The relationship between attachment styles and smoking

The aim of this thesis is to examine the relationship between attachment styles and smoking. Attachment styles are psychological processes that affect individuals' experiences in their social relationships and play an important role in their personal development. Smoking is recognized as an important public health problem worldwide. It is known that smoking affects the physical and psychological health of individuals negatively, and also causes economic and social problems in society. This study draws on research to understand the relationship between attachment styles and smoking and to better explain this relationship. Attachment styles are generally examined under three main categories as "secure attachment, anxious-avoidant attachment and anxious-resistant attachment". Individuals in the "secure attachment" style trust others, have the skills to establish healthy relationships, and can express their addiction needs effectively. In the anxious-avoidant attachment style, individuals tend to avoid close relationships, suppress their attachment needs, and avoid trusting others. In the anxious-resilient attachment style, individuals experience constant anxiety in relationships and have difficulties in trusting and intimacy with others. Various studies show that there is a relationship between attachment styles and smoking. In particular, individuals with "anxious-avoidant and anxious-resistant attachment styles" seem to be more likely to smoke. These individuals may turn to cigarettes to cope with stress and fill their emotional gaps. Smoking can have an illusory effect, providing them with temporary relief and contributing to emotional regulation. As a result of this study, a positive relationship was found between smoking and attachment styles, and it was determined that the factors affecting this were caused by the socio-demographic characteristics of the individuals.