Summary
- People with mental illness have high rates of smoking.
- Studies show that people who smoke and have mental illness want to quit and can, but barriers stand in the way of quitting attempts.
Many people who have mental health problems smoke regularly. A large study in the United States found that people with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other people. The study also found that people with mental illness consume less than half of all the cigarettes smoked in the United States.
Despite high smoking rates, studies show that people with mental illness can, and want to, quit smoking. In fact, quit rates for people who smoke and have mental illness are nearly as high as for other people. But people with mental illness face barriers to quitting that can keep them from trying in the first place.
This article will talk about:
- Factors that may find the link between smoking and mental illness
- What keeps those who smoke and have mental illness from quitting
- Quitting methods that can help people with mental illness
Why do people with mental illness smoke more?
Many theories try to explain such high smoking rates, including:
- Genetics. Some people may inherit genes that increase their chance of smoking and mental illness. Certain gene variations that play a role in both mental and drug overuse problems also appear to play a role in smoking behavior.
- Brain chemicals. Nicotine affects the action of certain brain chemicals involved in mental illness and alcohol and drug problems. Dopamine is one type of brain chemical that is affected by nicotine. It is involved in the brain’s reward and pleasure system.
- Self-medication. Some people with mental illness smoke to lessen symptoms. A person may light up to cope with depression or anxiety. People with schizophrenia may light up to help memory and attention.
Smoking may be a risk factor for mental illness
Research suggests that smoking raises your chance of mental illness. For instance, people who smoke are more likely than those who don't or used to smoke to have a first-time panic attack. Nearly all people who smoke and have schizophrenia regularly smoked before developing the disease. Young people who smoke have higher future chance of depression and anxiety.
Why is quitting hard for people who smoke and have mental illness?
People who smoke and have mental illness want to quit, and they can. But they may need more intensive treatment than those without it. Many believe that people who smoke and have mental illness can’t quit. Because of this stigma, doctors might not ask people with mental illness about their tobacco use or quitting. Many people also believe that quitting would threaten mental health recovery by taking away a coping method and worsening symptoms. This is why smoking is tolerated in some drug and alcohol treatment programs. But studies do not support this, and it is not allowed in most inpatient programs.
What methods can help people who smoke and have mental illness quit for good?
Methods proven to help most people who smoke quit can most often help people with mental illness as well. Experts have found that people who smoke and have mental illness benefit the most from quit-smoking programs that:
- Are intensive. This means they offer four or more, one-on-one office visits, each which last at least 10 minutes.
- Deliver quit-smoking interventions through many types of care providers. Successful programs also blend quit-smoking treatment with medical and mental health care.
- Support the use of drugs to take care of withdrawal symptoms and cravings. People with mental illness seem to have more withdrawal symptoms when quitting than other people. Some people might benefit from long-term use of quitting medicines.
- Give useful counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as social support. CBT focuses on identifying and changing harmful patterns of thinking, behavior, and feeling. Individual or group therapy, or a mixture of both, can work. Groups of eight to 10 people that meet once a week for seven to 10 weeks, have the most successful quit rates. With the developing popularity and acceptance of the phone as a key social-networking tool, phone counseling support is also on the rise.
- Check depressive or other mental health symptoms and medication side effects while quitting.
With individualized treatment and support that fits the person more people with mental illness can quit smoking for good.
Resource
Summary
- People with mental illness have high rates of smoking.
- Studies show that people who smoke and have mental illness want to quit and can, but barriers stand in the way of quitting attempts.
Many people who have mental health problems smoke regularly. A large study in the United States found that people with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other people. The study also found that people with mental illness consume less than half of all the cigarettes smoked in the United States.
Despite high smoking rates, studies show that people with mental illness can, and want to, quit smoking. In fact, quit rates for people who smoke and have mental illness are nearly as high as for other people. But people with mental illness face barriers to quitting that can keep them from trying in the first place.
This article will talk about:
- Factors that may find the link between smoking and mental illness
- What keeps those who smoke and have mental illness from quitting
- Quitting methods that can help people with mental illness
Why do people with mental illness smoke more?
Many theories try to explain such high smoking rates, including:
- Genetics. Some people may inherit genes that increase their chance of smoking and mental illness. Certain gene variations that play a role in both mental and drug overuse problems also appear to play a role in smoking behavior.
- Brain chemicals. Nicotine affects the action of certain brain chemicals involved in mental illness and alcohol and drug problems. Dopamine is one type of brain chemical that is affected by nicotine. It is involved in the brain’s reward and pleasure system.
- Self-medication. Some people with mental illness smoke to lessen symptoms. A person may light up to cope with depression or anxiety. People with schizophrenia may light up to help memory and attention.
Smoking may be a risk factor for mental illness
Research suggests that smoking raises your chance of mental illness. For instance, people who smoke are more likely than those who don't or used to smoke to have a first-time panic attack. Nearly all people who smoke and have schizophrenia regularly smoked before developing the disease. Young people who smoke have higher future chance of depression and anxiety.
