Depressed People More Likely to Smoke

More than 40 percent of U.S. adults who have depression are also smokers, meaning people need help with both if they want to quit, according to a U.S. government survey published on Wednesday.

The survey found more than half of middle-aged men with depression were also smokers, while half of women under age 40 who were depressed also smoked.

The results seem to indicate that in order to help smokers quit, the underlying depression needs to be treated as well. The message becomes more urgent when we take into account that smoking is responsible for almost half a million deaths annually. Read the full article to find out more about what the investigators have to say on the link between smoking and depression.

My own thoughts on the issue: With increasing public awareness on the dangers of cigarette smoking, smokers seem to be under a whole lot of pressure to quit – sometimes to the point of being stigmatized. I wonder if this attitude just makes it worse for smokers who are already depressed. What are your thoughts? Leave your comments below!