I have recently started cutting down on smoking and have went from smoking around 25 a day to 4 a day. I suffer from agoraphobia and severe panic disorder. Lately I have been having more panic attacks even in the house on my own which I didn’t have before. I would like to no if quitting smoking can cause anxiety and panic attacks and why, also would appreciate some links. Thankies .

Yeah, it’s called withdrawls. It is basically your brain’s way to get you to smoke more. It sucks big time, and is one of the reasons virtually no one quits. Usually these ‘nic fits’ last about 15-30 min. I’ve felt nervous, anxious, and even like I had trouble getting a breath. Since it is started in your brain, you do have a little control over it by slowing your breathing and making sure you get full breaths (as more oxygen has a calming effect, and breathing deeply stimulates your parasympathetic system to calm your heart rate and blood pressure). For me they are bad for like a week to to weeks, then it is fine for a while, then randomly it comes back for like a day every couple of weeks or months afterward. Then you need will power, and the ability to tell yourself "this will pass, it is just the nic monsters trying to get me back on the stuff, I can do this, this will pass."
Good luck.

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