Everyone knows by now that vaping causes physical stress and complications, but do they know that it also affects mental health? It does. By a lot.
Let’s begin with why people are vaping in the first place. People get a rush of relief when nicotine enters their bodies and they get hooked on it. This will not continue. A person’s body slowly builds tolerance to the point where relief is no longer felt. This can cause anxiety or make anxiety worse. According to the Newport Institute, “One-third of young people believe that vaping nicotine is no worse than drinking a cup of coffee.” Young people especially don’t understand all of the complications that arise from vaping, which not only can cause anxiety, but also can worsen mental health conditions including depression, psychosis, and eating disorders. Long-term, nicotine can lead to changes in energy levels, mood, and behavior.
Vapes were invented originally to help cigarette smokers quit. They are not meant to be used regularly. Since they are still so new in the marketplace, they haven’t been strongly studied. The evidence that has come out about them does state that they are extremely bad for you–worse than cigarettes, even. The New Zealand blog Relxnow says that, generally, a single milliliter of e-juice is equivalent to 100 puffs, which is 4-5 packs of cigarettes!
The moral of the story is to stop vaping. The consequences have not been fully observed and studied. Most teens say they don’t care, but that is a sign of harmful and self-destructive behavior. Seek help, if you feel the need to harm your mental and physical health. There are plenty of other healthy alternatives to manage stress!
