[Icare dixit]

As nicotine is likely to help with psychosis and about 60–70% of us (depending on whether you include SZ, which I believe you should) use it, what do you think of vaping?

Anyone who doesn't smoke/vape: what do you think of these people making such alarming noises sucking one of their electronic devices?

I still scares me, frankly. Like I'm sucking to make room for electrons (which is rather accurate).

Why do we do it? I mean, come on: it's a bit ridiculous! There's no denying it.

[Icare dixit]

As a side note: anyone using patches? Does it help with smoking cessation?

I've never smoked or vaped before, but a lot of my friends vape/smoke.

I don't judge them for it. Smoking/vaping is actually very therapeutic because it forces therapeutic breathing.... Slow inhale, slow exhale... It's good for alleviating stress.

Most of my friends vape because they're trying to get off cigarettes. I'm not sure if vaping is any better/safer than smoking traditional cigarettes, but I do know that you can get different vape juices, which may be more appealing.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

You're saying nicotine helps 60-70 % of the time. Where did you get from? Or maybe you all know something I don't. But yea I'm a smoker so I get my nicotine. Never once helped with psychosis though

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

You're saying nicotine helps 60-70 % of the time. Where did you get from? Or maybe you all know something I don't. But yea I'm a smoker so I get my nicotine. Never once helped with psychosis though

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No I didn't say that. It works 100% of the time , just not good enough.

60–70% of "us" smoke, those with BP and SZ. Maybe it changed since the last count (weren't you in when they came round to ask you? ; statistically).

Maybe it doesn't work, but do those with BP have a more or less addictive personality than those with SZ? I am not sure, but I think maybe not. Still, they smoke considerably more often than we do.

It's not proof. But then again, there's never really proof. Just theories, delusions.

Edit:
Just smoking cigarettes doesn't give you much/enough nicotine. I'd suggest patches, gum and vaping (just kidding, though I intend to try it).

More suggestive evidence: people tend to smoke more when manic (but those with SZ don't, generally/normally/technically, get manic).

[Icare dixit]

Two other things: it slows down your automatic/autonomous bodily processes (counteracting, most likely, anxiety and, maybe consequently, psychosis) and nicotine is neuroprotective.

What's unfortunate is that you have less appetite. There are always drawbacks.

Edit:
And the feeling you get is not unlike that of antipsychotics (and it does work similarly, though it moderates instead of blocking: it's more indirectly effective).

Another edit:
Too much will kill you, more easily than antipsychotics.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I've never smoked or vaped before, but a lot of my friends vape/smoke.

I don't judge them for it. Smoking/vaping is actually very therapeutic because it forces therapeutic breathing.... Slow inhale, slow exhale... It's good for alleviating stress.

Most of my friends vape because they're trying to get off cigarettes. I'm not sure if vaping is any better/safer than smoking traditional cigarettes, but I do know that you can get different vape juices, which may be more appealing.

I prefer the taste of tar. Most do, apparently (where I went to buy mine). Traditional cigarettes can also have different flavours and still fewer buy those than without added flavour.

[wildflowerchild25]

I smoke. I bought a small vape pen to help me get off cigarettes. I'm sure it's not much better but there's not much research yet so it COULD be better. I quit cigarettes for about three months back in the summer/fall by vaping. I'm planning on quitting again when school lets out. Hopefully the vaping will help and then I can quit vaping.

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

I prefer the taste of tar. Most do, apparently (where I went to buy mine). Traditional cigarettes can also have different flavours and still fewer buy those than without added flavour.

Why do you prefer the taste of tar over the flavors? Are the flavors really that bad? Or, does the tar taste really good? I'm curious!

Also, have you ever smoked a cigar before, especially one of those Cuban ones? I love the smell of 'em, even though I don't smoke. Same with pipes. My grandfather has a big humidor where he keeps all his cigars, and he's got a couple of Cuban ones in there.

I quit smoking today. I'm using the patch and a vape with zero nicotine. It's helping. I always find patches helpful for the nicotine withdrawl and the vape helps with oral fixation.

