Dual Realities: Insights into Quitting and Relapsing from Former and Current Smokers
Pages : 187-191,Download PDF
Aim: Smoking cessation is still a key public health objective, but inaccessibly high relapse rates continue to expose the enduring predicament of sustained abstinence. This thematic analysis qualitative study explored the factors for referencing smoking and the multifarious factors dominant to relapse.
Methodology: Semi-structured interview was used to collect data from 30 participants, including 15 ex-smokers and 15 smokers, who contributed their own histories of quitting attempts. Three themes were found to be most prominent in being central to the decision to quit: health, such as the short-term physical effects of smoking and the wish to prevent chronic diseases; social and family influences, such as support from close relationships and the hope to be a good role model; and identity change, whereby people started to see themselves as non-smokers. Conversely, four themes were linked to relapse: emotional and situational stress, particularly during anxiety, loneliness, or social drinking; the physical challenge of nicotine dependence and withdrawal; normalization of smoking in specific settings; and ambivalence toward quitting, where conflicting emotions about smoking reduced motivation.
Results: Ex-smokers attributed success to such support as counseling and nicotine therapy, while relapses identified poor coping and few resources. Results indicate interventions should be specially designed to tackle addiction and psycho-social issues, enhance resilience, facilitate access to support, and decrease social acceptability of smoking.
Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Relapse Factor, Motivational Drives, Nicotine Dependence, Psychosocial Support.