Vaping FAQs

should mental health providers add vaping to their assessments

by Edwina Hermann Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

Is vaping harmful to your mental health?

Many young adults don’t realize that vaping is harmful to their physical and mental health. In fact, one-third of young people believe that vaping nicotine is no worse than drinking a cup of coffee. And they may not understand the links between vaping and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorders.

Why are so many young adults vaping?

In addition, the reason young adults start vaping is often related to mental health. A Truth Initiative survey found that 4 out of 5 young adults begin vaping due to stress, anxiety, or depression. However, the negative impact of vaping far outweighs any temporary relief from mental health symptoms.

Does vaping help with anxiety and depression?

Although vaping was supported for its role in relieving anxiety and depression, some posters exhibited wariness of acquiring or maintaining nicotine addiction through vaping. Some posters believed that nicotine caused anxiety rather than cured it and that quitting all forms of nicotine would lead to better mental health.

What motivates people with mental illness to vape?

Six themes were classified as motivations to vape for people with mental illness: Self-medication; Quitting smoking; Freedom and control; Hobby; Social connectedness; and Motivation from caregivers and online communities.

Does vaping have an effect on mental health?

Though nicotine has not been found to directly cause mental health conditions, peer-reviewed studies reveal troubling links between vaping, nicotine, and worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as higher odds of having a depression diagnosis.

What does vaping help with mentally?

81% of young adults said they started vaping as a way to decrease stress, anxiety, or depression, according to an August 2021 survey of 1,000 people between ages 15 and 24.

Does vaping help with stress and depression?

Stress and anxiety can trigger vape cravings, and make it harder for you to quit for good. You may be tempted to reach for your vape when you have these feelings, but vaping is not an effective way to cope. There are healthy and effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

How does vaping affect decision making?

Vaping impacts the developing brain. Nicotine mixed with a developing brain can lead to addiction, reduced impulse control and mood disorders. Nicotine also negatively impacts the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for attention, decision-making, judgment and planning.

Is vaping worse than smoking?

1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.

Does vaping help with ADHD?

While nicotine might briefly alleviate ADHD symptoms, it exacerbates them in the long term: the dose of stimulant from nicotine briefly helps with focusing, but over three to six months a serious addiction and craving for nicotine will develop that actually worsens the natural production of dopamine.

Can vaping calm anxiety?

About half – 50.3% – of frequent vapers say they must vape to cope with their stress and anxiety, and 45% say it's okay to vape for stress relief.

Why does vaping calm you down?

Research shows that vape devices only give off 95% fewer toxins than cigarettes. So, by vaping, you're reducing anxiety and stress. Not only that, but you're also cleansing your body from toxins. In fact, the simple process of vaping will calm you down.

Does vaping help you sleep?

Why vaping is not beneficial for sleep. Both smoking and vaping expose your system to the addictive stimulant nicotine. Research shows that nicotine disrupts sleep in a variety of ways: According to studies, nicotine suppresses REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the deepest level of sleep.

Can vaping cause memory loss?

We found that inhaled EC vape triggered neurotoxicity that induces brain inflammatory effects similar to those observed in the CS-exposed group. We posit that these toxicological effects are associated with decreased cognitive spatial and memory functions of EC and CS as compared to control mice.

What age group is most likely to vape?

Teens and young adults. Gallup says that 20% of people age 18 to 29 vape, compared to 9% of people age 30 to 49, 7% of people age 50 to 64, and less than 0.5% of people older than 65. And, according to the Truth Initiative, 15- to 17-year-olds are 16 times more likely to vape than 25- to 34-year-olds.

What are 5 facts about vaping?

10 Things You Need to Know About the Vaping EpidemicE-Cigarettes Contain Nicotine. ... Vapes Contain Other Harmful Chemicals. ... E-cigarettes are not Safe Just Because They are a Water Vapor. ... Young Adults are More Likely to Vape. ... Vaping is Addictive. ... Vaping Could be a Gateway Drug. ... Vaping Causes Heart and Lung Issues.More items...

Are there any pros to vaping?

E-cigarettes help adults quit smoking and lowers youth smoking rates. Vaping is a safer way to ingest tobacco. E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy.

