DEPRESSION: Only if you suffer depression since quitting analogs/starting ecigs

[four2109]

This issue has come up in the health section repeatedly since I have been on this forum. I'm not trying to link or blame anything, but those suffering need some answers and this may help in narrowing some variables.
I think there may be a gender component involved. I don't know. Our member IDs don't always indicate gender, so I may be completely wrong on this.
If you have not noticed any cognitive changes since you quit analogs and/or started ecigs, please, just vote accordingly, or not at all, and move on. This poll is not really about you, and there is no need to comment.

 

[TheJester]

I just wanted to say I suffer from a psychiatric condition and a lot of people with the condition I have smoke cigarettes statistically. I thought that by removing the other things in tobacco and only using nicotine I may become unbalanced so I was weary to make the switch. However, since I started vaping I noticed a very positive effect on my mental wellbeing. A lot less depression and anxiety. Sleep can be a little more challenging sometimes but it's really not very different from before. Cheers!

Edit - also, I hope more people want to have a discussion about this. I know there's a lot of stigma about being sad, or nueroatypical but why not open to discussion. A lot of people have mental illnesses and quirks and stuff. It's kind of an important area to hit on in my opinion too. vaping is kind of a new thing, and by switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes there are physiological changes.

Tobacco contains MAOI's which act essentially as SSRI's or antidepressants so it's totally normal to notice changes in mood/cognition. There are also whole tobacco alkaloid extract ejuices which contain those MAOI's.

 

[cores]

Just felt the need to comment as I've quit nicotine many times. This includes both smoking and vaping. Never any depression but..

When nicotine free, I am more settled. Balanced. Relaxed. Sleep 1 hour less a day with a more restful sleep in that lessened time period too. I care less about the things around me.

When I'm on nicotine, I am much more focused when it comes to complex and challenging tasks. I can concentrate for much longer periods of time with a higher degree of intense focus, and feel I accomplish more throughout the day than when Im not using nicotine. I care more about the things around me.

Odd huh?

 

[erikajeanT87]

I have anxiety and bipolar although I am on meds but I did try chantix one time and oh boy did my anxiety sky rocket I tried to ride it out but went back to analogs after a week or less just too overwhelming CONSTANT anxiety also had a manic episode but I am not sure if it was related or not but since I started vaping I've felt really good amazing in fact prob cuz I had such high hopes of it working too it did take me a couple of weeks to completely quit cigs but I had cut down significantly right off the bat now if I try one it's absolutely disgusting thank the gods for PVs!

 

[TheJester]

Cores - I can definitely see that. I think part of it is sort of like 'rewarding' ourselves via nicotine -> dopamine for working/finishing tasks. Makes focussing easier, along with the stimulant stuff. Not sure though.

ErikaJeanT87 - I think taking a few weeks is pretty normal. That's how it was for me. When my mod broke (recently) I had to switch back and within a week I was experiencing a lot more symptoms then I normally do. Got my new mod and a backup and I am back on track. It's easy to not smoke when I have an ecigarette. Chantix probably plays with dopamine path-ways along with other things indirectly so an increase in anxiety or symptoms seems like a very real side-effect. I'm really happy ecigarettes are working for you so far too. They've been helping me big time! Handling stress has gotten easier. Go figure inhaling burning plants and chemicals has a negative effect on my mind hehehe.

I really see no reason to go back to smoking analogs.

 

[hurricanegirl100]

Hold up.
Depression when I tried to quit smoking without e-cigarettes? In SPADES. It was awful!!

Depression when I switched to e-cigarettes. Nada. Not even a little. It's one of the reasons I'll never walk away from vaping.

 

[cathouse]

Maybe I shouldn't have voted or even comment here because I haven't quit smoking yet. I'm still trying, and failing completely so far, to make the switch to vaping. It's that failure, not the e-cigs, that seem to contribute to my self-esteem issues and possibly what you call negative cognitive changes.

I've been treated for and living with chronic depression for 20+ years. Folks like me tend to beat ourselves up for not succeeding. You know ... It's all my fault. Why can't I be like so many of you who discovered e-cigs and then, boom, immediately quit smoking and never want another one? Those sorts of thoughts are depressing.

I won't ramble much more. I only hope that this poll, whatever its ultimate results suggest, is not taken very seriously. I think there are just too many variables, situational aspects, and personality types involved to come to a valid conclusion from such a simple question.

 

[hurricanegirl100]

Just felt the need to comment as I've quit nicotine many times. This includes both smoking and vaping. Never any depression but..

When nicotine free, I am more settled. Balanced. Relaxed. Sleep 1 hour less a day with a more restful sleep in that lessened time period too. I care less about the things around me.

