Is nicotine by itself an anxiety reliever?

[TropicalBob]

Nicotine is a stimulant in the same way caffeine is. They both elevate heart rate and blood pressure, and both release some "pleasure" chemicals from the brain.

But don't expect the same stimulating kick of a cigarette when you suck down 36mg e-liquid. It's devoid of whole tobacco alkaloids, and that's a critical absence in the liquid. By itself, nicotine will simply make you antsy -- for more nicotine.

In combination with other alkaloids, it will relax and mellow you, at the same time it heightens your alterness.

Snus, nasal snuff and Stonewall dissolvable pellets all put back what e-liquid stripped out.

[Kate51]

Wait a minute TB, I think I'm alert...my neuron's are just fine! Really.

[slybootz]

nicotine, even though it's a stimulant, is a very chameleon-like drug, for me at least:

when i'm nervous, it calms me down. when i'm tired, it wakes me up. when i'm bored, it excites me. etc, etc, etc

a wondrous drug, indeed!

also, nicotine seems to have positive effects on those with different mental illnesses. i cant find the original article i saw a few weeks ago, but here's another article

Nicotine may benefit some with mental illnesses | Journal of Employee Assistance, The | Find Articles at BNET

[TWISTED VICTOR]

nicotine, even though it's a stimulant, is a very chameleon-like drug, for me at least:

when i'm nervous, it calms me down. when i'm tired, it wakes me up. when i'm bored, it excites me. etc, etc, etc

a wondrous drug, indeed!

also, nicotine seems to have positive effects on those with different mental illnesses. i cant find the original article i saw a few weeks ago, but here's another article

Nicotine may benefit some with mental illnesses | Journal of Employee Assistance, The | Find Articles at BNET

Ah, that be true only when the associated alkaloids are attached to the nic molecule. Eliquid has nic, but no alkaloids. That's what TB's pointing out, that the psychoactive effects come from the alkaloids in tobacco. That's why some of us use smokeless tobacco to keep from wigging-out.

[Madame Psychosis]

Agreed with TBob's points. Nicotine is a stimulant, so most people won't find it relieves anxiety -- other than the anxiety of cravings!
Yet it does activate some GABA release, which is anti-anxiety. Plus, some people have a paradoxical reaction to a particular stimulant or all stimulants.
So there's going to be individual brain variations like with anything.... I'd expect a range of personal responses, with the large majority of them agreeing that it's not anti-anxiety. (I smell a poll?)

Ah, that be true only when the associated alkaloids are attached to the nic molecule. Eliquid has nic, but no alkaloids. That's what TB's pointing out, that the psychoactive effects come from the alkaloids in tobacco. That's why some of us use smokeless tobacco to keep from wigging-out.

I thought so too, but it seems to be more nuanced than that. Nicotine itself is the crucial treatment factor in certain mental illnesses; in others it appears to be the other alkaloids (MAOIs etc.). The study summary slybootz linked to mentions the two biggies in the nicotine-alone area: schizophrenia and ADHD.

In clinical trials of people with schizophrenia, there's been success in reducing negative symptoms (hallucinations and other psychoses) of schiz with NRT. Schizophrenics (a population with a consistent smoking rate of 70-95% in various surveys around the world) are believed to have a reduced number of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the hippocampus, responsible for some of the symptoms. Nicotine amps up the stimulation to that reduced number of receptors. This seems to improve things like sensory gating (= better filtering of input from the outside world).
There's more to schizophrenia, and to nicotine, than just cholinergic neurons, but that's one of the basic theories out there (among the literature that I can understand ).

In trials of adults with ADHD, nicotine alone improves attention and concentration (which would partly explain the high rates of smoking, and early start of smoking, in those with ADHD). It seems to be related to the dopamine-boosting effects of nicotine...kinda like Ritalin (dopamine reuptake inhibitor) or Adderall (dopamine releaser), actually. All three have slightly different neurochemical impacts, but the basic concept is the same.

Anyway, here's my speculation on the breakdown of "what matters most" in different disorders, just from what I've read so far...

Nicotine alone: Schizophrenia, some other forms of psychosis, ADHD.
Whole alkaloids: Depression, anxiety, bipolar.

(These disorders, or milder subclinical features of them, frequently overlap in people -- so ADHD + depression = whole alkaloids, for instance. Also, that list doesn't include other substance addictions, eating disorders, PTSD, etc.)

I'd dig up a dozen study links but I'm feeling rather awful right now.

[bugzy1977]

absolutely no

nicotine is an upper

but if your hanging out, it would relax you a bit i suppose

[Stubby]

Madame: That's interesting, you certainly have been doing your homework.

The only thing I can add is that many people don't necessarily neatly fit into any of the categories you've listed but still have a strong attraction to nicotine/alkaloids. I don't have any clinical studies to back it up but observation leads me to think some of us simple function better with tobacco then without. Better focus, more relaxed, etc. I know I started smoking at a young age and was immediately attracted to the increased functioning I got from a cigarette.

Was I born missing something that tobacco provided... dunno. But I know what it does for me. Some people need a cup-a-joe to get them going but that never worked for me, just gave me a headache, but give me some tobacco and I'm good to go.

Edit: forgot to mention that nicotine by itself was not a good thing for me. Acted more like coffee for me then tobacco.

[M & M]

Nicotine is a stimulant in the same way caffeine is.

Giving up nicotine was no walk in the park but I had a harder time giving up caffeine.

[TWISTED VICTOR]

Giving up nicotine was no walk in the park but I had a harder time giving up caffeine.

...Holy moly M & M....gave 'em both up...!?! shudder...This could give me nightmares. That'd be like asking me to hold my breath 'til next week . ...Oh, the humanity......



Oh, thanks Madame . I'll get back to you on that when the shock of the above post wears off !!!

no snus no snuff no vape no coffee aarrrrgg

[TropicalBob]

no snus no snuff no vape no coffee aarrrrgg

No joy. No verve. No perky alertness. No satisfaction. No life worth getting out of bed to experience. Arrrrgh.