The link between vaping and mental health (2024)

Many young adults do not realize that vaping is harmful to their physical and mental health. A third of young people even believe that vaping nicotine is no worse than drinking a cup of coffee. And they may not understand the connection between vaping and mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, psychosis and eating disorders.

Awareness about the dangers of vaping is growing due to the FDA's ban on the sale of JUUL vaping products in June 2022. (As of the publication of this article, the FDA had halted the ban). But young adults need more education and information about the short- and long-term effects of vaping on their health and well-being.

Statistics on vaping among young adults

Vape products, also known as e-cigarettes, are the most common tobacco products used by college students in the United States.Three quartersof students who use tobacco vapor, compared to 42% who smoke cigarettes. The most recentMonitoring the future studyfound that vaping among college students, including both nicotine and marijuana,was doubledbetween 2017 and 2018. It is one of the largest proportional increases in 40 years.

There was a slight decrease in vaping among this age group in 2020. However, vaping among young adults remains at high levels.About fifteen minutesof young adults (18-22 years old) vape marijuana, 13 percent regularly vape marijuana and about 1 in 5 regularly vape nicotine.

Why do young adults vape?

Why is vaping attractive to young people? There is onedifferent reasonswhy young adults vape, including:

• Curiosity
• Peer pressure
• Likes the taste better than cigarettes
• As a way to reduce stress, e.gacademic pressureInsocial anxiety
• To reduce their use of traditional tobacco products. However, using vaping as a way to quit smoking has not been proven to be effective. People often end up using both traditional cigarettes and vaping, also known as 'dual use'.
• Believing that vaping products are safer than consuming nicotine in other forms, such as cigarettes.

Perceptions of vaping risk among young adults

Less than 20 percentof young adults consider vaping marijuana occasionally to be harmful, and only about half believe that vaping nicotine regularly is harmful. A new study actually shows that1 in 3 young adultsbelieved that nicotine was no more harmful than a cup of coffee. Moreover, more than 1 in 8 believed that nicotine is only addictive when smoked from a cigarette.

According to a studyabout vaping in college students, most young people realize that vaping can increase their risk of developing heart and lung disease. But less than half of students knew that e-cigarettes also increase the risk of seizures. And only a third to a half of students were aware of or could identify the toxins in these products: nickel, tin, lead, flavorings and other ultrafine particles that are harmful to the lungs. Furthermore, less than half were aware of the link between vaping and mental health problems such as depression.

Why is vaping bad?

Vaping is generally considered less harmful than smoking tobacco. But in addition to the connection between vaping and mental health, vaping also has both long-term and short-term effects on physical health, as mentioned above. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers on the topic of 'why vaping is bad'.

The short-term effects of vaping

• Is vaping addictive?Nicotine is addictive, just like heroin and cocaine. In addition, the extra strong cartridges available for e-cigarettes have a higher concentration of nicotine. This means it is easier to become addicted.
• Can vaping cause shortness of breath?Yes, vaping can cause an increase in shortness of breath, coughing and fever.
• Is vaping weed bad for you?In addition to the other health effects of marijuana, research has shown that vaping THC is possibletwice as harmfulto the lungs as vapor or smoking tobacco.
• Can Vaping Cause Swollen Lymph Nodes?The chemical propylene glycol (PG), commonly used in e-cigarette liquid, is known to cause swollen lymph nodes, sore throats and inflamed airways.
• Is steaming bad for your teeth?Nicotine can reduce blood flow and nutrition to the gums. It can also cause acid reflux, which erodes the enamel on your teeth.
• Does Vaping Weaken Your Lungs?Yes. Young adults who vape cannabis are at risk of developing vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). Additionally, a 2020 study found that young adults who vaped werefive to seven times more likelywith dangerous COVID-19 symptoms due to lung damage caused by vaping. Vaping also increases the risk of lipoid pneumonia, which occurs when fats are inhaled into the lungs. Additionally, the chemical diacetyl, which is used in vaporizing liquids and flavorings, has been linked to a condition called popcorn lung, which damages the small airways in the lungs.

Other short-term effects of vaping include sleep problems and restlessness, nausea and vomiting, and mouth and tongue ulcers.

