Last week I received a request from a Mental Health Notes reader wishing to see a post regarding smoking and mental illness – specifically, the effects of quitting smoking on people with mental illness:
Alicia, can you please make a posting about the effects of quitting smoking on people with mental illness. The challenges of it, how it can spark an episode, safe ways of quitting etc…This is a really important issue that the “regular quitters” don’t have to deal with. I have had a difficult time finding online information and support on this topic.
Always happy to oblige, I put on …read more

Today is No Smoking Day over in the UK. *waves across the ocean to Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei*
In honor of that, I wanted to write about the mental health risks associated with smoking – you know, because the physical health problems are pretty well covered. However, I was unable to find much reliable and concrete information about it. Sure, there was the occasional mention of lower IQs and the current surveys dealing with people with mental illness and their smoking habits, but, none of that suited me.
So, instead, I’ve decided to list the top five reasons why smoking is dangerous to …read more