Women may have a tougher time kicking their smoking habits compared with men, according to a Pennsylvania researcher.
In general, women are more concerned than men about possible weight gain and women are more likely than men to have a history of major depression, which is related to poor success rates for quitting, explained study author Dr. Kenneth A. Perkins of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Perkins reviewed past studies and found that women seemed to have a harder time quitting the habit, according to a report in the May issue of the journal CNS Drugs.
The study findings suggest that women may be more sensitive to “smoking cues” and less vulnerable to the actual chemical addition to nicotine. Smoking cues are those times and places that can trigger a craving for cigarettes, such as drinking a cup of coffee, feeling stressed out or seeing other people light up.
Perkins pointed out that smoking cues are likely to be a person’s greatest downfall when it comes to succeeding in their quest for quitting. “Cues are what make any smoker want to smoke, especially if they recently quit,” he said.
“Most people relapse well after the withdrawal phase of quitting, which occurs within the first week or two, and most relapses occur many months later.” Perkins found that some smoking cessation techniques are more successful in men than in women. It appears that nicotine replacement systems such as the gum or the patch may be less effective in women than men, “and many studies confirm this,” he noted.
Not all women are going to respond to the same method for quitting smoking. But behavioral counselling can help, he said. Therapy combined with “medication to reduce withdrawal including both non-nicotine replacement medications is likely to work the best,” Perkins added.
Inadequate preparation for quitting may be the biggest barrier to successful cessation. “Quitting smoking means taking preparation such as learning ways to cope with urges to smoke,” Perkins said.
Setting a specific date to quit, enlisting the support of friends and family are strongly recommended. “Most smokers go into a quit attempt without having considered many potential problems and then don’t have a coping alternative when the problems arise,” Perkins said. “Approaching quitting casually is unlikely to be successful,” he added.
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