Secondhand smoke may place individuals at greater risk for mental health problems, new research asserts. In a study of 8,155 men and women in the Scottish Health survey, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers found non-smokers exposed to a lot of secondhand smoke were 50 percent more likely to suffer from psychological distress than those not exposed to other people’s smoke. Their risk of being admitted to a psychiatric hospital over the next six years nearly tripled. Previous studies had suggested a link between smoking and mood disorders, and nicotine exposure in animals is known to trigger depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety and a dampening of feelings of reward and satisfaction. (Reuters, 6/08/10)
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