Psychosocial Intervention (Feb 2010)

Anxiety and Tobacco

  • Cristina Mae Wood,
  • Antonio Cano-Vindel,
  • Itziar Iruarrizaga,
  • Esperanza Dongil

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5093/in2009v18n3a3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 3
pp. 213 – 231

Abstract

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Tobacco use is the first preventable cause of death. This is associated not only with physical illness and a shorter life expectancy, but also with different mental disorders such as anxiety disorders. Given the low risk perception of use, this paper reports a systematic review of the scientific literature on the relationship between anxiety and tobacco from an emotional perspective, including data on smoking prevalence, factors associated with the onset and maintenance of tobacco use, as well as those factors that hamper smoking cessation and increase relapse rates. The high rates of comorbidity between tobacco use and anxiety disorders make necessary the development of new and better tobacco cessation treatments, especially designed for those smokers with high state anxiety or anxiety sensitivity, with the aim of maximizing the efficacy.

Keywords