Wednesday 10 March is national No Smoking Day, a national campaign that encourages smokers to quit.
It's widely known that stopping smoking improves our physical health, but it's also proven to boost mental health and wellbeing. In fact, smokers are also more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time and smokers who have existing mental health conditions need higher doses of some antipsychotic medicines and antidepressants because smoking interferes with the way these medicines work.
When people stop smoking, studies show:
- anxiety, depression and stress levels are lower
- quality of life and positive mood improve
- the dosage of some medicines used to treat mental health problems can be reduced
Most smokers say they want to stop, but some continue because smoking seems to relieve stress and anxiety – however the relief from smoking is only temporary and in fact it's the effects of smoking itself that are likely to have caused the anxiety in the first place.
Support is available
- In Surrey stop smoking services are provided by One You Surrey. You can refer yourself to the service online here.
- In Hampshire services are provided by Smokefree Hampshire. You can refer yourself to the service online here.
At Surrey and Borders Partnership we also have a dedicated Smoking Cessation advisor, Mary Ondrusz, who can support people who are using our services to quit. Ask your care coordinator for more information.
Find out more about the links between smoking and mental health on the NHS website.