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Increased desire to smoke during acute stress
1Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213.
British Journal of Addiction
|July 1, 1992
Summary
Stressful situations significantly increase smoking urges, even for those who smoke. This highlights how environmental stressors can maintain smoking behavior in individuals not actively trying to quit.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Addiction Research
- Tobacco Control
Background:
- Smoking urges are key to maintaining smoking behavior.
- Limited research exists on acute situational factors influencing smoking desire.
- Understanding situational triggers is crucial for smoking cessation interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of acute stressors on smoking desire.
- To examine situational factors that may increase the desire to smoke.
- To differentiate the effects of stress on actual smoking versus sham-smoking.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two participants (16 male, 16 female smokers) underwent two sessions.
- Sessions involved either a stressful or non-stressful computer task.
- Participants either smoked or sham-smoked (with an unlit cigarette) after brief abstinence.
Main Results:
- Sham-smokers reported significantly greater desire to smoke during the stress task compared to the non-stress task (p < 0.01).
- While smoking significantly reduced desire in smokers (p < 0.001), this group also tended to report higher desire during stress (p < 0.10).
- No significant gender differences were observed in smoking desire responses.
Conclusions:
- Exposure to acute stressors demonstrably increases the desire to smoke.
- Stressful situations may play a significant role in maintaining smoking behavior.
- Findings suggest environmental stress management could be a target for smoking cessation strategies.