your brain on nicotine

[Vocalek]

Vocabulary: You know, the term "mental illness" carries such a stigma. My HMO decided to get rid of the stigma by changing the name of the Mental Health center to Behavioral Health. If you ask me, this is worse. Everyone, but everyone, thinks of behavior that is something totally under one's own personal control. If depression were a 100% behavioral problem, you could teach all depressed people to cheer up. You could teach paranoid schizophrenics not to have delusions or hallucinations, Behavioral psych can help some people with some types of disorders. But too little attention is given to neurochemical imbalances in the brain and to brain injuries. I would rather see the place called the "Brain Health Center."

 

[guitardedmark]

Vocabulary: You know, the term "mental illness" carries such a stigma. My HMO decided to get rid of the stigma by changing the name of the Mental Health center to Behavioral Health. If you ask me, this is worse. Everyone, but everyone, thinks of behavior that is something totally under one's own personal control. If depression were a 100% behavioral problem, you could teach all depressed people to cheer up. You could teach paranoid schizophrenics not to have delusions or hallucinations, Behavioral psych can help some people with some types of disorders. But too little attention is given to neurochemical imbalances in the brain and to brain injuries. I would rather see the place called the "Brain Health Center."

I agree there is a stigma, but do you think it's inaccurate? I've been labeled "mentally ill" and whether I like it or not, it is(was) accurate. We have become so accoustomed to political correctiveness that even when something is PC, if it is harshly true, we want to change the name. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THE TRUTH HURTS.

I do not suffer from my "mental illness" like I used to, mainly because of my decision to get sober. My "symptoms" have become much more managable. However, it's no different than the term idiot or ......ed. At first there was no negative attachment to those words. Over-time they have become extremely degrading and negative due to their meaning. I forget, but there is a word that defines this process of a word changing meaning due to its connantations.

Bottom line, whether it's called a brain health center or a mental health center, it's still the same place doing the same thing. Maybe they should spend more time on their work and less time figuring out how to be label themselves for the sake of image.

 

[rothenbj]

I am very happy to have found e cigs since then and have been able to quit smoking. I feel something is still missing........

How long have you been vaping without smoking? I had the same issue vaping got me off smoking 2-3 packs a day down to a handful for about six months, then I started edging up in cig count. That's when I started looking at other smokeless possibilities. I ended up ordering some Swedish snus and that filled in the gap for me.

If you find yourself looking around for more answers, stop over to the dark side, Smokeless tobacco and ask some questions. All the "mentally ill" seem to end up there.

 

[Vocalek]

I agree there is a stigma, but do you think it's inaccurate? I've been labeled "mentally ill" and whether I like it or not, it is(was) accurate. We have become so accoustomed to political correctiveness that even when something is PC, if it is harshly true, we want to change the name. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THE TRUTH HURTS.

I do not suffer from my "mental illness" like I used to, mainly because of my decision to get sober. My "symptoms" have become much more managable. However, it's no different than the term idiot or ......ed. At first there was no negative attachment to those words. Over-time they have become extremely degrading and negative due to their meaning. I forget, but there is a word that defines this process of a word changing meaning due to its connantations.

Bottom line, whether it's called a brain health center or a mental health center, it's still the same place doing the same thing. Maybe they should spend more time on their work and less time figuring out how to be label themselves for the sake of image.

When you learn to define the problem a little differently, sometimes you see potential solutions that you were blind to before. You can also hide potential solutions by redefining the problem, depending on the accuracy of the definition. The problem definition needs to provide a complete, accurate picture.

Calling it "behavioral" limits the focus.

 

[guitardedmark]

When you learn to define the problem a little differently, sometimes you see potential solutions that you were blind to before. You can also hide potential solutions by redefining the problem, depending on the accuracy of the definition. The problem definition needs to provide a complete, accurate picture.

Calling it "behavioral" limits the focus.

I pray that our best "brain health" specialists' work is not affected by their industy title. They are still doing the same thing. Whether is called soccer here, or football in spain, its still the same sport...

Whether I'm a team manager or a supervisor, I'm still doing the same thing. Helping people be as efficient as possible while maintaining a high level of quality. I'm supervising, managing a team, compromising, administering discipline, motivating etc... If my job title was changed to "motivator" so people felt more comfortable, I would keep doing exactly what I'm doing until my boss advised me of a change in my job description or daily routine.

