Vaping has exploded in popularity, especially among young people. What started as a “safer” alternative to smoking has now become a widespread habit, with millions using e-cigarettes daily. While many associate vaping with physical health risks, fewer people consider its effects on mental health.
Can vaping actually make anxiety worse? This article will explore the science and connection between vaping and anxiety.
Key Takeaways
- Nicotine alters brain chemistry. It affects dopamine and stress hormones, leading to increased anxiety over time.
- When nicotine leaves the system, people may experience restlessness, irritability, and heightened stress.
- Vaping creates a cycle of dependence. Many people vape to relieve anxiety, but nicotine may be the cause of their anxiety in the first place.
- Vaping can disrupt the body’s ability to manage stress, making everyday challenges feel overwhelming.
- Finding healthy coping mechanisms can help break free from nicotine dependence.
Vaping and Nicotine
When it comes to vaping and anxiety, nicotine is the biggest culprit—but it’s not the only one. Vapes contain hundreds of chemicals, many of which haven’t been studied long-term. While we’re focusing on nicotine’s impact on mental health, it’s important to recognize that we still don’t fully understand how other vaping ingredients affect the brain.
Nicotine levels in vapes can be shockingly high, often surpassing those in cigarettes. A typical cigarette delivers about 1–2 mg of absorbed nicotine, while a vape pod or disposable can pack the equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes.
Moreover, vapers tend to consume more nicotine per day than smokers without realizing it. Unlike cigarettes, which have a natural stopping point, vapes are designed for all-day use.
Vaping has become much more popular in recent years thanks to its highly addictive nicotine content, eye-catching designs, and easy-to-use features. Young people are a primary target for vaping companies, which has raised significant public health concerns about how vaping affects the developing brain.
How Does Nicotine Cause Anxiety?
Nicotine is a stimulant that activates the sympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system that prepares the body for action. It triggers the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) involved in motivation, pleasure, and focus. These neurotransmitters create the quick, energizing “high” that nicotine provides.
Nicotine and Cortisol
When nicotine is used, it triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is the body’s central system for responding to stress. This system leads to the release of the hormone cortisol, which prepares the body for action by increasing things like heart rate, breathing rate, and alertness.
Multiple studies show a link between high levels of cortisol and anxiety disorders, with prolonged cortisol in the body damaging nervous system function.
Nicotine and Dopamine
Nicotine boosts dopamine levels, but repeated use can alter the dopamine system. Since dopamine reinforces pleasurable behaviors, actions like vaping can become automatic, leading to addiction.
Over time, the body’s ability to produce and regulate dopamine can weaken, further encouraging people to seek out pleasurable behaviors to compensate for the decreased dopamine spikes. Studies show a link between deficits in dopamine signaling with smoking and vaping.
In addition to addiction, dopamine has been shown to play an essential role in stress resilience–our capacity to manage and recover from stress. Excessive vaping could have knock-on effects on our ability to cope with stressful events, making anxiety more likely.
Nicotine and Sleep Disruption
Nicotine can also interfere with sleep, which is critical for both mental and physical health. Nicotine’s stimulating effects can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. It can disrupt the normal sleep cycle, particularly the deeper stages of sleep, which is when the brain carries out restorative functions.
Poor sleep can make it harder to cope with life events and decrease overall health of the brain.
Association Between Vaping and Anxiety Risk
A study in Hawaii investigated the connection between mental health and vaping in 2622 college students. They found people with depression, anxiety, and impulsivity were significantly more likely to use e-cigarettes. Vapers were 17% more likely to have anxiety than non-vapers.
Another study looked at over 4,000 young adults and teenagers in the US. The researchers found that the more anxious, stressed, or depressed someone felt, the more likely they were to vape.
Those who had very high levels of anxiety or depression were even more likely to use e-cigarettes compared to others. This shows that people who are struggling with their emotions might be more drawn to vaping and that vaping may be exacerbating mental health symptoms.
A different study focused on university students who used both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes. The results showed that many of these students started vaping before they ever tried smoking a cigarette, and those who began with e-cigarettes were more likely to have social anxiety.
The results suggest that socially anxious people might turn to vaping for relief, but it also raises the possibility that vaping could make social anxiety worse.
Nicotine Withdrawal and Anxiety Symptoms
Many people who use nicotine, whether through cigarettes or vaping, may notice that they feel more anxious when they try to stop. This is because nicotine withdrawal can cause temporary but intense symptoms, including irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and heightened anxiety.
