This pilot study examined acute effects of exercise on cravings, mood, and affect in 14 persons with severe mental illness. All the participants reported using nicotine replacement therapy at the time of the study. The results found that short bouts of exercise can help individuals with SMI in terms of positive affective changes, though exercise had minimal impact on cravings or withdrawal symptoms. Due to the affect change, the authors propose that more research could examine whether exercise could provide complementary assistance for quitters receiving NRT.
