Curb the Urge: How Emotions Impact Nicotine Use Emotions and nicotine use are deeply intertwined, which makes quitting difficult. If you use nicotine products, you probably notice a shift in how you feel before and after using them. You may reach for a cigarette, vape, nicotine pouch, etc. when you’re anxious or upset. As a Warfighter, using emotional regulation techniques in place of nicotine better prepares you for the demands of the job. How Nicotine Works Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. It’s a stimulant, which means it increases your heart rate and raises blood pressure. When your body experiences a craving for nicotine and you satisfy it, it can have a calming effect. Though the nicotine isn’t actually calming your nervous system, it is soothing your brain’s reward system. When you experience heightened emotions, this feel-good response might reduce the negative feelings. This relaxing feeling usually only lasts a few hours before it wears off. This creates a cycle where your brain associates nicotine use with positive outcomes. Unfortunately, this leads you to continue using a harmful substance and takes away from processing your emotions in a healthy way. Common Military Stressors If you don’t use nicotine, you may be inclined to start during stressful times. If you already use nicotine, stress often leads to an increase in use. No amount of nicotine use is safe or healthy. Using nicotine may also make processing emotions more difficult long-term. There are many opportunities for stress and hardship to develop as a Warfighter: High-risk environments (e.g., combat, training) Operational tempo Heavy workload Limited time with loved ones Relocation (PCS) Financial struggles Navigating Emotional Times Since nicotine is highly addictive, you likely want to reach for it more than usual when you’re in emotional distress. It’s important to be able to do three things when this happens: identify, respond and reflect. Identify Respond Reflect Identify What You’re Feeling Name it to tame it. Whether you think about it, talk it out or write through it, putting a name to what you’re feeling is helpful. Identify your emotions by using “I feel…” instead of “I am…” because feelings are temporary and you are not defined by them. Taking time to do this gives you the opportunity to pause and respond in a healthier way. You will likely still want to reach for nicotine. Make note that cravings increase when you’re emotionally charged. Respond with Healthy Coping Think of nicotine use as a band-aid response to distress. The emotions and desire to use nicotine are only muted, not relieved. Instead of reaching for a nicotine product, think of ways to reduce the emotions you’re feeling by engaging in activities you enjoy: Move your body (e.g., walk, gym session, yoga) Journal (handwritten or digital) Breathing exercises and meditation Creative outlet (e.g., sing, dance, paint) Read a book or watch a movie Spend time with loved ones Reflect on The Process No matter the emotion or response, reflecting sets you up for success moving forward. Maybe you recognize journaling works best when you’re sad yet running works best when you’re anxious. Not every stressful moment needs the same response. Reflecting allows you to build a response plan that replaces nicotine use. It also gives you an opportunity to see when cravings are the most intense. Distress is an unavoidable part of life and military service. How you respond to it is within your control. The key isn’t to avoid feeling, but to respond in a way that helps you fully process it in a healthy way. Reaching for nicotine may feel good in the short-term, but it’s harmful in the long run. Find coping techniques that work best for you so you can stay mentally and physically mission ready. Additional ResourcesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention - “Managing Stress”Cleveland Clinic - “Stressed Out? Use These 14 Healthy Coping Mechanisms”Johns Hopkins Medicine - “Develop a Battery of Coping Skills.”ReferencesMichaud, K., Ralph, C. S., & Connick-Keefer, S. J. A. - “Operational stressors, psychological distress, and turnover intentions: The impact of potentially morally injurious experiences”Military Health System - “Reducing tobacco and nicotine use key to ‘having a healthy, fit force.’”Military Health System - “Tobacco and Nicotine Use Among Active Component U.S. Military Service Members: A Comparison of 2018 Estimates from the Health Related Behaviors Survey and the Periodic Health Assessment”Truth Initiative - “Nicotine use and stress”U.S. Air Force - “Stress, Tobacco & Deployments”U.S. Army - “Military life is stressful; depression screening brings help”Willard, M. J. et al - “Psychosocial Factors and Electronic Cigarette Use in the Military Population”
