Smokers living with a mental health condition in London are being urged to come forward and get help to quit, with the message that “kicking your habit will boost your wellbeing”.
It comes as a new campaign seeks to help 400,000 Londoners break the “vicious cycle” of mental illness and smoking which is cutting people’s lives short by up to 20 years.
Smoking rates among people with a mental health condition are significantly higher than in the general UK population, and rates increase with the severity of the illness.
These range from 26% among people suffering with stress and anxiety challenges to more than 45% among adults diagnosed with a serious mental health illness.
Across London, this equates to around 366,000 smokers currently living with a common mental illness, and around 45,500 living with a serious mental illness.
However, a range of help is at hand across the capital to support people to quit.
This week (2-6 June), Stop Smoking London is running a campaign to highlight to the high smoking rates among people with a range of mental health conditions, along with the support available and where to access it. It is also encouraging health and care professionals to work together to support people with mental health issues to stop smoking.
The campaign says reducing smoking among this group is vital because:
Smoking drives three of the top four causes of early death in people with mental ill health – cardiovascular disease, lung disease and cancer
People with serious mental illness die on average 15-20 years earlier than those in the general UK population
Stopping smoking can boost mental and physical wellbeing (improved mood, more money, better able to exercise, reduced health harms etc.)
Dr Ed Beveridge, consultant psychiatrist and clinical director at North London NHS Foundation Trust and clinical lead for the campaign, said:
“Evidence shows people with mental health conditions not only smoke significantly more but are also less likely to get help to stop, and they are therefore at a greater risk of smoking-related harm.
“This creates a vicious cycle as mental illness means that people are twice as likely to smoke, and the resulting nicotine dependence can make some of their mental health symptoms worse.
“A particular challenge is that for smokers with a mental health condition, the link between smoking and feeling relaxed is generally more pronounced and many feel smoking helps them relieve stress. However, any relief from nicotine by using tobacco to manage stress is only temporary, so people crave more and this in part leads to more smoking and more difficulty giving up.
“If we consider the long-term benefits of stopping smoking, we know that being a non-smoker actually reduces your stress levels as well as hugely improving your physical health and wellbeing – so stopping benefits your mental health as well as your physical health. That’s why it’s really important for smokers to seek help to quit.”
Among those to benefit from stop smoking support is Sam Scales, from Brockley in south east London. A smoker for 25 years, she made several attempts to give up before finally kicking her habit with the help of the smoking cessation service at Lewisham Hospital which offered her vapes and focused support from a tobacco dependency advisor.
Sam, who has ADHD, at one point smoked 40-60 cigarettes a day and admits her friends refused to visit her flat as it stank of smoke – worsening her mental health issues.
She has now been smoke free since March and says the benefits are incalculable.
Sam said: “I don’t know how long it took but it wasn’t that long after I’d come out of hospital that we measured my carbon monoxide levels, and they were down to a non-smoker’s level which was a really good moment. It was like ‘wow! – my lungs are clear’.
“I’ve got my sense of smell back and my sense of taste – and when my appetite started returning, that was a really emotional moment for me as I’ve had appetite problems over the years. It means I now keep my weight up which is a lifetime first.
“If I hadn’t gone on the support programme in hospital, I would probably still be smoking now. It’s made a huge difference, it really has – particularly for my finances too.
“It used to be a really big issue for me as I couldn’t make the end of the month because smoking was so expensive. Now I can survive the month and live comfortably again.”
Smoking rates have reduced greatly over the last four decades, with a current prevalence in London of 12.7%. But that still represents about 900,000 Londoners, each of whom will be at greater risk of serious illness and will lose on average 10 years of life.
Smokers seeking to quit can access a range of help and support across London. This includes the Smokefree app which is available through Stop Smoking London and provides 24/7 access to smoking cessation advisors and nicotine replacement therapies.
London’s local authorities provide smoking cessation support and you can find what is offered in your area at Support to Quit Smoking – Stop Smoking London.
People receiving ongoing mental health treatment should speak to a healthcare professional about the options available to them. Support from a tobacco dependency advisor may be offered, depending on a person’s individual needs.
