People who smoke cigarettes will often claim that lighting up a cigarette relieves stress. A new study by researchers from the University College London and the British Heart Foundation found that this is not the case and actually what a person is experiencing is early signs of nicotine withdrawal. By surveying 6 ,500 people, researchers were able to come to the conclusion that smoking cigarettes could be a sign of mental health issues. More than 18% of those surveyed who were smokers also had anxiety or depression, while only 11.3% of ex-smokers and 10% of non-smokers also had those mental health issues. The results of the study suggest that quitting smoking could help improve mental health.