Smoking in schizophrenic patients: A critique of the self-medication hypothesis

摘要: A common remark among laypeople, and notably also mental health workers, is that individuals with illnesses use drugs as self-medication to allay clinical symptoms the side effects of drug treatments. Roots concept in psychiatry date back at least 1980s. Observations rates smokers schizophrenic patients are multiple times for regular smoking general population, well those other disorders, proved particularly tempting a explanation. Additional evidence came from experiments animal models exposed nicotine identification neurobiological mechanisms suggesting plausible idea. More recently, results studies comparing non-smoking have led questioning hypothesis. Closer examination literature points possibility less beneficial on symptomology than generally assumed while clearly increasing risk cancer smoking-related diseases responsible early mortality. It good time examine it relates smoking. Our approach focus data addressing direct or implied predictions hypothesis smokers.