It is no surprise that many smokers turn to nicotine to help relieve stress. While nicotine does provide a temporary sense of relief, it does so in a dysfunctional way that does not address the underlying causes of stress. In the long run, this can lead to increased levels of stress and an increased reliance on nicotine to cope.
Reduced social media consumption has been linked to lower levels of stress and improved mental health. By cutting down on the amount of time spent scrolling through news feeds or engaging in other online activities, individuals can become more mindful of their emotions and better equipped to cope with stress in healthier ways. This can lead to less reliance on nicotine as a way to cope, ultimately resulting in less smoking.
This link has been proven in scientific studies, such as a recent one titled “Less Facebook use – More well-being and a healthier lifestyle? An experimental intervention study” by Julia Brailovskaia, Fabienne Ströse, Holger Schillack and Jürgen Margraf from Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany:
Variables of Facebook use, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, physical activity and smoking behavior were assessed via online surveys at five measurement time points. The intervention reduced active and passive Facebook use, Facebook use intensity, and the level of Facebook Addiction Disorder. Life satisfaction significantly increased, and depressive symptoms significantly decreased. Moreover, frequency of physical ac- tivity such as jogging or cycling significantly increased, and number of daily smoked cigarettes decreased. Effects remained stable during follow-up (three months). Thus, less time spent on Facebook leads to more well-being and a healthier lifestyle.
Interesting link, if you’re looking to smoke less, maybe start by reducing the overall stress in your life by reducing your social media usage. My app one sec would be a great starting point!