When working with client’s who are dealing with mental health issues, whether it be emotional, cognitive, or relational and they have a nicotine addiction how do you address that? As a professional mental health therapist do you address your client’s holistically? Do you consider that overall physical health also may be having an impact on mental and relational health? Do you recommend that the client not add stress to their life by trying to quit smoking at the same time as working on other, seemingly, more important issues?
The BMJ, British Medical Journal published an article based on a study that looked at the mental health changes that took place as they analyzed the results of 26 studies dealing with smoking and mental health
The study essentially looked at:
Measures of mental health included anxiety, depression, positivity, psychological quality of life, and stress. Participants had an average age of 44, smoked around 20 cigarettes a day, and were followed up for an average of six months.
The researchers concluded that:
The effect sizes are equal or larger than those of antidepressant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders.
Click here to read more about this important study in an article published by Science Daily.
Make assessment of nicotine addiction a regular part of your intake interview by using a comprehensive intake form that you can download immediately.