Smoking rates are higher among people with mental illness than in the rest of the population. People with mental illness often suffer physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes which are made worse by smoking.
Quitting smoking has many benefits for people with mental illness, including improved physical health and wellbeing and a reduction in the financial burden imposed by smoking.
Unfortunately, many people with mental illness do not receive the support they need to quit smoking or wrongly believe the common myth that quitting will make their mental illness worse. This belief is unfounded.
We know that:
Quitting can lead to a better quality of life for people with mental illness including a reduction in depression, anxiety and stress and in some cases, a need for less medication and less side effects.
If you are a smoker and have a mental illness and want help with quitting smoking:
There are many resources you can take advantage of in your efforts to quit smoking. NSW Health has developed a range of fact sheets and brochures for your benefit.