Zoloft and Nicotine

[Xobeloot]

Something I have noticed over the past couple months since I started taking Zoloft.

I continue to snus because I like to, But when I don't use snus for a while in between each pris, I feel no physical need for the nicotine like I used to.

Sometimes I wake up and realize it is 9-10am and I say... Hey, I haven't had a snus yet.

Just an interesting tidbit of information I thought I would share with you all.

[bakerbarber]

dude

ssri inhibitors

very bad

just my opinion...

[DarrylR]

For what its worth, I was a B-/C+ college student before I started smoking, and an A+ summa cum laude the second time around. I've also been on most SSRIs and they are synergistic with nicotine, in terms of reducing anxiety.

As for SSRIs:
+ they get me out of bed
- many. Forget f**king, forget ... a lot of things.

SSRIs are an early, experimental stage in brain chemistry engineering. In my (somewhat experienced) opinion, there are many categories of depressive states. Prozac/Zoloft and relatives are effective against (perhaps only) one of them: when the brain races around a well rutted circular path. The SSRIs don't help much with other types of depression.

Some other patterns that get called depression make a lot of sense evolutionarily (consider: what is bear hibernation but extreme seasonal affective disorder) or in our emotional narrative.

But all are tossed in the common diagnostic category, because the bible (DSM-IV, in the US) is limited to visible diagnostics. Someday, a future brain science might be able to diagnose based on actual, localized disorders, with localized fixes that don't effect everything else. I don't expect that it my lifetime.

If you are considering going on an SSRI, remember 1) sexual activity will be like going to the beach when the tide is out, 2) honest mourning or regret isn't effected by SSRIs, only the circular thought patterns that arise, and 3) you will develop a physical addiction. Dropping the SSRIs will drop you into a deeper state than had you never started them.

They are sold as a panacea. They're not. They facilitate getting you out of the consult room so the next patient/dollar-sign can enter. Apologies to any sincere psychiatrists reading this, but this is my repeated experience.

With regard to nicotine/snus & the SSRIs: I firmly believe the vast majority of alcoholics are self-medicating for depression, and the vast majority of nicotene addicts (left) are self-medicating for anxiety. It's not their fault. We evolved to hunt gazelles in the savannah, not to stare at text in a cubicle. We don't belong here. Nicotine sells because when other means of controlling our wayward thoughts fail, it works.

I'll repeat that for emphasis: we don't belong here. The fact that stone age hunter gatherers are now cubicle collator-distributors is remarkable. But a LOT of us need chemical aids to fit in this world.

[deebocools]

though my father is not depressed, his doctor prescribed zoloft because he new a side-effect was smoking cessation. It didn't stop him from smoking but it did "slow his roll" and he continues to smoke about half as much as before

[Xobeloot]

Stuff works great for me. It does not make me forget anything, but I agree about the sex thing. I can get it up, but it takes an act of god to finish anything (I usually just give up). Oh well... I'm not going to defend the med as it has nothing to do with the point of my thread.

[snusjus]

I was on Zoloft for a year and stopped because of the sexual sides effects. As well, it didn't help my depression at all. My doctor kept giving me larger and larger doses with no improvement and a completely dead sex drive. I'm on Lexapro now but it doesn't seem to help much either. As well, I'm a heavy drinker and was depressed before that too.
Antidepressants definitely curb you nicotine consumption. Before I went on Zoloft, I was smoking around 15 cigarettes per day. After a few months of using the medication, my consumption dropped to about six per day.

[Xobeloot]

Doesn't drinking sort of defeat the purpose?

I havent had a drink in months and I feel fantastic. Havent had any anxiety issues in months to boot.

[Raddleman]

I've been on Zoloft, and Symbalta, Prothiaden, Venlafaxine, Gamanil, Haloperidol, Risperdal, Stelazine, Zyprexa, Quetiapine, Chlorpromazine, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Temazepam, Nitrazepam, Valproate, Lithium, Zolpidem, Zopiclone, Procyclidine. I will have missed some out, my memory doesn't serve.

[Xobeloot]

I've been on Zoloft, and Symbalta, Prothiaden, Venlafaxine, Gamanil, Haloperidol, Risperdal, Stelazine, Zyprexa, Quetiapine, Chlorpromazine, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Temazepam, Nitrazepam, Valproate, Lithium, Zolpidem, Zopiclone, Procyclidine. I will have missed some out, my memory doesn't serve.

Do "they" still talk to you?

[Raddleman]

No, I never got really prominent voices. But I do have paranoid schizophrenia, and suffer with delusions and paranoia (no brainer). That answer your question? :lol:

[Xobeloot]

Aye. The reason I ask is that the zoloft has actually completely eliminated the intrusive thoughts/delusions I used to get by itself.

[Raddleman]

Aye. The reason I ask is that the zoloft has actually completely eliminated the intrusive thoughts/delusions I used to get by itself.

I gather that the newer ssris, like zoloft, are good for alleviating intrusive thoughts. The problem I had with zoloft was personal in nature (you get the drift), but to be honest it's price you pay for mental health. I have been without an episode for a good 7 years, partly thanks to Zyprexa and Effexor, but also due to my quitting skunk (strong cannabis) which aggravated the psychosis. I used to get pretty bad OCDs about things in my flat, but I was on prozac at the time (wow, missed that one out above) which I great for intrusive thoughts. I can't complain at the moment, my mental health is well maintained.

[Xobeloot]

Yeah man. Prior to taking this, here is an example of what would happen:

I'm at work at my desk, some people across the room would laugh (at whatever). I would think they were laughing at me and my mind would start filling with these crazy thoughts of how I should go grab a bush hook off the shelf and wax them for laughing at me.

Of course I never acted on anything, but it is noce to not have them anymore.

As far as the personal issue. I'd rather not be able to nut and be able to make it through a day without things like what I just mentioned plaguing me all day.

[Raddleman]

I'm surprised you're not taking an antipsychotic, if you're getting paranoid/persecutory thoughts. Still, if the zoloft is working, it's all good. Like you say, it's a bit of a no brainer with the personal side-effects vs mental health. The trade off is worth it, if you can live a more normal life mentally.

I've had the thoughts to act on paranoid delusions, and have shouted at strangers in the street, "how dare you, you ***, etc" I sometimes just felt like going on a killing spree lol. I'm better now though.

The thing that gets my goat about mental illness/meds etc. is the stigma that society supplies in overabundance. And the ignorance.

Incidentally, this is my 100th post

[Xobeloot]

No doubt. I wouldn't even think about mentioning any of this to anyone I work with.