When I'm on nicotine, I am much more focused when it comes to complex and challenging tasks. I can concentrate for much longer periods of time with a higher degree of intense focus, and feel I accomplish more throughout the day than when Im not using nicotine. I care more about the things around me.

Odd huh?

Not at all! Ditto on all of this, Cores!

 

[four2109]

Just felt the need to comment as I've quit nicotine many times. This includes both smoking and vaping. Never any depression but..

When nicotine free, I am more settled. Balanced. Relaxed. Sleep 1 hour less a day with a more restful sleep in that lessened time period too. I care less about the things around me.

When I'm on nicotine, I am much more focused when it comes to complex and challenging tasks. I can concentrate for much longer periods of time with a higher degree of intense focus, and feel I accomplish more throughout the day than when Im not using nicotine. I care more about the things around me.

Odd huh?

Yeah, I think it's odd. I'm curious what nic levels you use and if you notice the same effects when vaping with varying nic levels. Can you control it?

 

[cores]

Yeah, I think it's odd. I'm curious what nic levels you use and if you notice the same effects when vaping with varying nic levels. Can you control it?

Hi Four2109!

for nic levels: smoking - usually 2 packs a day of ultra lights. Vaping - I have been dropping my nic levels from 18mg to 6mg over the last 3 months.

That effect is more pronounced when I smoke tobacco. But still much of it is present when vaping too. I think it is less pronounced when vaping because of the lesser nicotine. But, it could also be something else in the tobacco too.

No, I can't control it. I'll stay more balanced, relaxed, laid back till I start smoking again. Sometimes years later. Work and learning suffer in the meantime!

 

[four2109]

This might be of interest to you. It is to me, because I'm not sure nic even matters to me. I can use 24, 16, or 5 mg... and don't notice a difference. I just don't put the damn thing down.
I remember when I first started vaping and "high" carts were 36 mg/ml, I got a surprising head rush, but that hasn't happened since.
So, the habit part of the brain theory makes sense to me. Snus doesn't satisfy me either...
YaleNews | Smoking lights up brain

 

[cores]

This might be of interest to you. It is to me, because I'm not sure nic even matters to me. I can use 24, 16, or 5 mg... and don't notice a difference. I just don't put the damn thing down.
I remember when I first started vaping and "high" carts were 36 mg/ml, I got a surprising head rush, but that hasn't happened since.
So, the habit part of the brain theory makes sense to me. Snus doesn't satisfy me either...
YaleNews | Smoking lights up brain

That is interesting. I am actually finding this same for myself. doesn't seem like any nicotine level is quite enough. Cigarettes were much the same way - I just eventually got used to ultra lights. But Id smoke a ton of them. Whether they were reds or ultra lights, didn't matter. Same thing with vaping. Hated the smell of smokes though, and that's why I keep tossing them. But I like smoking and a year or two later, ill return to them. It's a love hate thing~

So do you feel there is something else in the tobacco other then nicotine that's wanted? Possibly only released when it's burnt?

 

[four2109]

That is interesting. I am actually finding this same for myself. doesn't seem like any nicotine level is quite enough. Cigarettes were much the same way - I just eventually got used to ultra lights. But Id smoke a ton of them. Whether they were reds or ultra lights, didn't matter. Same thing with vaping. Hated the smell of smokes though, and that's why I keep tossing them. But I like smoking and a year or two later, ill return to them. It's a love hate thing~

So do you feel there is something else in the tobacco other then nicotine that's wanted? Possibly only released when it's burnt?

Yes, but I think only BT knows for sure. They have spent billions on research & development. It could very well be any of the additives. I know it changes my brain function. I dual use off and on too. The only thing that keeps me from stopping at the neighborhood store for a pack now, is that I know I'm about the only person that bought that brand and I'm sure they are stale.
I've tried snus and whole tobacco alkaloid liquids. Not the same. But I chain smoked too. So I don't think I was ever in a state of satisfaction.
If it wasn't for the stink and the stains, I would probably just smoke.

 

[cores]

Yes, but I think only BT knows for sure. They have spent billions on research & development. It could very well be any of the additives. I know it changes my brain function. I dual use off and on too. The only thing that keeps me from stopping at the neighborhood store for a pack now, is that I know I'm about the only person that bought that brand and I'm sure they are stale.
I've tried snus and whole tobacco alkaloid liquids. Not the same. But I chain smoked too. So I don't think I was ever in a state of satisfaction.
If it wasn't for the stink and the stains, I would probably just smoke.

I think so too. I've noticed withdrawling from certain big brands are much much more difficult then others. They taste more lab created if you return to them as a non-smoker. Also smoke the stale ones because of it!

 

[four2109]

I think so too. I've noticed withdrawling from certain big brands are much much more difficult then others. They taste more lab created if you return to them as a non-smoker. Also smoke the stale ones because of it!

