Mental illnesses as bad for you as heavy smoking

Many mental illnesses are as bad for you as smoking, with life expectancy for people with mental health problems less than that for heavy smokers, experts have found.

Serious mental illness can reduce a person’s life expectancy by 10 to 20 years, when the average reduction in life expectancy for heavy smokers is eight to 10, according to researchers from Oxford University.

They said mental health has not been the same public health priority as smoking.