Do you smoke? Doctor says, cigarettes can affect your mental health in these ways

Smoking is an unhealthy habit, and it causes multiple health complications, from heart to lungs. However, cigarettes effect on mental health is underrated and crucial to understand. In an interview with HT lifestyle, Dr Sameer Malhotra, senior director and head, Dept of mental health and behavioural sciences, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket said, “Nicotine being a stimulant is associated with constriction of blood vessels, disturbing the blood flow to the peripheral parts of the body, and also to the brain. Smoking is also linked to the risk of atherosclerosis or plaque depositions in the blood vessels: again, restricting the blood flow to various parts of the body.” Also read | How do I quit smoking?

However, smoking cigarettes also affect our mental health in significant ways:

Memory dysfunction:

Smoking increases carbon monoxide levels in the blood and affects oxygenation. As a result, people dependent on smoking, suffer from memory dysfunction in the long run. There are studies to suggest smokers having reduced grey matter volume (cerebral atrophy).

Anxiety and stress:

Smokers’ life is also affected emotionally as nicotine is linked to neurochemical disturbances in the brain, (disturbing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine) linked to significant anxiety, tremulousness and stress related disorders. Also read | Cigarettes to heart attacks: Here's how smoking destroys your heart and what you can do to stop it

Mood disorders:

Smoking significantly increases the level of proinflammatory cytokines like IL 6, TNF alpha contributing to chronic inflammation that damages the blood brain barrier and leads to unwanted neuroinflammation linked to cognitive and memory disturbances, susceptibility to mood disorders and Neuro degenerative diseases.

Difficulty in concentrating:

It’s a myth that smoking improves concentration. It is often used as an excuse, out of cravings to smoke a cigarette when feeling low concentration.

Disrupts sleep:

Nicotine being a stimulant also leads to smokers, finding it difficult to fall asleep at night. Smoking is associated with sleep, disturbances and parasomnia. Also read | 10 wellness, health tips for people trying to quit smoking and working on having strong lungs

Schizophrenia:

There is also a strong link between smoking and schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia are more likely to smoke in excess.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.