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No Smoking Day 2021

No Smoking Day 2021

It might not feel like a good time to quit smoking – but it is. Did you know that last year, one million people quit smoking during lockdown?

New research confirms that those ex-smokers will now be feeling happier and more positive than if they were still smoking. We don’t often hear about the benefits quitting can have on your mental health, but just as it improves your physical health, stopping smoking also improves your sense of wellbeing.

Quitting during COVID-19

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.

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. To understand more watch this video.

Looking to quit?

Explore the free support options to help you quit and find the one that’s right for you:

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