Smoking and mental illness

[MLMR]

'It is well-known that smoking is much more common amongst people with mental illness – especially depression and schizophrenia. However, most studies that have looked at this association have not been able to disentangle whether this is a cause-and-effect relationship, and if so in which direction. Does mental illness increase the likelihood of smoking, or is smoking itself a risk factor for mental illness?'

 

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2019/november/smoking.html

[Vivianne]

This is very interesting material, I have some thoughts on this subject. But it sucks to type on a mobile. So I will get back on this later

[Sazerac]

VV. interesting, thank you M'Life.

 

"Looking at our current results alongside previous literature,

we conclude this strengthens evidence for an effect of smoking on increased risk of depression and schizophrenia.

 

Future work should attempt to elucidate the underlying mechanisms

with a hope to intervene, inform public health messages or further advance our knowledge on the aetiology of mental illness.

 

In particular, it will be important to consider other constituents of tobacco smoke to determine

whether it is exposure to nicotine or some other constituent that increases risk of schizophrenia and depression.

This is particularly important in the context of the recent growth in electronic cigarette use."

 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by Sazerac

[abbynormal]

For me, it has always been a vicious cycle. I have bipolar depression, and I started smoking after the onset of my first major depressive episode. The nicotine actually seemed to relieve certain aspects of my depression, but it created horrific anxiety with the craving/withdrawal cycle. It also caused me a great deal of shame, which fueled my depression. So I would quit. The anxiety would lessen, but the depression would increase as my dopamine levels plummeted. I'd start smoking again, and the cycle would continue.

 

I've been doing a lot of personal research into nicotine addiction and mental health, and the more I understand it, the stronger I get in my quit.

 

Thank you for sharing.

[Sazerac]

Here are more links

 

Smoking and Psychosis

 

Quitting Smoking Blues

[Paul723]

Quote

the more I understand it, the stronger I get in my quit.

 

Knowledge is power.  You're doing great abbynormal.