Dr. Holdin: nicotine increases the level of stress hormone in the body Many people are convinced that smoking helps to cope with stress, but this is not true. This was warned by the chief freelance psychiatrist-narcologist of the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region Vitaly Kholdin. His words are quoted by Radio 1. "In fact, exactly the opposite is happening. Nicotine is a psychostimulant and negatively affects the state of the endocrine system, increasing the level of cortisol - the so-called stress hormone," the specialist said. Thus, a person falls into a vicious cycle: trying to reduce anxiety levels by smoking, in fact, only increases it, he added. Deputy Chairman of the Committee on ... [Read more]