Does vaping relieve stress?

But in reality, vaping nicotine can add to your stress and can also amplify feelings of depression and anxiety. In fact, according to Truth Initiative survey data, 93% of vapers reported that vaping negatively affected their lives because it made them feel more stressed, depressed, or anxious.

Is nicotine good for anxiety?

Smoking, anxiety and mood Most smokers say they want to stop, but some continue because smoking seems to relieve stress and anxiety. It's a common belief that smoking helps you relax. But smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Smokers are also more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time.

Why do teenagers vape?

addiction, they like the “hit” they get from nicotine. appealing flavors (e.g. fruit, candy, dessert) devices are seen as trendy, or a status symbol. they consider vaping “harmless” and “safer than smoking” in order to quit or cut down on smoking.

What is the connection between vaping and mental health?

Vaping and mental health: What’s the connection? Vaping devices, also known as e- cigarettes, e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, vapes, tank systems, and electronic nicotine delivery systems, are used to inhale aerosols. Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, pipes, pens, or USB drives.

Why are e-cigarettes harmful?

Some of the flavors used may be harmful when heated and inhaled in form of aerosol. Social or peer pressure has been reported as one of the most common reasons for increased use by adolescents.

How does nicotine affect the health of a smoker?

Like with any addiction, nicotine affects the physical and mental health of smokers. The impact on mental health has been overshadowed by the concerns about physical health. Contrary to popular belief, nicotine content in some vaping devices is much higher than combustible cigarettes.

What does an e-cigarette look like?

Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, pipes, pens, or USB drives. It contains a heating element to vaporize a liquid that can include flavor compounds, nicotine, or cannabis-derived compounds such as tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Does Juul pod contain nicotine?

Some nicotine pods like the Juul pod contain as much nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. Researchers have studied several mental health issues associated with vaping in adolescents and young adults. Dependence on nicotine has been associated with impulsivity, mood disorders, anxiety, suicidality and depression.

Is vaping bad for you?

Vaping is often used as a cop ing strategy by individuals suffering from depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions.

Does nicotine cause depression?

Nicotine interrupts the cerebral dopamine pathway leading to an increase in depressive symptoms. Nicotine also increases sensitivity to stress, and alters the coping mechanism in the brain. These changes lead to an increased dose-response relationship – meaning an increase in symptoms with increased exposure to nicotine.

What to ask about e-cigarettes?

If EVALI is suspected, health care providers should ask about the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products in a confidential and nonjudgmental manner. The most critical step in assessing EVALI is to ask patients about recent use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. If product use is confirmed, ask about the types of substances used (e.g., [tetrahydrocannabinol] THC and nicotine) and where they were obtained.

Where to report e-cigarettes?

CDC encourages clinicians to continue to report possible cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) to their local or state health department for further investigation.

What should follow up evaluation include?

The follow-up evaluation should include: clinical assessment to confirm that the patient’s respiratory status is stable; ongoing education about EVALI; ensuring adherence with medication regimens such as tapering of corticosteroids (if prescribed at the time of hospital discharge); reinforcing the importance of abstinence from e-cigarette , or vaping, product use; facilitating connection to outpatient care by all providers or services indicated by patients’ medical history or conditions; connecting patients to needed social, mental health, and substance use disorder resources; and establishing connections to necessary services.

What is the best treatment for evali?

Corticosteroids might be helpful in treating EVALI.

Is vitamin E acetate linked to the eli outbreak?

Vitamin E acetate is strongly linked to the EVALI outbreak. Vitamin E acetate has been found in product samples tested by FDA and state laboratories and in patient lung fluid samples tested by CDC from geographically diverse states. Vitamin E acetate has not been found in the lung fluid of people that do not have EVALI.

Why should medication reconciliation and patient counseling be provided by the inpatient pharmacist?

Medication reconciliation and patient counseling should be provided by the inpatient pharmacist to help ensure medication adherence.

Where to report evali?

Report cases of EVALI to your state or local health department.

Why are young people vulnerable to nicotine use?

Youth and young people are particularly vulnerable to early initiation and nicotine use due to exposure to trauma. We also see how vulnerable populations have been given misinformation, sold products based on this misinformation and ultimately are susceptible to early initiation and ongoing adult tobacco use.