 

[Traver]

When you learn to define the problem a little differently, sometimes you see potential solutions that you were blind to before. You can also hide potential solutions by redefining the problem, depending on the accuracy of the definition. The problem definition needs to provide a complete, accurate picture.

Calling it "behavioral" limits the focus.

I have to agree with Vocalek on this one. Definitions can matter. Defining a problem may even lead directly to a solution or just the opposite or it may make no difference at all. How a problem is defined is also an indication of how well it is understood.

 

[Aaeli]

My insurance co. calls it behavioral health as well. I think it's accurate because that's all many (not all) docs concern themselves with. If the behavior is controlled, you're all better. The high blood sugar, morbid obesity, and ticks are just "side effects". Yeah, I've been burned by lazy docs, can you tell? You have to cycle through a few "behavioral health specialists" to find a good one. Someones the answer isn't as simple as a pill alone.

 

[Petrodus]

Nicotine is just a FLAVOR

Rep Waxman questions Executives from RJ Reynolds, Philip Morris, Lorillard and other
tobacco companies, whether they think tobacco causes cancer and heart disease,
Nicotine in tobacco is just a FLAVOR...as they previously stated in earlier interviews.

Watch "Big Tobacco" squirm

 

[guitardedmark]

I have to agree with Vocalek on this one. Definitions can matter. Defining a problem may even lead directly to a solution or just the opposite or it may make no difference at all. How a problem is defined is also an indication of how well it is understood.

But we're not talking about defining a problem. Where talking about labeling the profession...

 

[guitardedmark]

My insurance co. calls it behavioral health as well. I think it's accurate because that's all many (not all) docs concern themselves with. If the behavior is controlled, you're all better. The high blood sugar, morbid obesity, and ticks are just "side effects". Yeah, I've been burned by lazy docs, can you tell? You have to cycle through a few "behavioral health specialists" to find a good one. Someones the answer isn't as simple as a pill alone.

To me, behavioral health is more preventative and has a wider spectrum of support. Mental illness to me sounds more specific to restoration of mental health. But in regards to "neurochemical imbalances in the brain" that sure sounds like a mental illness to me...

There are many disorders that alter behavior and have nothing to do with the brain. There are many disorders that affect the brain but do not display clear behavior symptoms. They are different but in regards to Vocalek's "neurochemical imbalances in the brain", I would consider that a mental illness that could potential fall under a behavior disorder. To me it doesn't change the fact; you job title should be determining what you do at your job or how well you do it. That's what job descriptions are for.

I worked at a job where at one point we were technical support agents, then it changed to iphone advisors. Absolutely nothing changed except for our job title and thats the way it should be... Job titles are for appearances, job descriptions are for giving people a purpose for what they should be doing...

 

[Vocalek]

"There are many disorders that alter behavior and have nothing to do with the brain." Can you give an example?

 

[guitardedmark]

hyperthyroid

 

[Traver]

But we're not talking about defining a problem. Where talking about labeling the profession...

I see the stigma attached to the label mental illness as a problem but basically you are right I was generalizing too much. Anyway I don't know enough about this to add anything useful so I'll stay out of it.

 

[guitardedmark]

I agree that mental illness has a horrible stigma attached to it. I think it should be re-labeled for the sake of the stigma for the same reason we know label people "mentally ......ed" instead of idiots. Unfortunately the widespread use of the word "......" as a put-down However much we hate it, there is a stigma for a reason and regardless of what we call it.

We're still going to associate "mental illness or behavior health" with negativity because of the obvious negativity that encompasses those issues.

"However, it's no different than the term idiot or ......ed. At first there was no negative attachment to those words. Over-time they have become extremely degrading and negative due to their meaning. I forget, but there is a word that defines this process of a word changing meaning due to its connantations."

The word that describes this process is pejoration. There will always be pejoration for labels that define "mental and behavior issues".

 

[guitardedmark]

"There are many disorders that alter behavior and have nothing to do with the brain." Can you give an example?

I'm not expert on this one but I think there a few different eating disorders which are not caused by imbalances of the brain.

 

[rothenbj]

We're all mentally special in our own way, some are just more so.

