|
 Thousands quit
for No
Smoking Day
A
1/4 OF smokers in the North West got serious about stopping
smoking on last month’s No Smoking Day. Around 360,000 smokers in
the region chose the Day to take a step towards stopping smoking,
with over 200,000 making a quit attempt.
 Brenda Fullard, Regional Tobacco Policy Manager for the North West,
said:- “No Smoking Day is a good opportunity for all smokers
whether they’re ready to stop on the Day or not. In the North West
we had some great events taking place where smokers could find out
about the help available to stop smoking. Anyone who is ready to
quit should contact their local NHS Stop Smoking Service for free,
effective help that’s available all year round.”
The charity behind the campaign saw an increase in the number of
smokers using help to quit on the Day rather than going it alone.
Ben Youdan, Chief Executive of the No Smoking Day charity, said:-
“In recent years we have seen some great developments in the
range of help available for smokers who want to stop. There really
is something for everyone, whether it’s going to a free NHS Stop
Smoking Service or buying nicotine patches from your local chemist.
However you want to stop, there’s someone out there who can help you
succeed.”
Any smokers who quit on the Day will already be feeling the
benefits. A 20 a day smoker will have saved £130 which could have
bought a couple of flights to destinations elsewhere in Europe or a
shopping spree at the local mall. Blood pressure will be back to
normal and there will be no carbon monoxide or nicotine left in the
body. They’ll be experiencing a better sense of taste and smell and
they should find that exercise is getting easier.
 Smokers who didn’t join in on No Smoking Day shouldn’t despair!
Support and help is available all
year
round.
NHS Stop Smoking
Services offer free help that can make it four times more likely
that a smoker will
succeed
in stopping
smoking.
 Call 0800 169 0 169
to find your nearest service. |
Self-medication with alcohol is widespread
THE Mental Health Foundation has this week released
Cheers? - a new research report outlining the relationship
between alcohol and mental health. The report shows evidence that
many adults in the UK are using alcohol to deal with feelings of
stress, anxiety and depression, and excessive drinking increases
vulnerability to a range of mental health problems.
National opinion poll research carried out to identify reasons for
drinking shows that people say alcohol makes them feel relaxed
(77%), happy (63%), more able to fit in socially (44%) and more
confident (41%). The results also reveal that drinking alcohol makes
people feel less anxious (40%), less depressed (26%) and more able
to forget their problems (30%). This is consistent with the theory
that people use alcohol to cope with feelings of stress, anxiety and
depression.
Evidence outlined in the 'Cheers?' report also shows that
people who drink high volumes of alcohol are vulnerable to mental
ill health. Over the last 50 years, alcohol consumption has doubled
in the UK, mirroring an increase in the number of people
experiencing mental ill health. Regular drinking changes the
chemistry of the brain and depletes the neurotransmitters the brain
needs to prevent anxiety and depression naturally. According to the
World Health Organisation, enough evidence exists to show alcohol
can contribute to depression.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, physical health concerns
related to increasing alcohol consumption are being reflected in
Government policy developments, yet very little attention has been
given to the links between alcohol and mental health, with little
debate about why people drink alcohol.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health
Foundation, said:- "The research confirms our worries that
people are drinking to cope with emotions and situations they can't
otherwise manage, to deal with feelings of anxiety and depression.
Drinking alcohol is a very common and accepted way of coping - our
culture allows us to use alcohol for 'medicinal purposes' or
'dutch courage' from an early age. But using alcohol to deal
with anxiety and depression doesn't work as alcohol can weaken the
neurotransmitters that the brain needs to reduce anxiety and
depressive thoughts. This is why lots of people feel low when they
have a hangover."
The Mental Health Foundation believes that the public has a right to
information about the hazardous effects that alcohol misuse can have
on their mental as well as physical health. The report makes a
number of Government policy recommendations. |
