Why is quitting from smoking so tough? [Archive] - ADD Forums - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Support and Information Resources Community

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Reginald002

03-02-09, 07:07 AM

Luthien

03-02-09, 10:21 AM

[FONT=Verdana]Why is it hard to quit smoking, are cigarette sort of drugs? And can anyone tell me why smoking is considered cool

You mean you *really* did not know that nicotine is addictive?

Ah well. Well yes, it is some sort of drug. And as far as me goes, it was a lot harder to quit smoking because nicotine acts as a stimulant too so that smoking was sort of a self-medication. When I quit, ADD symptoms went through the roof and it gave me a serious anxiety problem.

I'm not certain if that goes for all add folk. Maybe only if stimulant meds help you?

BessieMaeMucho

03-02-09, 10:37 AM

You mean you *really* did not know that nicotine is addictive?

Ah well. Well yes, it is some sort of drug. And as far as me goes, it was a lot harder to quit smoking because nicotine acts as a stimulant too so that smoking was sort of a self-medication. When I quit, ADD symptoms went through the roof and it gave me a serious anxiety problem.

I'm not certain if that goes for all add folk. Maybe only if stimulant meds help you?

you hit the nail right on the head. according to my psyche, nicotine is a stimulant and we smoke based on self medication. whats concerning to me however is now that i've been diagnosed and taking medication i seem to smoke even more. explaining this to him didnt surprise him and he stated it was normal..no real concern to him, but to me i'm frustrated. i just can't quit! i've heard that wellbutrin can help with decreasing or quitting smoking, but i'm scared to ask him for it. i don't want him to construe that i might be depressed or something.

Luthien

03-02-09, 10:47 AM

you hit the nail right on the head. according to my psyche, nicotine is a stimulant and we smoke based on self medication. whats concerning to me however is now that i've been diagnosed and taking medication i seem to smoke even more. explaining this to him didnt surprise him and he stated it was normal..no real concern to him, but to me i'm frustrated. i just can't quit! i've heard that wellbutrin can help with decreasing or quitting smoking, but i'm scared to ask him for it. i don't want him to construe that i might be depressed or something.

Oh - it does surprise me a bit, because I'd figure that if you have another stimulant medication, stopping nicotine could be way easier. I even think that the inner clarity and rest that I get from dex is very similar to how smoking effected me.
Anyway, I am glad I quit - some years before I got diagnosed, btw.

I thought I'd never quit either. I couldn't even imagine not smoking. Eventually, I quit with nicotine tablets (I loathe the chewing gum stuff) and, later, a Nicorette inhaler.

And why on earth would s/he think you'd be depressed if you ask for wellbutrin to quit smoking? I don't think that

- "asking for wellbutrin"

is a DSM-4 symptom of depression :p

Somehow, it worries me a bit that so many people seem "afraid to ask" things concerning medication to their doctor! And I know, my first psych was like that, too. The mere fact that I stated that I wanted to give Ritalin a try made me some sort of junk in her eyes.
Too bad, really. As if someone who'd really want to abuse the stuff would politely ask for a "trial". They would probably find another way, I suppose.

Grafter

03-02-09, 02:19 PM

BessieMaeMucho

03-02-09, 03:55 PM

To be honest, i'm hesitant to try chantix. Of the people that i know personally who have taken the drug, only one was successful at quitting without any adverse effects. Three of them experienced side effects boardering on the psychotic. extreme intolerance and impatience, Violent outbursts, destructive rage, thoughts of suicide and crying emotions beyond control. Please believe me when i say that i'm NOT exaggerating. Those three saw change in demeanor when stopping the drug. Two friends i know who are currently taking it (less than a week) are already beginning to exhibit concerning behavior with impatience and intolerance. lashing out when annoyed and easily agitated. I have told them to discuss this behavior with thier doctors and consider another option. One person that used the medication has been successful and not in desire of a ciggarette for a year. She saw no adverse effects other than a true sickness at the thought of smoking. The outcome that i would like to achieve if i were to take the drug myself. However...i'm looking at the odds here, and well...i'm just not excited about trying it.

Grafter

03-02-09, 04:15 PM

However...i'm looking at the odds here, and well...i'm just not excited about trying it.

Maybe it's something in the water? ;)

I understand your concern. The medications (especially when mixed with other meds) can wreak havoc. It's always best to work very close with a doctor who has a full understanding of your medical history as well as extensive knowledge in how the meds work and interact with others.

On the flip side, I haven't personally heard or seen as negative results from Chantix but I'm sure it isn't the best option for some.

Once I finally make the commitment to quit I may find that Chantix won't be a viable option either. But the Doc has cleared me for it, and I'm (eventually) going to give it a shot. :)

Luthien

03-02-09, 04:22 PM

For me, quitting means battling two separate addictions.

The first, and what I believe to be the most difficult to break, being the physical & social habit. Holding a cigarette, inhaling, exhaling, even carrying or opening a pack. When the smoking habit is formed, there are certain "rituals" you become accustomed to...

