A Study of Mental Health in Smokers

Despite being aware of the harmful effects of smoking it still is prevalent all across the world cutting across regions, class and financial strata. Though a number of efforts are being made to educate the general public about deleterious effects of smoking but still smoking lures predominantly youngsters. Younger generation is thus facing the hazardous effects of smoking. Mental health is a state of psychological well-being, or an absence of a mental disorder. It is the "psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment". Smoking has been known to cause far reaching health consequences, not just at the physical level but mental level as well. Smoking is associated not only with the prevalence but also with first-ever incidence of mental disorders. The aim of the present study is to assess and compare the mental health of smokers and non smokers. So for this purpose, total sample comprising of 150 subjects in the age range of 22-28 years was taken. These 150 participants were divided into two groups Smokers (75) and Non-smokers (75). Tool utilized was the Mental Health Inventory. Results indicate poorer mental health in smokers. The study infers that psycho educative programmes should be made to address mental health problems of smokers.