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Yoga may improve nicotine dependence in women with anxiety

PHILADELPHIA — Yoga may be an effective treatment component for nicotine dependence among individuals with high anxiety sensitivity, according to data presented at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America annual conference.

“Early smoking lapse following quit attempts is common in those with anxiety sensitivity, likely due to heightened distress and reactivity during acute nicotine withdrawal,” Eunjung Lee-Furman, BA, of the University of Texas at Austin, and colleagues wrote. “Increasing evidence promotes yoga for attenuating anxiety, cigarette craving and putative biological mediators of nicotine withdrawal, such as cortisol. Further, adjunct yoga has shown to enhance [cognitive behavioral therapy] for smoking cessation.”

To assess the effects of yoga on smoking in females with high anxiety sensitivity, researchers randomly assigned 26 women with elevated anxiety sensitivity to yoga or control prior to a self-guided smoking quit attempt one week after intervention completion. Study participants had a mean age of 30.08 years and an Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) score of 20 or greater at baseline. Smoking point-prevalence and nicotine dependence symptoms were assessed at baseline. Point-prevalence and ASI scores were reassessed the night of postintervention quit attempt.

Analysis indicated study condition (P < .05), Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence score (P < .01) and ASI score change (P < .01) predicted smoking point-prevalence change.

Study condition and Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence score were significantly associated (P = .05). Yoga mediated reductions in smoking across all baseline levels of nicotine dependence.

However, yoga was more effective in reducing daily point-prevalence for participants with lower ratings of morning immediacy-to-smoke, according to researchers.

“Our results highlight yoga as a potential protective buffer against the deleterious effects of high nicotine dependence (ie, which consequence higher withdrawal intensity) on quit success in anxiety-vulnerable populations,” the researchers concluded. – by Amanda Oldt

Reference:

Lee-Furman E, et al. Preliminary evidence of yoga’s ability to target anxiety-related factors contributing to smoking maintenance and relapse. Presented at: Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference; March 31-April 3, 2016; Philadelphia.

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