Chapter 11 Other health problems

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour

Other health problems: Depression and Psychiatric Problems

globalink (artefact pour saut de ligne)

Dr. Cynthia Pomerleau from the University of Michigan Substance Research Center

has evidence that many longtime smokers have an underlying psychiatric problem that

nicotine may help to ameliorate. Nicotine can either sedate or stimulate, helping a

person with anxiety to relax, but stimulate a depressed patient. The psychiatric

disorder can be unmasked or worsened by nicotine withdrawal, which leads to higher

relapse and lower successful quit rates. Different studies have shown (compared with

people with no psychiatric disorder) rates of nicotine dependence twice as high

among those with anxiety disorder as well as the diagnosis of attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder, and smoking rates three times as high among those with major

depression.

New York Times, August 27, 1997, p. C8

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour saut

History of daily smoking increases significantly (odds ratio 1.9) the risk for major

depression.

Archives of General Psychiatry 55:161, 1998

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour saut

Major depression is more common among smokers (6.6% versus 2.9%), and

smokers with a history of depression are less likely to have succeeded in smoking

cessation than were smokers without such a history (14% versus 28%). Depressed

smokers are 40% less likely to quit than non-depressed ones and they are more likely

to relapse. The overwhelming majority of alcoholics are smokers, and co-morbidity

with major depression is high.

American Journal of Psychiatry, April 1993, p. 547, and October 1993, p. 1547

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour saut

Smokers who have histories of major depression are only half as likely to be

successful long-term quitters as smokers without depression. Also, major depression

is much more common among smokers than nonsmokers.

Journal of the American Medical Women's Association, January 1996, p. 39

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour saut

tobacco reference guideg (artefact pour

Thursday, July 06, 2000

Page 6 of 32

globalink (artefact pour saut de ligne)

First page of this chapter        Previous page of this chapter        Next page of this chapter Last page of this chapter Copyright (©) 2000 - David Moyer - published on UICC GLOBALink