Smoking and Mental Illness

27 May 2013: On my way home from work on Friday I heard a news story saying that it is important to get people with mental health issues to stop smoking.

According to the following online fact sheet:
http
publishing.nsf/Content/799BB5A8F5E8C591CA257A0D001F11DC/$File/28062012%20supporter%20fs%20FINAL.pdf TARGET=new>http://www.quitnow.gov.au/internet/quitnow/
publishing.nsf/Content/799BB5A8F5E8C591CA257A0D001F11DC/$File/28062012%20supporter%20fs%20FINAL.pdf

“Smoking rates among people with a mental illness are high. There are many reasons for this, such as smoking to cope with stress and anxiety.”

Hearing the news story made me feel angry as it seems as though people with a mental illness are being targeted yet again. The finger is being pointed at them that they need to ‘be in control' of yet another are of their life according to society's standards.

The link above is fair in saying that it needs to be up to the individual smoker to want to quit before anyone can offer support and encouragement.