The Case of Mental Health vs. Nicotine: A Generation of Addiction
Jennifer Haneline, MSW, LCSW
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Regional Manager, Northeast LA
Challenge.
One could say that life is a series of challenges, one after another. From learning to walk, talk, feed oneself, to academic achievement, athletic prowess, and economic independence. There are many challenges that present themselves throughout an individual’s life. Inherent in these challenges is the feeling of falling short; and, for some, life challenges lead to mental health challenges that some seem to overcome with ease while others get stuck in the challenge trenches of addiction and despair.
Mental health is something of a moving target for researchers to study. There are so many components that impact mental health: genetics, physical development/maturation, family of origin, economic stressors, physical health, social experiences, structural inequities, culture, brain development, life experiences, etc. To add to the complication that it is to be human, all these experiences vary from person to person (even those in the same nuclear family) and generation to generation. It’s not only difficult to understand what exactly causes one person to be healthy or ill; but, how certain traits, environments, and behaviors work to try to mitigate lasting discomfort or impact from mental health challenges.
This brings us to the current research on one behavior in particular: nicotine consumption through vaping (or nicotine delivery systems/electronic cigarettes), smoking, or other smokeless tobacco methods.
Most disturbing is that a significant association between vaping and suicidal thinking, depression, & anxiety has been identified in study after study. One study, in particular, found that those who experienced some of the gravest repercussions from vaping experienced multiple stressors that were chronic and severe.
During adolescence, particularly until about age twenty-five, the brain undergoes remarkable development; especially in the frontal lobe, which is responsible for impulse control, planning, and prioritization. Unfortunately, the introduction of harmful substances, notably those found in tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems, can disrupt this critical development. While the focus has often been on the risk of cancer—which remains a significant concern—these harmful chemicals also create detrimental pathways in the adolescent brain that have previously received insufficient attention.
This is where challenges, or life stressors, come into special attention. Stress causes the brain to limit access to executive function that the frontal lobe controls. In adolescence the frontal lobe is not fully developed so it is a ‘perfect storm,’ of significant impact on the life of an individual. When a person is under stress, and the more primitive part of their brain takes over, they often turn to the most accessible sources of comfort, whether that be food, alcohol, nicotine, or other substances– these are all quick fixes that temporarily relieve stress on the brain. Once the primitive brain takes control, those pathways to addiction get established and deeply entrenched and finding the way back out of those trenches is complicated.
Ignoring mental health, more so stigmatizing it, for generations has not served our society well. What it has done is create a generation of addiction. We must understand the importance of helping our youth through challenges instead of letting them figure it out for themselves, especially when access to nicotine, foods laden with fat and sugar (pleasure-inducing to the brain), and other addictive drugs are so readily available. This is the root of the mental health and substance abuse crisis in our present-day society. We MUST teach emotional intelligence and healthy stress reduction as part of child development.
So how do some successfully overcome challenges instead of being dragged down into the trenches of addiction and despair? They relied on their thinking instead of their feelings when they were young and learned to address challenges instead of run away from them. They learned their strength, power, and control early on.
All this to say: LISTEN to youth, help identify the challenges they are facing and be honest about what you are observing them go through. Then, once you have listened and validated their experiences, be vulnerable. Avoid telling ‘war stories’ that glorify your challenges; instead, SHARE what you faced growing up, talk about how you handled challenges and what you wish you did different now that you know better. Be honest about what you did that worked and what didn’t work. This next step is important: ROLE MODELING. Practice healthy coping skills and be honest when you rely on something that might not be healthy because you, after all, were a child once who might not have learned to overcome your primitive brain when you were young – so practice empathy for yourself and others.
Growing up, in and of itself, is a challenge but using nicotine or other substances, will create a greater challenge that many find unable to rise above. Mental health, found through healthy coping skills, must be an intentional focus to spare individuals from a life of addiction. We can win against nicotine and create a generation free from addiction.
Where to Get Help:
Visit tobaccofreeliving.org
Text VAPEFREE to 873373 or go to www.Quitwithusla.org
Access a School Vape Free Toolkit at
https://wellaheadla.com/prevention/tobacco/youth-tobacco-use/school-vape-freetoolkit/
For more information about vaping: https://unfilteredfacts.com/
For more information about helping teens free themselves from nicotine: