Smoking breaks during working hours affect mind’s ability to tackle stress

Endless ads and health campaigns over the years couldn’t place more emphasis on the hazardous impact of smoking on people’s health.

Among the myths surrounding smoking is the common saying we hear all the time: “I smoke when I’m stressed!” And more often that not, people take ‘smoking breaks’ during working hours to exhale their stress away.

However, the body’s reaction to cigarettes increases stress levels. Dr Marie Thompson, senior clinical psychologist at Lifeworks Foundation, said that the nicotine reaches the brain in 10 seconds, causing a release of ‘feel good’ hormones to the nervous system that reduces tension and provides a sense of well-being.

This chemical reaction, though, reduces the brain’s own ability to release the hormones necessary in alleviating stress.

“Smoking encourages the brain to switch off its own mechanism for making dopamine so in the long term the supply decreases, which in turn lowers mood and concentration and prompts people to smoke more,” said Thompson.

Something initially used to help manage stress, becomes the stressor. Thompson said: “Where initially a person simply had to tackle a difficult situation, they are now left having to tackle a difficult situation and a nicotine addiction.”

Aamnah Husain, psychologist at German Neuroscience Centre, said: “The stress that smoking takes away, wouldn’t even be there if a person wasn’t a smoker.”

“When in high concentration, [smoking] leads to significant nervous system activation increasing heart rate and breathing as well as blood pressure. It can lead to experiencing nausea, agitation and nervousness. All of these effects essentially intensify a stressful experience instead of reducing it.”

She added that taking breaks to smoke in the middle of important tasks also contribute in breaking concentration and makes it more difficult to get back to being productive, causing procrastination and creating further stress,” said Husain.

While studies showed that smokers who quit have up to a 20 per cent reduction in perceived stress compared to those who continue smoking, Husain said smoking just helps reduce the discomfort caused by craving, and not stress.

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

The stress that smoking takes away, wouldn’t even be there if a person wasn’t a smoker. It can lead to nausea, agitation and nervousness.” Aamnah Husain, psychologist, German Neuroscience Centre

Where initially a person simply had to tackle a difficult situation, they are now left having to tackle a difficult situation and a nicotine addiction.” Dr Marie Thompson, senior clinical psychologist