Why Does Nicotine Withdrawal Cause Anxiety?
When someone uses nicotine regularly, the brain gets used to having extra dopamine released artificially. When nicotine is removed, dopamine levels drop, and people may experience anxiety and depression, which are related to low dopamine levels.
Regular nicotine use can also lower someone’s natural stress tolerance, so when a person stops using it, they may experience an overactive stress response. This means that everyday stressors feel much more overwhelming, leading to an increase in anxiety, tension, and restlessness.
The Cycle of Vaping and Anxiety
Because withdrawal symptoms—especially anxiety—can feel uncomfortable, many people turn back to vaping to relieve their symptoms. When someone vapes, the nicotine quickly restores dopamine levels, making them feel better temporarily.
However, this creates a cycle of dependence where vaping is used to reduce withdrawal-related anxiety, but each use reinforces addiction, making it harder to quit in the long run.
Over time, this cycle can lead to chronic nicotine dependence, where a person feels like they need to vape to feel “normal.” It may seem like vaping helps with anxiety when, in reality, it could be the cause of anxiety in the first place due to its effects on neurotransmitters and stress hormones.
Breaking this cycle is difficult but possible with the right strategies.
How to Give Up Vaping
Quitting vaping can be challenging, but it is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. Here are some effective strategies to help you stop for good.
Find New Coping Strategies
Many people vape to deal with stress or anxiety, so finding healthier alternatives is important. There are many other ways to reduce stress without harming your brain or body, including exercise, meditation, journaling, creating things (such as art and music), and talking to a friend or therapist.
Use Deep Breathing When You Feel the Urge to Vape
Nicotine cravings often come in waves and usually last only a few minutes. Practicing deep breathing exercises, like inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and exhaling for four seconds, can help calm your nervous system and reduce the urge to vape.
Keep Your Hands and Mouth Busy
One reason quitting vaping feels difficult is that it becomes a habit—not just chemically, but physically. Many people feel the urge to do something with their hands or mouth when they would typically vape. Replacing this habit with a healthier alternative can make quitting easier.
You could try sipping cold water each time you feel the craving, eat some crunchy snacks, or suck on a mint. If you’re used to holding a vape, a small object to fidget with (like a stress ball or a pen) can keep your hands busy.
Switch to a No-Nicotine Vape
If quitting nicotine cold turkey feels too overwhelming, transitioning to a nicotine-free vape can be a helpful stepping stone. These vapes mimic the hand-to-mouth action and inhaling sensation of regular vaping, which can help with the habitual and psychological aspects of addiction.
However, bear in mind that the chemicals used to produce the vapor can be harmful to the lungs.
Get Support from Friends, Family, or Professionals
Quitting is easier when you have support, and you’re held accountable by others. Tell your friends and family about your decision to quit so they can encourage you. You might also consider joining an online support group or talking to a doctor or therapist who specializes in addiction.
Consider Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
For some people, using nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and make quitting more manageable. These options provide lower, controlled doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in vapes.
Remind Yourself Why You’re Quitting
Write down all the reasons you want to quit vaping, whether it’s for better mental health, saving money, improving sleep, or gaining more control over your life. When you feel tempted to vape, remind yourself of these reasons to stay motivated.
By taking small steps and using these strategies, you can break free from nicotine dependence and reduce anxiety instead of fueling it. Quitting may feel challenging at first, but over time, your brain and body will adjust, leading to better mental clarity, reduced stress, and improved overall well-being.
FAQs
Can Vaping Cause Depression?
Yes, research suggests that vaping can increase the risk of depression. Nicotine affects dopamine, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, making people feel temporarily better. But over time, nicotine reduces the brain’s ability to produce dopamine naturally, which can lead to low mood, lack of motivation, and even depressive symptoms. Studies have found that people who vape are more likely to report feeling depressed compared to non-vapers.
Is Vaping More Addictive than Cigarettes?
Vaping can be just as addictive, if not more so, than cigarettes. Many e-cigarettes contain highly concentrated nicotine, often more than traditional cigarettes. The way nicotine is delivered through vapes—especially with devices that allow for continuous use—can make it easier to consume large amounts quickly. This can lead to stronger cravings, faster dependence, and a harder time quitting than traditional smoking.