The second addiction is to the nicotine itself. Personally, I believe breaking this one is much simpler than the previous. The reason is that nicotine has a half-life of two hours. In other words, the amount of nicotine in your system drops by half. Within 24-48 hours all the nicotine is gone.

This is indeed what I have always been told. And it seems to go for most people.
And initially, after the first three tough days after quitting, I started feeling better. I felt more energetic, had more *air*. Some three weeks later I was on a weekend in the Ardennes and was walking up a hill that I remembered was quite tiring to walk up, and guess what! It was like a breeze now. I really enjoyed that.

But a few weeks later again, I started to feel like the walls of my world were closing in on me. Basically what the downside of inattentiveness feels like, but amplified. It was scary. All energy left me, and I remember not much else than lying / sitting on the couch just staring ahead or crying. I went to the doc, and he determined that it was not depression but some form of anxiety / stress reaction and prescribed me a light dose of luvox to deal with the anxiety. And some months later, things started to go uphill again.

This happened twice. The first time I gave up and started smoking again after 8 months - and within 24 hours of smoking again I was back to how I felt before I ever quit. (Relatively) sharp and confident - though even that was by general standards still rather spaced out I supposed.
And yet, every doc that I talked to about this could not imagine that there was a link between how I felt and the smoking cessation. They all referred to what you mention above: that the half life is too short for that. But I maintain that there is some connection. Not even because of the temporal coincidence of those two occasions, but also because, especially now I know what stim medication does, I *know* what I needed / missed, and that nicotine - and now dex - does give that to me.

And the strangest thing of all is that I never, ever had a tough time of "wanting to smoke again". Sure, I somewhat missed the social ritual. But not much. The closest that I ever came to starting again was after a year, when I was in Sweden on a canoe trip with my gf. We were having rough weather and eventually capsized - and all our stuff floated everywhere. When we got it all ashore, she managed to find a dry pack of cigarettes and lit up. I nearly asked - "lemme have one too". But I did not.

So altogether: I think that for me, the nicotine was by far the most important. If I had had my diagnosis when I quit, maybe I wouldn't have had that awful episode of "nicotine-withdrawal-induced-super-inattentiveness".

BessieMaeMucho

03-02-09, 04:23 PM

Once I finally make the commitment to quit I may find that Chantix won't be a viable option either. But the Doc has cleared me for it, and I'm (eventually) going to give it a shot. :)

When you do could you tells us your experience? it would be helpful not only to me, but to others here as well.

r0manescu

03-24-09, 03:24 AM

I quit smoking by doing this:
Day1: smoked 3
Day2: smoked1
Day3: smoked 1/2
Day4: smoked 1/4
Day5: smoked none *hard*
Day6: none *harder*
Day7: none *hardest*
Day8: *hard*
Day9: *not so hard*

now I can smoke a ultra light whenever I feel without getting addicted.

justcallmedorie

03-24-09, 01:42 PM

...
So far, I am aware of almost ten friends & acquaintences who have used Chantix to quit smoking. As far as I know, they haven't started smoking again. As a smoker who has dreams and desires of quitting "soon" I've gotten a prescription but not yet filled it. I just haven't made that mental commitment yet.

Depending on what medication you are already taking, Chantix may be an option. Check with your doc's to verify it won't interfere with your current meds if you are truly ready to quit!
You can add me to the list of people who quit smoking with Chantix (twice actually). I WILL NOT SMOKE AGAIN because I have no desire to deal with the Chantix again. It can be some nasty stuff, but I took it just long enough to kill the urge to smoke, then for about a week after, then quit taking it. It made me slightly nauseous which was sort of tolerable, but it gave me technicolor nightmares which was not tolerable...therefore, no more smoking so I don't have to do Chantix again. Although it really is a miracle drug, the side effects have major suckage (but worth it in the long run I guess).

diche

03-24-09, 05:47 PM

ecu20

03-24-09, 06:45 PM

From my experience. If you can get your self on the gum. its more instantaneously satisfying with no cancer.

Smoking was always hard for me because I couldnt 'taper off'. a puff would make me crave just as much as a full butt. Smoking was difficult habbit to break. And this is coming from a guy who was adicted to opiates, whatever I could find. The difference was I could take less and space out tapered dosages, still experiencing w/d's, but curb my cravings.

or the buproprion. I have reads many good things about that

For opiate addiction I've heard many great things about Suboxone, which is just a combo narcotic opiate mix of Naloxone and buprenorphine.

Naloxone is a strong opiate antagonist to reverse ODs, but works well for suboxone to help control opiate use (too much will kill the effects the buprenorphine has, so the patient has no incentive to increase and ramp up doses of the suboxone).

Naltrexone is similar to naloxone, but is commonly used for opioid or alcohol dependence/addiction on it's own. It can also be implanted under the skin to be a time-released med so addicts don't re-nig back on their sobering up promise to themself. :)

ecu20

03-24-09, 08:05 PM