Smoking is bad for you. Anyone who has watched TV or gone to health class knows this. But everyone also knows that cheeseburgers are bad for you and continue to scarf them down. The benefits of cheeseburgers are obvious: delicious, juicy, hearty taste. What are the benefits of smoking?All you hear about all day is why you shouldn’t smoke, and how bad it is for your health. Then why is everyone smoking in the first place, and how do smokers come up with thousands of reasons not to quit. Nicotine is very addicting, but that’s not the only reason smokers keep smoking. Smoking has many benefits biologically and emotionally. Knowing these can help you replace these benefits through healthier means when you try to quit.
Smoking Relieves Stress
This is the most common thing you hear from smokers about the benefits of smoking. This is because cigarettes create a myriad of conditions that help the body deal with anxiety, stress, and depression.
Smoking Relaxes Your Breathing
The way you breathe when you smoke helps your body relax and calm down. For people who have panic attacks or stress problems, Doctors recommend patients practice a sort of breathing called relaxation breathing. Among other things, it involves taking a deep breath into the lungs and holding it in for a second or two before exhaling. This is exactly like the act of smoking. This kind of breathing slows your heart rate and relieves tension in your muscles, especially your neck and upper back, which tense up in stressful situations.
Outside Smoke Breaks Calm You Down
If you go outside for smoke breaks, this simple act can really help you deal with your stress. Say if you’re in a fight with your spouse or close to the deadline on a major project for work, leaving the house or office to step outside for a smoke break helps you deal with the stress.
Nicotine is an Anxiety and Depression Medication
The nicotine in cigarettes is also a major factor of stress relief. Nicotine is a chemical which mildly and temporarily stops the feelings of anxiety and depression. After an inhale of cigarette smoke, the nicotine reacts in your brain chemistry within seven seconds. Nicotine makes the brain feel better, and stops the chain reaction anxiety and depression can have within the brain. It is no surprise that 1/3 of nicotine addicts claim to have depression or anxiety problems. Cigarettes are a great form of self medication.