Study: Kicking smoking habit can boost one's spirit

By Staff Writer

Successfully quitting smoking can brighten an individual's mood, according to a new study.

The website Medscape reports that researchers from Brown University conducted the study, which was published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. The results debunked the notion that smoker's who quit develop depressive symptoms.

The research group studied 236 heavy smokers of at least half a pack of cigarettes per day. Each participant was given nicotine patches, behavioral counseling and then agreed on a quit date. The group's behaviors were examined one week before the quit date, and then two, eight, 16 and 26 weeks after the date.

All but 29 of the subjects exhibited one of four quitting behaviors: never abstaining from smoking, only abstinent for two weeks, abstinent for up to eight weeks and cigarette free for the entire assessment period.

Across the different checkup points, individuals who were abstinent from smoking showed significant reduction in depressive symptoms, compared to those who continued smoking.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, children who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers to experience various behavioral problems by grade 12.