This cartoon validates the research done at Washington University Medical School mood regulation. According to the researchers, smoking/cigarettes use is undeniably linked to anxiety, depression and use of drugs and alcohol. Nicotine acts to neutralize unwanted emotions by getting to the pleasure center of the brain in about 6 seconds thereby impacting emotions such as anxiety, anger, stress, boredom. Of course, these emotions never get resolved and make the mood problems persist. In fact, the article suggests that to help impact and help people with anxiety moods, smoking addiction MUST be tackled first. The research article recently published online Journal of Psychological Medicine states that, quitting smoking is linked to better mental health. The study showed that there were significant declines in anxiety, drug and alcohol use. I would add that pain management also fits into this category. Smoking is a distraction from the pain and mood, which delays and can actually prevent healing physically and emotionally.
“Over 3 years, people who stopped smoking reported a drop in mood disorders, alcohol and drug problems.”
- “According to the study, “clinicians tend to treat the depression, alcohol dependence or drug problem first and allow patients to ‘self-medicate’ with cigarettes if necessary,” lead investigator Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, an assistant professor of psychiatry, said in the news release. “The assumption is that psychiatric problems are more challenging to treat and that quitting smoking may interfere with treatment.” Actually, “these findings suggest a strong link between quitting smoking and improved mental health.” To view the article click on the link to this link. Smoking; Mood Study Article
- Just found an article on Regrets…..below are 2 of the 11 top picks. Smoking ranked #1 and #9 of the 11. If you want to know all 11 regrets, this is the link: Most Common Regrets
- Smoking. A solid 88 percent of the smokers in the survey said they regret taking up smoking.
- Not quitting smoking earlier. So smoking was the number one regret on the list… but this point shows even people who *beat* smoking have regrets.
