Professional Advice
After the questions about managing depression and smoking cessation, I asked for advice from WEA Trust colleague, Ken Robbins, M.D., who is board certified in both internal medicine and psychiatry. Following is his reply:
“It (depression) is definitely an issue for a number of reasons. One is that antidepressant levels can change when someone stops smoking (generally they increase); another is the withdrawal from nicotine (can be managed with nicorette, etc); another is the loss of an activity that brought comfort. To decrease the risk of depression during the time this person stops smoking I would suggest the following:
- Increase the frequency of visits to his/her psychiatrist, to be sure they are being followed closely, and adjustments are made to the antidepressant dose, if necessary;
- Increase exercise. That will reinforce the improved lung function, and provide another way to increase dopamine, and help with anxiety during the withdrawal period;
- Look for other ways to find comfort. Meditation might help, spending more time with friends or family, or with hobbies he or she enjoys.”
Very helpful!
Deadly Habit
When you’re doing hand-to-hand combat with a smoking habit, you can’t be reminded too often of the deadly health consequences of smoking.
Having witnessed cancer battles–and cancer deaths–I have a healthy fear of the disease. I’m not alone; the National Institutes of Cancer says Americans fear cancer more than any other disease.
Take a look at the types of cancer smoking causes.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
