People start smoking cigarettes for different reasons, some start smoking as they can not cope with the stress, or difficult situations, to get rid of boredom, to relieve depression, etc. Teenagers usually start smoking due to advertisements, curiosity, and peer pressure. Mostly smoking and depression are interlinked. Often it is found that people who smoke have depression also. People generally smoke to relieve depression. But studies have found that smoking- May lead to depression. Most people know once they start smoking, it will be difficult to quit.
How smoking and depression are interlinked?
It is yet to be clear how depression and smoking are interrelated. There are several theories, that may explain the link between smoking and depression.
Depression- May lead to smoking:– People with depression generally think, that their depression may be relieved by adopting smoking. They hope they will feel better after smoking. But this may lead to depression- plus smoking as a habit.
Smoking- May lead to depression:- There are many negative impacts on health due to smoking. As per studies, it was found that nicotine released during smoking may trigger mood swings and damage certain pathways in the brain. Which are responsible for the regulation of a person’s mood.
Besides cigarettes, smoking harms the lungs, Nicotine released during smoking leads to increased blood pressure and heart rate. It narrows down arteries and makes them stiff, which may lead to heart problems.
Smoking leads to depression. And to relieve depression people switch to smoking. Both are interlinked.
Smoking may lead to depression- Experts opinion.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers surveyed more than 2000 students enrolled at Serbian universities with differing socio-political and economic environments. They found that students who smoked had rates of clinical depression twice or thrice times higher than non-smoking peers. At the University of Pristina, 14% of smokers were found to have depression in comparison to 4% of non-smokers.
It was found that students who smoked had lower mental health scores as- vitality and socio-economic functioning. They were found to have higher rates of depression symptoms.
As per professor Levine, “Our study adds to the growing body of evidence that smoking and depression are closely linked”.
Recent studies have found that smoking affects physical health and causes depression and harms mental health in the long run.
For more reading- How to overcome depression naturally? <<= Please click
Can second-hand smoking cause depression?
Secondhand smoke is the smoke emitted from the burning end of cigarettes and the smoke breathed out by smokers. It contains around 70 toxic chemicals, that may cause cancer. People who do not smoke but spend their time around smokers are at increased risk of health issues related to life-endangered diseases. As per studies, it is found that non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke may also be linked to an increased risk of depression. It further stated that people who never smoked, but lived or worked near smokers were more likely to have depressive symptoms- than non-smokers, who were not exposed to secondhand smoke.
Thus if you have depression. Smoking or second-hand smoke may make your depressive symptoms worse. Or if you are smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke- you may be at increased risk of depression.
Studies have found that people- who had never smoked generally have a better health-related quality of life and a lesser risk of anxiety and depression.
Wishing all a healthy and disease-free life.
(For awareness purposes only).
For more reading- Is depression linked to low vitamin-D? <<= Click here
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