I hunted relentlessly until a menthol cigarette could be found, and was exhilarated to strike a match and inhale that glorious smoke. Today, I smoke only when extremely stressed or while drinking socially. I rarely smoke by myself. I thought that made me an exception to the rule, but according to experts, my smoking habits are completely typical of women smokers. Danette Arthur, an internist who specializes in addiction study, explains that women begin smoking for almost exclusively social reasons.
Women smoke less for a physical addiction to nicotine and more for social and situational reasons.
Women tend to have 'social situational triggers' and tend to smoke in groups rather than alone. Settings like bars, parties and even lunch breaks serve as social opportunities for women smokers. As a result, Arthur says that treatments such as the various 'patches' and nicotine gums are significantly less effective on women because their addiction is primarily behavioral. Arthur believes many women smokers suffer from some level of depression and that cigarettes are a symptom of not only nicotine addiction, but also the larger, underlying problem. Arthur has found that behavior modification, coupled with anti-depressants, is the most effective way to help a female smoker quit.