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Schizophrenia and the Motivation for Smoking
Author(s) -
Forchuk Cheryl,
Norman Ross,
Malla Ashok,
Martin MaryLou,
McLean Terry,
Cheng Stephen,
Diaz Kristine,
Mcintosh Elizabeth,
Rickwood Ann,
Vos Sandra,
Gibney Cynthia
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
perspectives in psychiatric care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6163
pISSN - 0031-5990
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6163.2002.tb00656.x
Subject(s) - schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , addiction , mental illness , clinical psychology , psychology , smoking cessation , mental health , medicine , pathology
PROBLEM. People with mental illness are twice as likely to smoke than people without a mental illness. METHODS. Data were collected through interviews with individuals who smoke and have been diagnosed with schizophrenia (N = 100). The research design included a descriptive, correlational design that described and examined the relationships among psychiatric symptoms, medication side effects, and reasons for smoking; and a qualitative analysis of the subjective experience of smoking. FINDINGS. A positive relationship was found between the age of onset of smoking and the onset of schizophrenia. Subjects reported they smoked primarily for sedative effects and control of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Subjects also reported smoking related to addiction. Most indicated they would like to quit smoking or at least cut down on the number of cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS. Among people with schizophrenia, the motivation to smoke is related to their schizophrenia.