Smoking could be linked to childhood trauma

The research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, said the decision to start smoking can be linked to difficult events during the early years.

The team observed that women who were physically or emotionally abused as children were 1.4 times more likely to take up smoking as compared to others.

They were also more likely to pick up the habit if they had a parent in prison as troubled experiences during our formative years can stay with us for life, the Daily Mail reported.

"Since adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of psychological distress for both men and women, it seemed intuitive that an individual experiencing an ACE will be more likely to be a tobacco cigarette smoker," said Dr Tara Strine, who led the study.

This effect is principally observed in women, which suggests men have 'different coping mechanisms' for dealing with difficult childhood, Strine said.

The research team believes that the findings could therefore help doctors to develop more effective strategies to help people quit smoking.

"These findings suggest that current smoking cessation campaigns and strategies may benefit from understanding the potential relationship between childhood trauma and subsequent psychological distress on the role of smoking particularly in women," they said.

Traumas can range from emotional, physical, and sexual abuse to neglect and household dysfunction and affect a large range of people.

Since psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, are known to increase the risk of smoking, researchers across the US collaborated to investigate the effects of psychological distress on the relationship between ACE and current adult smoking.

The team surveyed more than 7,000 people, half of whom were women. It revealed over 60 per cent of adults reported a history of at least one adverse childhood event, which have been linked in the past to unhealthy coping behaviours.