Glynn and Sussman (1990) provide one of the few
studies that investigate the personal perspectives of schizophrenics
who smoke. The authors surveyed 59 schizophrenic
patients about their smoking habits. The majority
of the sample reported smoking for the same reasons as
non-schizophrenic persons, primarily relaxation (80%),
habit (67%), and settling nerves (52%). Twenty-eight per
cent of the sample identified psychiatric issues as influencing
their smoking behaviour. These included smoking
in response to auditory hallucinations and as a means to
reduce medication side effects