I love what you and Cassie wrote. I have anxiety issues, primarily due to my Type A personality. I can find a way to induce a panic attack by sitting and worrying about some absurd thing. I used to smoke to reduce my anxiety. However, I would have a rebound effect from it and within 30 minutes it would make my anxiety worse. So I would just light up another cigarette. And repeat every 30 minutes.
I have had ZERO panic attacks since I started vaping. That is nothing short of amazing for me. I am 33, and suffered from panic attacks since I was 21 years old. I have never gone this long between panic attacks. I really do believe that the nicotine in my cigarettes reduced the anxiety but the other yucky chemicals in the stinkies made the rebound panic worse. Now that I have removed the yucky stuff and concentrate on the nicotine part only, I have had no problems.
In 181 days, I will officially have my bachelor of science in nursing and be an RN. And I am determined to make research part of my career. And I really want to explore more about the benefits of nicotine.
I think nicotine is a lot safer and a lot more effective than most pharma drugs. Actually, to some degree, we already know that, since modern SSRI's are shown to be ineffective.
Depression drugs don’t work, finds data review - Times Online
There's a reason so many people with mental illness smoke. They make up 15% of the population, but 50% of cigarette sales.
People with mental illness are also drawn to other drugs, but not in anywhere near the sheer numbers that they are to cigs.
And the reason is because for a lot of people, it's genuinely helpful. I wouldn't have done it if it weren't. I didn't WANT to be an addict. I was old enough to know that was what was going to happen.
Most pharma drugs are just as addictive, and much less effective. Nicotine's side effects are also very minor when compared to most psych drugs. So really, there's no contest. It's no wonder so many people with mental illness smoke.
Statistically, half the people on this forum have some form of mental health issue, even if it's relatively minor. Smokers are a very unique demographic within the population. The brightest, the dimmest, the rich, the poor, and the mad.*
I did PM Seabrook some time ago, but I can say now after 4 months of vaping, that I haven't felt any real decline in my mental health. I do feel like my range is a little "broader." This is probably due to the loss of MAOI's, which are in cigs. But that "broadening" of my emotional range is relatively minor, and I don't feel it's had much of an impact on my general mental health.
And of course, my physical health is significantly better. It's the best of both worlds.
NICnurse, I think your goal is a very valiant one. It would be wonderful to have someone in the industry who understands that nicotine isn't pure, unadulterated evil. It's just a drug. It has positives and negatives like any other. And for some people, the positives can vastly outweigh the negatives.
* I realized after posting that some people may be offended that I use "mad," lacking other context. I don't use it as an offensive term, and gladly seat myself in that category. I take a reclamation stance to the dignity of those with mental illness, which is why I use the term.