The long-term effects of vaping

• Does vaping cause high blood pressure?Yes, nicotine raises blood pressure and increases adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and your risk of heart attack.
• How does vaping affect the brain?Nicotine addiction can lead to disturbances in brain development and brain chemistry, especially in the parts of the brain that control mood, learning, attention and impulse control. Many devices produce vapor containing lead, which can cause brain damage.
• Does vaping affect cardiovascular health?Ininspectionfound that some of the common chemicals used to flavor vape juice can damage endothelial cells, the cells that line blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
• Does vaping cause cancer?Cancer may prove to be one of the most significant long-term health effects of vaping. A study published in the journalPediatrics significantly elevated levels were foundof five carcinogens in the urine of youth vapers.

How does vaping affect your mental health?

Vaping and mental health are not only linked because of the mental effects of vaping on the brain. Moreover, the reason is young adultsBeginVaping is often linked to mental health. A study by the Truth Initiative shows that four in five young adults start vaping due to stress, anxiety or depression.

However, the negative consequences of vaping far outweigh the temporary relief of psychological symptoms. Additionally, if a young adult tries to quit vaping, he or she may experience increased anxiety and depression as part of the withdrawal. Therefore, they are less likely to try to reduce or stop using it.

Weapon a depression

Researchshows a clear connectionbetween frequent steaming anddepression. In a study of vaping in college students, these were students with symptoms of depression34 percent more likelyuse e-cigarettes. But does vaping make you depressed? Or are young people with depression more likely to start vaping?

The link between vaping and depressionseems to go both ways. Young people often start vaping as a way to cope with symptoms. But vaping can also increase depression. First, nicotine has a disruptive effect on mood and brain function. Additionally, young people who use vaping as a coping mechanism for depression may fail to develop healthy coping strategies, such associal connection, physical activity or seeing a mental health professional. To educate young people about the connection between vaping and mental health, the nonprofit Truth Initiative recently created a fake vaping company calledDepression stick!to explain how nicotine can worsen depression.

Weapons a fear

Causes evaporationangst? Does vaping increase anxiety? Or does vaping help with anxiety? Similar to depression, some young adults vape nicotine or THC as a maladaptive coping mechanism for anxiety. A survey of 3,500 students found that those who used e-cigarettes wereconsiderably more likelyhave symptoms of anxiety. They were also more likely to have ADHD and other behaviorsdrug abuse. These conditions often co-occur with anxiety disorders.

Research into nicotine and anxiety shows that the relief vaping provides is temporary. And vaping can make anxiety worse. Nicotinehas a negative impact on mood and brain function. Although low doses of marijuana have been shown to reduce anxiety, high doses can cause anxiety and paranoia. Moreover, there are manymental health risks of vaping THC(the psychoactive component of marijuana).

Vaping and psychotic disorders

Marijuana use has been shown to significantly increase the risk of developing a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia. Young adults who vape THC instead of smoking or ingesting it areeven greater risk. This is because the THC content in the vaping liquid is so high.

Vaping and eating disorders

INresearch into eating disorders and vapingin college students, a link was found between self-reported vaping and eating disorders. Among the 51,000 students in the study, 6 percent of frequent vapers had a diagnosis of an eating disorder. And 30 percent had an increased risk of developing an eating disorder. Both figures were higher than the percentages for students who did not vape.

These results reflect the fact that young adults withEating Disorderare more likely to struggle with emotional regulation in general. And they use vaping or other substance abuse to regulate their emotions and underlying mental health issues. In addition, young adults with eating disorders may use nicotine as an appetite suppressant.

Addressing the underlying causes of vaping and mental health problems in young adults

The vast majority of young adults start vaping due to mental health issues. So while quitting the habit is important for health, they also need professional support to heal the underlying habittrauma, anxiety and depression. Treatment can also address co-occurring problems such as substance abuse and eating disorders.

At the Newport Institute, we guide young adults to tap into their strengths and passions and build healthy coping mechanisms for mental health issues. Through lifestyle changes,clinical and experiential therapyand a caring community of peers and mentors, youth experience powerful positive changes and find long-term recovery.Contact us today for more informationabout our specialized programming for young adults.