Fasincating stuff. Cigarette smoking is actually a form of self-medicating for some people with mental illnesses. I wonder if the whole chemical mess is required, or just nicotine patches would do the job?
However, in my time studying, discussing, and thinking about these issues, I came across a new horn of the dilemma. I discovered that the severely mentally ill members of our country are smokers in massive numbers. For example, more than 80% of schizophrenics are smokers some studies show numbers as high as 95%. The self-reported reasons for smoking by schizophrenics are the same as those for the general population: relaxation and habit. However, there has been a growing body of evidence, which many have now termed proof, that schizophrenics are using cigarette smoking as a means of self-medication.
