A smoker's belief about the perceived benefits of smoking will have an affect on their quit attempts.
If you are worried your mental health will suffer when you quit smoking, read on, because i'm going to debunk two commonly held myths.
But first the facts . . .
Did you know tobacco is the leading worldwide cause of preventable death?
It is estimated to kill more than 5 million people every year.
Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of cancers, heart and lung diseases.
The good news is that stopping smoking considerably lowers these health risks.
Whilst over 85% of smokers with a mental illness have tried to quit at some point, the smoking rates for people with a mental illness are still 2-3 times higher than that of the general population.
Mythbuster 1.
Smoking does not improve your mental health!
Most smokers report wanting to quit.
However they continue to smoke because they feel it provides them with mental health benefits easing feelings of anxiety and depression, relieving stress.
But this false sense of relaxation is actually caused by the addiction.
Smokers experience feelings of irritability, anxiety and depression when they haven't smoked for a while.
This is caused by nicotine withdrawal, the addictive substance in cigarettes.
These feelings are removed when you smoke, creating the illusion that smoking has mental health benefits, when it's the smoking that has caused the mood disturbances in the first place!
Quitting smoking is actually associated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress as well as an improved mood and quality of life.
So you are going to feel better after quitting smoking.
