Spanish scientists conducted a meta-analysis of studies that showed a link between smoking and suicidal behavior. Thedata were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
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“The results show that smoking increases the risk of suicide by two and a half times. However, this figure seems to decrease in people who quit smoking. The probability of having suicidal thoughts is 1.84 times higher in smokers and 1.35 times higher in those who quit smoking,” said Dr. Iván Echeverria from the Castellón Provincial Hospital, co-author of the study.
Observations made by scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that women who smoke have a higher risk of suicide than men who smoke. At the same time, men have more unsuccessful attempts.
Another co-author of the study, Dr. Antonio Jovani, believes that data on the impact of smoking should be included in the suicide prevention plan. Currently, tobacco, unlike alcohol, is not considered an independent predisposing factor when assessing the risk of suicide. In his opinion, scientific data suggest that the list of suicidal habits should be expanded.
One of the possible biological explanations for the link between tobacco and suicide, scientists point out, may be the effect of nicotine on the central nervous system. It reduces the level of serotonin in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is involved in the formation of emotions.
“One of the most serious hypotheses today is that depression and suicide are associated with a decrease in the level of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Smoking can make these changes more pronounced. Its action is the opposite of that of antidepressants, and it can contribute to the development of depressive and anxiety symptoms, which are possible precursors to suicide,” said Gonzalo Haro of Cardinal Herrera University.