Vaping, nicotine & mental health

Nicotine’s calming effect is short. As it leaves your body, withdrawal feelings like irritability and anxiety start, which makes you want more.

The CDC says nicotine can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25. It can affect the parts of a young brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control.

The CDC says nicotine addiction can harm mental health and be a source of stress. Young people may vape to relieve their symptoms, which can lead to a cycle of addiction.

A Cochrane review of 102 studies found that people who stopped smoking for at least 6 weeks had less depression, anxiety and stress than people who kept smoking. The benefit looked similar for people with and without mental health conditions.

The NHS says people who quit often feel less anxious once they get past cravings, which usually ease in about 28 days.

Smokefree.gov says the worst withdrawal symptoms only last a few days to a couple of weeks, and get weaker over time.

The CDC says the most common reason middle and high school students give for vaping is “I am feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed.”

That tells us something important: many teens who vape are looking for relief. They need better ways to cope, not just a rule.

Among students who vape, 87.6% used flavored e-cigarettes in 2024.

The CDC says most middle and high school students who vape want to quit and have tried to quit. Teens with symptoms of anxiety or depression want to quit just as much as other teens.

A study of a text-message quit-vaping program found no big differences in quit success between young adults with a range of mental health conditions and those without.

The Cochrane review found no sign that people with mental health conditions get worse when they stop smoking. On average, mood improved.

Withdrawal symptoms like irritability, restlessness and trouble sleeping are temporary, and are sometimes mistaken for mental health getting worse.

If you live with anxiety or depression, let your care team know you plan to quit. They can help you plan for the first weeks and adjust your support.

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to reach your state’s quitline. Coaches offer free, confidential support, help you build a quit plan and help you handle cravings and setbacks. Hours and services vary by state.

In Spanish, call 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569).

Smokefree.gov and Smokefree Teen (teen.smokefree.gov) offer free text programs, quit plans and tips. SmokefreeTXT for Teens is designed for teens aged 13 to 17.

Quitline coaches can talk with you about other aids that may help with withdrawal and cravings. Talk with your clinical provider about what is right for you.

The CDC says that if you use e-cigarettes to stop smoking, you should also make a plan to stop vaping. Quitting all tobacco products is the best way to protect your health.

Distract yourself, try mindfulness and avoid triggers at first. Cravings usually ease within about four weeks.

Physical activity like walking or chores can help with restlessness. Cutting back on caffeine can help too. Remind yourself that quitting is a positive step.

Keep a regular bedtime and wake time, keep screens out of the bedroom, and limit caffeine, alcohol and big meals before bed. Trouble concentrating usually passes.

Do things you enjoy, move your body and reach out to supportive people. If these feelings get worse, talk with a clinical provider.

Keep healthy snacks nearby. Crunchy foods like carrots can keep your hands and mouth busy.

• Ask what they know about vaping and what friends think
• Ask how they’re feeling about stress, school and friends
• Listen without jumping in to lecture
• Share facts about nicotine and the growing brain
• Keep talking over time, in small conversations

Most teens who vape want to quit. You can help them find teen quit tools like Smokefree Teen, make a quit plan together and celebrate small wins.

• Ask how you can help, and respect their answer
• Help them avoid triggers, like vaping around them
• Be patient with grumpiness during withdrawal
• Remind them a slip is a chance to learn, not a failure

Withdrawal feels like stress, so the relief from vaping is often just relief from withdrawal. Nicotine addiction itself can be a source of stress.

E-cigarette aerosol can contain cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals and tiny particles that reach deep into the lungs.

The CDC says e-cigarette aerosol generally has fewer harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke, but it is not safe, and there is no safe tobacco product.

People who quit for at least 6 weeks reported less depression, anxiety and stress than people who kept going.

With the right support, people with mental health conditions quit at similar rates to people without them.