Smoking tied to risk of depression

Yahoo/ Reuters ^ | March 3, 2006 | Amy Norton

[dfwgator]

Did it not occur to them that maybe they smoke because they are depressed?

[Just A Nobody]

Pin-a-ling

[Just A Nobody]

More studies are needed to replicate the current findings, he added.

What studies could be needed. Just sit down and pen whatever you want to say. That is how it is usually done.

[DogBarkTree]

...so true, this headline is like saying firefighters are at more risk of getting burned.. People who smoke tend to think about things too much which can make anyone depressed.

[RMDupree]

You took the words right out of my mouth, gator.

The title could easily be: "Depression tied to risk of smoking."

[SamAdams76]

If I had to shell out $4 for a pack of cigarettes every day, I'd be depressed too.

[SShultz460]

I think it's because we pay all them taxes to smoke that we are depressed

[elli1]

Did it not occur to them that maybe they smoke because they are depressed?

It did. From the article: It's possible, Klungsoyr said, that other factors the study could not consider -- like personality traits that make a person prone to both depression and smoking -- are responsible.

[MosesKnows]

other factors the study could not consider

Did the study consider what was being smoked?

[trebb]

My thoughts too - often, smoking is a symptom of depression and stress. After Katrina, a whole slew of folks either started or picked it up again.

[TheRightGuy]

The title could easily be: "Depression tied to risk of smoking."

or "Smoking Eases Symptoms of Depression"

[elli1]

Bupropion is marketed as Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) and as Zyban (smoking cessation).

[Smokin' Joe]

How about studying depression in ex-smokers? Especially the ones who did not want to quit. Want to bet the rate is far higher?

[chpmass]

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell has a whole section about this, where he discusses how many heavy smokers are genetically predisposed to depression and self medicate with smoking because nicotine replaces key chemical imbalances and temporarily reduces depression symptoms for those individuals. Hence the reason why certain antidepression drugs help smokers quit- they fix the chemical imbalance that nicotine has been fixing for them.

[markman46]

Bupropion is marketed as Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) and as Zyban (smoking cessation).

neither of which work if you have depression

[ladyjane]

The current study, however, found no evidence that past depression symptoms were strongly linked to subsequent smoking. Only 15 percent of depression cases arose before study participants started smoking"

They addressed the issue of which came first. Epidemiologists, for the most part, can't do experiments which would more directly examine causality.

[RMDupree]

They'd ~never~ write a headline like that. Makes smoking look beneficial.

Cigarettes have become the One True Evil in society. *shakes head*

It's enough to depress anyone!

[elli1]

Only 15 percent of depression cases arose before study participants started smoking.

To be expected.

Average age when smokers take up the habit is <18 YO.

Average age of onset of depression is 25 YO.

[G.Mason]

Very depressing.