It is no surprise today to see a teen smoking, despite all the warnings about health hazards, tobacco use is still popular with our culture. What may be surprising is that through a recent study in Canada, there is evidence pointing to long term tobacco use contributing to depression / depressive symptoms in teens. Even more alarming is with teens and how they lie to themselves about why they are smoking.
The study was mentioned in the recent article “Teen Smoking Increases Depressive Symptoms” by Rick Nauert, PhD, where Dr. Nauert highlights the various factors the study used when determining its conclusions. Of interest to me was the association between teens smoking and depression. The teens that appear to be susceptible to increased depression through smoking are teens that view smoking as an anti-depressant.
I will admit that I have not used tobacco in any form in roughly 10 years but I do not recall smoking ever making me feel better. In truth smoking made me ill and I used alternative forms to get my nicotine. I do know that nicotine withdrawal will create mood swings similar to most drug use / withdrawal; I had a very difficult time when it came to not using nicotine; and it is the mood swings that create difficulty when attempting to stop using tobacco products. I never thought of tobacco as an anti-depressant though and using cigarettes to “feel” better is a little alarming.
Teens call it for what it is, an addictive substance that is difficult to stop due to nicotine withdrawal, and it is the nicotine withdrawal you are counteracting when it “appears” to brighten your mood. If you want to smoke, at the very least be honest with yourself – lie to others if you feel you must by why lie to yourself? Admit that smoking has an addictive component that keeps you using tobacco products – nicotine. Please do not shield it under false pretenses of an anti-depressant needed to “feel” better, especially since the Canadian study points to long-term use having the opposite effect.
