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Does cigarette smoking cause stress?

¹Department of Psychology, University of East London, Great Britain. andy2@uel.ac.uk

The American Psychologist

|November 30, 1999

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Contrary to popular belief, smoking does not reduce stress. Nicotine dependence actually worsens stress levels, with smokers only feeling normal when their nicotine levels are replenished.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Addiction Medicine
Public Health

Background:

Smokers frequently perceive cigarettes as a stress reliever.
Existing research indicates higher stress levels in adult smokers compared to non-smokers.
Adolescent smokers show increasing stress with sustained smoking patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between smoking, nicotine dependence, and perceived stress.
To clarify whether smoking alleviates or exacerbates stress.
To inform public health messaging regarding smoking and stress.

Main Methods:

Analysis of self-reported stress levels in adult and adolescent smokers and non-smokers.
Examination of daily mood fluctuations in relation to smoking patterns.

Related Experiment Videos

Assessment of stress changes following smoking cessation.

Main Results:

Adult smokers exhibit slightly higher stress levels than non-smokers.
Adolescent smokers experience escalating stress as smoking becomes regular.
Smoking cessation is associated with a reduction in overall stress.
Moods worsen between cigarettes, indicating stress relief is temporary and due to nicotine withdrawal reversal.

Conclusions:

Nicotine dependence exacerbates stress, rather than alleviating it.
The perceived relaxant effect of smoking is an illusion caused by the reversal of nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Public awareness campaigns should emphasize that tobacco use increases stress, potentially aiding cessation and prevention efforts.