Quitting Smoking Good for Mental Health, Research Finds

Quitting smoking can lower anxiety levels and symptoms of depression, a new study has found.

Smoking is not only associated with increased risk of lung cancer, but also cancers of the kidney, liver and ovary.  Quitting smoking can lower risk of several health problems and even increase lifespan. The latest study shows that kicking the habit could be good for mental health too.

Interestingly, the study showed that giving up smoking can reduce mental health problems in people with psychiatric issues. In other words, the present study challenges the long-held notion that people with mental disorders need to smoke to self-medicate their conditions.

The study included researchers from universities of Birmingham, Oxford, and King's College London. They looked at data from 26 studies that assessed mental health in people before and after smoking cessation, according to a news release.

The studies were conducted on general as well as people with psychiatric conditions. Data analysis showed that giving up smoking was associated with improved mental health; lower levels of anxiety and depression.

"Smokers can be reassured that stopping smoking is associated with mental health benefits," the researchers wrote, according to Livescience.

The study is published in the journal BMJ.

A related study by Washington University School of Medicine researchers also says that smoking cessation can improve mental health in people with psychiatric conditions.

This study published in the journal Psychological Medicine shows that doctors need to encourage patients to quit smoking.

"We don't know if their mental health improves first and then they are more motivated to quit smoking or if quitting smoking leads to an improvement in mental health," said Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg, PhD., lead author of the WUSM study. "But either way, our findings show a strong link between quitting and a better psychiatric outlook."