We often hear about how smoking affects your body and your physical health. Smoking can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, lung cancer, oral health problems and a variety of other health conditions.2 However, smoking can greatly affect your mental health as well, especially to those who already have mental health conditions.2 Smoking can worsen your anxiety, stress and depression over time.2 Despite these severe side effects, people with mental health conditions may sometimes feel drawn to cigarettes. The nicotine found in cigarettes can alter your mood in a way that covers up symptoms, which can reinforce the use of cigarettes in people with mental health conditions.2 Smoking can also interact with psychiatric medications and decrease the effectiveness of them, making it harder to deal with your condition.2 Mental health conditions may also make it harder to quit smoking. People with mental illnesses are at a greater risk for a smoking relapse, even after a year of quitting.2