How loneliness affects the smoke
Loneliness, it seems to make the affected people to stop Smoking, and lonely people are also more likely to smoke. This could lead, in times of COVID-19, that more people than usual to the cigarette.
In the case of a current investigation under the joint direction of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group (TARG) at the School of Psychological Science in Bristol and the Department of psychiatry of the Amsterdam UMC hospital in the Netherlands, it was found that loneliness increases the likelihood of Smoking. The results were published in the English journal “Addiction”.
Connection between loneliness and Smoking
The results of numerous studies have already shown that there is a connection between loneliness and substance abuse. However, it was difficult to assess whether loneliness to substance abuse or whether substance abuse to loneliness, according to the research group.
Study used Mendelian randomization
Through the application of a novel research method (Mendelian randomization) found out the Team that loneliness leads to an increased likelihood of tobacco use. In this research, the method was applied never. Thus, the current investigation led to entirely new results.
What effect does loneliness have on the smoke?
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We found evidence that loneliness leads to increased Smoking respectively, the probability increases that affected people start Smoking, more Smoking cigarettes and not stop Smoking, report the researchers.
Leads COVID-19 smoke more?
The above results also reflect the during the Covid-19-pandemic Trends observed. For example, 2.2 million people seem to be in the UK to smoke more than before, reports the researchers.
Promotes Loneliness Smoking?
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However, there were also indications that the onset of Smoking increases the loneliness of the individual Person. “Our finding that Smoking may also lead to more loneliness, is tentative, but is consistent with other recent studies that have identified Smoking as a risk factor for poor mental health. A potential mechanism for this relationship is that nicotine from cigarette smoke neurotransmitters I dopamine in the brain,” explains lead author Dr. Jorien Treur from the UMC Amsterdam in a press release.
Main Smoking cause of preventable deaths
Smoking is the main cases cause of preventable premature death. When lonely people start more often with Smoking and harder to quit, you suffer more likely to be caused by Smoking damage, for example in the Form of serious diseases such as cancer, heart and respiratory diseases.
People need support to stop Smoking
The current research work, highlights the need to support Smoking people to stop Smoking, especially if they suffer from loneliness. Such support should not only be focused on the stop Smoking, but also the reduction in occurring loneliness include.
Smoking and COVID-19
To know whether there is a causal effect of loneliness on Smoking, is the Basis, in order to help the people affected. And the threat of COVID-19 will increase for many people, the loneliness. So it is particularly important that the relationships between the Smoking behavior and to understand the loneliness. “Our study is not concerned with the effects of loneliness and social Isolation as a result of the pandemic, but you can throw some light on the consequences of loneliness in General,” explains study author Dr. Robyn Wootton.
Loneliness increases the consumption of alcohol?
The Team also looked at the abuse of the relationship between loneliness and the use of alcohol and alcohol. However, no clear evidence could be found for a causal relationship. (as)