[markbarnes19]

This is not a post about marijuana smoking. I recently took pipe smoking at a friend's recommendation, as a measure of stress releif. I wonder if anyone has ever tried this over a long period of time. Do you have this or any other unorthodox methods of stress relief?

[cocotbo]

Originally Posted by markbarnes19

This is not a post about marijuana smoking. I recently took pipe smoking at a friend's recommendation, as a measure of stress releif. I wonder if anyone has ever tried this over a long period of time. Do you have this or any other unorthodox methods of stress relief?

Oh, Mark...
I smoked for many years as a way of dealing with stress so I'm the last one to tell you not to, but it would be so much better for you if you found a form of exercise that you enjoy instead. I've been smoke-free for two years now and I find that exercise helps me deal with the stress and makes me feel far better than those cigarettes ever did.

[markbarnes19]

Great to hear. Actually, I've just started a new exercise routine. I'm using one of those combination rowers and tension-weight machines. Hopefully, this will help with the stress and my help. Thanks for the tip.

[markybee0]

hi,im glad to hear that you have given up smoking,or have you started again as your last post was a few months ago,its a nasty habbit,here is an article called "7 Proven Ways to Resist the Urge to Smoke
",its worth reading if you are still a smoker,regards,mark
http://www.healthmembershipsite.com/...d1.php?id=3538

[cocotbo]

Thanks, Marky.
I have no interest in smoking anymore. Even the smell of incense smoke bothers me now.

[RobertSRister]

If you happen to still be smoking, you might be interested in what some recent behavioral research has found.
People (usually but not always men) who smoke pipes are generally more relaxed by the practice if they light up in a quiet place so they can contemplate.
Pipe smokers who contemplate in private as they smoke tend to gain feelings of self-efficacy. And feelings of self-efficacy enable smokers to quit.
So my humble suggestion is, if you are smoking a pipe, only use it to help you contemplate. And I'm sure other posters here would agree that your smoking should be very private!
It's just that smoking contemplatively not only makes you feel better, it makes it easier for you to quit when you choose to do so. Let's just hope you get so mellowed out you decide you don't need to smoke.
I'm one of the new health bloggers for families.com. I'm also the author of eight books on natural health including Healing without Medication. I'm a believer in what medicine and medications can do for us; my point of view is that you can do things for yourself and your family beyond what doctors do.

[beth]

As an ex-smoker, I think that one of the anti-stress effects of smoking is that, every so often, you take time out from what you are doing because you're longing for a fag! So, you are inadvertantly giving yourself a "stress-break". I used to tell myself, ""I'll have a smoke as soon as I've finished this chapter, or assignment section"", and I would. Now that I no longer smoke, I don"t take that break anymore, and although smoking is horrendous for your health, the breaks were good, as you were able to tune out for 5 minutes or so. I'm not advocating smoking, but there's really nothing that encourages you to have a break from work so regularly as a cigarette! Pity about that!! Five minutes of meditation somehow just doesn't seem to hit the spot, even though we have to train ourselves to have beneficial breaks.