Can antipsychotics cause you to smoke more?

[emilseine]

I was smoking before I started a new anti and now I have increased my smoking, my mind is clear and I'm thinking better, but It's like I'm compulsive for cigs.

 

[emilseine]

I have been on one and it seems I'm obsessed with smoking

 

[T. Calderone]

Did you smoke a lot before you started taking these meds? Many people with mental disorders particularly schizophrenic tendencies smoke more than the average person. I don't know if there is science behind it, for some reason every person I knew when I was in hospital smoked without exception.

 

[T. Calderone]

I think this was asked a little while ago in Other Drugs. But yes I believe people with emotional conditions and definitely those with schizophrenic tendencies smoke a lot more cigarettes from what I've observed. I would like to find some studies though I'm not sure if it's the medicine or the disorder. I'm taking some meds and I'm smoking much more too.

 

[emilseine]

I did smoke alot but nothing like I'm smoking now.

 

[emilseine]

What kind of meds are you on? Also I was gonna ask do you know how long Cogentin takes to start working.

 

[T. Calderone]

I was prescribed Latuda and Citalopram and not using the first one because of bad side effects. Which I was wondering about Cogentin, which is usually in conjunction with something else right?

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

Od---->bdd

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I was prescribed Latuda and Citalopram and not using the first one because of bad side effects. Which I was wondering about Cogentin, which is usually in conjunction with something else right?

Latuda is generally a very important medicine. Cogentin at a high dose should be enough to relieve your restlessness. I found bad restlessness too when taking an antipsychotic. That went away after about two months of taking cogentin. Now I don't have to take Cogentin at all.

 

[emilseine]

Seriously it took two months to start working?

 

[MrCookiE]

If they are making you smoke more is that not a bit of a bad side, as your getting a clear mind but doing more damage to your lungs than usual.

 

[emilseine]

I stopped smoking, it's been 24 hours and I feel like shit. I'm still restless and pacing, I'm on 2mgs of benztropine taken twice a day. So that's a total of 4 mgs. I just want to stop pacing and having restlessness while watching tv.

 

[paranoid android]

There have been a few studies done on the link between schizophrenia and the high rate of cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction in general. Here is just one article on it. Cigarette smoking is higher then normal in people with other mental illnesses such as major depression and bipolar disorder as well. But it's even higher in people with schizophrenia and as this article mentions it seems to be because nicotine can help some of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Apparently this holds true even when you factor anti-psychotics into the picture.

 

[_DankOpiAmp_]

I read that cigarettes also reduce startle reflex in those with schizophrenia so it could prevent them from flipping out due to hallucinations etc. It is also known to reduce side effects from neuroleptic antipsychotics. It is bizarre that they are prescribed when they can essentially cause the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

 

[paranoid android]

I read that cigarettes also reduce startle reflex in those with schizophrenia so it could prevent them from flipping out due to hallucinations etc. It is also known to reduce side effects from neuroleptic antipsychotics. It is bizarre that they are prescribed when they can essentially cause the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Actually most of the atypical anti-psychotics help the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Clozapine, quetiapine and olanzapine do and I'm sure some of the newer ones such as abilify do as well. I don't know if older ones make negative symptoms worse atleast within sane doses but older ones that act primarily as potent D2 antagonists such as Haldol, Zuclopenthixol, Thiothixene, etc don't help the negative symptoms and can in some people make depression worse.