4 ms·

Nicotine can act as an antidepressant/antipsychotic; cigarettes are a cheap, widely available form that requires no additional equiptment except a lighter.

DanBC 9y ago
People with psychosis tend to die 20 years earlier than the general population. One of the reason is that people with some types of psychosis smoke a lot. They smoke more cigarettes, and smoke them more deeply, than they general population. If they're medicated the hydrocarbons in burnt tobacco interact with antipsychotic medication, making it less effective, meaning they need more meds. And antipsychotic meds can be pretty nasty. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg178 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg178 > In March 2014, a correction was made to the wording of recommendation 1.1.3.3 to clarify that it is the hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke that cause interactions with other drugs, rather than nicotine. What people with psychosis need is early intervention that addresses the full range of bio-psycho-social needs the person has.
- tmnvix 9y ago
  > People with psychosis tend to die 20 years earlier than the general population. One of the reason is that people with some types of psychosis smoke a lot. Is this a significant reason relative to suicide amongst psychotics?
  - DanBC 9y ago
    Yes. In England about 4,500 deaths by suicide per year. There are about 55million people in the UK, and about 1% of them have psychosis, so there are roughly 550000 people with psychosis. The deaths by suicide, while both tragic and preventable, don't change the average lifespan much. It's the heart attacks and strokes and diabetes that are the biggest effect on lifespan.
totalZero 9y ago
While I would argue that it doesn't give most people (and perhaps anyone) a good reason to smoke, this is kind of interesting. A Review of the Effects of Nicotine on Schizophrenia and Antipsychotic Medications Edward R. Lyon, M.S., Ed.D. Published online: October 01, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.50.10.1346 https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.50.10.1346 (full text available) > OBJECTIVE: Research on the impact of nicotine on schizophrenia and antipsychotic medications was reviewed to determine ways to improve treatment planning for patients with schizophrenia who smoke and to evaluate smoking cessation programs for this population. > METHODS: All major research databases were searched. The review focuses on reports published since 1990. >RESULTS: Smoking improves processing of auditory stimuli (sensory gating) by patients with schizophrenia and may lessen negative symptoms by increasing dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal and frontal cortex. Use of traditional antipsychotics may result in patients' smoking more, whereas patients taking atypical antipsychotics may smoke less. Patients who smoke metabolize antipsychotics faster than nonsmoking patients. Smoking cessation programs for outpatients with schizophrenia report a success rate of about 12 percent after six months. No studies of cessation programs for chronically ill inpatients with schizophrenia have been published. Several hospitals have implemented smoking bans with equivocal results. > CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine affects both schizophrenia and antipsychotic medications. Neurobiological and psychosocial factors reinforce the high use of nicotine by patients with schizophrenia
zerostar07 9y ago
wouldnt a pill or a sticker be much simpler?

DanBC 9y ago

People with psychosis tend to die 20 years earlier than the general population. One of the reason is that people with some types of psychosis smoke a lot. They smoke more cigarettes, and smoke them more deeply, than they general population. If they're medicated the hydrocarbons in burnt tobacco interact with antipsychotic medication, making it less effective, meaning they need more meds. And antipsychotic meds can be pretty nasty. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg178 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg178 > In March 2014, a correction was made to the wording of recommendation 1.1.3.3 to clarify that it is the hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke that cause interactions with other drugs, rather than nicotine. What people with psychosis need is early intervention that addresses the full range of bio-psycho-social needs the person has.

tmnvix 9y ago
> People with psychosis tend to die 20 years earlier than the general population. One of the reason is that people with some types of psychosis smoke a lot. Is this a significant reason relative to suicide amongst psychotics?
- DanBC 9y ago
  Yes. In England about 4,500 deaths by suicide per year. There are about 55million people in the UK, and about 1% of them have psychosis, so there are roughly 550000 people with psychosis. The deaths by suicide, while both tragic and preventable, don't change the average lifespan much. It's the heart attacks and strokes and diabetes that are the biggest effect on lifespan.

totalZero 9y ago

While I would argue that it doesn't give most people (and perhaps anyone) a good reason to smoke, this is kind of interesting. A Review of the Effects of Nicotine on Schizophrenia and Antipsychotic Medications Edward R. Lyon, M.S., Ed.D. Published online: October 01, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.50.10.1346 https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.50.10.1346 (full text available) > OBJECTIVE: Research on the impact of nicotine on schizophrenia and antipsychotic medications was reviewed to determine ways to improve treatment planning for patients with schizophrenia who smoke and to evaluate smoking cessation programs for this population. > METHODS: All major research databases were searched. The review focuses on reports published since 1990. >RESULTS: Smoking improves processing of auditory stimuli (sensory gating) by patients with schizophrenia and may lessen negative symptoms by increasing dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal and frontal cortex. Use of traditional antipsychotics may result in patients' smoking more, whereas patients taking atypical antipsychotics may smoke less. Patients who smoke metabolize antipsychotics faster than nonsmoking patients. Smoking cessation programs for outpatients with schizophrenia report a success rate of about 12 percent after six months. No studies of cessation programs for chronically ill inpatients with schizophrenia have been published. Several hospitals have implemented smoking bans with equivocal results. > CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine affects both schizophrenia and antipsychotic medications. Neurobiological and psychosocial factors reinforce the high use of nicotine by patients with schizophrenia

zerostar07 9y ago

wouldnt a pill or a sticker be much simpler?