Stress relieving tips for an ex-smoker?

Question:

My best friend just recently quit smoking after about 17 -18 years of smoking. He was never a heavy smoker, he would go through one pack in like two weeks. but smoking had always been his stress reliever. and now that he has quit he doesnt have an outlet to relieve his stress. so when he gets really, really stressed he slips and has a cigarette. and after he does so he gets mad at himself and feels like he has let me down. are there any ex-smokers out there that can give some tips on how he can deal with the stress without going back to cigarettes? anything that worked for you?

Answers:
Can he chew gum? That might help relieve the stress, or find something he can do with his hands - something he can carry in his pocket to fiddle with when he gets stressed and wants to smoke.

Cardio!! He should start running outside or get a gym membership.

There are herbs in CVS or Walgreen's that he can get to relive stress. Also he can go to ther doc. and let them prescribe something for his withdrawal.

Exercise - something simple like walking outside, or sit-ups work fine. For ultimate stress relief, try aerobic exercise! It's tough, but worth it at the end of a workout! Or, perhaps meditation.

Try sitting in a dimmed room and thinking of a place where you're all alone, and it's peaceful - like a remote beach or the top of a mountain - for about 10 minutes at a time and breathe slowly and deeply, and stretch afterwards.

This is a constant struggle. Stress versus the Smoke. UgH!
I try to keep my life as stress free as possible. (yeah right!)
What I do now is keep physically active when i have the urge for a smoke. I go for a walk, run up and down the stairs for a few, have sex, go swimming etc. The human body needs to release certain hormones when affected by stress. Smoking numbs ad supresses these hormones and there for the easiest habit to turn to. To get out and do something physical on a regualr basis, bike rides, join a karate league, kick boxing etc...this will help the occasions that the stress will affect him to even have the desire becaue the thyroid will have already produced naturally the hormones needed to regulate the metabolism and the stress button. Regular excercise is the key here. And of course a healthy diet. Several food can trigger stress levels to escalate. Guess which ones?

My favorite method of stress relief is meditation. It is free, effective takes only 15 minutes a day. Its also medically proven to relieve stress. Just check the source!

stress relief is meditation

Yoga helped me when I was trying to quit. The first month or so is extremely difficult. He just needs to get past that.

many types of Catharisis work.......
1)Take a pillow and make two fists and start beating it for at least 10 minutes or more.Repeat.....
2) Gibberish.....very loudly talk inany language that u do not know and whose words make no sense........as in m,ake sounds and sounds which are sense less.......loud... agin n again for at least 10 minuts
3)Go toa remote location , or lock yr self in ypur room and start shouting loud n clear continously for at least 10 minutes daily
all will work.....and no cigarettes are necesary
PRanayam and Meditation will also help
check out osho@oshonow.com

Try certain physical excercise that may have you not even wanting to use which`ever muscles to clear your lungs!?! for instance sit ups... I think a smoker will feel a great PAIN in the chest area after doing SOOo many sit ups !?! Who wants that feeling ? ``R"rrr r r r

Stress relieving tips for an ex-smoker?

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