Why is quitting hard for people who smoke and have mental illness?
People who smoke and have mental illness want to quit, and they can. But they may need more intensive treatment than those without it. Many believe that people who smoke and have mental illness can’t quit. Because of this stigma, doctors might not ask people with mental illness about their tobacco use or quitting. Many people also believe that quitting would threaten mental health recovery by taking away a coping method and worsening symptoms. This is why smoking is tolerated in some drug and alcohol treatment programs. But studies do not support this, and it is not allowed in most inpatient programs.
What methods can help people who smoke and have mental illness quit for good?
Methods proven to help most people who smoke quit can most often help people with mental illness as well. Experts have found that people who smoke and have mental illness benefit the most from quit-smoking programs that:
- Are intensive. This means they offer four or more, one-on-one office visits, each which last at least 10 minutes.
- Deliver quit-smoking interventions through many types of care providers. Successful programs also blend quit-smoking treatment with medical and mental health care.
- Support the use of drugs to take care of withdrawal symptoms and cravings. People with mental illness seem to have more withdrawal symptoms when quitting than other people. Some people might benefit from long-term use of quitting medicines.
- Give useful counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as social support. CBT focuses on identifying and changing harmful patterns of thinking, behavior, and feeling. Individual or group therapy, or a mixture of both, can work. Groups of eight to 10 people that meet once a week for seven to 10 weeks, have the most successful quit rates. With the developing popularity and acceptance of the phone as a key social-networking tool, phone counseling support is also on the rise.
- Check depressive or other mental health symptoms and medication side effects while quitting.
With individualized treatment and support that fits the person more people with mental illness can quit smoking for good.
Resource
Summary
- People with mental illness have high rates of smoking.
- Studies show that people who smoke and have mental illness want to quit and can, but barriers stand in the way of quitting attempts.
Many people who have mental health problems smoke regularly. A large study in the United States found that people with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other people. The study also found that people with mental illness consume less than half of all the cigarettes smoked in the United States.
Despite high smoking rates, studies show that people with mental illness can, and want to, quit smoking. In fact, quit rates for people who smoke and have mental illness are nearly as high as for other people. But people with mental illness face barriers to quitting that can keep them from trying in the first place.
This article will talk about:
- Factors that may find the link between smoking and mental illness
- What keeps those who smoke and have mental illness from quitting
- Quitting methods that can help people with mental illness
Why do people with mental illness smoke more?
Many theories try to explain such high smoking rates, including:
- Genetics. Some people may inherit genes that increase their chance of smoking and mental illness. Certain gene variations that play a role in both mental and drug overuse problems also appear to play a role in smoking behavior.
- Brain chemicals. Nicotine affects the action of certain brain chemicals involved in mental illness and alcohol and drug problems. Dopamine is one type of brain chemical that is affected by nicotine. It is involved in the brain’s reward and pleasure system.
- Self-medication. Some people with mental illness smoke to lessen symptoms. A person may light up to cope with depression or anxiety. People with schizophrenia may light up to help memory and attention.
Smoking may be a risk factor for mental illness
Research suggests that smoking raises your chance of mental illness. For instance, people who smoke are more likely than those who don't or used to smoke to have a first-time panic attack. Nearly all people who smoke and have schizophrenia regularly smoked before developing the disease. Young people who smoke have higher future chance of depression and anxiety.
Why is quitting hard for people who smoke and have mental illness?
People who smoke and have mental illness want to quit, and they can. But they may need more intensive treatment than those without it. Many believe that people who smoke and have mental illness can’t quit. Because of this stigma, doctors might not ask people with mental illness about their tobacco use or quitting. Many people also believe that quitting would threaten mental health recovery by taking away a coping method and worsening symptoms. This is why smoking is tolerated in some drug and alcohol treatment programs. But studies do not support this, and it is not allowed in most inpatient programs.
What methods can help people who smoke and have mental illness quit for good?
Methods proven to help most people who smoke quit can most often help people with mental illness as well. Experts have found that people who smoke and have mental illness benefit the most from quit-smoking programs that:
- Are intensive. This means they offer four or more, one-on-one office visits, each which last at least 10 minutes.
- Deliver quit-smoking interventions through many types of care providers. Successful programs also blend quit-smoking treatment with medical and mental health care.
- Support the use of drugs to take care of withdrawal symptoms and cravings. People with mental illness seem to have more withdrawal symptoms when quitting than other people. Some people might benefit from long-term use of quitting medicines.
- Give useful counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as social support. CBT focuses on identifying and changing harmful patterns of thinking, behavior, and feeling. Individual or group therapy, or a mixture of both, can work. Groups of eight to 10 people that meet once a week for seven to 10 weeks, have the most successful quit rates. With the developing popularity and acceptance of the phone as a key social-networking tool, phone counseling support is also on the rise.
- Check depressive or other mental health symptoms and medication side effects while quitting.
With individualized treatment and support that fits the person more people with mental illness can quit smoking for good.
Resource