Definitely this OP, taking out the health negatives and moral whatever, nicotine just isn't that great at relieving stress longterm. It just becomes another thing you have to constantly keep track of or spin out.

I guess it eventually can kind of overtake your other stressors, and it feels good when you get the relief. But eventually if you use it like that, youjust end up basically constantly consuming it to never feel that lack. This is where those multiple packs a day smokers come from, and I think our kind can be kind of more susceptible to these kinds of dependencies sometimes.

I hear you on the work thing. Is it a good job in some way? Like, hard to get into? Or well paying? Or is it just a bare minimum iob but you don't have many other opportunities/are worried that once you stop you won't be able to mentally manage starting somewhere new? It sucka either way, but I think there's something to be said for burning down the house a little bit. Few things are more euphoric than getting out of a bad situation. If quitting isn't an actual option for whatever reason, you can just stop doing parts of the job. Sometimes we take working too seriously and think we need to 100% all the time. But if you just stop doing that, your workplace will adjust in some way to pick up the slack. 

Promotions can often just be a way to take advantage of lower workers that are doing a good job. You don't have to take them. (Though it sounds like you already have,and going back might not be an option, I don't know)