It’s hard to quit: the exploration of the reasons for trouble withdrawal with smoking habits among filipino early adult men

Authors

  • Junalyn Suminguit University of Southern Mindanao
  • Ruben L. Tagare, Jr. University of Southern Mindanao
  • Cheeze R. Janito
  • Marlene E. Orfrecio

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21134/958

Keywords:

Cessation, Smokers' Narratives, Smoking Patters, Smoking Triggers, Tobacco

Abstract

Introduction. Smoking is a long-standing problem that harms people and communities. Various agencies have been trying to design proactive initiatives, but they still struggle to find solutions to prevent illnesses and deaths caused by smoking. Despite numerous attempts to quit, many individuals still struggle to withdraw from this addiction. Hence, this study was conducted to explore the reasons why quitting smoking is challenging for early adult men. Methods. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, twenty research participants expressed their reasons through in-depth interviews. Results. This study reveals that early adult men continue to smoke despite knowing its health risks due to smoking's perceived role in completing their day, aiding digestion after meals, and providing a deceptive sense of relaxation. Additionally, the difficulties in withdrawing from smoking are attributed to fears of developing smoking-related diseases, the body's adaptation to nicotine's addictive effects, peer influence, intense cravings, and challenges in regulating psychological and emotional responses during withdrawal. These findings highlight the interplay of psychological, social, and habitual factors that sustain smoking habits among early adult men. Conclusions. The study concludes that a combination of ingrained daily routines, social influences, and intense physical and psychological dependencies hinders smoking cessation. Effective smoking cessation interventions must address these challenges, incorporating strategies for emotional regulation, peer support, and tailored therapies to mitigate cravings and withdrawal symptoms. By understanding and targeting the specific reasons for continued smoking and difficulties in cessation, more effective public health strategies can be developed to reduce smoking rates and improve health outcomes in this demographic.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdelrahim, A., Balmer, C., Jones, J., Mehanna, H., & Dunn, J. (2018). Considerations for a head and neck smoking cessation support programme; A qualitative study of the challenges in quitting smoking after treatment for head and neck cancer. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 35, 54-61.

Adkison, S. E., O'Connor, R. J., Bansal-Travers, M., Hyland, A., Borland, R., Yong, H. H., ... & Fong, G. T. (2014). Electronic nicotine delivery systems: international tobacco control four-country survey. American journal of preventive medicine, 44(3), 207-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.10.018

Ahmed Hussein Ahmed, H., & Hassan Saied Khalil, H. (2021). Impact of educational program for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease on lifestyle change and home remedies. Egyptian Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 2(2), 338-362.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Vol. 5, No. 5). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Amul, G. G. H., & Pang, T. (2018). The state of tobacco control in ASEAN: framing the implementation of the FCTC from a health systems perspective. Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, 5(1), 47-64. https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.218

Aubin, H. J., Luquiens, A., & Berlin, I. (2014). Pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation: pharmacological principles and clinical practice. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 77(2), 324-336.

Bafunno, D., Catino, A., Lamorgese, V., Del Bene, G., Longo, V., Montrone, M., ... & Galetta, D. (2020). Impact of tobacco control interventions on smoking initiation, cessation, and prevalence: A systematic review. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 12(7), 3844. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2020.02.23

Barrington-Trimis, J. L., Braymiller, J. L., Unger, J. B., McConnell, R., Stokes, A., Leventhal, A. M., ... & Goodwin, R. D. (2020). Trends in the age of cigarette smoking initiation among young adults in the US from 2002 to 2018. JAMA network open, 3(10), e2019022-e2019022.

Benedict, C., Walsh, E. A., & Penedo, F. J. (2022). Psychosocial interventions in cancer. Psychological aspects of cancer: A guide to emotional and psychological consequences of cancer, their causes, and their management, 159-196.

Bechara, A., Berridge, K. C., Bickel, W. K., Morón, J. A., Williams, S. B., & Stein, J. S. (2019). A neurobehavioral approach to addiction: implications for the opioid epidemic and the psychology of addiction. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 20(2), 96-127.

Caponnetto, P., Inguscio, L., Saitta, C., Maglia, M., Benfatto, F., & Polosa, R. (2020). Smoking behavior and psychological dynamics during COVID-19 social distancing and stay-at-home policies: A survey. Health psychology research, 8(1).

Dimitriadis, K., Narkiewicz, K., Leontsinis, I., Konstantinidis, D., Mihas, C., Andrikou, I., ... & Tsioufis, K. (2022). Acute effects of electronic and tobacco cigarette smoking on sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in humans. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), 3237.

Ekpu, V. U., & Brown, A. K. (2015). The Economic Impact of Smoking and Reducing Smoking Prevalence: Review of Evidence. Tobacco Use Insights, 8, TUI-S15628. https://doi.org/10.4137/TUI.S15628

El-Sherbiny, N. A., & Elsary, A. Y. (2022). Smoking and nicotine dependence in relation to depression, anxiety, and stress in Egyptian adults: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Family and Community Medicine, 29(1), 8-16.

