Scientists at Oxford University have found that quitting smoking can improve mental health in people with and without mental health problems. The results of the relevant study were published in JAMA Network Open.
The study used data from a randomized clinical trial to assess the adverse effects of smoking in the period from 2011 to 2015. The study participants were 4,260 people.
Approximately half of the subjects had a history of mental illness.
The scientists analyzed the impact of abstaining from cigarette use for 9-24 weeks. Before and after quitting, participants were asked to complete questionnaires that included questions about mental health.
The initial mean score among the sample was 4.25 for anxiety and 2.44 for depression. After 24 weeks of quitting smoking, patients showed a significant improvement in symptoms. It is noted that smoking cessation was associated with a reduction in both anxiety and depression scores compared to the group that continued to smoke.
Source: Rosbalt
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