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NO SMOKING DAY
Quitting smoking doesn’t have to be stressful
For many years activity for No Smoking Day was co-ordinated by the charity of the same
name. When they closed in 2011. British Heart Foundation continued to co-ordinate activity
after this but more recently there has been no national co-ordination of activity.
please search smokefree to find support to make a quit attempt.
www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking
QUITTING SMOKING DOESN’T HAVE TO FEEL PAINFUL – STOP SMOKING AIDS CAN REALLY HELP
Quitting isn’t always easy but getting the right stop smoking aids and support can stop you feeling like you need a cigarette all the time
Today is the Day to put smoking behind you. Smokers who quit for 6 weeks or more are happier and experience less anxiety and depression than those who carry on smoking.
Research shows that people who have quit smoking for a year are happier than those who continue to smoke.
QUITTING DURING COVID
The last year has been difficult for many of us. Stress and concern about our health is on the rise. For smokers this has pulled them in two directions. On the one hand, the chances of smokers successfully quitting are has high as they’ve ever been. On the other, smokers experiencing stress and mental distress are more likely to be smoking more. This No Smoking Day we want to take the opportunity to inform smokers that quitting can be less stressful than they fear and can ultimately improve their sense of wellbeing. We all of us have less control over our lives than we’d like at the moment, but smokers can take some positive control on No Smoking Day. We can support smokers to cease the moment and look forward to happier smokefree future. (ASH)
GETTING SUPPORT CAN REDUCE SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL
Getting support can reduce symptoms of withdrawal – Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Varenicline and Bupropion have all been shown to improve a smokers’ chance of successfully quitting by reducing the extent to which smokers experience withdrawal. These medications do not completely eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal but behavioural support can help smokers to manage those withdrawal symptoms that remain. Most smokers see their withdrawal symptoms peak after the first week and pass within 4 weeks.
STOPPING SMOKING BOOSTS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Stopping smoking boosts your mental health – In 2014 a meta-analysis found that stopping smoking is associated with improvements in mental health such as reduced depression and anxiety when compared to continuing to smoke:
HOW QUICKLY DO SMOKERS SEE THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF STOPPING?
How quickly do smokers see the mental health benefits of stopping? – The immediate
impact of quitting for most smokers is a range of withdrawal symptoms that worsen people’s
sense of mental wellbeing from increased irritability to heightened sense of depression.
Research indicates that these symptoms rarely exceed 2 – 4 weeks. The improved mental
wellbeing scores are from at least 6 weeks after quitting though people may well feel the
benefits sooner.
WHY DOES STOPPING SMOKING IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?
There could be a number of
reasons why quitting improves your mental health but one is that it breaks the cycle of
nicotine dependence. Every day smokers go through withdrawal symptoms which damage
their mental wellbeing, these are alleviated by smoking but quickly return as the effect of the
nicotine wears off. Stopping smoking breaks this cycle improving people’s sense of
wellbeing.
