Thoughts about quitting and anxiety

[Raditz]

I have quit vaping as of 2 weeks ago due to developing some severe anxiety that I found was linked to it's usage.

I did not even notice that the anxiety was caused by vaping until I had to go 24 hours without it and noticed my anxiety had drastically decreased. That is when I stopped using it at all.

For the record, I was vaping every chance I could and was on an 18mg nicotine dosage.

Interestingly, I've noticed that the withdrawal phase from quitting vaping was no where near as severe and unpleasant as my previous attempts to quit cigarettes (without vaping). Sure, I still miss my throat hit, be it from the vapour or smoke, but this was not difficult at all.

So, I'd like to ask two questions.

1) Has anyone else experienced severe anxiety from vaping? My life became quite distressing because of it.

2) Why was it so much easier to quit vaping than quit cigarettes? Keep in mind my nicotine dosage is on the higher side.
Perhaps tobacco companies put additional chemicals in to make the tobacco more addictive?

Glad to hear your input!

 

[ReigntheGamer]

So what did your doctor say about this?

 

[smacksy]

Anyway you cut and slice it you have a acquired nicotine addiction..anxiety is caused by that addiction and vaping has a more efficient delivery of that nic...quitting cold turkey sounds like its not working for you..after vaping for two years myself my nic is down to only 5mg in the Atlantis and 3mg dripping...I plan to cut it back to O nic eventually but after smoking 2packs a day of cigs for 20 yrs it's hard to quit altogether for me.. On the plus side thanks to vaping I'm
a lot healthier these days..and I enjoy vaping ALOT! Lol

 

[bwh79]

Anyway you cut and slice it you have a acquired nicotine addiction..anxiety is caused by that addiction and vaping has a more efficient delivery of that nic...quitting cold turkey sounds like its not working for you.

Sounds like someone missed the point. OP was having the anxiety issues while still vaping, and after quitting (quitting vaping, that is), the anxiety has gone away. I don't think this sounds like an issue of nicotine withdrawal.

So what did your doctor say about this?

That's a very good question. I, too, am curious what it is you "found" that so certainly linked the vaping to your anxiety.

You say you were vaping 18mg at every chance you could get. As someone who is not a doctor, I might still ask how much you used to smoke before you started vaping. The way I understand it, vaping is much more efficient at delivering nicotine than smoking, so chain-vaping 18mg all day might simply be too much for you. Kudos on the quitting, but if the cravings do hit, and you make an adult decision to start using nicotine again, maybe consider trying vaping at a lower nic level before you just pick back up the icky sticks.

 

[smacksy]

Sounds like someone missed the point. OP was having the anxiety issues while still vaping, and after quitting (quitting vaping, that is), the anxiety has gone away. I don't think this sounds like an issue of nicotine withdrawal.



That's a very good question. I, too, am curious what it is you "found" that so certainly linked the vaping to your anxiety.

You say you were vaping 18mg at every chance you could get. As someone who is not a doctor, I might still ask how much you used to smoke before you started vaping. The way I understand it, vaping is much more efficient at delivering nicotine than smoking, so chain-vaping 18mg all day might simply be too much for you. Kudos on the quitting, but if the cravings do hit, and you make an adult decision to start using nicotine again, maybe consider trying vaping at a lower nic level before you just pick back up the icky sticks.

My bad! Sorry OP..

 

[somdcomputerguy]

I have quit vaping as of 2 weeks ago due to developing some severe anxiety that I found was linked to it's usage.

I don't know what your tobacco cigarette smoking rate was, but all day or near all day vaping at 18 mg nic may be too high a level for you. I'd suggest lowering the nic content level rather than stopping altogether.

edit: and if lowering the nic makes the issue worse, try raising the nic level..

 

[Iffy]

So, I'd like to ask two questions.

1) Has anyone else experienced severe anxiety from vaping? My life became quite distressing because of it.

2) Why was it so much easier to quit vaping than quit cigarettes? Keep in mind my nicotine dosage is on the higher side.
Perhaps tobacco companies put additional chemicals in to make the tobacco more addictive?

1) Noper, but I did suffer anxiety mid my sleeping hours prior to vaping due to my breathing efforts (thought I would not see da morn!). It was as bad as when I tried going cold turkey many years earlier (anger management fail!).

2) 'Cause of da chems in cigs. And IMHO, if you're having issues with 18mg, ya might want to consider uppin' your nic level. Give 24mg a shot and get back with us!

Ya might want to let us know what your age and 'bakky history is. I'll all but guarantee that da wonderful folk here will do all they can to assist you in ditchin' da 'bakky and share with us a life extending 'freedom'!

In my case, vaping was and has been a 'salvation' (aka blessing)! It's just a matter of finding a fav flav and a decent delivery combo.

Hang in dere and keep us posted...

BTW, I'm 68 yy. Check out my 'bakky history...

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I am not sure that I would accept a doctor's opinion.

I wonder if there was anxiety about the switch itself. I, for one, had some anxiety about whether vaping would effectively replace getting what I needed. I believed that I would get the nicotine, but I wasn't sure as to whether I would get another cigarette chemical that I needed.

Anyway, I do hope that all settles out well.

 

[Amraann]

Lowering your nic would maybe help.

You said that your life became very distressful due to your anxiety. I wonder if something distressful was going on in your life that causd your anxiety and in coincided with vaping.

To answer your second question .. It is a known fact that tobacco companies add other chemicals that cause dependence.

 

[crxess]

I was vaping every chance I could and was on an 18mg nicotine dosage.

It is possible you were overloading yourself with nic. It is not the strength so much as the total amount and individual tolerance.

Vaping does not carry the chemicals in Cigarettes that push nicotine faster into your system and make your Brain more aware of its presence. This is one reason it may have been easier to just stop.