I smoke sooooo much more when manic. I went from 1/2 a day to nearly 2 packs a day this past manic episode. My lungs hurt and feel burned so I decided to quit altogether since I'm still a little hypo and can't seem to slow down. The pain in my chest is helping me quit.

I know that smoking can help with stress but never noticed if it helps my psychosis. I suspect it did by keeping my mind occupied on smoking 2 packs in a day. That takes some time and commitment.

[Spaceyspace]

I vape. I stared camping from smoking cigarettes to try to help me quit but I really like camping so it's not helping that. I don't think nicotine/ smoking is something that actually alleviates psychosis at least I haven't seen it help me. When I'm on antipsychotics I do notice I smoke a lot more

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Spaceyspace

I vape. I stared camping from smoking cigarettes to try to help me quit but I really like camping so it's not helping that. I don't think nicotine/ smoking is something that actually alleviates psychosis at least I haven't seen it help me. When I'm on antipsychotics I do notice I smoke a lot more

That's interesting! When do you use the antipsychotics? When you need them or some other times?

I noticed the opposite effect. I use antipsychotics always.

But it would be interesting if you were stable with no psychosis and you still smoked more when taking antipsychotics.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Why do you prefer the taste of tar over the flavors? Are the flavors really that bad? Or, does the tar taste really good? I'm curious!

Also, have you ever smoked a cigar before, especially one of those Cuban ones? I love the smell of 'em, even though I don't smoke. Same with pipes. My grandfather has a big humidor where he keeps all his cigars, and he's got a couple of Cuban ones in there.

Yes, I don't like those fake, chemical tastes. To compare it to music: they have no timbre, no natural character. Tar is good for quitting smoking.

I do like the smell of cigars sometimes, the taste can be nice, but I don't like it that very much.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

I quit smoking today. I'm using the patch and a vape with zero nicotine. It's helping. I always find patches helpful for the nicotine withdrawl and the vape helps with oral fixation.

I smoke sooooo much more when manic. I went from 1/2 a day to nearly 2 packs a day this past manic episode. My lungs hurt and feel burned so I decided to quit altogether since I'm still a little hypo and can't seem to slow down. The pain in my chest is helping me quit.

I know that smoking can help with stress but never noticed if it helps my psychosis. I suspect it did by keeping my mind occupied on smoking 2 packs in a day. That takes some time and commitment.

Yes, it helps probably, at least, due to lowered stress and anxiety. But it does also work somewhat like an antipsychotic so it might help some other ways.

[raspberrytorte]

I smoke.

Vaping isn't the same and really kind of freaks me out. Way synthetic. Who knows what you're really inhaling. I used an ecig to quit one time. It worked quite well. In the beginning I vaped like crazy. Whole apartment in a hazy cloud of vape. I eventually tapered off completely.

Lately I've been smoking like a chimney. Pack every other day when normally I'm two packs a week.

I smoke american spirit menthols. Organic, no additives, way healthy. Lol. Just kidding (about the healthy part).

I have to quit. I quit with the lozenges once and pretended I was smoking using straws. It worked quite well. Will probably quit that way again when I do.

I'm smoking right now. Lol.

[raspberrytorte]

I'm not really seeing the connection between cigarettes and antipsychotics. You're going to have to explain that more, icare.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I'm not really seeing the connection between cigarettes and antipsychotics. You're going to have to explain that more, icare.

Yea same here

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Icare, you'l find this interesting I think....

I'm a non-smoker. I have never even tried one puff of a cigarette in my life. When I was about 33 I had a very bad episode where I started craving cigarettes to the point that I was really fighting to not borrow them from co-workers. If I hadn't known I'd be embarrassed trying to smoke the first time in front of co-workers I probably would have done it, I was very, very badly craving it.

I didn't and got on a new AP and when the dose went up enough I stopped craving it. Nobody had an explanation for this although my pdoc was intrigued.

I think my body knew somehow what might help. It was so weird. I've been on hefty doses of APs since and it never has repeated.

[Row Jimmy]

My life sucks enough without having to listen to others suck.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

Icare, you'l find this interesting I think....

