There are all sorts of reasons for people to quit smoking, and for people with mental illnesses, there are even more.
Smokers with mental illnesses are at an accelerated risk of diabetes, heart attacks, and stroke. In addition, smoking has adverse effects on many of the most common psychiatric drugs. The negative effects of nicotine and other substances in tobacco smoke are little understood, but research is turning up many ways in which they are thought to be harmful to the body and mind.
Evidence is rapidly emerging that smoking may actually cause mental illnesses such as depression and Anxiety Disorders. It can greatly multiply the risk of panic attacks and other common mental conditions.
This post is the second in a 2-part series concerning smoking and mental illness. Part 1 discussed why people with mental illnesses smoke up to four times the rate of the general populace, along with findings about the higher rate of mental illness among smokers. This part deals with the following topics:
- Why Should Someone With a Mental Illness Quit Smoking?
- Can smoking cause mental illness?
- In Summary
Why Should Someone With a Mental Illness Quit Smoking?
Smoking risks are greater for mentally ill smokers
The health reasons for quitting smoking have been well-known for years. But for the mentally ill, there are even more urgent reasons, including cigarettes’ effects on medication, and even more serious health risks than the general populace. Kristen Moeller-Saxone from the University of Melbourne’s Melbourne School of Population Health, says,
Smoking compounds many of the health problems already experienced by people with mental illnesses. Combined with drug therapies that often make them overweight, they are at even greater risk of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes if they smoke. … The biggest cause of death among people with mental illness is not suicide, it is cardiovascular disease.
Many mental health professionals find that those with a mental illness find it particularly difficult to stop smoking. There is ample anecdotal evidence that says the same thing; it is well known that members of Alcoholics Anonymous find it more difficult to quit smoking than to quit drinking. Besides giving up the benefits of smoking listed under “Why Do People With Mental Illness Smoke?” in part 1, the elimination of nicotine produces emotions that many of the mentally ill find difficult to cope with. Schmitz, Kruse, and Kugler say,
[P]eople who have difficulty coping with stress, anxiety, and depression are more vulnerable to dependency (somehow [nicotine] allows them to escape emotionally); that dependency may cause a vicious cycle — not being able to quit is stressful, which can increase anxiety.
In addition to the usual reasons for quitting smoking, there are additional reasons that are particularly important to people with a mental illness. Negative effects of smoking for people with mental illness include the following:
- Premature death rates are higher for people with mental illness than for the general population, even after suicides are discounted. Many of these deaths are due to cardiovascular and respiratory problems that have smoking as a major contributor.
- Substances found in tar in cigarettes stimulate enzymes in the liver, which increase the metabolism of some antipsychotics, such as clozapine, fluphenazine, haloperidol and olanzapine. This results in higher doses being needed for them to be effective.
- There is some evidence to suggest that smoking may increase some side effects of many antipsychotic medications, including akathesia (restlessness) and tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements of the face and mouth).
- Smoking puts a heavy financial burden on mentally ill smokers, many of whom live on a low income.
- Heavy smokers may find it difficult to participate in some activities where smoking is not allowed. This adds to the social exclusion experienced and may aggravate symptoms of mental illnesses such as Social Phobia, depression and other Anxiety Disorders.
Can smoking cause mental illness?
Studies show causal link between mental illness and smoking
Traditionally, it has been held that one is mentally ill first, and a smoker second. People with a mental illness start smoking, and smoke more, because nicotine relieves their symptoms and makes them feel better. In addition, they may be more psychologically vulnerable to nicotine addiction or the allure of tobacco advertising.
There are a growing number of studies that suggest that mental illness, including common conditions such as Anxiety Disorders and depression, can actually be caused by smoking. For example, a University of Cincinnati study of 8,704 teenagers found that mentally healthy teenagers who start smoking are four times more likely to develop depression than their nonsmoking peers.
Harvard University researchers studied cigarette smoking and mental health in 4,500 adolescents and adults. Mentally healthy teenagers who smoked at least one pack a day had a:
- Sixteen times greater risk of developing panic attacks.
- Seven times greater risk of developing serious phobias.
- Five times greater risk of Anxiety attacks.
How could cigarette smoking cause mental illness? Experts don’t know. There are several plausible theories, including:
- Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarette smoke may damage or change the normal activity of brain cells.
- Nicotine and high levels of carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke work together to cause symptoms of psychological illness.
