Smokers who suffer from depression, anxiety, or too much stress will frequently delay attempts to stop smoking because they are concerned that their depression, anxiety, or stress level will worsen. Research indicates just the opposite. People with those tendencies who stop smoking actually show improvements in mood, as well as lowered stress and anxiety.
Studies in which measures of depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect and psychological quality of life were administered prior to stopping smoking and again at the end of the study period find that people who stopped smoking had lower scores for depression, stress, and anxiety, and higher scores for psychological quality of life and positive affect compared with those people who continued to smoke. And, the total effect from stopping smoking was comparable or greater than the effect shown in studies of people who begin antidepressant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders.
Just today I had a patient tell me that. He was pleasantly surprised that 2 weeks after his last cigarette his mood is improved and he is noticeably less depressed. He is sleeping better too, he said.
For people who smoke, stopping is the single best thing they can do to improve physical health. Stopping smoking may also help improve mental health. Don’t delay stopping because you are feeling down or anxious. Stopping smoking just might help you feel better mentally as well as physically.
Michael V. Burke, Ed.D
Program Director and NDC Counselor/ CTTS
