Stop Smoking for Better Mental Health

Stopping smoking is GOOD for your mental health. Studies have shown that quitting cigarettes is proven to boost your mental health and wellbeing: it can improve mood and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.

Most smokers say they want to stop, but some continue because smoking seems to relieve stress and anxiety. It's a common belief that smoking will help you relax, but smoking actually INCREASES anxiety and tension. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time.

Talk to one of our stop smoking advisors today.

Leave your name, number and postcode and we'll call you back at a time that suits you. 

When smokers haven't had a cigarette for a while, the craving for another one makes them feel irritable and anxious. These feelings can be temporarily relieved when they light up a cigarette. So smokers associate the improved mood with smoking.

In fact, it's the effects of smoking itself that's likely to have caused the anxiety in the first place. Cutting out smoking does improve mood and reduces anxiety.

The mental health benefits of quitting smoking

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

Smokers with mental health problems

People with mental health problems, including anxietydepression or schizophrenia:

  • are much more likely to smoke than the general population
  • tend to smoke more heavily
  • die on average 10 to 20 years earlier than those who don't experience mental health problems – smoking plays a major role in this difference in life expectancy 
  • need higher doses of some antipsychotic medicines and antidepressants because smoking interferes with the way these medicines work

Stopping smoking can be as effective as antidepressants

People with mental health problems are likely to feel much calmer and more positive, and have a better quality of life, after giving up smoking.

Evidence suggests the beneficial effect of stopping smoking on symptoms of anxiety and depression can equal that of taking antidepressants.

 

Our advisors are on hand to answer any questions or provide additional support as you need it. We operate stop smoking clinics throughout Barnsley, Calderdale, Doncaster, Sheffield and Wakefield or if you prefer, you can choose to use our telephone quit service.

You can call us on 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles).

Our opening hours are as follows:

Monday: 8.30am-8pm
Tuesday: 8.30am-8pm
Wednesday: 8.30am-4.30pm
Thursday: 8.30am-8pm
Friday: 8.30am-4.30pm
Saturday: 8.30am-4.30pm
Sunday: CLOSED

Please let us know when will be most convenient for us to call and we will try and accommodate you. Please note we can only call back within our opening hours and we can only try calling 3 times. So if you don't hear from us within a week please either call us or complete this form again.

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