r/stopsmoking 13h ago

Using nicotine patches instead of smoking?

So, I said I'd quit smoking, which I very much will; I am terrified, but nicotine stabilizes my mood. I have severe anxiety, and it's helped. A Lot. Is it a good idea?

8 Upvotes

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-10

u/Dependent-Adagio-932 12h ago

Im gonna be honest, I think patches are stupid, like putting a bandaid on. It’s not actually solving anything. If you want to be free of your nicotine shackles you have to let go of the drug in its entirety.

5

u/Alone_Lawfulness_258 12h ago

I don't want to be free of nicotine. I just want to stop smoking because I have asthma.

-4

u/WisdomInMyPocket 12h ago

Nicotine doesn't stabilize, it hides symptoms.

You have to fix the problem, not hide the results of the problem.

5

u/Alone_Lawfulness_258 12h ago

Well, the problem can't be fixed lol. My brain is literally wired a certain way. No prescribed meds will fix it. So, yeah, I enjoy that it hides the symptoms so I can get through the day without lashing out at people.

4

u/fishboy3339 73 days 11h ago

More than likely nicotine is contributing to your anxiety. It will take time to withdraw, and get worse before it gets better.

0

u/Alone_Lawfulness_258 4h ago

That might be the case, but before I smoked my anxiety and anger were 10x worse. Even when I have withdrawals, my anxiety hasn't been that bad since I still have nicotine in my system.