Froeliger, B., Kozink, R. V., Rose, J. E., Behm, F. M., Salley, A. N., & McClernon, F. J. (2013). Hippocampal and striatal gray matter volume are associated with a smoking cessation treatment outcome: Results of an exploratory voxel-based morphometric analysis. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(6), 1042-1048.

Gallucci, G., Tartarone, A., Lerose, R., Lalinga, A. V., & Capobianco, A. M. (2020). Cardiovascular risk of smoking and benefits of smoking cessation. Journal of thoracic disease, 12(7), 3866.

Giulietti, F., Filipponi, A., Rosettani, G., Giordano, P., Iacoacci, C., Spannella, F., & Sarzani, R. (2020). Pharmacological approach to smoking cessation: an updated review for daily clinical practice. High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention, 27(5), 349-362.

Gould, T. J., Wilkinson, D. S., Yildirim, E., Blendy, J. A., & Adoff, M. D. (2015). Dissociation of tolerance and nicotine withdrawal-associated deficits in contextual fear. Brain Research, 1559, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2014.02.038

Kong, G., Bold, K. W., Cavallo, D. A., Davis, D. R., Jackson, A., & Krishnan-Sarin, S. (2021). Informing the development of adolescent e-cigarette cessation interventions: A qualitative study. Addictive Behaviors, 114, 106720.

Kosendiak, A., Król, M., Åšciskalska, M., & Kepinska, M. (2021). The changes in stress coping, alcohol use, cigarette smoking and physical activity during COVID-19 related lockdown in medical students in Poland. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(1), 302.

Harakeh, Z., Scholte, R. H., De Vries, H., & Engels, R. C. (2014). Parental rules and communication: their association with adolescent smoking. Addiction, 100(6), 862-870. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01067.x

Hendricks, P. S., Hall, S. M., Tyus, L. R., Thorne, C. B., Lappan, S. N., McMurray, M. V., ... & Baker, T. B. (2016). Withdrawal exposure with withdrawal regulation training for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled pilot trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 164, 28-37.

Hoek, J., Edwards, R., & Waa, A. (2022). From social accessory to societal disapproval: smoking, social norms and tobacco endgames. Tobacco Control, 31(2), 358-364.

Iivari, N. (2018). Using member checking in interpretive research practice: A hermeneutic analysis of informants’ interpretation of their organizational realities. Information Technology & People, 31(1), 111-133.

Jafari, A., Rajabi, A., Gholian-Aval, M., Peyman, N., Mahdizadeh, M., & Tehrani, H. (2021). National, regional, and global prevalence of cigarette smoking among women/females in the general population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Environmental health and preventive medicine, 26, 1-13.

Jussila, H., Pelto, J., Korja, R., Ekholm, E., Pajulo, M., Karlsson, L., & Karlsson, H. (2020). The association of maternal-fetal attachment with smoking and smoking cessation during pregnancy in The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 20, 1-13.

Juranić, B., Mikšić, Š., Rakošec, Ž., & Vuletić, S. (2018). Smoking habit and nicotine effects. In Smoking Prevention and Cessation. IntechOpen.

Käufer, S., & Chemero, A. (2021). Phenomenology: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons.

King, D. K., Patten, C. A., Koller, K. R., Prochaska, J. J., Sinicrope, P. S., McDonell, M. G., ... & Thomas, T. K. (2023). Aniqsaaq (To Breathe): Study protocol to develop and evaluate an Alaska Native family-based financial incentive intervention for smoking cessation.

Klucharev, V., Munneke, M. A., Smidts, A., & Fernández, G. (2013). Downregulation of the posterior medial frontal cortex prevents social conformity. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(33), 11934-11940. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1869-11.2011

Kohut, S. J. (2017). Interactions between nicotine and drugs of abuse: a review of preclinical findings. The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 43(2), 155-170. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2016.1209513

Krishnan-Sarin, S., Reynolds, B., Duhig, A. M., Smith, A., Liss, T., McFetridge, A., ... & Potenza, M. N. (2014). Behavioral impulsivity predicts treatment outcome in a smoking cessation program for adolescent smokers. Drug and alcohol dependence, 88(1), 79-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.09.006

Lee, J. W., Yang, W., Kim, Y. S., Kim, Y., Yoo, H. S., & Kang, H. T. (2022). Exposure to second-hand smoke and a tobacco-specific carcinogen in non-smokers. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 43(2), 117.

Liyen Cartelle, A., Bocchino, R. L., Shah, I., Yakah, W., Ahmed, A., Freedman, S. D., ... & Sheth, S. G. (2023). Smoking is associated with worse clinical outcomes in chronic pancreatitis. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 68(6), 2667-2673.

Merriam, S. B., & Grenier, R. S. (Eds.). (2019). Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis. John Wiley & Sons.

