Quit Smoking Benefits

Latest UK Research Reveals Quit Smoking Lowers Anxiety Levels In Smokers 

 

A new United Kingdom-based research led to the conclusion that smokers who have stopped smoking have also been successful in reducing their anxiety levels. The research was undertaken by London-based King’s College in association with Cambridge, Oxford and Southampton universities.  

Around 491 smokers took part in the study and all of them were asked to attend NHS quit smoking clinics located in England. As the study progressed, the researchers also found out that a certain amount of difference in anxiety exists between those smokers who had quit smoking effectively and those who had relapsed.  

Among the 491 smokers participating in the study, 106 or 21.6 % are suffering from a mental health problem such as mood or anxiety disorder. The anxiety levels of all 491 smokers were measured at the beginning. All of them were questioned about their causes for smoking and some of them answered that they smoked for pleasure while others replied that they smoked to cope.

 

The results obtained from the research study deny the commonly held idea that smoking helps smokers get rid of stress and anxiety. According to Dr Máirtín McDermott, the leading author of the study, it is seen in many smokers that smoking actually enhances anxiety levels and hence smokers should understand as to how smoking addiction can influence them.

 

As the study ended, the researchers concluded that smokers who were able to quit smoking had experienced a significant reduction in their anxiety levels. It also became apparent that smokers who failed in their stop smoking efforts had experienced a moderate increase in anxiety in the long term.  

 

The research findings appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry.  

 

Source: http://cordis.europa.eu/, Date: 9^th January 2013