RESEARCH ALERT
Some vapes use added chemicals to create a cold or icy feeling. New research has raised concerns about three of them: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5. We do not yet know how common they are in Wales.
SMOKING, STRESS & MOOD
Quitting smoking and your mental health
If cigarettes feel tied to stress, anxiety or low mood, the idea of quitting can be daunting. Smoking can feel calming in the moment, but part of that relief is nicotine withdrawal easing when you smoke again.
Why smoking can feel like stress relief
When nicotine levels fall, withdrawal can make you feel tense, restless, irritable or anxious. Smoking another cigarette relieves those withdrawal symptoms for a while.
That can make it feel as though the cigarette solved the stress, when part of what it solved was the discomfort created by nicotine dependence itself.
The first days can still feel difficult
Nicotine withdrawal can temporarily cause irritability, restlessness, trouble concentrating, poor sleep, anxiety or low mood.
Using stop-smoking treatment and getting support can make this easier to manage.
What tends to happen after withdrawal?
Research summarised by the NHS shows that people who stop smoking tend to have lower anxiety, depression and stress, with improved mood and quality of life compared with people who continue smoking.
Less of the nicotine up-and-down
Once withdrawal settles, you are no longer cycling between nicotine relief and the next craving.
Mood can improve
People who quit tend to report better positive mood and lower anxiety, depression and stress over time.
One less daily pressure
Not needing to plan cigarettes, find somewhere to smoke or keep paying for tobacco can remove its own source of stress.
More support if you need it
Quitting does not mean coping alone. Help Me Quit can help with cravings, triggers and choosing treatment.
Plan for the stressful moments before they happen
- Keep a fast-acting quit aid available for sudden cravings.
- Tell one person you trust that you are stopping.
- Work out which situations make you reach for a cigarette automatically.
- Choose one replacement for your usual smoking break: a walk, drink, breathing exercise, music or simply leaving the situation for a few minutes.
- If you slip, look at what triggered it rather than writing off the whole attempt.
Take some medicines for your mental health?
Smoking can affect how the body processes some medicines, including some antipsychotics and antidepressants.
Speak to your GP, psychiatrist or prescribing clinician when you plan to stop smoking. They may need to monitor your medication or dose.
You do not have to choose between quitting and protecting your mental health
Get support and use treatment for withdrawal rather than trying to white-knuckle it. If you are already receiving mental health care, tell the team supporting you that you are planning to stop smoking.