Stress and anxiety can trigger vape cravings, and make it harder for you to quit for good. You may be tempted to reach for your vape when you have these feelings, but vaping is not an effective way to cope. There are healthy and effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
The common misconception of e-cigarettes as a stress reliever could be rooted in the cycle of nicotine withdrawal. Irritability, anxiety and depression are some of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, and using nicotine relieves these symptoms temporarily.
Most smokers say they want to stop, but some continue because smoking seems to relieve stress and anxiety. It's a common belief that smoking helps you relax. But smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Smokers are also more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time.
A calm vape with CBD can help reduce anxiety and stress by interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system. CBD helps to regulate the body's stress response, reducing levels of cortisol and other stress hormones. CBD also helps to calm the mind, allowing one to relax and think more clearly.
Benefits of vaping
Vaping can help some people quit smoking. Vaping is usually cheaper than smoking. Vaping is not harmless, but it is much less harmful than smoking. Vaping is less harmful to those around you than smoking, as there's no current evidence that second-hand vapour is dangerous to others.
Those who switch to vaping very quickly see great health benefits, including lower blood pressure, easier breathing, improved immune function, improved sense of taste and smell and improved lung function, all within the space of around a month!
Studies on nicotine and anxiety show that any relief provided by vaping is temporary. And vaping can make anxiety worse. Nicotine negatively affects mood and brain function. While marijuana in low doses has been shown to decrease anxiety, high doses can cause anxiety and paranoia.
Nicotine's stimulating effects may help improve attention and concentration in people with ADHD. This theory is called the self-medication theory, according to 2015 research . However, a 2017 review indicates that receiving early treatment with prescribed ADHD medication does not prevent nicotine use.
Though nicotine has not been found to directly cause mental health conditions, peer-reviewed studies reveal troubling links between vaping, nicotine, and worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as higher odds of having a depression diagnosis.
How does it make you feel? When you vape, the nicotine in the vape is what gives you the buzz. This feeling comes from a release of adrenaline which stimulates the body and causes your blood pressure and heart rate to increase, making you breathe faster.
Approximately 70% of the THC-only vapers and 60% of the nicotine-only vapers and dual vapers reported experiencing anxiety symptoms — such as worries, flashbacks, panic attacks and situational anxieties— within the past week, compared to about 40% of participants who had never vaped.
You may be tempted to reach for your vape when you are feeling down, but vaping is not an effective way to cope with sadness or depression. Sadness is a common emotion that can be triggered by ordinary life circumstances like disappointments, challenges, or loss.
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
“An appealing short-term effect of nicotine is that it helps with the ability to focus. This is conceivably one reason why many people with ADHD smoke,” says Lirio Covey, PhD, professor of clinical psychology in Columbia's Department of Psychiatry.
Nicotine is a stimulant, which may have properties similar to stimulant medications (e.g., Ritalin) used to treat ADHD. Nicotine may increase attention and reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and, thus, may regulate behavior in individuals with ADHD.
We know that people with ADHD smoke at rates that are significantly higher than their non-ADHD peers. And some use nicotine as a form of self-medication for ADHD symptoms. 1 Therefore, it is possible that identifying and treating ADHD earlier may prevent the onset of smoking altogether.
There is no exact number of puffs that are considered safe. It is recommended to be aware of your smoking habits to monitor if you are taking too much. Vapes may be less dangerous than traditional cigarettes; it is essential to know your limit. You can enjoy and have a great vaping experience while not overusing it.
No nicotine disposable vapes are completely safe! In fact, it is safer than other disposables with nicotine. Since there is no nicotine in the vape, the one substance that made smokers addicted to smoking is absent in this vape.
Vaping exposes users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
As a Comfort or Coping Mechanism: It is not uncommon for someone to be interested in vaping simply as a means to ease their anxiety, calm their stress, or simply as a comfort or coping mechanism.
An association between PTSD and smoking may reflect the use of nicotine to attempt to alleviate PTSD symptoms (McFall, MacKay, & Donovan, 1992). Nicotine could be used to decrease physiological arousal, or conversely to stimulate someone experiencing uncomfortable feelings of numbness or detachment.
Nicotine has a negative impact on the synapses that connect brain cells. This can spur changes in the brain area controlling essential functions such as mood, attention, learning and impulse control. Additionally, many vaping devices produce vapor containing lead, which can cause brain damage.