 

[Charming]

I have quit vaping as of 2 weeks ago due to developing some severe anxiety that I found was linked to it's usage.

I did not even notice that the anxiety was caused by vaping until I had to go 24 hours without it and noticed my anxiety had drastically decreased. That is when I stopped using it at all.

For the record, I was vaping every chance I could and was on an 18mg nicotine dosage.

Interestingly, I've noticed that the withdrawal phase from quitting vaping was no where near as severe and unpleasant as my previous attempts to quit cigarettes (without vaping). Sure, I still miss my throat hit, be it from the vapour or smoke, but this was not difficult at all.

So, I'd like to ask two questions.

1) Has anyone else experienced severe anxiety from vaping? My life became quite distressing because of it.

2) Why was it so much easier to quit vaping than quit cigarettes? Keep in mind my nicotine dosage is on the higher side.
Perhaps tobacco companies put additional chemicals in to make the tobacco more addictive?

Glad to hear your input!

1) Have you ever had anxiety issues in the past? I ask because it's possible the two things are totally unrelated and it's merely coincidence. OTH, perhaps 18 nic level is just too high for your system to chain vape. I know I couldn't do that and I was a heavy smoker for more years than I care to recall. I do chain vape, but have cut down my nic level over the course of 9 weeks from 24's to mostly 8's. I occasionally have a 12.

The only anxiety I experienced wasn't really vaping related; it was actually a smoking cessation anxiety. I had a huge initial concern that I'd suffer the dreaded cigarette w/d symptoms and never be able to give them up. I had some w/d symptoms, mostly due to not knowing what level nic I should be vaping. I learned quickly. Other than that, it's all been a very mellow experience to toss the cigs and my smoking related anxiety has completely vanished.

2) Cigs are purposefully chock full of extremely addictive additives other than nicotine, so I imagine it would be much easier to stop vaping. That said, I'll most likely never know and that works for me.

Just curious as to what you were vaping, specifically PG/VG ratio and vendors?

 

[Raditz]

Sounds like someone missed the point. OP was having the anxiety issues while still vaping, and after quitting (quitting vaping, that is), the anxiety has gone away. I don't think this sounds like an issue of nicotine withdrawal.



That's a very good question. I, too, am curious what it is you "found" that so certainly linked the vaping to your anxiety.

You say you were vaping 18mg at every chance you could get. As someone who is not a doctor, I might still ask how much you used to smoke before you started vaping. The way I understand it, vaping is much more efficient at delivering nicotine than smoking, so chain-vaping 18mg all day might simply be too much for you. Kudos on the quitting, but if the cravings do hit, and you make an adult decision to start using nicotine again, maybe consider trying vaping at a lower nic level before you just pick back up the icky sticks.

Sure, fair question to ask how I "found" that vaping caused my anxiety. It was simply through not vaping anymore that my anxiety disappeared. edit: Cause and effect.

Now, I'd like to make it clear that I'm not bashing vaping at all; perhaps I had a unique reaction to it that caused anxiety.
In fact, I am so thankful that vaping exists, even though I've stopped. If noone had invented it, I'd still be sucking back 20 Marb Reds a day, no questions asked.

I really did enjoy vaping and my throat hit, but I found the nature of being addicted to nicotine not unlike having to feed a screaming child every half an hour
(the implication being that my cravings were a nuisance throughout the day, regardless of my fondness for vaping.

I originally started vaping at 12mg. Kind of hit the spot but not really; I would always reach for the Marlboro reds eventually. That completely changed when I switched to 18mg, I had that nice throat hit and the craving would evaporate. Loved the flavours too.

For now I'm happy to endure these comparatively mild cravings and get on with business

 

[3mg Meniere]

Make sure to have something available should a craving for burning tobacco hit. You want to stay quit smoking, and for you vaping helped with the transition.

 

[Rickajho]

You didn't mention what hardware you are using, but it's a reasonable bet that chain vaping 18 mg nic was too much for you and probably brought on sensations similar to caffeine jitters. All you have (had) to do was find a more suitable nicotine intake, which is still an option.

 

[Belushi]

Hmmm, interesting subject... Curious, could some one define "Chain Vaping"? Don't think I chain vape, but Provari is always at my side and I do get a-bit panicky when I misplace it [emoji33]

I'm doing about 3 - 3.5 bottles a month (30ml, 18 mg). Should I be thinking about cutting back?

 

[Bunnykiller]

sounds like your nic may have been a bit to hi for you.... but since you quit there seems to be no reason to go back at a lower nic level to find out if 6 - 12 would work..

 

[wheelie]

Could not sleep since I quit smoking and started vaping. Corrected that problem 6 months ago with sleeping pills and now sleep like a baby. LOL But yes I did feel different vaping but I smoked cigarettes for 42 years. So I believe the feeling funny was from quitting smoking not the vape.

 

[GaryInTexas]

If you were able to stop smoking and now can go without nicotine, congrats! Nothing wrong if your happy now.

 

[voodoochicken]

I'll have to agree with Rickajho.Nic is a stimulant like caffeine. If I have to much caffeine, nicotine and surprisingly, withdrawl from alcohol(hangovers are the worst for this) , I'll get anxiety. I like to redline with stimulants like coffee and Red Bull but have learned to run with it. Try lowering your nicotine.

 

[Amraann]

Hmmm, interesting subject... Curious, could some one define "Chain Vaping"? Don't think I chain vape, but Provari is always at my side and I do get a-bit panicky when I misplace it [emoji33]

I'm doing about 3 - 3.5 bottles a month (30ml, 18 mg). Should I be thinking about cutting back?

If your not feeling ill from that amount or nic strength then no reason to cut back unless you want to.