Traditional Cigarette Smoking and Depression
It’s a known fact that traditional cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that can be very damaging to a person’s health. From heart diseases to lung cancer, tobacco-based cigarettes can lead to serious illnesses that can put your life in danger. Most people understand the harmful health effects of cigarette smoking on a person’s physical health. However, something that most people and even health organizations tend to ignore is the negative effects of cigarette smoking on the emotional health of a person.
Cigarette smoking can lead to a myriad of emotional problems that can have a debilitating effect on the day-to-day life of a person. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders that affect countless people all over the world. It has always been believed that depressed people are more likely to smoke. However, the notion that smoking can cause depression in people has now gained widespread acceptance in the medical fraternity. Various studies have been conducted in the recent years that have successfully strengthened the belief that people who smoke regularly are more likely to suffer from depression a few years down the line.
In a study conducted by the experts from the University of Navarra on 8,557 university graduates with an average age of 42, it was found that participants who smoked were at a greater risk of developing depression. More participants who smoked were diagnosed with depressions than their counterparts. In a similar study conducted by Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA), it was found that about 70% of male and 80% of female habitual smokers had depression. Many other similar studies have been conducted in the past that point in the same direction.
Considering the harmful physical and mental health effects of traditional smoking, it has become quite important for people to get rid of the habit as soon as possible. There are many ways through which a person can overcome his smoking addiction. However, it is important to understand that smoking is a highly addictive habit and overcoming it may not be easy. However, with strong determination and will power, it’s very much doable. Switching to electronic cigarettes is one of the ways that can help you avoid the negative and harmful health effects of cigarette smoking.