Smokers are 41% more likely to suffer from depression, new research warns.

Scientists from the University of Navarra in Spain have found a direct link between tobacco and depression.

The study monitered 8,556 people over a period of 6 years, and concluded that smoking increases mental health risk by a significant 41%.

Over the course of the study, 190 smokers who initially did not have depression were diagnosed with the disease by a doctor, said researcher Prof. Almudena Sánchez-Villegas. “In addition, 65 who were not diagnosed indicated that they were taking antidepressants during this period.”
In addition, the researchers noted that an increase in tobacco use was correlated with a exercising less in the smoker’s free time.

But by giving up smoking, you can reduce your risk of depression too. The study also found that people who had given up smoking more than a decade previously have a lower risk of developing depression than those who have never smoked.

One in four people in the UK suffer from mental health problems every year, with depression topping the list. To find out more about depression, and what you can do to prevent it, Click Here.

Half of all smokers will eventually be killed by their addiction, 25 per cent in middle age. To find out more about the physical health risks of smoking, Click Here.