 

[guitardedmark]

We're all mentally special in our own way, some are just more so.

word lol! I like the way you put that. Thats pretty much my exact theory of mental health and to be honest we really haven't proven much more than that

 

[Bill Godshall]

People diagnosed with various mental illnesses (including schizophrenia, bipolar, depression) are significantly more likely to smoke cigarettes, and it appears that nicotine helps many/most of them cope with their illness (also called self medication).

But since cigarettes are the most hazardous nicotine delivery devices, these folks would truly benefit from switching to smokefree tobacco/nicotine alternatives.

Unfortunately, most anti tobacco activists not only believe (but insist) that the only health benefit of nicotine is as a temporary smoking cessation aid (i.e. NRT). That is also why most anti tobacco activists want all smokers (including those with mental illnesses) to quit all tobacco/nicotine usage.

 

[Vocalek]

People diagnosed with various mental illnesses (including schizophrenia, bipolar, depression) are significantly more likely to smoke cigarettes, and it appears that nicotine helps many/most of them cope with their illness (also called self medication).

But since cigarettes are the most hazardous nicotine delivery devices, these folks would truly benefit from switching to smokefree tobacco/nicotine alternatives.

Unfortunately, most anti tobacco activists not only believe (but insist) that the only health benefit of nicotine is as a temporary smoking cessation aid (i.e. NRT). That is also why most anti tobacco activists want all smokers (including those with mental illnesses) to quit all tobacco/nicotine usage.

It bothers me when I see statements made (even by folks who support the concept of tobaccoharm reduction) that scientists all agree that the healthiest thing that smokers could possibly do is to give up all nicotine. It isn't true. All me to repeat that:
It isn't true.

Becoming depressed, anxious, and confused is not healthy -- not for me, not for anyone. But because of the dichotemy between mind and body, the scientists and medical folks convince themselves that these so-called mental afflictions are still better for us than "being addicted." Scientists also ignore the clearly physical results of becoming abstinent from nicotine. The disease-state of high blood pressure (medical name = "hypertension") occurs in a higher percentage of "total quitters" than it does in continuing smokers. I know that statement is sacreligious, but if you go searching through Pub Med, yoiu will find the research that supports what I am saying. The best example of this is the MRFIT trials.

Scientists were trying to come up with a routine to prevent diabetes. So they came up with a couple of arms of intervention. They included dietary changes, exercise, and smoking cessation (read "nicotine cessation). To their utter surprise, they found that their intervention worked well with non-smokers. It failed miserably with smokers who actually achieved cessation. First they developed hypertension. They were given the standard starter treatment which is a medication to lower the amount of fluid in tissues ("diuretic"). The most effective of these is hydrochlorothiazide. Hydrochlorothiazide has a side effect: raising blood sugar. The result was that the smokers who quit developed diabetes at a faster rate than continuing smokers.

Then there is the weight gain. Everybody is screaming about obesity becoming epidemic, but nobody is running the numbers to see what the correlation is between nicotine cessation and weight gain large enough to achieve the medical label of "overweight" or "obese."

So I wish fervently that tobacco harm reduction experts would stop bringing up the (incorrect) idea that nicotine cessation is somehow healthier than avoiding hypertension, obesity, and "mental illness." Even those who did not have any underlying mental conditions to keep under control with nicotine suffer from negative physical effects when they stop using nicotine.

A couple of abstracts on the subject:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569872
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9099400
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15738450

 

[guitardedmark]

I agree completely Vocalek. My mom frequently quits smoking and then goes crazy for a little bit and then starts smoking again and becomes depressed becomes she has so much guilt and shame. Anytime I've tried to quit nicotine I go crazy too. Kind of scares me... I'm a recovering addict/alcoholic so abstinence from mind altering chemicals is something I believe strongly in(for myself). I would really like to see the facts for the beneficial side effects of nicotine. Honestly I've come to believe that its such a strong addiction that once addicted, it's more beneficial to keep using than to suffer the consequences of quitting. Granted I think it's better to quit analogs than to keep using but for e-cigs the jury is still out as far as I'm concerned. Although I would like to not need e-cigs anymore and eventually quit. It feels like I'm imprisoned by my addiction sometimes...

As far as the weight gain part, its pretty simple. AMERICAN'S EAT GARBAGE. People are busy and fast food is a little to convenient. We've also been raised with a "the more the better" mentality and our self-discpline is like 1/10 of most civilized nations. I'm actually ashamed to be an american sometimes...