BOINGGGG!! HI!
Dave, I started off at 6mg but moved up to 12 which seems to keep me very happy indeed.
mlinky: yes, smoking is self-medicating especially for bipolars and schizophrenics - that's why there's such a high percentage of people with these problems who smoke to excess (something like 75% of bipolars and 90% of schizophrenics). They're doing more studies about this stuff every day, but the main effect seems to be (and is for me anyway) a better ability to shield yourself from outside things that would normally make you go pretty wacky. I used to jump at noises and be generally very nervous, I even suffered from an adrenal overproduction problem for a few years because of it. Now I don't have that problem anymore. =) I used to have a hard time outside because if someone walked too close to me or something, I could get pretty jumpy. Now I am back to "normal"-er. =)
I've been being medicated for my bipolar since 1990, and had varying degrees of success finding the right balance of meds until I started
vaping. I quit smoking in 1998 but the nicotine fever never ever ever left me. =D Now I have my friend back. =D