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Smoking,depression and mental health problems.Am i the only one?


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#1 NervousNerd

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 02:04 PM

Hey all
Ok so i don`t want to talk to much about this, but i`m interested to know if there are any other nerds that suffer from depression,and mental health problems,and who smoke (tobacco/cigarettes).
I find it hard to cope with life due to this, i don`t want to smoke but get depressed,and lost,and my mental health symptoms kick in if i don`t,but then i sometimes get fed up when i do.
Anyways would just really like to know,don`t have to be to descriptive if you have mental health problems, i would like to know because i sometimes think how can i be a nerd, when my brain feels unhealthy shell i say, i stuggle with memory,and i get confused.

cheers

#2 Calvary

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 04:20 PM

Hey,

I picked up smoking when I was about 13 or 14. It started with the odd cigar, nothing fancy, but I ended up smoking cigarettes on a semi-regular basis. I quit by the time I was 16, since then I've had maybe two cigarettes. I suppose I'll make a point of saying I'm almost 18 now. I wouldn't say I ever used smoking as a coping mechanism, more likely I used it as a fulcrum for acceptance, I always struggled with self-worth and bullying when I was younger, smoking brought me closer to a lot of friends. I kicked the habit in one day, might I add, an immediate tee-total approach was the best remedy to my situation. When you feel the need for a cigarette you have to tell yourself no, think about what it is doing to your insides and realise that you are not in fact immortal and than eventually it will get you.

So you know I smoked socially, I also drank, and still drink, somewhat heavily. I would say that I had an alcohol problem by the time I was 15, not anything massive, but I passed out on one occasional after drinking two pints of spirits (1.14 litres) and was violently ill to the point that I nearly choked on my own vomit. I've toned drinking down a lot since then but I still used to get pangs for a cider at least twice a week which is not healthy when you add wine and whatever on top of that plus semi-regular parties. Drinking for me is a coping mechanism for the stresses of life, it's something I've worked on though, and I'm now finding much better ways to manage stress. Using drugs, alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes, like I did, solved nothing, I had a few mental break downs and got violent as a result - I did these while I was sober, but my point is that regular consumption of these types of drugs was obviously not helping.

I hope the anecdote at least let's you know that you're not alone, millions of people suffer with addiction and depression. Have you considered going to a GP or at least talking your problems through with family members? Once you admit that there's potentially something up it all gets easier, I can say this having known three friends who tried to top themselves and two more who have ... for want of a better phrase, comparatively less severe depression. My point is I'm well accustomed to it. =)

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#3 Wolf

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 05:29 PM

I wanna add something inspiring or well-intentioned to this thread, but experience has taught me that I'm the worst with these things.

Fuck it, I'll give it a shot anyway.


I suffer from a pretty severe mental disability, epilepsy, and I smoke weed. I used to drink, heavily, and I've used to smoke, but I quit both from sheer force of will. My disability has taken from me so many things I enjoyed, from partying, to driving, to even having a day job. It's made me push myself further from my family and friends, and isolated me. I've been through the motions, and I finally realized something: You /can/ let your disability own you, you can let it depress you, you can let it stop you from doing the things you love. But only if you let it.

Don't let it.

#4 NervousNerd

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 06:09 PM

Thank you both.My illness like yours Wolf is a debilitating one, mine ain`t the same as yours, but it does fuck up your/my life.
I`ve attempting suicide atleast 5 times,(got a scar on my wrist and scars on my arms) to people without mental illnesses it`s selfish,but only when you are trapped in your mind that`s hell,and it feels like there`s no way out does it seem normal, and people can`t say shit unless they`ve been through it.
I`m trying my best to get on the mend.
I just try to be grateful for my life,and think myself lucky for what i have got, there`s always someone worse off.
FYI (always sounds rude lol) i smoke the additive free tobacco, though tbh i don`t like the habit, as now i`ve realised through some experimention lol(can hear a voice in my head saying "what a nerd" in a chuckling voice) that it`s exsasibating(spelt wrong i think) my problems.
Take care.

#5 Wolf

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 06:23 PM

I've found that one of the best things you can do is just remind yourself how lucky you are to still be here.