- Nicotine’s stimulant action keeps smokers in a state of heightened alertness similar to the “fight or flight” response. People in this state are more likely to overreact to body sensations and situations in the environment.
- Carbon monoxide may cause breathing disorders responsible for one sensation — a false sense of suffocation — that triggers many panic attacks. One panic attack then engenders fear of others and the avoidance of triggering situations, and causes changes in behavior.
In summary
Smoking and mental illness: chicken and egg?
Whether smoking is the chicken or the egg, its association with mental illness cannot be denied. Those with mental illnesses are more likely to smoke and smoke more than those without a mental illness. Smokers have more mental illnesses, particularly the common ones such as Anxiety Disorders and depression.
Although it is much harder for a person with a mental illness to quit smoking, the reasons are all the more compelling: accelerated susceptibility to diabetes, heart disease and strokes; and the fact that smoking reduces and/or changes the effectiveness of psychiatric medications.
What do you think?
Uncomfortable truths
This article was difficult to write, because it tells some uncomfortable truths about smoking and mental illness. I am a smoker who took up the habit as a teenager, long before I was diagnosed with any mental illnesses. In retrospect, I was already having symptoms when I started smoking, but it is possible that smoking caused these and other symptoms to become worse.
I have learned that I have what I call “an addictive personality,” so I gave up drinking alcohol a number of years back because it was beginning to become intrusive in my life. But I have not been able to give up my smoking addiction despite numerous attempts, both with and without medication. I know it’s just a matter of time before I will be forced to give up smoking for one reason or another, yet I find quitting as hard as anything I have ever done in my life.
- Are you a smoker? Do you have any of the more common mental illnesses?
- Do you smoke more than a person without a mental disorder?
- Have you quit smoking? Will you share your experience or advice?
As always, your comments are welcome!
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Resources used in this post:
Arehart-Treichel, Joan. (2003, October 3). Smoking and Mental Illness: Which One’s the Chicken? Retrieved October 9, 2008 from Psychiatric News Web site: http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/38/19/34
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006, October 27). Tobacco Use Among Adults — United States, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2008 from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5542a1.htm
el-Guebaly, N.; Cathcart, J.; Currie, S.; Brown, D.; Gloster, S. (2002). Smoking Cessation Approaches for Persons With Mental Illness or Addictive Disorders. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from Psychiatric Services (American Psychiatric Association) Web site: http://www.psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/9/1166
National Business Review. (2008, October 8). Those with mental illness smoke four times more than average. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from National Business Review Web site: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/those-with-mental-illness-smoke-four-times-more-average-36198
Nauert, Rick. (2008, October 9). Smoking Accompanies Mental Illness. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from Psych Central Web site: http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/10/09/smoking-accompanies-mental-illness/3099.html
Rethink. (2008). Smoking and Mental Illness. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from eNotAlone Web site: http://www.enotalone.com/article/3110.html
Schmitz, N.; Kruse, J.; Kugler, J. (2003, September). Disabilities, Quality of Life, and Mental Disorders Associated with Smoking and Nicotine Dependence. Retrieved October 10, 2008 from American Journal of Psychiatry Web site: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/160/9/1670?
Woods, Michael. (2002, May 20). Studies: Smoking may be a cause of mental illness. Retrieved October 9, 2008 from Toledo Blade Web site: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Site=TO&Date=20020520&Category=COLUMNIST29&ArtNo=105190069&Ref=AR
Related Posts:
- Evil Twins: Smoking and Mental Illness, Part 1
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Risk Doubled for Smokers
- Mental Illness Awareness Week: A Cause We Can All Support!
- Scapegoating and the Stigma of Mental Illness Part 2
- Scapegoating and the Stigma of Mental Illness, Part 1
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I have never read that smoking can cause anxiety disorders – but do you think the person may have already been predisposed to the illness, which caused him to start smoking in the first place?
Woops – I asked in another article if you were a smoker and now find my question answered.
Really informative Mike – keep up the great work!
Thanks again, Kim, for the comment and the complement!
My belief is that people are predisposed to mental illnesses by genetics, upbringing, personality and environment. The exact mix of these varies by the mental illness and the person, but each of these factors is always there. And the triggers for mental illness varies by the person, as well; to be predisposed doesn’t mean a person will always develop the disorder.
