Emotional factors are critical motivators for tobacco use according to smokers’ own perception

Aim Psychological factors play an important role in tobacco dependence. However, few investigations have focused on smokers’ own perception about motivations for tobacco consumption using open-ended questions. Subject and method In this study, we used the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) method to investigate the motivations for tobacco use according to smokers’ own perception in 135 current smokers. Results The vast majority of patients (83.7%) reported that they smoked cigarettes when seeking relief or emotional comfort. When asked why they smoked, most declared they smoked due to stress, anxiety, or nervousness. Long-term smokers reporting using cigarettes to feel pleasure, in contrast to short-term smokers, who mostly reported they smoked because they felt stress or anxiety ( p