Depression and nicotine

[Mobc1990]

I suffer from depression/anxiety since I was young and now I still get depress and anxious from time to time.Anyway I find nicotine are somewhat helpful for my mental health and I probably won’t give it up...anyone here deal with depression or anxiety.What help you the most?

I was on psychiatric meds for 8 years,now I just exercise,vape,take lots of omega 3 supplement for my depression/anxiety

 

[retired1]

Moved to Health, Safety and vaping

 

[stols001]

Nicotine is considered a mild anti depressant by some at higher does perhaps (and it may be more of an energy thing, really, it's a mild stimulant.) Some also claim at lower doses it can be calming. I'm afraid I would not know about that, I've been mainlining nicotine since the early 90s.

I will say when I got pregnant and was nursing I was in a completely bad mood some of the time. This had more to do with wanting to smoke than depression, really (and also pre my diagnosis) but I don't think I felt *depressed* exactly without it, more like somewhat resentful every now and then.

IDK I truly believe my smoking "took off" when more additives and high freebase nicotine levels were added to cigarettes, but it's more complicated than just nicotine, cigarettes have MAOI A and B compounds in them, they are potent anti depressant little buggers and they play a role too, etc. etc.

If you are looking to start vaping to treat your depression, I would sort of steer you away from it, honestly. I don't think (personally) that it is likely to "do the trick" so to speak. My mental illness symptoms have neither improved nor worsened whether I am on nicotine or not. Certainly not after the initial washout period of about a month. You brain is pretty good at establishing and maintaining homeostasis when it comes to these things, it just upregulates something else.

I'd probably say go back to your doc and start over. Rather than adding another dependency to treat depression and anxiety severe enough to warrant p/psychiatric intervention. It won't work. It just won't.

Anna

 

[JSL_Aus]

Yes, I too have suffered depression and anxiety for a long time. Actually one of the main reasons I had trouble quitting smoking was that every time I quit, I'd get a deep, black depression along with much higher anxiety.

That is, until I discovered vaping. Fortunately, I suffered no depression when quitting smoking using vaping, and anxiety was pretty good, too.

When I tried reducing the nicotine levels in my vape from 18mg down to 12 or 9mg, initially everything was fine, but then after a while I got really crippling anxiety. Since bumping the nic levels back up to 18mg, the anxiety has gone away.

So to answer you, vaping with nicotine may help with anxiety and depression. Exercise is also great for reducing depression, I find it more effective that psych drugs for helping with depression. For anxiety, all I can suggest are things such as meditation and mindfulness meditation.

I am not a qualified doctor, so this is just my own personal opinions and experience. Everyone is different, so what works for me, may not work for you, and vice-versa.

 

[Mobc1990]

I will continue to vape since I enjoy it and it helps my depressive and anxiety symptoms a little.
What do you guys think of benzodiazepine for my anxiety?I plan to get some prescription,is it worth it?

 

[JSL_Aus]

I will continue to vape since I enjoy it and it helps my depressive and anxiety symptoms a little.
What do you guys think of benzodiazepine for my anxiety?I plan to get some prescription,is it worth it?

It's probably best for you to talk that over with your Doctor. But since you asked, I will give you my non-medical, personal opinion.

I wouldn't take benzodiazepines for anything other than a very short while, if at all, as they are highly addictive. I've taken valium before. Sure, it works great at reducing anxiety almost completely. But I knew about the dangers of these drugs, so I decided early on, even though they made me feel much better, that it just wasn't worth it.

My personal opinion is that these class of drugs should only be used for a very short while (a week at most). I'd look at alternatives if I was you. Things like exercise are not only good for depression, but it will reduce anxiety, too. Also, I mentioned meditation, as it can help. You can get audio (google "brainwave entrainment for anxiety") that can help get you into a meditative state.

Drugs, whilst they can be a lifesaver, also don't help us deal with the issues. As I've gotten older, I've realised that the psych drugs I've been prescribed over the years didn't solve anything, even though at the time it felt like they did.

Just my opinions. Hope that helps.

 

[Mobc1990]

It's probably best for you to talk that over with your Doctor. But since you asked, I will give you my non-medical, personal opinion.

I wouldn't take benzodiazepines for anything other than a very short while, if at all, as they are highly addictive. I've taken valium before. Sure, it works great at reducing anxiety almost completely. But I knew about the dangers of these drugs, so I decided early on, even though they made me feel much better, that it just wasn't worth it.

