Help for Stress Smokers

Stress, everyone has it in some form. Threatening deadlines, strained family relationships, and for some medical professionals and public servants life and death situations, can make any ex-smoker want to take up the habit again.

Knowing what to do when stress strikes is the first step in completely kicking the habit for those who smoke to relieve stress. While this may not be as important for social smokers or medicinal smokers, it still is a pivotal step in the quitting process. First you need to recognize your stress cue. Pay attention to physical signals, such as the tightening of your neck muscles or rapid breathing, as well as emotional signals, something as simple as an overwhelming feeling.

Once you recognize stress, decide how you are going to deal with the stress. If you cannot remove yourself from the situation, you’ll need to find a coping mechanism. This is where some quitters use snacks to get through the craving wave, but a better choice might be a quick walk. The exercise releases endorphins that may help your body better deal with stress.

Next consider how you can reduce and prevent stress. Take a hard look at your schedule and see what things you can cut. Give yourself extra time to get to work, that way you can relax for a few minutes and organize your day. You also might want to keep a stash of items you commonly use in your car so you’ll never be out. You might include your gym shoes in this stash so you can take that walk after your lunch break.