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.
But in reality, vaping nicotine can add to your stress and can also amplify feelings of depression and anxiety. In fact, according to Truth Initiative survey data, 93% of vapers reported that vaping negatively affected their lives because it made them feel more stressed, depressed, or anxious.
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.
This is especially true if you're attempting to quit smoking because it can be very difficult to let go of that habit and the process can lead to a lot of stress, but vaping can effectively help provide relief and fight off anxiety.
Recent studies have found that e-cigarettes do as well. A large observational study found that compared to non-smokers, e-cigarette users were 34% more likely to have a heart attack, 25% more likely to develop coronary artery disease and 55% more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety.
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.
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.
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.
Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety. Make sleep a priority. Do what you can to make sure you're getting enough sleep to feel rested. If you aren't sleeping well, talk with your health care provider.
Smoking, anxiety and mood
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.
Does Nicotine-Free Vaping Help With Anxiety? From a medical point of view, the nicotine-free vape will not help with anxiety. But some people say that the actions of vaping will calm them down, so for some point, non-nicotine vaping help with anxiety. But for those vapes with nicotine, they surely can with anxiety.
While nicotine might briefly alleviate ADHD symptoms, it exacerbates them in the long term: the dose of stimulant from nicotine briefly helps with focusing, but over three to six months a serious addiction and craving for nicotine will develop that actually worsens the natural production of dopamine.
It also increases the risk of severe side effects such as panic attacks and hallucinations.
Know When to Seek Help
If your anxiety, or the anxiety of a loved one, starts to cause problems in everyday life—such as at school, at work, or with friends and family—it's time to seek professional help. Talk to a health care provider about your mental health.
A big event or a buildup of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety — for example, a death in the family, work stress or ongoing worry about finances. Personality. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are.
Anxiety disorders are very treatable. Most patients who suffer from anxiety are able to reduce or eliminate symptoms after several (or fewer) months of psychotherapy, and many patients notice improvement after just a few sessions.
Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation, so people smoke in the belief it reduces stress and anxiety. This feeling is temporary and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms and increased cravings. Smoking reduces withdrawal symptoms but doesn't reduce anxiety or deal with the reasons someone may feel that way.
While many social smokers don't consider their occasional behavior harmful to their health, smoking or vaping in any amount is never safe and can lead to increased health risks, and even addiction.
addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that's highly addictive. You don't have to vape every day to get addicted. anxiety and depression: Nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control, and attention, especially in developing brains.
However, a small number of studies have shown that people who use e-cigarettes have an increased chance of heart attack, stroke and angina[2]. E-cigarette use has also been shown to increase blood pressure, heart-rate and the stiffness of arteries[3].
Benefits of Switching to Vaping
When you switch to vaping, it not only tastes much better than smoking, you start to feel the positive impact quickly and most people pick up an e-cig and stop smoking. But remember, everyone is different and picking the right e-cig kit and e-liquid combination is important.
Anxiety Relief from Nicotine Is Temporary
Many people turn to cigarettes when they are anxious, and the physiological effects of nicotine can create a calming sensation. But nicotine only produces temporary relief from anxiety while also compromising overall physical health.
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.
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.