Lonely people are less likely to quit smoking

Loneliness makes it harder for smokers to quit smoking, according to a study published on June 15, 2020 in the British journal Addiction. This study co-directed by the pole Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group (TARG) at the School of Psychological Science, Bristol and the hospital's psychiatry department UMC Amsterdam in the Netherlands was funded by the Medical Research Council.[1]

Application of the Mendelian randomization method

Thus, researchers from the University of Bristol, in the United Kingdom, have discovered a causal link between the feeling of loneliness and smoking. Loneliness would increase the probability of starting to smoke, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and would reduce the chances of successfully quitting smoking. To arrive at this conclusion, the scientists used a research method known as Mendelian randomization which uses genetic data and surveys involving hundreds of thousands of people.

Nicotine and toxic substances in tobacco smoke are to blame

This phenomenon would be mainly explained by the presence of nicotine and certain toxic substances present in tobacco smoke that would interfere with the neurotransmitters located in the brain. In addition, the team of scientists looked into the relationship between the feeling of loneliness and the consumption, or even the abuse of alcohol, but was unable to identify any real cause-and-effect relationships. According to the lead author of this study, Dr. Jorien Treur, the results are given provisionally but are sufficiently consistent to support the conclusions of other previously conducted studies that highlighted the fact that smoking can affect the psychological well-being of smokers.

Furthermore, Action of Smoking & Health (ASH) chief executive Deborah Arnott says that while lonely people are more likely to start smoking, they will later find it harder to quit. This research has highlighted the need to focus on supporting lonely smokers who want to quit, as wellbeing is a key component of long-term success.