Posted by Lao Tzu on December 21, 2008, at 14:09:48
In reply to How I managed to quit smoking., posted by Bradtoynbee on December 17, 2008, at 0:46:15
Interesting. I'm a schizophrenic and absolutely nothing I've tried in the way of supplements has helped me stop smoking. I'll look into it with, of course, some skepticism. The only thing ever that helped me refrain from smoking was a short 9-day stint in a behavioral hospital three years ago when I was given the drug Buspar for anxiety while I was there. Of course, I wasn't taking a high dose of antipsychotic medication at the time, so that might have something to do with why I smoke a lot today. Smoking helps me with some of the side effects of high dose Risperdal. Anyway, if you're not schizophrenic and you're not taking antipsychotics, Buspar might be an option. However, I've read that Buspar did help some people with the withdrawal of smoking cessation, especially if you have an anxiety disorder. Wellbutrin SR or Zyban might work better than Buspar for smoking cessation for some people, but you might have to put up with some anxiety from this medicine. That's why I theorized Buspar might be a better option for people who have a lot of anxiety. I told my doctor about the Buspar helping me stop smoking, but he told me that was just a coincidence, so I don't really know what to think. However, I know that Buspar does have an effect on dopamine as well as 5ht-1A receptors, so this might be the reason why some people can say, "you know, I don't really need a cigarette right now." The dosage might be an important factor, too. I was taking about 30mg of Buspar in the hospital, but a dosage of 60mg per day might work better. It's worth asking your doctor about if you have an anxiety disorder and you would like to curb your smoking habit because I know for sure that anyone with a lot of anxiety and depression is most certainly going to smoke more. The best thing is not to take even one puff of a cigarette, no matter how curious you might be about it. Avoid them like the plague if you haven't already started.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:869199
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20081006/msgs/870082.html