With the large amount of media attention cigarette smoking gets, most people are fully aware of the negative effects that smoking can have on a person's health. It increases your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure and has even been known to contribute to cancer, among other things. While so many are aware of the effects smoking can have on physical health, very little attention is given to the effects that smoking can have on a person's mental health. It is important to understand that smoking has negative effects on both your physical and mental health.
Effects on IQ
A study was conducted by professor Mark Weiser of the Department of Psychiatry at Tel Aviv University, in which he compared the IQs of men between the ages of 18 and 21 who were enlisted in the Israeli army. The results of the study showed that the men who smoked had significantly lower IQs than the men who did not smoke. On average, their IQs were 7 percent lower than their nonsmoking counterparts.
A study conducted by Debapriya Ghosh and Anirban Basu at the Indian National Brain Research Center showed that there may be a connection between tobacco use and damage to brain cells, which may explain the lower average IQ of a person who smokes compared to a person who does not. Their research suggested that a chemical found in tobacco called NNK causes healthy cells to attack damaged cells.
Effects on Stress
Many people who smoke do so as a way to relieve stress and anxiety. According to an Action on Smoking and Health fact sheet, smokers actually tend to exhibit more signs of stress in their lives than those who do not smoke. This may be due to the fact that more and more nicotine is needed to make smokers feel normal, and when this craving is not satisfied, smokers become anxious and stressed.
Effects on Depression
The Action on Smoking and Health fact sheet also suggests that smokers are more prone to depression than nonsmokers: "Many epidemiological studies have reported an association between clinical depression and smoking. Some have concluded that the effects of long-term nicotine exposure on the brain may have a causal influence on major depression." The fact sheet goes on to suggest that others attribute smoking to genetic or environmental factors as well.