Minian, N., Corrin, T., Lingam, M., deRuiter, W. K., Rodak, T., Taylor, V. H., ... & Selby, P. (2020). Identifying contexts and mechanisms in multiple behavior change interventions affecting smoking cessation success: a rapid realist review. BMC Public Health, 20, 1-26.

Moser, A., & Korstjens, I. (2018). Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis. European journal of general practice, 24(1), 9-18.

Pawlina, M. M. C., Rondina, R. D. C., Espinosa, M. M., & Botelho, C. (2015). Depression, anxiety, stress, and motivation over the course of smoking cessation treatment. Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, 41, 433-439.

Pickard, H. (2016). Denial in addiction. Mind & Language, 31(3), 277-299.

Pokhrel, P., Ing, C., Kawamoto, C. T., Laestadius, L., Buente, W., & Herzog, T. A. (2021). Social media’s influence on e-cigarette use onset and escalation among young adults: What beliefs mediate the effects?. Addictive behaviors, 112, 106617.

Rogers, A. H., Bakhshaie, J., Garey, L., Piasecki, T. M., Gallagher, M. W., Schmidt, N. B., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2019). Individual differences in emotion dysregulation and trajectory of withdrawal symptoms during a quit attempt among treatment-seeking smokers. Behaviour research and therapy, 115, 4-11.

Sadock, B. J. (2015). Kaplan & Sadock's synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (Vol. 2015, pp. 648-655). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Smith, A. L., Carter, S. M., Dunlop, S. M., Freeman, B., & Chapman, S. (2018). Revealing the complexity of quitting smoking: a qualitative grounded theory study of the natural history of quitting in Australian ex-smokers. Tobacco Control, 27(5), 568-576.

Song, H., Kim, J., & Kim, S. Y. (2014). Smoker identity among social smokers: theory-based approaches for anti-smoking interventions. Journal of Substance Use, 19(5), 346-350.

Spears, C. A., Hedeker, D., Li, L., Wu, C., Anderson, N. K., Houchins, S. C., ... & Wetter, D. W. (2017). Mechanisms underlying mindfulness-based addiction treatment versus cognitive behavioral therapy and usual care for smoking cessation. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 85(11), 1029.

Struik, L. L., Bottorff, J. L., Baskerville, N. B., & Oliffe, J. L. (2018). The crush the crave quit smoking app and young adult smokers: qualitative case study of affordances. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(6), e9489.

Tidey, J. W., & Miller, M. E. (2015). Smoking cessation and reduction in people with chronic mental illness. Bmj, 351. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h4065

Torres, O. V., & O'Dell, L. E. (2016). Stress is a Principal Factor that Promotes Tobacco Use in Females. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 65, 260- 268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.04.005

Villanti, A. C., Bover Manderski, M. T., Gundersen, D. A., Steinberg, M. B., & Delnevo, C. D. (2016). Reasons to Quit and Barriers to Quitting Smoking in US Young Adults. Family Practice, 33(2), 133-139. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.15m10062

Weinberger, A. H., Platt, J., Esan, H., Galea, S., Erlich, D., & Goodwin, R. D. (2017). Cigarette smoking is associated with increased risk of substance use disorder relapse: a nationally representative, prospective longitudinal investigation. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 78(2), 19746. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.15m10062

Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2015). A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of research in personality, 43(3), 374-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2008.12.008

Wellman, R. J., O’Loughlin, E. K., Dugas, E. N., Montreuil, A., Dutczak, H., & O’Loughlin, J. (2018). Reasons for Quitting Smoking in Young Adult Cigarette Smokers. Addictive Behaviors, 77, 28-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.09.010

Williams, H. (2021). The meaning of “Phenomenology”: Qualitative and philosophical phenomenological research methods. The Qualitative Report, 26(2), 366-385.

World Health Organization. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2025.

World Health Organization. (2020). Smoking and COVID-19: Scientific brief.

Zhao, B., Bai, L., Wan, R., Wang, Y., Qin, L., Xiao, Q., ... & Jiang, J. (2022). Exposure to second-hand smoke is an independent risk factor of small airway dysfunction in non-smokers with chronic cough: a retrospective case-control study. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 912100.

Zhou, S., Rosenthal, D. G., Sherman, S., Zelikoff, J., Gordon, T., & Weitzman, M. (2014). Physical, behavioral, and cognitive effects of prenatal tobacco and postnatal second-hand smoke exposure. Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care, 44(8), 219-241.

Tsai, M., Byun, M. K., Shin, J., & Crotty Alexander, L. E. (2020). Effects of eâ€cigarettes and vaping devices on cardiac and pulmonary physiology. The Journal of physiology, 598(22), 5039-5062.

Downloads

Published

2025-02-23

How to Cite

It’s hard to quit: the exploration of the reasons for trouble withdrawal with smoking habits among filipino early adult men. (2025). Health and Addictions Journal Revista Salud Y Drogas, 25(1), 106-121. https://doi.org/10.21134/958

Similar Articles

1-10 of 60

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.