A new study has revealed that smoking increases the risk of developing depression.
The research was conducted by the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim, which analyzed data from the German National Cohort.
The findings show that people who smoke cigarettes daily have a higher risk of suffering from depression, but if they stop smoking, their risk of developing depression decreases again.
The World Health Organization has already recognized smoking as the leading cause of premature deaths worldwide, as it is responsible for more than 8 million deaths each year.
Although several scientific studies have previously indicated that smoking can lead to mental health problems, the biological and social mechanisms behind this link are still not fully understood.
In the latest study, researchers examined the impact of daily smoking on mental health as well as the effects of quitting smoking on psychological well being.
The study included around 174,000 participants aged between 19 and 72 years, half of whom were women.
Researchers divided all participants into three categories. The first group consisted of people who had never smoked, the second group included those who had quit smoking, and the third group comprised those who were regular smokers.
The researchers asked all participants about their current symptoms of depression as well as their smoking habits.
The results showed that people who had never smoked had the lowest likelihood of developing depression.
According to the findings, the relationship between smoking and depression may also vary depending on age.
