Addictions can range in the ways that they affect our health and quality of life. Addictions to alcohol or drugs can greatly affect the lives of those struggling. Other addictions, like caffeine addiction, may not necessarily be healthy, however, they will likely not impact your life in any profound way. You may be struggling with a smoking habit while battling your addiction. Tobacco products, either smoke or smokeless, may result in detrimental effects on your overall health and wellness. While the use of these products may not directly affect your life as badly as drug or alcohol addiction, you may be more likely to relapse if you are a smoker. If you are smoking or using other tobacco products, you may want to consider quitting your bad habit while in treatment. Many treatment facilities offer programs to help those struggling with tobacco addictions while in recovery from more damaging substances or alcohol.
Benefits of Quitting Smoking
There are many benefits to quitting smoking. When in recovery, you may need to consider your overall health and wellness needs to be successful. Recovery is a process of learning new and healthy ways to live. Does smoking or using tobacco really fit into this overall mentality. Shift your mindset from not just recovering from your addictive behaviors but in learning skills for an overall healthier lifestyle. Consider all of your habits and behaviors when in recovery. What habits or behaviors only seek to hold you back or disrupt your health? Put smoking cessation into the context of your new commitment to a healthy life! Here are some of the benefits to quitting smoking in addition to it reducing the risk of relapse:
- Heart Health:
- A decrease in blood pressure and heart rate
- Decreased risk of developing heart disease and other heart problems
- Breathing:
- Lungs can function more effectively and efficiently
- Lower amounts of carbon monoxide in the bloodstream that may have been absorbed through the lungs while smoking
- Lowered risks of developing lung diseases or chronic breathing issues, like COPD and asthma
- Less likely to experience shortness of breath after quitting smoking
- Risk of other diseases:
- Smokers are more at risk of developing other diseases and health issues
- Quitting can reduce the risk of developing several types of cancers
- Other benefits:
- Senses of taste and smell can return to normal
- Fingernails and teeth look better
- Smoking can affect the odor of your breath and body. Quitting can improve these issues and help you feel more confident in social settings.
Tips to Quitting
Quitting smoking or other tobacco products can be similar to stopping other addictions. You might be using these products to deal with stress or anxiety. They might be self-soothing as well. For example, some people find the act of taking deep breaths while smoking to be calming in and of itself. Consider the reasons why you smoke in the first place. You may need to learn healthy ways of coping with stress or learn new soothing skills, like deep breathing, to calm down when feeling upset or anxious. Here are some additional tips:
- Keep healthy snacks with you to curb cravings during the day
- Drink more water!–water can help you manage your appetite, which may increase when you quit smoking
- Take walks when you feel a craving to smoke
- Stay away from sensory triggers. Most indoor places are now smoke-free, however, be mindful of outdoor spaces that might trigger your cravings
- Try deep breathing and meditation exercises when you feel stressed.
- Take a break for fresh air when feeling stressed. Smokers may have enjoyed the breaks they get from tasks or work while smoking. You can still take a break if you no longer smoke!
- Find diversionary activities or hobbies that can keep your mind off of smoking. Crafts, listening to music, or playing with a pet can help you reduce cravings.
- Create a realistic goal to quit and remember the benefits to keep you motivated!
- Reach out for support when needed. Quitting smoking or using other tobacco products can be difficult when in recovery. Talk to friends or other supporters when feeling stressed!
When you are entering a recovery treatment facility, you may want to consider quitting other unhealthy habits, like tobacco use, during your recovery. Smoking may be another unhealthy coping mechanism that you have been using. Recovery from addiction is the process of creating a new and healthy lifestyle. Consider how smoking or tobacco use fit into your new life and think about quitting all of your unhealthy habits! You are not alone, reach out for support and help when things get overwhelming. You may be tempted to smoke to manage the stressors of treatment, however, you may be inadvertently distracting yourself from learning healthy habits that can help you recover from your addiction. Let treatment open the door for you to lead a happy life free of all unhealthy habits and behaviors!
Smoking cessation programs can go hand-in-hand with treatment from drug or alcohol addictions. Smokers are more likely to relapse than non-smokers. Consider the benefits of quitting smoking or using other tobacco products as you pursue a new and healthy lifestyle, free from addiction. Stopping smoking may be difficult. You can use many of the same skills that you will learn during your recovery from more serious addictions. Create a realistic goal and find replacement activities to cope with stress and curb cravings. Build a healthy lifestyle committed to making better decisions for your overall well-being while in treatment. Everlast Recovery Centers understand the high co-occurrence rates of smoking and other addictions. We are committed to helping our clients in leading healthy and happy lives. Quitting smoking and other tobacco products can help you achieve your goals of creating a healthy lifestyle! Call us today at 866-DETOX-25 to discuss our smoking cessation program that may help you during recovery treatment.
