How to Deal With Anxiety After Quitting Smoking

Anxiety from quitting smoking comes from a mixture of nicotine withdrawal and ending a once-normal part of your routine. According to the National Cancer Institute, recent studies show that most people who quit smoking experience increased anxiety the week after quitting, starting the first day and getting worse, until its peak at two weeks. However, if you can get through the first month, the anxiety--for the most part--will disappear. Quitting smoking is one of the hardest tasks to accomplish, but knowing how to handle the anxiety baggage will help make quitting easier.

Instructions

Instructions

• 1

  Quit smoking and replace it with something else. Part of what makes quitting extremely difficult is the habitual and routine nature of it. Suck on a sugar-free lollipop or eat a piece of fruit when you have the urge to smoke. It's up to you, but you need to replace your smoking time with something else that's healthy.

• 2

  Walk or jog. Exercise will help ease the anxiety. Smoking is an act that harms your body, but your brain will take quitting better if you replace it with something that is beneficial to your overall health.

• 3

  Take a hot bath. Former smokers are often tempted to smoke in fast-paced, high-stress environments. Taking a long bath will slow you down, center your thoughts and keep your mind focused on the goal of quitting while taking your mind off the need to smoke.

• 4

  Practice yoga and meditation. Reflect on yourself as a healthy, capable and smoke-free individual, bringing your body and mind together as one. Yoga classes are easy to find, or if you prefer to be alone, videos and training CDs are available. The same is available for meditation classes and practices.

• 5

  Be aware of your anxiety. According to Fitnesstipsforlife.com, the symptoms of withdrawal can amplify anxiety and depression from other parts of life. Smoking is often used as a coping mechanism for problems, but it's important to be aware that much of your depression after quitting smoking can be attributed to your body's lack of nicotine. Stay strong and power through.