Health Guide Center

How much of cigarette addiction is physical and how much is cognitive?

I wonder if addiction physically is more powerful or if the cognitive aspect of thinking about it is more to blame. Or..are they both intertwined creating physical addiction...my smoking feels more cognitive than physical.

Public Comments

1. Yeah I believe that too it like something to do with you hands .For me I smoke outside so whenever I need a break in the house it's what I do.
2. I think that they are intertwined. But it will also depend on how long you've been smoking, male or female...etc.
3. Interesting question. I think in part it's physical (like the nicotein.. sp?), but a lot of it is cognative. For example, when people are stressed or if they're drinking or bored, or out with friends, they light up out of habit. Perhaps it's not because they're physically addicted to it, but rather it's just something they "do". When people try to quit, they try to replace the smoking habit with something else, like reading, eating, exercising.. whatever works for them. They take their mind off of smoking with something, which really suggests that smoking is just a cognative habit. It's just getting replaced with something else to do.
4. I think most of it is in a persons head. Ive known plenty of ppl who have stopped cold turkey just like that. I have smoked several times in my younger years and I never felt that I "needed" it. Ppl need an excuse to do the things they would like to do, they need an excuse to sue tobacco companies for their stupidity.
5. just wait until you try to quit and then it becomes physical. You ever notice that when you don't' have a cig you get light headed or edgy, maybe you develop a headache or get moody? I didn't think that much of it until I started noticing that when I did not have them or when I quit ALL of these symptoms became more prevalent in my ever day life. So yes it is a little bit of both, but it is a real addiction and there are physical problems that go hand in hand with it as well. hope that is what you were looking for?
6. As with any addiction to a substance, there is a mix of physical and mental dependency. You can tough out the physical withdrawl to the substance (which may take a while) and still have to deal with the mental habits later. HOWEVER, you do use your cognitive/brain mass, to quit. Make the decision that you are never smoking again, and stick to it, no matter what, and the battle is over, even if you do suffer physically/mentally for your decision for a while.
7. nvm what I said I read the question wrong.