I don’t know the percentage of teens and others who try out smoking, only the percentage that go on to become smokers. But I think that those who do continue either find some “benefit” (Part 1) for an existing mental illness or make themselves vulnerable to the effects smoking has on one’s mental health.
The research on smoking and mental health is in its infancy. However, there is a great deal of research going on at this moment, so I expect to be able to report some more findings soon.
Mike,
I am again overwhelmed by the volume and quality of information on this site. I am fascinated by the current topic. As we move from the “here – take this” medical model to a more holistic approach, this is certainly an area that needs attention. Its a hard sell in my practice, trying to get folks to think beyond the prescription to the lifestyle.
Shine the light,
Tim
Thank you, Tim, for your complements! [full disclosure: Tim's my brother!]
I think that the holistic approach to health is a change that’s coming, based not only on the buzz, but on the health plans of both Presidential candidates. It will be a real shift for most people, who are used to getting a prescription for what ails them and that’s that.
But to make any real advances in the health of our country, the holistic approach is the only way to go. That being said, I think it will be a long time before we see it as a way of life for our fellow citizens — old habits die hard!
Hello, I enjoyed reading, tho I havent read all thats on here, I really wanted to just add my own thoughts, for I have been working on quitting smoking cigarettes an have been successful for One Month, Tho I guess you could say I cheat alittle, I started smoking, Legal weed, Herb, its different from tobacco, so ya still want a cigarette,for an Old time smoker, its miserable to quit, so, now I can enjoy Not smoking cigarettes an still smoke a few puffs a day of Herbal smoke with my evening coffee,an a hit or two during the day.
anything can become an addiction, so ya have to learn control an moderation, but herb smoke isnt as addicting as tobacco, just thought you might want to try it, Im thrilled to be ridding my cigarette habbit, and still havin the pleasure of smoking a few hits,you might want to try it, it might be your ticket to quitting :) thanx, kathy
Thank you for your comment, Kathy. And thank you for the suggestion.
One of my friends once commented, “It’s easier to be abstinent than abstemious.” In other words, it’s easier to quit entirely than to cut back. In my case, I know that’ s true. I’ve tried gradually cutting back, smoking a pipe, and a host of other things, but obviously none of them worked. I’m just going to have to get up the will and courage and quit entirely. I don’t look forward to it!
I read your article today after searching for help for myself. I used to be a smoker of 20 years. I came from a family of heavy, heavy smokers. Everyone in my family smokes. I have severe mental illness’s, have had them all of my life. But I do not take medication. Used to, but don’t anymore.
I’ve been smoke free for about 6 months now and today, feels like the second day when I tried to quit. I want a cigerette so badly today. Why? Because I’ve been so stressed out lately, seeing things, having intense phobia’s, anxiety… ect..
I almost feel, at this point, that smoking might be better then living a life everyday where it’s just impossible to think, or concentrate. Living everyday with a fog, seeing things again, hearing things again. I think most mentally ill smoke to keep them straight and self medicate. I know when I was smoking, I was able to handle life better…
Thank you for your comment, Sherri!
I’m sorry you are having such a rough time. But you’ve taken a big step that I haven’t — quitting smoking. As you say, a lot of people self-medicate with cigarettes, getting doubly hooked by the physical nicotine addiction and the psychological benefits. I admire your ability to stick with it for six months!
I urge you to seek some help from a mental health professional. There’s no need for you to suffer like you are from the symptoms of your mental illness. With the appropriate medication and/or therapy, you can have some relief from your symptoms.
Let me know how you are doing. You can use the “contact” form and correspond by email if you wish.
I would seek help from a Mental Health Professional, but that would mean most likely being put on some sort of medication. A few years back I had a problem with a medication that eventually was recalled and have since spent thousands of dollars to fix my teeth because of it. (The medication started with a “Z”, can’t think of the exact name of it now, but it was recalled because it caused extreme enamal errosion to your teeth and was also found to cause liver funtioning problems.)
I also feel that if I’m going to be taking medication for my mental illness’s, the end result will most likely hurt some organ in my body eventually from long term use. And if that’s the case, it wouldn’t matter if I smoke or not as either way, I’m doing something harmful to my body.
Like most others who self medicate, I have good days and bad days. My Mental Illness’s are: Personality Disorder, Anger Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, PTS Disorder and Schizophrenia.
For the most part I’ve learned to cope on my own, without medication, illegal drugs, alcohol and now, smoking. I just take life one day at a time, and sometimes, one minute at a time.
