Smoking Addiction Tied to Social Cues

Many smokers struggle with attempting to quit. They try multiple methods of cessation, from the patch to hypnosis, in an attempt to overcome their addiction. In the past, smokers have believed that a strong addiction to nicotine kept them from stopping smoking, but new research says that nicotine may not be at the root of the addiction.

The studies, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, encourage an increased focus on the psychological aspect of smoking. The findings indicate that craving cigarettes may actually be tied more to social and psychological cues than being deprived of an addictive substance, and may help in understanding why treatments that keep a steady flow of nicotine available are ineffective.

The studies were led by Dr. Reuven Dar of Tel Aviv University’s psychology department. In the more recent research, Dar and colleagues collected information about the smoking habits and cravings of flight attendants. The attendants were monitored on two flights, varying significantly in length. The attendants were questioned about their cravings throughout the flights.

The results showed that the length of flight was not a determinant in the strength of their cravings. Cravings were actually higher at the end of the shorter flights than the longer ones, showing that cravings were significantly affected by the flight coming to an end.

In 2005, Dar’s research centered on smokers in the Jewish community who were not permitted to smoke on the Sabbath. The participants were also asked to refrain from smoking on one weekday. Dar interviewed the participants at the end of the day on the Sabbath, on the weekday that they were asked to refrain from smoking, and on a regular weekday.

The results showed that cravings were low on the morning of the Sabbath, but increased toward the end of the day when smokers were anticipating freedom to smoke again. Cravings were not significantly different between the weekday in which the participants were asked to refrain from smoking and the weekday on which they were permitted to smoke.

The findings in the Sabbath smoking research suggest that craving an opportunity to smoke is not significantly tied to deprivation of nicotine.

While nicotine does have an effect on smokers physiologically, it is not associated with the types of withdrawal symptoms that more serious drugs cause. The research completed by Dar has caused the researchers involved to believe that instead of the body having a physiological craving for nicotine; people actually smoke because they are conditioned to smoke in response to cues associated with smoking.

The research could be very helpful in assisting smokers with quitting. Understanding that their addiction has more to do with habit and conditioning than a physical dependence may reassure smokers that their addiction is possible to overcome.