For Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 we asked Smoking Cessation Practitioner and qualified Mental Health Nurse Fiona Edwards of Swansea Bay University Health Board about the impact of smoking on mental health.

Is it true that smoking can relieve stress?

Many people find that smoking relieves stress, but what is actually happening is that when you smoke you take in nicotine which reaches your brain in a matter of seconds but only lasts for a short time before you start to feel the need to smoke again.  This is when you start to feel withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and agitation which is relieved when you have the next cigarette.  Most of the stress you feel when you are a smoker is actually nicotine withdrawal and as a former smoker I know this only too well.  By stopping smoking you end the constant cycle of having nicotine, experiencing stressful withdrawal symptoms and the process repeating itself over and over again.  Once you can break that cycle a lot of people find they actually feel much less stressed.

What advice would you give to smokers hoping to quit but worried that cigarette cravings will affect their mental health?

My advice would be to access support from a stop smoking service, who have staff  trained to support you. Using medication to help reduce cravings really does help too. If you have the right amount of support and with the help of medication you are much more likely to be able to quit. Lots of people feel they want to tackle it alone but having the right help really does make a big difference.  In my experience people often find their mental health actually improves when they stop smoking, because they are no longer experiencing those distressing withdrawal symptoms.

What benefits can quitting smoking have on a person’s mental health?

There is now emerging evidence that stopping smoking can be as effective as taking antidepressants for mild to moderate depression. Stopping smoking should be integrated into care for people with mental health problems.  The changes people make when they stop smoking, particularly in terms of avoiding triggers and changing routine can also have big effects on a person’s mental health. For example people may start to eat a healthier diet if they are worried about putting on weight or they might start going out for a short walk to help distract themselves from cravings. Making changes to diet and exercise also has a big impact on a person’s mental health.

If a person already takes medication for their mental health is it possible for them to quit smoking using NRT?

Yes absolutely. Some medications which people take for their mental health may need to be monitored closely and the dose reduced when they quit smoking – but that is a positive as many of the medications people take for mental health can have side effects.