
| give you the urge to light up, the likelihood that your | | | | cigarette. |
| efforts to stop smoking will be successful are slim. | | | | A good stress management counselor or a stress |
| Stress causes negative physical reactions in the body. | | | | reduction program can help smokers deal with both |
| Thus, a drug such as nicotine that counteracts those | | | | internal and external stressors that may prompt them |
| reactions can become highly addictive. When faced | | | | to smoke. Uncovering and dealing with deep |
| with stressors, people often experience tightening of | | | | stress-related issues may be difficult at first, however, |
| the muscles, a speeding heart rate, increased blood | | | | if you want to eliminate your nicotine dependency, it will |
| pressure, headache, and other adverse reactions. | | | | go a long way toward helping you live a cigarette-free |
| Conversely, when people smoke a cigarette, the | | | | life. |
| nicotine depresses the nervous system. It causes the | | | | |