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Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

studyfinds.org

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Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#11

Post by throwanem »

One sentence in this article is of import:

> Statistically, Speed and the team found a correlation here, but they couldn’t explain why they noticed what they did.

Correlation between smoking and mental illness has long been recognized. Without meaningful insight into causation or lack thereof, it's not clear to what extent this work contributes, and the quotes in the article suggest a desire to handwave quickly past the question on the assertion that some causative effect is present and "only" needs identifying.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#12

Post by bigyikes »

superkuh wrote: post #6
belltaco wrote: post #4

> Since this research shows that people hardly ever start smoking cigarettes after the age of 20, the team poses the idea that it could be beneficial to raise the age limit for buying them. Interesting, the recent tobacco age limit increase in the US from 18 to 21 should help.

I strongly disagree with this. If we're going to raise the age then it has to be across the board. 21 to be tried as an adult, 21 to be drafted, 21 to vote, etc. Disenfranchising legal adults because of possible 20 years* in the future crime (hospitalization for mental health around ~40yo) is very immoral. * See: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acps.13601 fig 1.

Yeah. Imagine getting drafted and not being allowed to have a cigarette in the field. Outrageous.

If I’m an adult at 18, let me make adult decisions.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#14

Post by gabereiser »

jjgreen wrote: post #9
superkuh wrote: post #5

I don't think this paper actually disentangles the causation direction. It's just another study showing that people with mental problems tend to like smoking. The 20 year gap between starting smoking and hospitalization they're talking about leaves a lot to be desired. The most surprising thing to me is that they managed to find an n=131,140 of people in the system with enough genetic testing coverage to calculate th…

[flagged]

Correlation does not equal causation. Smokers aren’t all schizophrenics and not all schizophrenics are smokers.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#15

Post by NoMoreNicksLeft »

superkuh wrote: post #5

I don't think this paper actually disentangles the causation direction. It's just another study showing that people with mental problems tend to like smoking. The 20 year gap between starting smoking and hospitalization they're talking about leaves a lot to be desired. The most surprising thing to me is that they managed to find an n=131,140 of people in the system with enough genetic testing coverage to calculate th…

By all accounts, smoking is (at least early on, before your lungs rot out of your chest) pleasant. I would think the mentally healthy would enjoy it too. What would account for the selection effect here? Is there some smoking initiation mechanism that could account for it?

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#16

Post by almostnormal »

belltaco wrote: post #4

> Since this research shows that people hardly ever start smoking cigarettes after the age of 20, the team poses the idea that it could be beneficial to raise the age limit for buying them. Interesting, the recent tobacco age limit increase in the US from 18 to 21 should help.

> Interesting, the recent tobacco age limit increase in the US from 18 to 21 should help.

New Zealand has recently banned smoking for anyone born before 2009.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#17

Post by jjgreen »

gabereiser wrote: post #14
jjgreen wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Correlation does not equal causation. Smokers aren’t all schizophrenics and not all schizophrenics are smokers.

You misstate your truism: "correlation does not imply causation". Which is true. But in either case, you then deny correlation, so not relevant.

In my personal experience, most schizophrenics smoke like bastards.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#18

Post by itslennysfault »

shkkmo wrote: post #8

This study seems like it is just yet again confirming the correlation. Since they aren't performing any intervention, all they can do is statistical analysis to show the strength of that correlation. I am not convinced by the argument that people starting to smoke long before their first mental health hospitalization means anything since mental health problems tend to start long before hospitalization.

Yeah, I find it much more believable that people suffering from mental health problems are more likely to smoke (or do drugs other risky behavior) than that smoking causes mental health problems.

Re: Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder

#20

Post by kochikame »

NoMoreNicksLeft wrote: post #15
superkuh wrote: post #5

I don't think this paper actually disentangles the causation direction. It's just another study showing that people with mental problems tend to like smoking. The 20 year gap between starting smoking and hospitalization they're talking about leaves a lot to be desired. The most surprising thing to me is that they managed to find an n=131,140 of people in the system with enough genetic testing coverage to calculate th…

By all accounts, smoking is (at least early on, before your lungs rot out of your chest) pleasant. I would think the mentally healthy would enjoy it too. What would account for the selection effect here? Is there some smoking initiation mechanism that could account for it?

Smoking cigarettes is first and foremost an anxiety suppression mechanism. It’s no surprise that those given to overly worrying and fretting would smoke.

To use your words, the mentally healthy don’t need it

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