Worksheet 49

	For Smokers Only: Why Do You Smoke?

Although smoking cigarettes is physiologically addicting, people smoke for reasons other than nicotine craving. What kind of smoker are you? Knowing what your motivations and satisfactions are can ultimately help you quit. This test is designed to provide you with a score on each of six factors that describe many people's smoking. Read the statements and then answer how often you feel this way when you smoke cigarettes. Be sure to answer each question.

A.	I smoke cigarettes in order to keep myself from slowing down.
B.	Handling a cigarette is part of the enjoyment of smoking it.
C.	Smoking cigarettes is pleasant and relaxing.
D.	I light up a cigarette when I feel angry about something.
E.	When I have run out of cigarettes, I find it almost unbearable until I can get them.
F.	I smoke cigarettes automatically without even being aware of it.
G.	I smoke cigarettes to stimulate me, to perk myself up.
H.	Part of the enjoyment of smoking a cigarette comes from the steps I take to light up.
I.	I find cigarettes pleasurable.
J.	When I feel uncomfortable or upset about something, I light up a cigarette.
K.	I am very much aware of the fact when I am not smoking a cigarette.
L.	I light up a cigarette without realizing I still have one burning in the ashtray.
M.	I smoke cigarettes to give me a "lift."
N.	When I smoke a cigarette, part of the enjoyment is watching the smoke as I exhale it.
O.	I want a cigarette most when I am comfortable and relaxed.
P.	When I feel "blue" or want to take my mind off cares and worries, I smoke cigarettes.
Q.	I get a real gnawing hunger for a cigarette when I haven't smoked for a while.
R.	I've found a cigarette in my mouth and didn't remember putting it there.

Scoring Chart						Your Totals:
	+		+		=
A		G		M		Stimulation
	+		+		=
B		H		N		Handling
	+		+		=
C		I		O		Pleasurable relaxation
	+		+		=
D		J		P		Crutch: tension reduction
	+		+		=
E		K		Q		Craving: strong physiological or psychological addiction
	+		+		=
F		L		R		Habit

What Your Scores Mean

Scores can vary from 3 to 15. Any score 11 and above is high; any score 7 and below is low. The higher your score, the more important a particular factor is in your smoking and the more useful the discussion of that factor can be in your attempt to quit.

Stimulation If you score high on this factor, it means that you are stimulated by cigarettes--you feel that they help wake you up, organize your energies, and keep you going. Try substituting a brisk walk or moderate exercise whenever you feel the urge to smoke.

Handling A high score suggests you gain satisfaction from handling a cigarette. Try doodling or toying with a pen, pencil, or other small object.

Accentuation of Pleasure--Pleasurable Relaxation A high score on this factor suggests that you receive pleasure from smoking. Try substituting other pleasant situations or events such as social or physical activities.

Reduction of Negative Feelings, or "Crutch" A high score on this factor means you use cigarettes as a kind of crutch in moments of stress or discomfort. Physical exertion or social activity may serve as useful substitutes for cigarettes. Refer back to Chapter 2 for other strategies for dealing with stress.

Craving or Strong Addiction A high score on this factor indicates that you have a strong psychological craving for cigarettes. "Cold turkey" is probably your best approach to quitting. It may be helpful for you to smoke more than usual for a day or two so that your taste for cigarettes is spoiled, and then isolate yourself completely from cigarettes until the craving is gone.

Habit A high score on this factor indicates that you smoke out of habit, not because smoking gives you satisfaction. Being aware of every cigarette you smoke and cutting down gradually may be effective quitting strategies for you.

Summary

Quitting smoking isn't easy. It usually means giving up something pleasurable that has a definite place in your life. In the end, of course, it's worth it. Now that you have some ideas about why you smoke, read the Behavior Change Strategy at the end of the chapter for a plan that will help you quit.

SOURCE: Why Do You Smoke? U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. National Institutes of Health. NIH Pub. No 90-1822.

Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.