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Depression after smoking cessation: case reports
K B Stage1, A H Glassman, L S Covey
1Department of Clinical Psychopharmacology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Smoking cessation can trigger severe depression, especially in individuals with a history of major depression. This risk highlights the importance of monitoring mental health during nicotine dependence treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Smokers with a history of major depression are vulnerable to depressive mood during smoking cessation.
- The potential for smoking cessation to provoke severe depression remains under-documented.
Observation:
- This study presents six case reports of severe depressive episodes following smoking cessation.
- Cases included individuals with and without a prior history of major depression.
Findings:
- Four cases involved smokers with a history of major depression, who were not depressed prior to cessation.
- Two cases involved smokers with no prior history of major depression.
- The timing and outcomes of these post-cessation depressions showed variability.
Implications:
- Clinicians treating nicotine dependence must consider the risk of emergent or exacerbated depressive states after smoking cessation.
- Patients with a history of major depression require particular attention regarding mental health monitoring during cessation efforts.