My personal opinion is that these class of drugs should only be used for a very short while (a week at most). I'd look at alternatives if I was you. Things like exercise are not only good for depression, but it will reduce anxiety, too. Also, I mentioned meditation, as it can help. You can get audio (google "brainwave entrainment for anxiety") that can help get you into a meditative state.

Drugs, whilst they can be a lifesaver, also don't help us deal with the issues. As I've gotten older, I've realised that the psych drugs I've been prescribed over the years didn't solve anything, even though at the time it felt like they did.

Just my opinions. Hope that helps.

I took psych drug for close to eight years,I hated every min on those drug,my doctor prescribed me antipsychotic instead of antidepressant or Benzo which made my symptoms much worse and also side effect.I am just taking high doses of fish oil,exercise regularly and vaping to relax myself a little.I wouldn’t want to go back psych drugs tbh,maybe I will skip the idea of taking benzo

 

[tailland]

I will continue to vape since I enjoy it and it helps my depressive and anxiety symptoms a little.
What do you guys think of benzodiazepine for my anxiety?I plan to get some prescription,is it worth it?

Dude... those psych meds are nothing to play around with. It takes an experienced psych doc, and probably several different try-outs, until you find a drug which is suitable for your individual condition. The different groups of medication in that field have wildly different, and often dangerous, main- and side-effects. Self-experimentation might appear tempting, but it's a really a big fat no-go.

 

[Mobc1990]

Yes, I too have suffered depression and anxiety for a long time. Actually one of the main reasons I had trouble quitting smoking was that every time I quit, I'd get a deep, black depression along with much higher anxiety.

That is, until I discovered vaping. Fortunately, I suffered no depression when quitting smoking using vaping, and anxiety was pretty good, too.

When I tried reducing the nicotine levels in my vape from 18mg down to 12 or 9mg, initially everything was fine, but then after a while I got really crippling anxiety. Since bumping the nic levels back up to 18mg, the anxiety has gone away.

So to answer you, vaping with nicotine may help with anxiety and depression. Exercise is also great for reducing depression, I find it more effective that psych drugs for helping with depression. For anxiety, all I can suggest are things such as meditation and mindfulness meditation.

I am not a qualified doctor, so this is just my own personal opinions and experience. Everyone is different, so what works for me, may not work for you, and vice-versa.

Are you still depress or anxious nowadays?

 

[Mobc1990]

Dude... those psych meds are nothing to play around with. It takes an experienced psych doc, and probably several different try-outs, until you find a drug which is suitable for your individual condition. The different groups of medication in that field have wildly different, and often dangerous, main- and side-effects. Self-experimentation might appear tempting, but it's a really a big fat no-go.

Yea,I will just continue my supplement

 

[stols001]

Uh.. There are bad doctors and good doctors. I might go find someone you know, competent.

Anxiety and depression are often tied together and when the depression is treated, the anxiety totally goes away on it's own and all you need is a simple SSRI or something.

I have no idea why you stayed on an antipsychotic for 8 years unless you were legally mandated to for some reason, in which case I am going to make a guess that there was something going on THEN that required that sort of treatment, .and I'm trying to frame it kindly.

Otherwise, I do not understand why you knowingly and voluntarily stayed on a medication that did not work for 8 years, without changing either the medication, the doctor, or both.

Just as research vape items that I am going to purchase, I research (fully, and in depth including complaints, patient ratings training etc.) The medical professionals I go to see, and EVEN more so the substances I am CHOOSING to put in my body.

No offense intended but complaining about psychiatry when you did what you did.... The issue, I am sorry to say, is you.

And, if you were a minor at the time or something, for future reference, that is what CPS is for. If your parents had you see a quack who put you on the wrong medication, well, that is called Medical neglect and you would have been seen by another doctor for a full assessment.

Just stating that for anyone who might happen by in a "similar" situation.

If you were an adult. and if you chose the doc and followed the advice for 8 YEARS? IDK what to tell you other than yes, it would be nice if all doctors were great and all car mechanics were honest. Do your DUE DILIGENCE instead of slamming a profession you appear to know very little about.

IDK what you need but it sounds like not antipsychotics and probably not nicotine.

Anna

 

[Mobc1990]

Uh.. There are bad doctors and good doctors. I might go find someone you know, competent.

Anxiety and depression are often tied together and when the depression is treated, the anxiety totally goes away on it's own and all you need is a simple SSRI or something.

