Management of nicotine dependence in patients with psychiatric disorders - recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association - part II.

Abstract

The development of treatment methods for nicotine dependence has progressed slowly because people with psychiatric disorders are usually excluded from participating in clinical trials. There are several therapeutic options to support smoking cessation, including psychological and pharmacological interventions, which should be offered to smokers with mental disorders. The first step in helping tobacco smokers and nicotine-dependent individuals is the assessment of smoking intensity and confirmation of nicotine dependence. Currently, we have several methods of treating nicotine dependence - starting from education and psychotherapy, through pharmacotherapy and replacement therapy, and ending up with obtaining gradual progress with the application of harm reduction. Pharmacological treatment options include nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline or bupropion. The effectiveness of such interventions can be improved by providing anti-smoking therapy under psychiatric treatment and promoting harm reduction as an acceptable initial therapeutic goal. The harm reduction strategy is an approach that should be taken into account individually, particularly in the case of individuals unable to stop smoking, patients with limited insight into their illness, patients experiencing an exacerbation of their illness and persistently uncooperative patients. In this paper, recommendations of the Polish Psychiatric Association on the diagnostics and different treatment methods for nicotine dependence in patients with psychiatric disorders are presented.