Can Smoking Ease Away Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is one of the most convoluted diseases of the human minds. Generally it appears in late adolescent or early adulthood, but it is not limited by the age, it can affect a person any time in his life. People with schizophrenia may hear voices that are not present. The individual then tends to become an introvert, sometimes even dangerous for him/herself and others. This disease affects males and females equally. However, an article in BMJ claims that it affects 1.4 males for every 1 female. According to WHO, Schizophrenia affects about 24 million people worldwide.

Scientists think that nicotine in tobacco may contribute in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia temporarily. People with this condition are not consciously aware of this addiction, that by smoking they are actually self-medicating. The bad luck however is, that it increases other risk factors like cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and early death. 

According to a new research, 75 % of the people suffering from schizophrenia smoke. This is a rate thrice as much as the smokers in the general population. Moreover, Schizophrenics inhale more deeply and smoke more frequently than the smokers in general.

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