![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ann72 on January 2, 2004, at 9:09:21
Hi, I have social anxiety and long term depression. I have smoked cigarettes for 10 years. I have recently quit (a month ago) and am suddenly very depressed again. I am taking 125mg effexor xr and 2mg xanax xr daily and was doing okay. Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
Ann72
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 2, 2004, at 9:28:57
In reply to smoking and depression link?, posted by ann72 on January 2, 2004, at 9:09:21
yup! it is probably from quitting, talk to your doctor to see if there is anything you can do. dragonfly
> Hi, I have social anxiety and long term depression. I have smoked cigarettes for 10 years. I have recently quit (a month ago) and am suddenly very depressed again. I am taking 125mg effexor xr and 2mg xanax xr daily and was doing okay. Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
>
> Ann72
Posted by nicky847 on January 2, 2004, at 10:23:50
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by dragonfly25 on January 2, 2004, at 9:28:57
Definitely depression can be an unwanted side effect of nicotine withdrawal..actually this same thing happened to a Major League Baseball pitcher a few years ago..he quit chewing tobacco and had to go on the disabled list the rest of the season b/c he was suffering with depression after quitting..good news was he came back and continued a successful career after getting treatment..and is still off tobacco..
> yup! it is probably from quitting, talk to your doctor to see if there is anything you can do. dragonfly
>
>
> > Hi, I have social anxiety and long term depression. I have smoked cigarettes for 10 years. I have recently quit (a month ago) and am suddenly very depressed again. I am taking 125mg effexor xr and 2mg xanax xr daily and was doing okay. Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
> >
> > Ann72
>
>
Posted by linkadge on January 2, 2004, at 13:05:28
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by nicky847 on January 2, 2004, at 10:23:50
Tobacco is a MAO inhibitor. It inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B leading to an increase in serotonin norepinephrine and dopamine.
Linkadge
Posted by nicky847 on January 2, 2004, at 13:28:32
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by linkadge on January 2, 2004, at 13:05:28
wow that is really interesting i had no idea that tobacco was an MAOI..
> Tobacco is a MAO inhibitor. It inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B leading to an increase in serotonin norepinephrine and dopamine.
>
> Linkadge
Posted by helenag on January 2, 2004, at 17:22:34
In reply to smoking and depression link?, posted by ann72 on January 2, 2004, at 9:09:21
> Hi, I have social anxiety and long term depression. I have smoked cigarettes for 10 years. I have recently quit (a month ago) and am suddenly very depressed again. I am taking 125mg effexor xr and 2mg xanax xr daily and was doing okay. Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
>
> Ann72Absolutely!!! I once quit smoking for a month and not only gained ten pounds but became so depressed that it was with great relief that I began smoking again. The depression lifted and I felt like myself again.
Also, I quit for eleven months and used the patch and then the gum. While the depression symptoms were not as severe, I still had other stuff going on. Am smoking again. Wish it weren't so lethal.
The emotional symptoms are not in your imagination: they are very real.
Posted by Sebastian on January 2, 2004, at 20:48:40
In reply to smoking and depression link?, posted by ann72 on January 2, 2004, at 9:09:21
Yes, that was my experience! I still smoke.
Posted by poop'd-out on January 4, 2004, at 15:26:26
In reply to smoking and depression link?, posted by ann72 on January 2, 2004, at 9:09:21
Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
>Yes, that is why I am so scared to quit smoking. I think there was a study on nicotine and depression, and they found that nicotine helped depression. I don't remember where I saw this, I just know I did.
Does anyone have any suggestions to help quit smoking without becoming depressed?
Posted by Metalblade on January 4, 2004, at 17:04:20
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by poop'd-out on January 4, 2004, at 15:26:26
> Now, since I quit smoking, I am spiraling down into major depression again? Has anyone ever heard of this?
> >
>
> Yes, that is why I am so scared to quit smoking. I think there was a study on nicotine and depression, and they found that nicotine helped depression. I don't remember where I saw this, I just know I did.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions to help quit smoking without becoming depressed?
>
>Try wellbutrin, it worked for me.
Posted by Twuffy on January 5, 2004, at 15:47:02
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by linkadge on January 2, 2004, at 13:05:28
> Tobacco is a MAO inhibitor. It inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B leading to an increase in serotonin norepinephrine and dopamine.
>
> LinkadgeWow, interesting, I knew that it was often used by the depressed to alleviate our symptoms. Here is a question then: you can't take an MAOI and a SSRI, so should I go on an SSRI if I am a smoker? hmmm, what is the interaction of the two anyway? Could this explain some failures of SSRIs for people who smoke? Just some thoughts, let us know if you have any info. Thanks for your input.
Posted by jonh kimble on January 5, 2004, at 16:39:18
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by Twuffy on January 5, 2004, at 15:47:02
Im in the same ball park as everyone else (well more anxiety than depression). Yes, tabacco is an maoi, but i dont think mao levels are ever decreased by more than 40-50%, which is probably why there arent any interactions with other drugs. Nicotine itself is obviously an antidepressant to some extent (mainly through dopaminergic methods) wellbutrin works for some but it didnt work for me. I think its important not to get to down from the fact that you smoke which is what i do. Believe me, if it werent for mental health stuff id never take another puff. In fact, 50% of people who smoke have some sort or mental health complaints. Just a few tips, deal with the mental stuff first! Its hard to remove the crutches when the leg is still broken. Attack your mental illness with everything possible. Once your feeling more in control, running is great because it helps alleviate cravings, improves mood, and makes you more motivated to quit because your doing something healthy. This is just what ive found and of course you must do it your own way. Just keep in mind that ultimately quitting is very important, and when you can you will.
Posted by T_R_D on January 8, 2004, at 9:45:11
In reply to Re: smoking and depression link?, posted by Twuffy on January 5, 2004, at 15:47:02
Just my opinion but I don't think smoking affects MAO levels to a significant degree...and yes, you can smoke on MAOIs...I used to!
I've never heard of tobacco doing this, bizarre! I have heard that nicotine elevates dopamine levels in the brain...that was the main reason I was given for the association of depressives and smoking.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.