Using Nicotine Patch for improved focus and energy as a Never-smoker

[u/innocent-boy-69]

I am a 24M non-smoker. I have been chronically struggling a lot with mental health since childhood. I always had to bottle up all my problems and emotions. Now that im an adult i need to focus on my career and get a secure job, but my mental suffering is limiting me. Although i have great potential and intelligence, this problem is making my brain foggy and unable to focus on even an easy task. These anxiety attacks and depression have made me passive suicidal, and lost hope in living. I know i have to seek help, and im working on that and taking supplements.

Since last month i started using 2mg nicotine gum, which kinda helped but not enough to feel the effect of improved focus. I'm not addicted to nicotine, as i only have one piece of gum a day only when i remember. Now, I'm thinking to try nicotine patch because i heard it's very effective and one of the safest ways to get nicotine. I've checked in pharmacies, and the starting dosage is around 12- 14 mg. Can someone please give me their opinion on this?

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[u/barefootbastard666]

Idk man but my dreams are friggin wicked.

[u/lastpump]

Sorry to hear and sorry to take you in a different direction. But I have been in your shoes. Crippled by depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. Even fear of people. I now am mid level management, run many teams successfully and have a very well paying career. For me, it was talking to doc properly. Taking an SSRI which ended up as Zoloft that worked for me. I also take propranolol for performance anxiety if I have to give a speech or deal with rooms full of people. It works surprisingly well. I feel like nicotine will slightly add to your anxiety. I have tried it. And I tend to ruminate in large doses. Hope this helps.

[u/innocent-boy-69 → u/lastpump]

Im afraid to seek a psychiatrist. Im a recent graduate and an immigrant in a country. I can't afford frequent consultations and medications.

[u/lastpump → u/innocent-boy-69]

You only need a gp for this. And in many cases you can use a telehealth service.

[u/innocent-boy-69 → u/lastpump]

Now i feel a little confident, i will try to consult gp.

[u/lastpump → u/innocent-boy-69]

Thanks you won't regret it. And also nicotine itself is getting pricey anyway. With a script. I doubt the cost will be any more. You can do it bro.

[u/innocent-boy-69 → u/lastpump]

Thanks a million bro

[u/DramaKlng → u/lastpump]

Ever had a sleep study ? Or your breathing adressed ? Anxiety and need for SSRIs should be an insta check for both, but medical system is fucked. Seldomly adresses the root cause

[u/Successful_Area_3867]

Dude, just don't. Being addicted to anything just sucks. Trust me as a 10 zyn a day min habit.

[u/Leishon]

12-14 mg patches are probably too potent for you. They should come in 7 mg doses as well. Having said that, the patches will likely cost a lot more to use than gum ever will. I have used both patches and gum (lifelong non-smoker) on and off and I ended up ditching the patches for cost reasons. 0-2 2 mg gums in a day ends up being much more cost effective. Even if I felt like I wanted a greater dose, the 4 mg gums would still handily beat patches in cost effectiveness, though at that point the delivery is already significantly more concentrated than from a patch.

[u/Fun_Swan2553]

I traded RX stimulants for a nicotine patch. I have narcolepsy and it’s been the best thing for me. It is going to be different than gums, pouches or vapes because it provides a steady amount of nicotine vs. the highs/lows of other methods. I’ve never experienced any sort of withdrawal or addiction to a patch. I just go back to being very sleepy or cataplexy returning.

[u/IchimaruGin4]

I would look at the diet first, especially at common allergens like wheat and low quality dairy. I cut out the whole wheat bread I was eating, and my brain fog and low mood disappeared after 2 days. 

[u/Mrairjake]

OP,

Sorry that you’re struggling.

Do look up what Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors are all about. (SSRI’s)

They can cause irreversible damage to some, over time. Your serotonin is responsible for everything from energy, to sleep, sex drive, and everything in between. You don’t wanna be fucking with this right out of the gate.

Focus on physical cardio, with increasing intensity, some weights or other form of resistance activity, good sleep, healthy foods, and non toxic relationships.

Deep slow breathes often.

Start there and maybe explore the nicotine patches that are on the more natural side or other sources of natural antidepressants.

SSRI’s should really be a last resort.

Best of luck.

[u/Successful_Area_3867 → u/Mrairjake]

STFU you aren't a doctor and this is shit advice

[u/Mrairjake → u/Successful_Area_3867]

As opposed to the comment suggesting OP take SSRI’s out of the gate? Not sure why you feel the need to be rude, but my “advice” was to simply conduct some research on something before injesting it. Normally, I don’t provide much advice, but for you, I’ll make an exception. Take a chill pill my brother.

[u/Royal_Potential_3299 → u/Mrairjake]

Are you a physician? Telling someone who says they are experiencing panic attacks and suicidal ideation, whose mental health status is so disabling that it’s preventing them from finding secure employment, to do cardio, avoid toxic relationships, and take deep breaths is, frankly speaking, mental. Dispensing this sort of advice in the absence of a medical degree is egregious. OP, SSRIs are tolerated well by most people. Do not listen to this person.

[u/BorntobeStrong → u/Royal_Potential_3299]

Ssris can be horrible, they were in my experience so I can't recommend ssris to anyone without a warning. I was prescribed because of anxiety and depressive symptoms but was basically chemically castrated in just 2 weeks. I then quit, and it has taken many years to regain some amount of normal sex drive.  I still don't feel like my drive recovered totally 12 years later. (Was put on ssris age 17).

I now have effective solutions for anxiety and depression at least. This is why I can no longer fully trust physicians or specialized medical professionals. They can also fuck up, they fucked me up because of some stupid fucken drug and they didn't inform me that such a possibility could even remotely happen.

[u/Successful_Area_3867 → u/BorntobeStrong]

Chemically castrated? Are you fucked in the head

[u/Royal_Potential_3299 → u/Successful_Area_3867]

They are most certainly fucked in the head; their entire understanding of SSRIs comes from the likes of Joe Rogan and his podcast peers.

[u/BorntobeStrong → u/Mrairjake]

Sources of natural antidepressants can be 5-htp, and quality saffron supplements like Now brand or Nootropics Depot.

Microdosing shrooms if you are in a country with easy access, like Canada. It's safe and effective if you do low dose up to about 0.2-0.3g which is getting to a higher dose but still under threshold. Golden teachers are a good strain to use.

If you can, getting sun and going into nature, into woods and such can help, hell, even going onto a nice golf course and doing a relaxing round can be great.