what is the psychology of smoking?

Question

Besides physical addiction...what are the psychological factors why someone smokes/chews tobacco.

Answer 1

other than the niccotine addiction, it is seen as a way to deal with stress, anger, anxiety, etc..

a lot of people started smoking because they saw thier friends or role models (celebrities, parents) doing it. thats the "cool" factor. if someone is insecure about themselves, they might try smoking to be "cool". when people think that you are cool, you have more self-confidence.

Answer 2

I smoked when I was a kid because my mom did. I quit when I was 16.
After my second kid was born, however, I was suffering from tremendous depression, mostly because of my husband, who was abusive and no help with the kids.
I needed something, a drug, to help me to cope, so that the edge was taken off my stress, but nothing that would make my drugged and useless. From my previous experience with smoking, I knew that that was the gentle drug I needed. I never smoked inside or near the kids.
For the time, smoking helped me. I later found the strength to divorce my abusive husband.
I soon found a wonderful guy who is wonderful with my kids and I discovered I didn't need the drug any more.
The addictive urges are still strong and I fight them every day.

Answer 3

im a smoker and i believe the psychology of smoking is for me at least peer pressure, the feeling of wanting to fit in to be cool and to feel better about myself even though it is a bad and deadly habit to have choosen.

Answer 4

All I can say for myself is that I smoked for about 10 yrs. for no other reason than I thought it was "cool". I used 2 tell myself that they helpd me 2 relax.

Answer 5

A way to cope with anger

Answer 6

stress, my friend's dad only smokes whenever he is stressed.