Hmmm, interesting thread. I've never been a heavy smoker, except when I'm working. Particularly loved to smoke while I was coding. Pretty much couldn't do one without the other, or at least it was much harder. Then I decided it was cheaper to pick up vaping (eventually) and one of my first 'tries' was Aroma Djarum WTA because I really, really liked clove cigarettes but didn't want the health damage from them. So I almost never smoked any. And I tried the WTA because I was trying everything. Loved the flavor but didn't notice much other than the fact I didn't chain vape it. Eh, tried lots of other flavors and put the Djarum in my little container of juices. Even tried the non-WTA version, which is tasty, but not the same.
Then this thread comes along. I've been having a horrible time trying to get any work done. No motivation, nothing, very hard to concentrate, just bleh. So I decided to pull out some of the Djarum again. Yup, that definitely does the trick.
And I think you're right, it's the MAO inhibitors, which are also very strongly tied to bipolar, creativity and that whole mess. Also, many people with bipolar are extremely sensitive to most of the SSRI's, MAO inhibitors and the like. Sometimes in very contrary ways. As in being put to sleep by extremely strong stimulants even at low doses.
So yeah, I can see that WTAs can affect people who have those sensitivities, possibly quite strongly. Myself, I'm getting back to work now that I can let go of my PV and focus again!
(If only they sold it in bigger bottles.)