I'm a non-smoker. I have never even tried one puff of a cigarette in my life. When I was about 33 I had a very bad episode where I started craving cigarettes to the point that I was really fighting to not borrow them from co-workers. If I hadn't known I'd be embarrassed trying to smoke the first time in front of co-workers I probably would have done it, I was very, very badly craving it.

I didn't and got on a new AP and when the dose went up enough I stopped craving it. Nobody had an explanation for this although my pdoc was intrigued.

I think my body knew somehow what might help. It was so weird. I've been on hefty doses of APs since and it never has repeated.

Very interesting. The likely explanation is that you inhaled someone's cigarette smoke (everyone must've done that) and it had positive effects.

But another not unlikely explanation would be that some exposure to nicotine from inhaling someone else's cigarette smoke has made you ever so mildly addicted and any addiction gets worse when manic.

It's probably a combination of both. But just to not overly complicate things: it calms you (and only non-smokers might think that it has primarily to do with slow breathing: while true that that probably helps, it's nothing compared to what nicotine does; it just relaxes some processes and your muscles in your body) and that helps to counteract overactivity due to mania/psychosis.

Mania can be like a slow panic attack, spread out over months, non-affectual psychosis can start very much like a panic attack, still spread out a bit more though sometimes, only your anxiety is somewhat lessened, attenuated, by changes in perception and rationalising/representation of emotions.

But it modulates the activity of some messengers, like dopamine, and it's not at all unlikely that that helps in effect the same way as dopamine blockers, antipsychotics.

You asked the opinion of non-smokers/vapors...

I can't stand it. I find it extremely rude. In my community smokers are not allowed to do so in public spaces - including outdoors.but, there is no such rule for vaping and it's done everywhere.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I smoke.

Vaping isn't the same and really kind of freaks me out. Way synthetic. Who knows what you're really inhaling. I used an ecig to quit one time. It worked quite well. In the beginning I vaped like crazy. Whole apartment in a hazy cloud of vape. I eventually tapered off completely.

It can't be good what you're inhaling, no. There must be some ionising going on with the vapour because it's electronic I guess and if your liquid tank is dry you smoke really toxic burned, maybe synthetic stuff. The things don't even prevent you from inhaling that (mustn't be too hard to add a fuse-like thing, surely).

Apparently (I just heard about this on the news or something) electronic cars also produce very toxic vapour. It could be far worse than petrol fumes.

But as long as your immune system keeps working (probably overtime), it at least blocks up oxygen passage in your lungs less.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

You asked the opinion of non-smokers/vapors...

I can't stand it. I find it extremely rude. In my community smokers are not allowed to do so in public spaces - including outdoors.but, there is no such rule for vaping and it's done everywhere.

Yes, I do agree with you. But mainly because it's probably quite toxic.

I mean, as you don't smell it I wouldn't mind people vaping in a restaurant or something.

But driving a car is infinitely more damaging. I believe all private motorised vehicles should be banned from cities. Just build tramlines, overground/underground railways and/or if really necessary, buses.

The national railway system should be free at the point of use, payed for by taxes. Obviously, in some countries it needs to be extended.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

I quit smoking today. I'm using the patch and a vape with zero nicotine. It's helping. I always find patches helpful for the nicotine withdrawl and the vape helps with oral fixation.

I smoke sooooo much more when manic. I went from 1/2 a day to nearly 2 packs a day this past manic episode. My lungs hurt and feel burned so I decided to quit altogether since I'm still a little hypo and can't seem to slow down. The pain in my chest is helping me quit.

I know that smoking can help with stress but never noticed if it helps my psychosis. I suspect it did by keeping my mind occupied on smoking 2 packs in a day. That takes some time and commitment.

Yes, it's hard to stay committed.

Has the patch and vaping worked so far?

What I think of people who smoke and vape is they are people who smoke\vape. It doesn't make me conclude anything about the person. My mother smokes and she's the best person I know. I smoke and I'm a decent person.

I took a few puff off a cig today and it was nice and disgusting at the same time. I hope I don't break down and get a pack. It's only been 2 days but so far, I'm not having cravings as bad as in times previous. The vaping helps with the oral fixation a lot.