Journal of Preventive Medicine

Introduction

Tobacco is the greatest preventable cause of mortality in the world, causing more than five million deaths each year, and the number is expected to climb. The expense of healthcare associated with tobacco usage has been estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease; quitting smoking reduces these health risks significantly. The link between smoking and mental health, on the other hand, is less obvious. Despite the fact that the majority of smokers wish to quit, many continue to do so because they believe smoking is good for their mental health. Although smokers don't smoke for a time, they experience irritation, anxiety, and depression, which are reliably eased by smoking, giving the impression that smoking has psychological benefits, when in fact it is smoking that causes these psychological disturbances in the first place [1].

Although smokers believe that smoking is good for their mental health, there is a clear link between smoking and mental illness, and smokers with mental illnesses are more likely to be heavier smokers and more dependent. To explain these correlations, three basic theories have been proposed: People with poor mental health may smoke to regulate symptoms such as low mood and worry, or smoking may cause or exacerbate mental health problems. Although smokers with and without mental illnesses believe that smoking is advantageous to their mental health, they may be mistaking the ability of cigarettes to eliminate nicotine withdrawal as a positive effect on mental health. Although smokers don't smoke for a time, they experience irritation, anxiety, and depression, which are reliably eased by smoking, giving the impression that smoking has psychological benefits, when in fact it is smoking that causes these psychological disturbances in the first place [2].

Mental Health

Patients with major depression disorder (59%), bipolar disorder (83%), or schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (90%) have a greater lifetime smoking rate than those without mental disease (32%).

Nicotine addiction is up to three times higher in people with schizophrenia than it is in the general population. Tobacco is used by 70 to 85% of people with schizophrenia. Individuals who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are roughly 22% more likely to be current smokers than those who have not been diagnosed with PTSD (3). Current smokers who have had a lifelong history of depression, anxiety, anxiety with depression, or serious depression smoke more cigarettes, smoke more frequently, and are more dependent on cigarettes.

In comparison to people without social anxiety, depression, or other substance use disorders, people with social anxiety are more likely to smoke heavily and are less likely to successfully quit. Smoking severity and outcomes are linked to the presence of depression or a history of depression. Early cigarette smoking, stronger nicotine dependence, higher nicotine withdrawal scores, more cravings, and higher carbon monoxide levels after cessation treatment are all linked to major depressive disorders [4].

Risk of Mortality

Smokers with major mental illness are more likely to die of cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, accounting for more than 200,000 of the 520,000 tobacco-related deaths each year. Individuals with major mental illness live 15 years longer than those who do not have serious mental disease and do not smoke. About half of individuals hospitalised for schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder die as a result of smoking-related reasons.

Substance Use

More than 80% of kids with drug use disorders use tobacco, the majority of whom smoke daily, and many of whom become severely dependent, long-term smokers. People with alcohol use disorders smoke between 34 and 80% of the time, while those with other substance use disorders smoke between 49 and 98% of the time. Nicotine addiction is the most common type of substance abuse among schizophrenic patients. Current cigarette smokers were more likely than non-nicotine dependent smokers to have consumed alcohol in the previous month (62% vs. 54%), binge consumed alcohol (43% vs. 22%), and consumed heavy alcohol (15% vs. 5%).

70% to 80% of people in treatment for substance abuse disorders want to quit smoking. Participating in smoking cessation programmes while receiving substance abuse treatment has been linked to a 25% higher chance of long-term abstinence [5}.

References

1. Smith PH, Mazure CM, McKee SA (2014) Smoking and mental illness in the US population. Tob Control 23: e147-e153.
2. Soone S, Nunes EV, Jiang H, Tyson C, Rotrosen J, et al. (2010) The relationship between depression and smoking cessation outcomes in treatment-seeking substance abusers. Am J Addict 19: 111-8.
3. Prochaska J, Das S, Young-Wolff K (2017) Smoking, Mental Illness, and Public Health. Annu Rev Pub Health 38: 165-85.
4. Hall SM, Prochaska JJ (2009) Treatment of smokers with co-occurring disorders: emphasis on integration in mental health and addiction treatment settings. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 5: 409-31.
5. Hurt RD, Offord KP, Croghan IT, Gomes-Dahl L, Kotke TE, et al. (1996) Mortality following inpatient addictions treatment. Role of tobacco use in a community-based cohort. J Am Med Assoc 276: 1097-103.