I also have a blog on a Body Modification Website: BMEzine.com, that helps alot. Although most people there do not understand my illness, it helps to get it out and vent. (I also have 85% of my body covered in Tattoo’s. So that might be part of my “Self medication”).
Sherri, the choice to take medication is always yours. Have you tried talk therapy? Therapy can be very effective without medication, and can give you the tools to manage and control your symptoms.
Although I take medications for my mental illness, I think therapy has done the most for me in learning to live with my symptoms day-to-day. If I had to give up one or the other, I’d give up the drugs. I really admire how you’ve been able to get along on your own!
This site, too, is a form of therapy for me. I don’t vent personally, but it does me good to try to help others that are going through what I’ve experienced. It keeps reminding me that there are a whole lot of people out there who have a much more legitimate right to complain than I do!
Hello Mike, I left you a comment on the part 1 page, I’m a 33 year smoker with a 1 1/2 year quit and 45 years old. When I read Sherri’s posts it hit home. Sounds like I could have wrote that if I knew how to write. Very nicely put Sherri, I’m with you, only I have only about 20% tats(upper arms and chest)and just general anxiety disorder.
That said, I’m still on the fence about starting to smoke again. I would like to start smoking to find out if it will reign in my mental issues, but, I’m afraid I don’t have another quit in me. Again the question is…… Mental health now or possible smoking related illness later..
I don’t feel it as intense as Sherri, but, I feel an unknown physical craving for something that’s missing. I can’t say that the crave is for a smoke, but, for something that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe from one of chemicals in cigs, I don’t know!!!! I get relieve from the crave when eating or chewing gum, but, it doesn’t feel like the original crave early in my quit. It seems to be something that I can’t satisfy.
Sherri, do you think you will smoke again in an effort to get some relief from the mental problems???? Best of luck to all and thank you for sharing…….. Eric
Eric,
As I mentioned to Sherri and to you in my reply to your comments in Part 1, I believe that you would benefit from therapy or counseling. I urge you to try therapy rather than counseling, though it might take longer. It can equip you to deal with your Anxiety without having to take drugs, and give you the tools to cope long-term.
I congratulate you on your quitting smoking and staying quit. I recommend doing everything you can to keep from starting back again. I believe there is help out there for you that can relieve your Anxiety symptoms!
Mike, I’l just stick to the first page you linked. Thanks Eric
Eric, I always had in the back of my mind this idea that going back to smoking would be like in the old Hollywood movies, this glorious event that would change my entire life. And I always fought with myself over that.
But this weekend proved that wrong. I had a complete mental breakdown this weekend. Horrible things happened one after another (Think bad country and western song.. dog running away, truck breaking down.) It was to much and as I was standing with my brother in the parking lot of a middle american Mall, I said to him, “Give me a fucking cigerette”. (Pardon the language). He handed me one, I put it in my mouth, lit it and proceeded to die. The smoke entering my lungs felt like somebody stepped on my chest. It was so unpleasent, I coughed and hacked. I got all light headed and felt like I was going to pass out. (Think that first morning cigerette you had after a long night of sleeping and the rush you sometimes felt from the nicotene going back into your system and multiply that by X300).
All the glamour, all the relief I’d envisioned, were gone. I instantly felt sick, put the cigerette out and handed it back to my brother. I thanked him for giving it to me, because now I know, I won’t ever be a smoker again.
I thought like you did as well, Mental Illness now or Smoking Related Illness later? I struggled with that. But now I can honestly say, I personally, have to find another way to deal with my mental illness because smoking, isn’t an answer for me anymore.
Sherri, I’m sorry for your break down and kudos to you that you were able to get through it. You sound like you have a great spirit and sense of humor.I hope that you will be able to find relief for the problems you have and like you said you can cross smoking off your list. The positive side (if there is one) of this is that you have narrowed the list (smoking)of possible treatments toward your mental health. This is probably one of the best to throw out in regard to overall health. I’m really curious to see if your craves will cease now that seem to have put smoking to bed.
I think in my case that quitting smoking was the trigger to my anxiety or quitting uncovered the underlying anxiety which smoking was successfully treating. Or it could all be non-sense and I developed anxiety right after I stopped smoking. Problem is that neither I nor science have a clue which and I’m trying to figure out a way to stay quit and get mentally healthy. Thanks for your reply and best of luck with your struggle. Eric
@Sherri – Congratulations! It’s really good to hear that you are staying quit, and that smoking is entirely out of the equation for you.
