Vaping for the Mentally Impaired

[cschells]

My sister in law is schizophrenic living with her mom. Don't know if you know this about people with mental health issues, but they tend to smoke A LOT. In an effort to get her to cut down on all the chemicals she consumes, I have introduced her to e-cigarettes. She made me laugh the first time she tried it. She inhaled and then started coughing and handed it right back to me without a word. But the next morning she asked about it again.

Encouraged, I gave her a battery and 5 or 6 carts I had on me. Just 4 and 18mg but I ordered her 32mg black tea carts with her first kit. This is the girl when she got her first nicotine patch supply, stuck them all over her body. And she drinks a lot of black tea.

I guess she is using it because her battery died quickly so the next day I exchanged it for another battery (didn't have a charger on me or I would have given her one of those as well).

I don't know if this is a question or an anecdote... I think she'll smoke regular cigarettes as well as doing the vaping thing, but I've committed to keeping her "supplied". Does anyone else smoke regular cigarettes as well as vaping? How much nicotine do you order if you do? Does anyone have any experience getting a mentally impaired person to switch habits? I think she'll get frustrated by the vaping experience as it's not as instantly gratifying and easy as lighting up. She has to be responsible for keeping her batteries charged and I'm worried she might not realise when the cartridges are kaput although I've tried to describe and warn her.

 

[bornagainst]

I don't know if this is a question or an anecdote... I think she'll smoke regular cigarettes as well as doing the vaping thing, but I've committed to keeping her "supplied". Does anyone else smoke regular cigarettes as well as vaping? How much nicotine do you order if you do? Does anyone have any experience getting a mentally impaired person to switch habits? I think she'll get frustrated by the vaping experience as it's not as instantly gratifying and easy as lighting up. She has to be responsible for keeping her batteries charged and I'm worried she might not realise when the cartridges are kaput although I've tried to describe and warn her.

I can't give any medical advice, however what you are introducing here is an alternative to regular cigarettes, and it doesn't have to be percieved as a full on replacement.

You can certainly vape and smoke at the same time. Many people (myself included) used vaping as a smoking cessation device, to ween myself off regular cigarettes.

Getting a two piece model is the wisest move for sure, since dripping and refilling carts can be quite frustrating.

The higher the nicotine level, the less regular cigarettes you will want. Thats about as basic as I can get. However, that said, you will also need to consider the hand to mouth addiction. If you are used to smoking 2 packs a day of ULTRA, ULTRA, ULTRA lights, that needs to be taken into consideration.

All you have to know is that if it starts to taste like burnt marshmallows, the cart is done. After that, not much you can do until this habit either replaces or compliments the other. You are doing the best that you can, and even if this only replaces one cigarette here and there to start, then its worth it.

Keep us posted for sure!

 

[cschells]

I did tell her about the burnt marshmallow flavor, and I will post her progress... I'm sure it'll be interesting. I just spent the weekend at the in-laws and saw her coming out of her other brother's room having just snuck some of his cigarettes. She was surprised to see me.

 

[Kimmy]

Can I ask what type of schizophrenia it is? Catatonic, residual, Undifferentiated, disorganized, or paranoid? I am very interested in psychology as it is my dual major along with criminal justice.

My advice is to ask her doctor what he/she thinks. I don't see any harm, just watch her use it the first couple days, correct anything you see wrong, give her lots of instructions, and let her watch you use it too Good luck to your sister!

 

[larry138]

I am very interested in psychology as it is my dual major along with criminal justice.

Haha weird, same here.

 

[cschells]

I'm not too sure... she's my husband's twin. I'm not even sure schizophrenia is the word. She hears voices and sees people who are infinitely more interesting than real people. She's received messages from the television about the end of the world. She tried living alone for awhile on her mother's dime, but she ended up spending like, well, a crazy person, and then turned reclusive. She gets injections and actually went for one yesterday. That was just after I'd given her the new battery. I should have had her ask her doctor about it, but I'll hope she did that on her own. But I think she likes the feeling when she gets away with something, so she probably won't.

 

[cschells]

Good luck to your sister!

And thanks very much, Kimmy. She's really great. Her family aren't very touchy-touchy people, but I am so she loves it when I come over and hug and touch on everyone.

 

[larry138]

She hears voices and sees people who are infinitely more interesting than real people. She's received messages from the television about the end of the world [...] reclusive

Yeah, schizophrenia is the right term. Specifically paranoid schizophrenia.

 

[Katya]

Just a word of caution. People with uderlying mental conditions, such as depression, manic-depressive disorders, schizophrenia etc., are known to use cigarettes to self-medicate. Cigarette smoke contains not only nicotine, but also MAO-inhibitors, which are powerful anti-depressants and dopamine regulators. Be very careful and I strongly urge you to do nothing drastic without consulting with her shrink. If you need info, there are serious studies being conducted right now about the role of MAO-inhibitors in smoking cessation. The two studies I've been following very closely are from Yale and Stanford, but other universities are jumping on the bandwagon every day, it seems. Look up selegiline and smoking cessation. As we all now, it's not just the nicotine alone. It it were, the NRT would work. It doesn't.

