A Wellness Approach to Addressing Tobacco in Mental Health Settings: Learning About Healthy Living

Abstract

Objective: Treatments are needed for smokers with serious mental illness (SMI) who are not ready to quit. Methods: This article describes a 20-session group wellness treatment (Learning About Healthy Living [LAHL]) designed to provide information on tobacco use and other issues to enhance healthy living—nutrition, physical activity, and stress management. Goals are to increase awareness about tobacco and the benefits of treatment to enhance motivation for improving health. Results: LAHL was successfully pilot-tested for feasibility in nine community treatment programs; feedback from staff and consumers was positive. Conclusions: LAHL is a feasible treatment model for addressing tobacco that is consistent with wellness and recovery in mental health settings and should be studied further.