Does chain smoking cause depression ?

I have a number of problems, but what i am really concerned with is my depression and i think the smoking i do is related to it. I mostly feel depressed, i feel down 10-14 hours of the day. I have family relation issues and i lost the love of my life if it has anything to do with it. I smoke about 7-10 ciggerets a day and quite recently the intensity of the depression has increased. I have recently suffered from Jaundice and i havnt taken any medicine for the depression, infact no one knows about it yet. I have mood changes often aswell. I am 21 years old and i don t know about my parents having it, they are both diabetic thats what i all know.

Asked by: Anonymous On : Fri, 11 Feb 2011

Answers: 2 Views: 155

Dr. Satyajeet Kumar Singh,
Psychiatrist

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Nicotine is one of the prominent substance of abuse that is related with depression. But whether smoking directly leads to depression is a matter of research. According to best of my knowledge, it is causally related to emergence of depressive symptom in predisposed individual. Clearly this is well apparent to all that a depressed person smokes a lot. Not only cigarates / nicotine but also other substances [ like alcohol, caffeine, marijuana, cocaine, hypnotics & sedatives etc..] are abused at greater rate by a depressed person.
By reading you above, it seems you are definitely having Generalised Anxiety [ Concern about numbers of problem, Concern about your own mental health, Concern about impact of news on your family that you are having some sort of stress ].
How I can assume you are suffering from depression? I have not seen you personally. I have not seen your dull face with diminished emotional reactivity.
If I discloses here something without proper evaluation, definitely that is going to create other reason for your worry. So honestly not only me, any psychiatrist will like to evaluate you before making any definitive comment.

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Dr. B Raghavendra,
Psychiatrist

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Hi,

You seem to have summarised all the relevant issues together. The only thing that is surprising me is what is stopping you from seeking professional help? If you don't want medication, the right kind of talking therapy will also help. Please go and see a psychiatrist.

Good Luck

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