title: Anxiety, depression and methods of stress coping in patients with nicotine dependence syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nicotinism is the most common addiction in Poland. Nicotine dependence is the cause of numerous behavioral diseases, including ischemic heart disease, neoplasms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A question arises whether a tendency to anxiety and depressive reactions, as well as the strategies of coping with stressful situations, is involved in the clinical presentation of this addiction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in a group of 88 nicotine addicts without serious systemic comorbidities and in 84 healthy subjects. All the participants were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean intensity of anxiety as a trait and anxiety as a state, as well as its level, were found to differ between the groups (Sten 6.28±1.52 and 4.86±1.05, p=0,0000 for the trait, and 6.09±1.25 and 4.92±1.29, p=0.0000, for the state, respectively). Similarly, depression was demonstrated to be more intensive in nicotine addicts than in healthy subjects (12.76 points ±4.77 vs. 10.76±4.83, p=0.007). Among the 5 scales assessed by CISS, smokers demonstrated higher prevalence of emotion-oriented coping than controls (standard 9 6.27±1.70 in smokers vs. 5.67±1.57, p=0.019) and involvement in distracting activities (5.84±1.48 vs. 5.28±1.46, p=0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results indicate that anxiety and depression, as well as differences in coping with stress situations, distinguish nicotine addicts from non-smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology and Allergology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pietras
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Witusik
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panek
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szemraj
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Górski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*