Why some smokers find it harder to quit

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Success in quitting smoking differed for people who had different psychiatric disorders, U.S. researchers said.

For instance, researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found, unlike smokers with no psychiatric disorders, smokers with an anxiety disorder were less likely to quit smoking six months after treatment.

The same researchers linked the type of psychiatric disorder to quitting. For instance, smokers diagnosed with an anxiety disorder reported a strong emotional bond with cigarettes but smokers with a history of a substance use reported their smoking especially likely to be affected by social and environmental influences.

"This information may help clinicians gauge relapse risk and identify treatment targets among smokers who have ever had psychological illnesses," lead author Megan Piper said in a statement.

The findings are published in the special section of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.