Did you ever try an Njoy King? Wow.
They have some BT guys working on that product and I think it's more than just nicotine. That's why I don't want to see this industry handed over to BT.

 

[cores]

Did you ever try an Njoy King? Wow.
They have some BT guys working on that product and I think it's more than just nicotine. That's why I don't want to see this industry handed over to BT.

No, I haven't tried this, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are additives to keep you coming back. I've noticed that 'extra' taste in the more addictive BT brands have something I identify as a chocolate-tang-chemical flavor.

I haven't used any electronic cigarette style devices - mainly because of not knowing whats in their pre-filled cartridges.

Once I went through the withdrawl from some of those BT's with the something extra in them, I stayed away from them since. The withdrawl is 3 or 4 times more difficult than withdrawling from pure tobacco cigarrettes. I've always wondered what it is in them that makes them so much more addictive.

Heres something interesting - the majority of cigarettes on the market are not made of tobacco. What looks like tobacco is actually paper.

 

[four2109]

No, I haven't tried this, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are additives to keep you coming back. I've noticed that 'extra' taste in the more addictive BT brands have something like a chocolaty chem taste to them.

I haven't used any electronic cigarette style devices - mainly because of not knowing whats in their pre-filled cartridges.

Once I went through the withdrawl from some of those BT's with the something extra in them, learned to stay away from them. Who knows what that is. But that withdrawl is 3 or 4 times as difficult as withdrawling from pure tobacco cigarrettes.

Heres something interesting - the majority of cigarettes on the market are not even made of tobacco.

I only tried the discount trial Kings. And yes, I noticed I wanted another one of "those". Walked away.
If BT gets control of this industry they will have people back in for life.
I tried a Blu once and hated it. I haven't tried any of the others, Mark Ten or Vuse, and I won't.

 

[cores]

I only tried the discount trial Kings. And yes, I noticed I wanted another one of "those". Walked away.
If BT gets control of this industry they will have people back in for life.
I tried a Blu once and hated it. I haven't tried any of the others, Mark Ten or Vuse, and I won't.

Your using a refillable tank or dripper then?

Im sure its just a matter of time before our over reaching government regulate these to death, hands e-liquid supply rights to BT for the additives, pop a sky high tax on them for the guarantee of our safety, then criminalize the selling of e-liquids from smaller suppliers using just L-nicotine and some oils. All in the name of keeping us safe from the extra chemical toxins those other guys might add~

 

[TheJester]

Cores - Definitely agree. When my mod broke I went out and bought a pack of marlboro reds. They tasted so ... wrong and gave me a headache. Like graham crackers and chemicals or something. When I was waiting for my vaporizer to come I bought a half pound of tobacco (organic) and went back to rolling my own. Those tasted more like a cigarette and no crappy headaches or chemically taste. Let's not kid ourselves, the cigarette industry hires scientists to formulate cigarettes to be more addictive through doping processes. American Spirits, even add's freebase nicotine to their tobacco... So glad I'm back on vaping. Gave my roller machine away to a nice woman today . Not looking back.

When I first tried to quit smoking and start vaping years back, those cig-a-likes were the only game in town. $50 a battery and crappy cartomizer. Needless to say, it didn't work, and made me want to smoke more. The vapor production, and quality of vapor was so ridiculously bad... It took me YEARS to try ecigarettes again. My advice to pretty much anyone transitioning is this...

Don't beat yourself up over a couple of cigarettes durring the transtion period.
One day, just try and only vape. Whenever you crave a cigarette vape away, even if you're vaping more than you normally would smoke. It seems like the two times I transitioned to ecig's I had 2-3 days of heavy vaping before it became normal.
It's normal to crave cigarettes once and a while even weeks after vaping only. It seems to go away after a few hits off of a vape though .
Always have a back-up device and charger handy even if it's a cheapy mod.
Don't be afraid to tinker with coils or nicotine concentrations.
Don't be afraid to spoil yourself a little on a decent RDA/RTA with the cash you saved from not smoking.

I'm back on e-cigs for good now, and I have to say my mental status is much much better again . Less depressed, less anxious, less symptomatic, still hard-working and introverted hehehe.

 

[four2109]

Your using a refillable tank or dripper then?

Im sure its just a matter of time before our over reaching government regulate these to death, hands e-liquid supply rights to BT for the additives, pop a sky high tax on them for the guarantee of our safety, then criminalize the selling of e-liquids from smaller suppliers using just L-nicotine and some oils. All in the name of keeping us safe from the extra chemical toxins those other guys might add~

Yep, Erolls, Egrip, and a couple of tanks on isticks. I DIY my liquid. Screw them.