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While smoking when you are stressed might seem like the easiest fix, it comes with its own set of harmful consequences.
Nicotine rewires the brain, raising stress and anxiety over time.
Stress is an inevitable part of modern life. It often shows up uninvited- racing thoughts before a big presentation, restlessness in traffic, or the tight knot in your stomach during moments of uncertainty. While some stress can sharpen our focus and performance, chronic or unmanaged stress disrupts our ability to sleep, digest, and think clearly. For many, this stress becomes fertile ground for unhealthy coping mechanisms- the most common among them being smoking.
Smoking, at first glance, can feel like a quick fix. The act of inhaling a cigarette seems to bring an immediate sense of relief, a brief moment of calm amid chaos. But what’s happening inside the body is far more complex and far more dangerous.
Nicotine, the addictive stimulant found in tobacco, is at the core of this deceptive relief. Dr Shovana Vaishnavi, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Noida, says, “When inhaled, nicotine travels rapidly to the brain, triggering a surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter known for producing feelings of pleasure and reward. For someone dealing with anxiety or depression, where dopamine levels tend to be lower, this rush can feel like emotional rescue.”
However, this relief is temporary, and the cost is steep. Dr Vaishnavi explains, “Over time, the brain adjusts by producing more receptors for nicotine, essentially rewiring itself to depend on it. When nicotine levels drop, those now-hyperactive receptors cry out for more, intensifying feelings of irritability, restlessness, and anxiety. What was once a stress response becomes a source of it. The smoker isn’t calming their mind, they’re feeding a cycle of dependency.”
Ironically, although many turn to smoking to self-soothe, studies have shown that smoking actually increases stress and anxiety in the long run. Dr Vaishnavi notes, “People with mental health conditions, especially depression, are more likely to smoke, yet nicotine doesn’t treat the root of the issue; it merely masks it. And the withdrawal symptoms that come between cigarettes, cravings, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, can mirror or even magnify the very stress they’re trying to escape.”
When anxiety flares, the brain’s craving for nicotine is born from addiction. This is why breaking free from smoking requires more than just willpower. It means retraining the brain, finding healthier dopamine triggers like exercise, therapy, mindfulness practices, and building better stress responses.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published:
