CHICAGO– Helping patients quit smoking, whether those with severe mental illness or comorbid depression, is an “excellent opportunity” for primary care doctors and psychiatrists to work together.
That’s according to Dr. Robert M. Anthenelli, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the Pacific Treatment and Research Center there.
Depression and smoking are often comorbid in patients, and nearly half of all tobacco products consumed in the United States are done so by people with some form of a psychiatric or other substance use disorder. In this interview, recorded at the meeting, sponsored by Current Psychiatry and American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists, Dr. Anthenelli discusses brain changes in tobacco use, why there is a link between smoking and mental illness, and what primary care physicians can do to help their patients who smoke. He also addresses whether complete cessation is essential to one’s well-being.
Dr. Anthenelli is a consultant to Pfizer and Arena Pharmaceuticals.
Current Psychiatry and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
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