@Eric – It’s unfortunate that the state of research is a bunch of hunches and maybe’s, and not anything that we can sink our teeth into. It helps me to remember that a lot of research in this area is going on, and that there will be real answers someday.
Hi Mike,
I came across your site while looking for some info which would help me cope with the psychological effects of stopping smoking. I haven’t smoked for three weeks now and I’m sincerely hoping I can stay stopped. I’m not diagnosed with mental illness although I have had a couple of fairly short bursts of again fairly mild (if you can ever call it that!) depression but I feel that smoking had a severe affect on my life both physically and psychologically. I was a non smoker until my mid thirties but then stupidly took it up during a period of stress – so I only smoked for 5 years – but what an effect it had. I feel like I turned from a fairly optimistic and definately very zestful energetic and healthy person to a physical wreck – I became severely asthmatic, legs like blocks of lead climbing short flights of stairs and often needing a rest and my inhaler going from room to room around the house. But the worse thing was I no-longer cared about my health and these obvious severe physical effects of smoking. Additionally I became emotionally detached to most aspects of life – friends, family, partner and completely lost all ambition. Even though I didn’t smoke all the time (20 or so a day) – my life still seemed to revolve around it and opportunites to smoke – I feel like I became a smoking machine. I knew this was happening at the time – but as I say didn’t care less – it was like being in self-destruct mode. Eventually I felt so ill with so many symptoms I thought I must have cancer and was going to die – although I still didn’t really care enough. Eventually I saw the Dr and following blood tests which gave me the all clear on that front – I felt I should give up because at least I knew then that I had just been given a clean bill of health on that front. In the end it was only really a period of financial difficulty following quitting a stressful job that made me stop. All that said I now feel a bit traumatised and shocked by all that has happened. Its like coming out of the grip of something very powerful and for me very destructive…. but it also feels scary that I am starting to feel again – becoming emotionally reattached and having to deal with caring and being sensitive to life again and all its inevitable difficulties. Sorry to go on so much but it is a release to say all this. I guess it will take time and I will have to learn to deal with life without cigarettes – but thankyou for having a post that discusses the psychological effects of smoking – I guess I had a severe reaction to smoking which is not dealt with on most websites.
Really -here we are. We have terrifying and and disabling mental illness. Quitting smoking -how many of us are happier? Has anyone told you what is most precious in life? It’s hard to put into words. I would love to be a non-smoker. I really would like to feel the healthy freshness I would have in my breathing. And yet what is the cost? I would have fresh breath, but would I be happier? Would I be mentally and emotionally healthier? Non of this can really happen for someone who is inclined to smoke. smoking comes about much like mental illness or any other activity we manifest. We are naturally inclined and that inclination shapes us into an active individual with that.
Your most precious thing is your identity, not the one we assume, but the one that defines our greatest happiness. There is no substitute for nicotine. True smoking is a habit, but the nicotine itself, as you put it Mark, is therepeutic in a very wonderful way. Especially suited to our condition.
More and more from self examination and listening and reading others, I find we’re not so much concerned with health matters in wanting to quit, but a false sense of shame and wanting to please the pundits. Not from any pesonal wish, nothing from a reliable rationale.
Be happy, Take Peace!
One important note Mark outlined in the con’s part 2 is the impact of smoking on our medication. I’m depressive and schizo. and I was having real trouble with symptoms , smoking heavily trying to asjust to my family after all these years away, and adjusting to the new environment of this wonderful but unfamiliar town I’ve come to live in.
But I set rules for my smoking. Never smoke more than two cigarettes in a row and such. Drink less coffee. We all know how coffee and cigs go together. I have started drinking tea more in the day.
I also found that I had to eat several times a day. I eat small portions. I was losing weight and instead of eating I was smoking and drinking coffee. This is some thing so many of us have gotten in the habit.
Eating, counting my cigarettes. and trading coffe for more tea -I cut my smoking by a 1/3 in two days and half of that in a week. i relapsed recently. but I got back to it by the same 3 things and now I smoke less than “a pack a day” ( I roll at home, and smoke filters when I’m out -American Spirit -about a pack of them a week )
I know from experience that Untreated Tobacco is far healthier, more satisfying and less craving then the doctored tobacco. It realy is the only solution. So I reccommend learning to roll your own.
