Nicotine helps with depression?

[kookycole]

As a teenager I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and started smoking around the same time. Over the years I quit smoking twice, both times because I was pregnant. However, I went back to smoking when I felt depressed or stressed out. When I read this study about nicotine and it's possible benefits for people with depression, I found it very interesting. I've been using the ecig exclusively for a month now, with no issues. I'm grateful to have found a safer alternative to cigarettes, because I don't think I would have ever permanently quit without it. Does anyone else feel like they use nicotine to self-medicate?

Article about nicotine and depression:
Duke study: nicotine may reduce depression | The Chronicle

 

[bebowebb]

I've been self medicating with nicotine for YEARS!

Any time I've tried to quit, everyone has begged me to take my "medicine."

Just glad that vaping has helped me find a happy medium.

 

[icanbreatheagain]

i would like to add that im pretty sure vapeing prevented a suicide here. not being able quit really had me depressed,now im an extremely happy guy as is my family.
so please vape on

 

[dragonladee]

Cigarettes also contain MAOIs, which as we know from anti-depressant medications work to increase serotonin levels in the brain. You are happier and calmer with a smoke. This also plays a part in the withdrawals-it isn't just the nicotine you are contending with.

 

[Toronnah]

This has been studied and known for years.

People should also be cognizant that it also works the other way. That is, nicotine withdrawal can induce depression.

 

[yepimonfire]

it sure helps with ADHD. every time i "successfully" quite my adhd got 100x worse, which left me heading back to the cigs in an attempt to keep my life from spiraling out of control from it.

i don't know it nicotine itself helps with depression, but i can attest to smoking itself helping.

 

[subversive]

I read an article about this. They said nicotine is known to increase dopamine and serotonin levels and that a lot of people with depression smoke. They concluded with the "logic" that people should quit smoking if they have depression............

 

[kookycole]

I've read the same kinds of articles, they say that the harm outweighs the benefits (and with analog cigarettes, it probably does). Now we have safer alternatives like snus and ecigs, so maybe their "you should quit" recommendations should change. They are looking into developing "nicotine-like drugs". I think that when they mess with things they often end up with drugs that are less effective and have bad side-effects. Their major problem with nicotine seems to be it's addictive property, but if it is a medication that you will be taking anyway, what difference does it make if you are addicted? Coming from someone who has a hard time remembering to take medication, I can say that I never forget to take my nicotine.

 

[kingcobra]

With smoking, the harm may indeed outweigh the benefits, but with vaping nicotine that's a different story. There are many harmful components of smoking and nicotine is a lightweight. Smoking does deliver MAOIs, and people tend to get depressed when quitting and just assume it's the lack of the MAOI's that cause it. I believe though that a lot of this depression is a side effect of the withdrawal process in general though, although I did find that St Johns Wort did help, and nicotine from vaping didn't help that much. What has helped the most though for me is WTA, and once I tried that this solved the problem for me. So the anti depressant effects may indeed come more from these minor alkaloids than anything else.

 

[genelman]

Thank you for sharing the article with us.

 

[Zeybrin]

nicotine helps focus, mood, hunger, and a bunch of other things that we are just now scratching the surface of.

Some scientists have even said it could help prevent Alzheimer's as it has neuron protective qualities.

 

[Koman]

Any links to the scientists studying the effects on Alzheimer's?

 

[waylonjessi4ever]

I have gained about 20 pnds since I switched and off smokes ,i'm not happy with this at all .Anyone else ?

 

[Faylool]

Oh yes! I gained 30 pounds just from quitting chewing Nicorette but I didn't use vape at the time. This time I quit chewin Nicorette I used vape. My weight has gone up but back down be Ause it's easier to control the over eating urge by stopping and having a vape like with cigs but still I think most people tend to gain. Other people loose because they feel better and start doing things they loved more that takes physical fitness. So if you love to cook and eat you'll probably gain. I try to watch it and don't always win but I always loose it easily too so...it's not worth smoking over