Why should school districts increase mental health support for children?

Three quarters (73%) of parents say school districts should increase mental health support for children because of the effects of social isolation from COVID-19.

Do people with mental health issues use e-cigarettes?

Individuals with mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, are twice as likely to have tried e-cigarettes and three times as likely to be users of e-cigarettes. In addition, individuals with mental health challenges often combine e-cigarettes with concurrent use of traditional combustible cigarettes, which may make them more at risk for nicotine addiction.

Does vaping affect the brain?

We know nicotine exposure during this time can impact the brain. And vaping can lead to higher rates of nicotine product use. This is why it is essential we focus on the preventable causes during this formative period. In the past year, we, in collaboration with the Center for Disease Control, assessed the effects of the pandemic on substance use risks and drivers among 600 youth ages 12 to 18. What we learned through that assessment is that 44% of youth reported feeling stressed, 27% felt lonely, 25% felt worried or anxious and 24% felt depressed.

What are the motivations for vaping?

Six themes were classified as motivations to vape for people with mental illness: (1) Self-medication; (2) Quitting smoking; (3) Freedom and control; (4) Hobby; (5) Social connectedness; and (6) Encouragement from caregivers. The limitations or barriers to vaping included: (1) Unsatisfactory substitute for cigarettes and psychiatric medicines; (2) Drug interactions; (3) Nicotine addiction; (4) Risks of e-liquid; (5) Practical difficulties; and (6) Cost. Representative excerpts for each theme appear in Table 2and Table 3and Supplementary Tables S3 and S4.

Can people with mental illness use e-cigarettes?

Studies have shown that e-cigarettes are acceptable to smokers with mental illness and may assist them to quit or reduce smoking [15,16,17]. This research suggests that smokers with mental illness might benefit from e-cigarettes and substantial proportions are already using them. However, there is little research on how people with mental illness find information about e-cigarettes or on what type of information about e-cigarettes they seek.

Is e-cigarettes good for smoking?

There is growing interest in e-cigarettes, also known as nicotine vaporizers, as a tobacco harm reduction approach for those who are unable to quit smoking with conventional quit smoking methods [10]. E-cigarettes are battery operated devices that heat a solution of propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerol, typically containing nicotine and flavorings to produce an aerosol which can be inhaled into the lungs [10]. A review of the evidence on e-cigarettes by the Royal College of Physicians concluded that while likely to be more harmful than nicotine replacement therapy, the risks of vaping are substantially lower than smoking [11]. Considering the difficulties people with mental illnesses experience in quitting smoking due to their higher nicotine dependence, inadequate smoking cessation support and greater exposure to pro-smoking environments, tobacco harm reduction approaches, such as switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, have been proposed to reduce smoking related harm in this priority population [12].

Is vaping safer than smoking?

On the other hand, vaping was most often described in innocuous terms, such as a “hobby”. Many posters acknowledged that existing research was inadequate to make claims about the absolute safety of e-cigarettes. However, they considered vaping to be a reduced harm option which was the “lesser of two evils” compared to tobacco cigarettes. Smoking reduction or switching completely to vaping was reported as resulting in a number of health benefits, including intertwined mental and physical benefits. Saving money was also mentioned as motivating a switch from smoking to vaping, which a number of posters described as being cheaper in the long run.

Is smoking cessation effective for mental health?

However, smoking cessation rates among people with mental illness remain low and only limited evidence support ing the effectiveness of traditional smoking cessation treatments such as nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline and bupropion among people with severe mental illnesses exists [7,8,9].

Can e-cigarettes be used for smoking cessation?

There is also a lack of clear and unequivocal official guidance concerning use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation in most countries (the UK is a notable exception). In the absence of a consensus among medical professionals, people with mental illness may be compelled to rely on other information sources, including forms of “lay expertise” that are produced via participatory media platforms [21,22].

Can a smoker with mental illness smoke?

Studies have shown that e-cigarettes are acceptable to smokers with mental illness and may assist them to quit or reduce smoking [15,16,17]. This research suggests that smokers with mental illness might benefit from e-cigarettes and substantial proportions are already using them.

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