Place a modest amount in a creased cigarette paper. Make a little less tobacco in the center. this will make it roll evenly. Roll it up and down with your thumbs pointing up, until it’s firm. Now turn a little twist and catch the lewer edge of the paper under the one facing you. Catch it and carefully roll the cigarette right up. Be careful not to lick the gum to heavily or you will rip the paper.
Reading at first seems complex but follow the steps and you will be surprised (as I was ) how simple it becomes almost immediately. and especially you’ll be surprised at what a nice looking cigarette you roll -almost every time.
Castles in the Air -is our worst curse. Especially as we are more or less impaired rationally or cognitivley. Really if you’re a smoker. Smoke. Nothing is more natural.
A Caveat -Marijauna is invariably the greatest drug hazard to your mental and emotional health and well-being. At least for people with my condition. We just can’t hang out with those people in private. Sad But True. ThnQ ~Sean
Hi. I’m sorry I got lost in the rolling instructions. I am in remission , non-delusional and only have mild symptoms. I am rarely incapacitated with my fear. this is according to my good doctor. Good luck with it. Sean
Smoking isn’t good for mental illness because not enough oxygen is delivered into the brains, so they can’t regenerate as they should. This is just one cause, there haven’t been exact studies for hunderds of ingredients that one ciggarette has in itself. I was having anxiety and OCD for 2 years, but when i stopped smoking and started running instead every morning, i was surprised that my anxiety and OCD really changed, after a month when i stopped smoking. Doing some more research lately i found that if you stop smoking, your anxiety diminishes because ciggarette releases lots of adrenaline and that keeps you tensed and not-relaxed, anxious, so you keep smoking because of that feeling, adrenalin levels are high all the time so you’re trapped in vicious circle all the time.
It’s worth to try! It helped me with anxiety A LOT.
Goog luck and best wishes everyone!
Gogi =)
One thing I have noticed is lumping everyone mentally ill together. Someone with mild clinical depression controlled by a good anti-depressant is not in the same class as someone like me with full-blown BPD and numerous social phobias added on top. Throw in some panic attacks and unrelated chronic pain caused by a car accident about 15 years ago that has left me basically disabled, and I think the situation is not exactly the same. My doctors have all told me that smoking is bad, but I would be better off smoking and adding exercise, better diet, and more social activities than to quit smoking and lead the same lifestyle I currently do. Thoughts? Because every time I have tried to quit I have been reduced to a quivering, insane almost psychopath with complete inability to focus on anything. Cutting down is always easy, last time I went from 3 packs a day to 2 cigarettes a day within a week with no problem, but I have to concentrate on not smoking and as soon as I think about anything else, I am back smoking more again. Anyone else have thoughts on ease of quitting for people with less mental issues versus people that are much worse off?
I’m glad to see someone with my attitude for smoking. and I really agree that those severely disabled are in another smoker cateegory from those who are less mental. I think what I would note is that people capable of powerful acts of will tend to run their life that way -and insuing are pretty miserable with themselves. all the really great men and woman I’ve known have some sort of casual relaxation -many smoke. Think about it.
I suffer from depression and general anxiety disorder. I am a heavy smoker and in the past year have quit twice for about 60 days each time. During cessation, my anxiety symptoms improved dramatically as did my depression. I have no doubt that smoking exacerbates my symptoms.
I ran across this article when researching smoking and mental illness. Interesting read, in particular the comments. Glad to see it isn’t dominated by anti-tobacco/nicotine fanatics.
I have been self-medicating with nicotine for ADD for more years then I care to think about. The few times I managed to quit I was a mess within weeks. In three months time close friends of mine, who for years urged me to quit, suggested I may want to start smoking again. It was that bad. After starting smoking again I was back to normal within hours.
There’s clearly more going on here then many people would have use believe.
The good news is that after doing more research I discovered a tobacco product that satisfies my cravings, and my ADD, with greatly reduced harm. I’m using Swedish style snus, and was able to quit smoking within weeks of trying it. I’ve been off cigarettes for 5 months, the longest I’ve been able to quit in nearly 40 years.
The whole concept of reduced harm tobacco should be looked into by both health professionals and the public at large. There is no reason that an addiction to nicotine has to lead to the health problems associated with smoking. A basic tenet of reduced harm is that nicotine is not the killer, it’s the smoke.
Hey Mike, Anything new???? Are you ok???