Schizophrenia & Smoking | Schizophrenia

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Hi. I'm Jeanie Tse, here to talk to you about schizophrenia and its relationship to smoking. We know that about 80 percent of people who have schizophrenia smoke, which is far higher than the general population, where it's more like 20 percent. And so, a lot of people have looked at the reasons why that is. So, there's been a lot of different research to look at why there's this relationship between schizophrenia and smoking.
One theory has to do with self medication, that people with schizophrenia smoke to reduce stress and to reduce symptoms like depression and agitation. As well, smoking seems to help with some of the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, so it helps them to think clearer and decreases some of the confusion that can happen in schizophrenia.
But, the biggest of reason that has stood up in the studies may be boredom, that a lot of people with schizophrenia end up being institutionalize for periods of time, being out of work and that leads to a lot of idle time that leads to smoking behavior. Obviously, we know that smoking leads to poor outcomes in terms of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer, and so we know that this is something that needs to address.
So, there's a lot of energy being put into smoking cessation programs for people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. And so, these can be access you know through your treatment providers. Both your psychiatrist and primary care providers have been involve in these efforts. You can call 311 in New York City or you can access your local city government to obtain things.
In New York City, we provide nicotine replacement patches and gum to people for free. And in hospitals they've also put in smoking cessation programs. It used to be that in every psychiatric ward across the country, there was a smoking room or you could just actually smoke on the unit. When I started training as a psychiatrist, we even used to give cigarettes out to people to encourage them to come into the clinic.
That is a thing of the past, thank goodness, we now really work to reduce smoking because we know that it really affects people risk, both in terms of mortality and quality of life.

[@mishycrawford]

Cigarettes keeps your mind going , so you can still hold onto reality when your going through psychotic episodes, when your loosing yourself having a smoke helps because your focusing on something that’s real

[@Devo1987]

If I stop smoking my mind get clear less anxiety if I smoke I get more anxiety and fogs my cognition I feel better and yes I know it's hard but I was never really addicted you just have a sensation

[@rayarias1820]

thank you brother im trying to replace that sensation with other stuff

[@anotheridiot4646]

Im 11 and I dont smoke but
The doctors said I have whats called "a bad case of schizophrenia"

[@radicalronin]

Its gonna be okay bud.

[@Roth88888]

Don’t worry about that, champ

[@jamestait2996]

Iv been battling with 2 different mental illness. You are not alone😉

[@lightwolf1261]

The smoke flows thriugh the body calms the nervers while killing you what a big convo to have

[@jfsdi1]

what bad for you is the meds how long doss that tack oFF someones life how dissabling are the meds it about time to tack real actshon an i dont meen piket sines

[@tristanhoward9190]

Smoking lowers antipsychotics greatly levels greatly. Even 50% in heavy smokers.

[@ampswithfans]

Smokers of what?

[@BigTdawg2140]

*So that’s why I punch darts so hard*

[@Revivingfreedom]

So can smoking cigarettes induce the chance of schizophrenia

[@PeachesDreemurr]

My one med has now been classified as narcotic, Valium. Considering taking up smoking to help with stress. Apparently meds are the new smoking.

[@fencejumpa2365]

Caffiene and nicotine is all you need to keep the voices away :D

[@mightytattz6752]

@@sonecabrasil4550 Praying to God helps more than any remedy here. God healing is the best and his hand is not shortened to the souls who need him.

[@mwamussa]

Bunch of BS. I hate these religious nuts who refuse to live in reality

[@MistressMarimbist]

I need to pee.

[@leschaelli9485]

Ok

[@TheGreatCornholio360]

I had the first comment.

[@noelgillett346]

the orthodoxy espoused is absurd. there are no competent discussions on this topic.

[@Oslo13]

Kappa

[@toniseallen4421]

Lmao y'all rude

[@kameronknight2]

First comment

[@Yungtisa]

Well you Asian if there’s one million normal ppl 20% smoke is almost the same as 1000ppl skitso

[@rav3two]

smoke kush ;)