Psychological and Behavioral Correlates of Readiness to Stop Smoking

Abstract

Accruing evidence strongly suggests that the motivation to give up smoking is a crucial predictor of tobacco cessation attempt. However, even motivated people often fail in their attempts and relapse is very common, even if most people who smoke are confident that the desire to quit is enough to change and maintain abstinence. According to this framework, the main objective of the current study was to identify psychological and lifestyle patterns, that might characterize people who smoke cigarettes with different motivations to quit. A secondary aim was to compare the characteristics of people who are currently smoking with people who stopped or never smoked. 2 A convenient sample of 360 volunteers (179 women, 181 men), with a mean age of 55 years (S.D. = 14.33) participated in this study. Participants completed a battery of psychological and behavioral scales aimed at assessing psychological characteristics, as well as, dependence level and readiness to stop.Our results strongly suggest that the behavior of people who smoke differs as a function of specific psychological variables. People who currently smoke may fall in two different clusters: in the first one, they have a healthy lifestyle and high self-perceived vitality and vigor, while those who fall in the second report lower psychological wellbeing and unhealthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, the actual lifestyle does not seem to modulate the motivation to quit and consequently people keep on smoking anyway, even though some participants tend to adopt compensative behaviors. However, the adoption of a healthier lifestyle might favor a successful cessation attempt once achieved a readyto-stop motivation level.

Why It Is Difficult for Military Personnel to Quit Smoking: From the Perspective of Compensatory Health Beliefs

“…Military personnel often face safety threats that lead to stress, anxiety, and reduced sleep. In addition, they are often bored during leisure time [21] and may smoke to relax or cope with negative emotions [22]. Smoking is thus a part of military culture [7]; Reitsma et al [23] pointed out that the smoking rates in militaries around the world are as high as 20-66%, implying that nearly half of military personnel worldwide have a smoking habit.…”

Anxiety, Depression, Psychological Symptoms, Negative Effects, and Other Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal

“…5 Excessive nicotine consumption over a long period can lead to lung cancer, stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and psychological disorders. 8,9 The patient has attempted to quit smoking with an unusual pattern by abruptly ceasing cigarette consumption. According to Casserly et al 10 and Weinberger et al, 11 sudden cessation may result in withdrawal 3 days after stopping consumption.…”

“…The findings obtained at discharge in the first week, according to Park et al, 12 may cause simple physical and psychological symptoms. 9 The patient can overcome this condition through efforts to increase self-regulation to control nicotine consumption. The patient is then given intervention using bibliotherapy to seek out relevant references and referrals, as well as video therapy to strengthen their efforts at stopping nicotine intake.…”

“…According to Benowitz et al,7 the level of tolerance for consumption of nicotine and tar per day is 10 to 15 mg. High cigarette consumption correlates with high nicotine consumption as well 5. Excessive nicotine consumption over a long period can lead to lung cancer, stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and psychological disorders 8,9…”

“…This patient also increased body weight by 1 kg. The findings obtained at discharge in the first week, according to Park et al,12 may cause simple physical and psychological symptoms 9. The patient can overcome this condition through efforts to increase self-regulation to control nicotine consumption.…”