I have no idea why you stayed on an antipsychotic for 8 years unless you were legally mandated to for some reason, in which case I am going to make a guess that there was something going on THEN that required that sort of treatment, .and I'm trying to frame it kindly.

Otherwise, I do not understand why you knowingly and voluntarily stayed on a medication that did not work for 8 years, without changing either the medication, the doctor, or both.

Just as research vape items that I am going to purchase, I research (fully, and in depth including complaints, patient ratings training etc.) The medical professionals I go to see, and EVEN more so the substances I am CHOOSING to put in my body.

No offense intended but complaining about psychiatry when you did what you did.... The issue, I am sorry to say, is you.

And, if you were a minor at the time or something, for future reference, that is what CPS is for. If your parents had you see a quack who put you on the wrong medication, well, that is called Medical neglect and you would have been seen by another doctor for a full assessment.

Just stating that for anyone who might happen by in a "similar" situation.

If you were an adult. and if you chose the doc and followed the advice for 8 YEARS? IDK what to tell you other than yes, it would be nice if all doctors were great and all car mechanics were honest. Do your DUE DILIGENCE instead of slamming a profession you appear to know very little about.

IDK what you need but it sounds like not antipsychotics and probably not nicotine.

Anna

My life is relatively better without antipsychoic.My situation is very complicated.My uncle and both siblings are MD,once I was diagnosed,even though I dislike taking those meds as they cause erectile issue for male like me but the fact that my uncle and two siblings are doctor,they put pressure on me to continue on those meds even though I felt worse on them.Luckily they have given up convincing me to continue my meds,which I think I am doing better but not a lot better.I had no erectile issue now,I have got my supplement,vape,regular exercise and also 15min of sunlight a day.I think those stuff is all “good habit”except the vaping part which is seen as “bad habit”by many even though I find it helpful and enjoy it...

 

[stols001]

I am not here to tell you to vape or not vape, that is totally your choice. However, if you were a never smoker please do know that nicotine on its own is not that robust an antidepressant, and there are better options out there.

I don't know where you live, but in the US it is illegal for family members to treat, or even make those recommendations to family members for exactly the reasons you describe.

If you want to get better, find a doctor unaffiliated with your relatives, and say absolutely nothing to them about it and get treatment on YOUR terms.

That sounds uncomplicated to me.

Anna

 

[bombastinator]

Anti psychotics?! Seriously? For depression/anxiety?

Why not an anti depressant? Was this diagnosis from an MD or a psychiatrist? Nicotine is a major anti anxiety and a really fast acting one, so the vaping makes sense. No one likes meds though. Anti-psychotics are famous for their wild side effects. Erectile disfunction is normally a side effect of anti-depressants though not anti-psychotics. There may be a mistranslation here.

In any case a vaping form is not the correct venue for issues this serious.

 

[JSL_Aus]

Are you still depress or anxious nowadays?

Sure, I still get periods of both depression and anxiety, though as I've gotten older, and through decades of work on myself, the frequency and depth of both seem to be less. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick fix usually.

I'm not here to tell you that you should or shouldn't go down the drug route. That is entirely your choice. I will only speak from my own experience and suggest to you that in the case of benzos, there are much better options. All drugs come at a price, it just depends on whether or not you are prepared to pay that price. Unfortunately, as you probably know, sometimes the 'price' of drugs doesn't appear until years or even decades later. With benzos, the risk of addiction is so high that at best you can only get a short period of anxiety relief with them, before you end up having to take more and more just to get the same effect, and then ultimately you will need high doses just to "feel normal".

I am not here to tell you to vape or not vape, that is totally your choice. However, if you were a never smoker please do know that nicotine on its own is not that robust an antidepressant, and there are better options out there.

Totally agree with this. I'd look at non-drug alternatives first. If vaping helps ease your anxiety, then in my opinion that is OK. The risks associated with vaping are pretty reasonable. I, like most people, started vaping to help get off the darn smokes. I'd hate to see you addicted to vaping just to solve anxiety, and even worse, to then be tempted to go down the smoking route. But then vaping is a reasonably safe alternative to heavier drugs, IMHO.

 

[classwife]

I will continue to vape since I enjoy it and it helps my depressive and anxiety symptoms a little.
What do you guys think of benzodiazepine for my anxiety?I plan to get some prescription,is it worth it?

As previously mentioned, this is not the place for this discussion.
There are however forums out there that you would be able to discuss this on but you REALLY need to discuss this with your physician.
Best to you.
Thread closed