Smoking & Depression: Dealing With Depression Related To Quitting Smoking

A recently published study shows that people who are regular smokers are prone to developing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, and others. Nicotine present in tobacco is known to be a highly addictive substance and people who quit smoking after consuming it for years often struggle with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Common symptoms related to nicotine withdrawal may include intense cravings, irritability, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, frustration, anger, restlessness, depression, and more. A common complaint of early cessation is depression.

In this blog, we will take a deep look at the connection between smoking and depression and how to deal with depression related to quitting smoking. So, let’s get started!

Smoking and Depression: What’s the Connection?

Research shows that regular smoking increases the levels of nicotine in the brain making it a regular habit. And suddenly, when a regular smoker quits smoking, it can result in depression. The depression caused by nicotine withdrawal can be temporary only when you know how to deal with it accurately.

According to psychologists, it is quite common to feel depressed or sad right after quitting smoking for a few days or weeks. If the symptoms are mild, they can usually resolve on their own. However, severe symptoms of depression related to quitting smoking may last longer even for a month, and might require the intervention of a trained and experienced mental health professional.

Additionally, people with a history or presence of mental health issues are more prone to developing severe depression after quitting smoking. Many studies show a large number of people struggling with the symptoms of major depressive disorder after quitting smoking.

Common triggers of depression after quitting smoking can be: Emotional triggers: It’s common to feel lonely, frustrated, anxious, or sad after quitting smoking which can lead to depression. Social triggers: Being present around people who regularly consume tobacco can make you feel more depressed. Activity triggers: Smoking a cigarette right before starting the day or while driving the car can trigger depressive symptoms

Common symptoms of depression related to quitting smoking can be:

• Anxiety
• Appetite changes
• Lack of concentration
• Intense irritability
• Fatigue
• Sadness
• Loss of interest
• Lack of motivation
• Insomnia

How to Deal with Depression after Quitting Smoking?

Below listed are some effective strategies to deal with depression after quitting smoking:

1. Seek support of your loved ones:

A day or two before quitting smoking, discuss the plan with your loved ones or family members. By communicating your feelings or seeking support during the worst days of quitting smoking, you’ll be able to self-motivate yourself and combat depressive episodes effectively.

2. Learn about your feelings:

One of the best ways to deal with depression after quitting smoking is to learn about your feelings. Tracking down your symptoms and recognizing your needs of the hour will be able to take you to the recovery phase of depression.

3. Understand your trigger points:

Try to avoid social, emotional, or activity triggers by understanding more about your triggers. Herein, you can keep your mind distracted to avoid triggers.

4. Keep your body and mind moving:

Depressive symptoms make you feel more tired or fatigued. In order to challenge your depression, keep moving your mind and body, try different physical activities, or indulge in self-care to feel better, refreshed, and happy.

5. Practice deep relaxation exercises:

Intense cravings leading to depressive episodes can be really negative for your overall well-being. Therefore, practice deep relaxation exercises along with mindfulness to seek motivation and challenge negative thoughts.

6. Try journaling:

Journaling your thoughts, feelings, or emotions regularly can be a great escape from mild depressive symptoms, therefore, keep writing down your thoughts and engage with your thoughts regularly.

7. Connect with a mental health professional:

In cases of severe depressive episodes or symptoms, connect with a certified and experienced mental health professional to seek the right diagnosis and treatment. Seeking the right diagnosis ensures better and improved interventions therefore, always connect with a certified mental health professional. To connect with certified mental health professionals through online platforms, click below:

I hope this blog helps you understand how to deal with depression after quitting smoking. Comment down and share your queries through the same or you can also write to us at Calm Sage. For more such content, connect with us through all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading!