Tobacco and psychiatric illnesses, a toxic relationship

People with psychiatric illnesses are more likely to smoke than the general population and may find it more difficult for them to quit smoking. For example:

• About 2/3 of patients with schizophrenic disorders are smokers,
• Approximately 70% of men and 80% of women with a history of depression are or have been smokers.
• and 60 to 69 % patients with bipolar disorder are smokers[1]

The consequence of this overconsumption of tobacco is that people suffering from psychiatric disorders die more often from tobacco-related diseases than the general population, in particular from cardiovascular diseases (up to 6 times more frequent than in the general population) and respiratory diseases (up to 5 times more frequent than in the general population).

For a long time, it was considered that anxious, stressed and depressed people smoked because of their psychological state, while many more recent scientific studies demonstrate that, on the contrary, it is tobacco consumption that is the cause and/or aggravates their condition. Moreover, quitting smoking is often associated with an improvement in their mental health, with in particular a reduction in signs related to depression, anxiety and stress, and an improvement in their quality of life. In some cases of depression, quitting smoking is as effective as prescribing antidepressant treatments.

Contrary to some preconceived ideas, a large number of patients suffering from a psychiatric illness and smokers wish to stop smoking. Also, even if weaning can be more difficult for these patients, it is nonetheless possible, subject to management that must be systematic, adapted and prolonged.

• National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (INPES)
• French Observatory of Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT)
• Interministerial Mission to Combat Drugs and Drug Addiction (MILDT)
• MILDT and INPES. Drugs and addictions