Vaping and young people’s mental health

An Australian study on the reasons why young people start vaping revealed that stress, low mood and feeling socially isolated were significant factors¹. As vaping develops into a dependency, it can worsen or trigger these negative feelings. To help support young people to quit, it is important to understand why they started and the impact it can have on their mental health.

Reasons why young people start vaping

• Stress and anxiety: young people may start vaping in a misguided attempt to cope with stress or anxiety associated with life circumstances such as exams, meeting parental expectations, debt, etc

• ADHD: people with attention-deficit disorder/ hyperactivity (ADHD) are more likely to take up vaping

• Low moods: experiencing low moods can lead some young people to try vaping

• Eating disorders: research has found a link between vaping and eating disorders/disordered eating behaviours

• Social isolation.

How vaping can impact young people’s mental health

Vaping can quickly turn into a dependency because nicotine in vapes is very addictive. While most vapes claim to be nicotine free, most do in fact contain nicotine, and a lot of it. This means that people who vape can quickly find themselves dependent. Young people also become more easily addicted than adults because their brains are still developing. Nicotine can worsen feelings of stress as nicotine causes your heart and blood pressure to spike, and a big part of nicotine withdrawals is feeling stressed and irritable. It can also trigger anxiety and depression, contributing to a vicious cycle of self-medication through vaping.

Vaping nicotine can also harm the way a young person’s brain grows, which may affect memory and concentration, further impacting their mental health.

Talking to young people about vaping

It is important to have an open conversation with your young person to understand the reasons why they vape, and to chat about the impact of vaping on their mental health. Listen to them without judgment. Unconditional and positive support is the best way to show them they can lean on you to help them quit.

Quitline can give you advice on how to talk about vaping

Remember, you’re not alone. Contact Quitline for a confidential conversation with a qualified Quitline counsellor about how to have a conversation about vaping with your young person.

There are multiple ways to reach out to Quitline, including by phone on 13 7848, webchat, WhatsApp and more:

Want more information on talking to young people about vaping harms?

Visit our dedicated website, Get The Facts On Vaping, for practical tips and information for parents and carers of young people.

Last updated August 2024