Good luck.

 

[cschells]

Just a word of caution. People with uderlying mental conditions, such as depression, manic-depressive disorders, schizophrenia etc., are known to use cigarettes to self-medicate. Cigarette smoke contains not only nicotine, but also MAO-inhibitors, which are powerful anti-depressants and dopamine regulators. Be very careful and I strongly urge you to do nothing drastic without consulting with her shrink....Good luck.

Oh argh. Well, that's not good. I already ordered her a kit and all to go straight to her house. I guess I'll just have to hope, for the time being, that it's not drastic. Can I blame it on her brother? It was his idea.

 

[Kimmy]

I'm not too sure... she's my husband's twin. I'm not even sure schizophrenia is the word. She hears voices and sees people who are infinitely more interesting than real people. She's received messages from the television about the end of the world. She tried living alone for awhile on her mother's dime, but she ended up spending like, well, a crazy person, and then turned reclusive. She gets injections and actually went for one yesterday. That was just after I'd given her the new battery. I should have had her ask her doctor about it, but I'll hope she did that on her own. But I think she likes the feeling when she gets away with something, so she probably won't.

She is experiencing auditory (usually negative "world ending") and visual hallucinations. Visual hallucinations are typically people or human like figures, which could explain them "being more interesting then real people"

I deff want to recommend talking to her doctor/or therapist because depending on the severity of her case and if she takes her medication regularly, are all determining factors.

 

[Kimmy]

I'd also like to add that research shows that between 60% and 90% of people who have schizophrenia are extremely heavy smokers, and smoking is likely the number one cause of premature death for people suffering from this disorder

 

[cschells]

I'd also like to add that research shows that between 60% and 90% of people who have schizophrenia are extremely heavy smokers, and smoking is likely the number one cause of premature death for people suffering from this disorder

I appreciate the information, Kimmy. I know a lot less about it than her family. She and my husband are the babies of the family and they're 50, so her doctors and immediate family are very informed about her situation. Me, less so. She does take her medication regularly- she gets it in injections and the auditory and visual hallucinations are certainly not the problem they once were. I think she misses her little friends, but she's become more gregarious within her family in the past few years. She just smokes a great deal- as you've deducted- and drinks a lot of black tea. And watches a lot of sports on tv.

 

[martha1014]

A large % of mental ill people smoke. Nicotine causes a calming effect and can increse alertness and improve memory. I am bipolar and 60% of bipolar smoke where 90% schizoprenic smoke and major depression 60% smoke.

I realize schizophrenic is different than bipolar. Medications completely control my manic and depressive episodes. I was able to quit cigarettes with ecigs.

If we quit smoking:


The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

20 Minutes After Quitting:
Blood pressure drops to normal
Pulse rates drop to normal
Temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 Hours After Quitting:
Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal

24 Hours After Quitting:
Chance of heart attack decreases

48 Hours After Quitting:
Nerve endings start regrowing
Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting:
Circulation improves
Walking becomes easier
Lung function increases up to 30%

1 to 9 Months After Quitting:
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease
Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, reduce infection
Overall energy increases

1 Year After Quitting:
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 Years After Quitting:
Stroke risk in reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of a smoker

10 Years After Quitting:
Lung cancer death rate about half of a continuing smoker's
Precancerous cells are replaced
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decrease

15 Years After Quitting:
Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker

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[Katya]

Congratulations to you, Martha. My late mother was a heavy smoker. She was also mildly manic-depressive. She stopped smoking cold turkey. Out of the blue, nobody believed she would last, but she never smoked another cigarette. Our brains are so complicated and mysterious, aren't they?

How did you quit? Did you have to work on it or did it just happen once you started your ecigs?

 

[Katya]

Oh argh. Well, that's not good. I already ordered her a kit and all to go straight to her house. I guess I'll just have to hope, for the time being, that it's not drastic. Can I blame it on her brother? It was his idea.

Just be careful. There's a reason why 90% of schizophrenics are heavy smokers, as Kimmy pointed out. She needs to be monitored. And get her shrink involved. You're dealing with a serious mental disorder and a powerful drug addiction.

 

[simage]

just for safety reasons im curious ..did you send bottles of nicotine to her house as well? and if so would she drink it?

 

[cschells]

.

If we quit smoking:


The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

That's a really neat package of information. I'll send it on...

 

[cschells]

just for safety reasons im curious ..did you send bottles of nicotine to her house as well? and if so would she drink it?

I had to laugh. She <i>might</i> drink them! Especially if they said "Black Tea" on the side. No, I just ordered a box of carts.

 

[Michelle43]

just for safety reasons im curious ..did you send bottles of nicotine to her house as well? and if so would she drink it?

Good point. Definitely keep the juice away, maybe you could refill her cartos for her every once in awhile.