I think of some of the horrible tragedies in the world [I'm a little morbid sometimes] and consider myself grateful that I've hardly been affected by them, at least on a personal level. I think of how much worse off some people are, child soldiers, people dying of hunger and thirst needlessly, people who live under brutal dictatorships, and I think of how lucky I am to live in a first-world country.

I hope things work out for you, you seem strong so I'm sure you can make it through. You always have the fine folks here for support, we're real good people.

As for quitting smoking... I was kinda a unique case. I just woke up one day and was tired of the taste of tobacco and alcohol. I realized spending my money on these things didn't help me, at all, and were just making things worse day by day. I dropped them both cold turkey.

#6 NervousNerd

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Posted 20 January 2013 - 06:41 PM

Thanks again, that`s part of my problem i keep thinking about the animals in fur farms, being skinned alive and cramped in cages and such, it`s really hard to deal with.
You think your morbid, you haven`t met me lol :rolleyes:

#7 Galactus

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Posted 21 January 2013 - 06:25 AM

I have Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, and Avoidant Personality Disorder.

While the only learning disability I have is dyslexia, I still found it hard to complete school courses. I have an above average intelligence that is 80% self taught.

I get panic attacks when I go outside and venture into public locations. My therapist has a laundry list of triggers for me.

:) Tis fun.

#8 Silver_rose

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Posted 21 January 2013 - 05:18 PM

I suffer from severe irratic bipolar depression. I can be almost giddy then bursts into tears the next second, and there are just as many times when I turn completely numb.

I don't have a smoking issue perse, I have an alcohol problem and in some respects it is lucky that I am broke or otherwise I would be able to to do this all the time - but I want to drink all the time, when I'm happy, when I'm sad and when I have the money to afford it I let myself indulge and when I say indulge, I mean finish the bottle of vodka in one night (a few hours).

One of the problems with smoking is that it's a vicious cycle for people with depression because the nicotine allows the dopamine receptors in your brain to be more sensitive to dopamine as well as increases the rate of various chemicals in your brain and when the stumilant wears off, the neuroreceptors start to freak because of the chemical change. One of the symptoms of "coming down" is depression, so when you smoke again you feel better because of the flood of dopamine.

I also have ADHD, makes learning difficult but it doesn't make me wanna drink and kill myself, I just find shiny things more appealing than most people.

Because I can...


#9 Lord_Zamboodu

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Posted 21 January 2013 - 05:51 PM

won't share too deeply on this. However, yes, I do suffer from mental disorder causing depression and I smoke ciggy's. The legal medical licence helps too ;-) with the mental disorder.
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#10 Guest_ElatedOwl_*

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Posted 21 January 2013 - 05:52 PM

won't share too deeply on this. However, yes, I do suffer from mental disorder causing depression and I smoke ciggy's. The legal medical licence helps too ;-) with the mental disorder.

Oh shit you have a grass card?

#11 Lord_Zamboodu

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Posted 22 January 2013 - 02:07 PM

yes due to documented mental issues I got issued a card :-D
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#12 CyberTetsuo

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Posted 23 January 2013 - 03:01 PM

i have paranoid schizophrenia,PTSD,anxiety disorder, and antisocial personality disorder and i smoke cigs waaay to much (in fact in not joking when i say im going to light one up after this post) i used to be heavily into pot,acid,and shrooms but im in outpatient counseling rehab for that now so im doing better. i do have a drink from time to time but after a long period of binge drinking in college i dont even really like drinking anymore.

i personally know how hard it is to cope with mental illness as ive been in and out of asylums for mine but i tend to use the could-be-worse mentality. ive been out of the hospital for 3 going on 4 years and if i can do it anyone can because i was a bleeding crazy person
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#13 Coconut Man

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Posted 23 January 2013 - 03:08 PM

i have paranoid schizophrenia,PTSD,anxiety disorder, and antisocial personality disorder and i smoke cigs waaay to much (in fact in not joking when i say im going to light one up after this post) i used to be heavily into pot,acid,and shrooms but im in outpatient counseling rehab for that now so im doing better. i do have a drink from time to time but after a long period of binge drinking in college i dont even really like drinking anymore.

i personally know how hard it is to cope with mental illness as ive been in and out of asylums for mine but i tend to use the could-be-worse mentality. ive been out of the hospital for 3 going on 4 years and if i can do it anyone can because i was a bleeding crazy person


You had schizophrenia? Aw, that's rough dude :(

I luck out with only ADHD, minor OCD, and loss of hearing.

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#14 CyberTetsuo

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Posted 23 January 2013 - 03:16 PM

You had schizophrenia? Aw, that's rough dude :(

I luck out with only ADHD, minor OCD, and loss of hearing.


yea shizophrenia isnt the most fun (except for those manic i feel like im on drugs days or weeks but they tend to mess up my judgement) its partly my fault its as bad as it is thought with the aforementioned LSD and magic mushrooms i was taking-mainly to fit in and hide my intelligence so i can be "cool"


i also have ADHD but since i have a drug history i cant get the regular meds, only the ones that make me sleep all night and most of the day that i refuse to take. im pretty much fine now outside of hearing some unpleasant voices and disliking bein around people for too long a time irl though
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#15 Calvary

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 11:03 AM

Hey if you don't mind, can I ask you a question about your schizophrenia? If I remember correctly doesn't it split your personality in two? If it's not too personal or anything...what's that...like?

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#16 Guest_ElatedOwl_*

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 11:11 AM

Hey if you don't mind, can I ask you a question about your schizophrenia? If I remember correctly doesn't it split your personality in two? If it's not too personal or anything...what's that...like?

That's a really common misconception, you're referring to dissociative identity disorder. IIRC from a highschool psychology course (read: I could be blatantly wrong) there are some doubts to whether DID is a real thing or not (as defined by distinct/unique personalities). (I can't find anything that suggests that's true, so nevermind.)

#17 Coconut Man

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 11:19 AM

Hey if you don't mind, can I ask you a question about your schizophrenia? If I remember correctly doesn't it split your personality in two? If it's not too personal or anything...what's that...like?


I believe schizophrenia is having visual and auditorial hallucinations that seem as real as things that ARE there, in which case I imagine it would be terrifying, and it would be on an entirely new level when you realize that you don't know what's real and what isn't. I'm not sure this is what schizophrenia is, however, but I'm sure a quick Google would answer your question.

Edit: Yep, Googled it. That's almost exactly it: http://www.mayoclini...phrenia/DS00862

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#18 Affray

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 11:24 AM

I believe schizophrenia is having visual and auditorial hallucinations that seem as real as things that ARE there, in which case I imagine it would be terrifying, and it would be on an entirely new level when you realize that you don't know what's real and what isn't. I'm not sure this is what schizophrenia is, however, but I'm sure a quick Google would answer your question.

Edit: Yep, Googled it. That's almost exactly it: http://www.mayoclini...phrenia/DS00862

On that note, I just finished playing Alice: Madness Returns.
It pretty much cover all the bases for paranoid psychosis.
Very disturbing game at times.

Not to make light of a serious illness by referencing a video game.
It is the first thing that pooped in to my head, and isn't a terrible guide for understanding at least the basics of that sort of disorder.

It is perfectly acceptable to fear and admire a being you could not possibly understand.


#19 Matty_poo

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Posted 25 January 2013 - 01:26 PM

I believe schizophrenia is having visual and auditorial hallucinations that seem as real as things that ARE there, in which case I imagine it would be terrifying, and it would be on an entirely new level when you realize that you don't know what's real and what isn't. I'm not sure this is what schizophrenia is, however, but I'm sure a quick Google would answer your question.

Edit: Yep, Googled it. That's almost exactly it: http://www.mayoclini...phrenia/DS00862


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#20 The Robstar

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 08:16 AM

I suffer from depression from time to time. I self medicate with Marijuana and it really calms the nerves. A few years ago when my 1st  girlfriend left me I was an utter mess. I needed weed to "escape" the pain of rejection. Knocked a lot of confidence out of me.... Took a long time to recover from that. Got to a point where I would smoke an entire ounce in 1 day.... 

 

In the end I just took up new activities and hobbies... took my mind off thinking and shit. Skating has really helped me to vent most of my frustrations. Music was another way I could express myself.... then I sort forgot about her....

 

Just keep yourself busy... that's all I say...


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