My anxiety is back. Any help out there?

[jetseven]

I used to take Clonapine (Rivotril) for several years to help control my chronic anxiety disorder.  After weaning off of it about 6 years ago, I've managed to keep my anxiety at a very manageable level with only taking a pill as needed to treat the symptoms once in a VERY long time.

However, last week, I quit smoking (after smoking for 10 years).  I've been experiencing anxiety and feelings of panic that not even a LARGE dose of anti-anxiety medicine can seem to help.  Is there a connection?  I quit cold turkey, but it's been over a week now.  If it is related, shouldn't the withdrawal and anxiety related to this be gone by now???

Help!

[jakegorzen]

lol, wish I could be so lucky, my anxiety makes me wanna smoke double;p
Glad You feel better about your anxiety, and best wished for it to be gone:)

[jetseven]

Hey jakegorzen!

Thanks for your insights.  I had forgotten about the "dopamine connection".  I didn't wear a patch.  (Went home for a week at Thanksgiving and my family didn't know I smoked.  I thought it would be a good time to try to quit).  Would you believe that my anxiety got so bad that I was too caught up in the symptoms of anxiety to even think about having a cigarette?!  

So, maybe for once in my life, this stupid anxiety actually did something good for me (distract me away from cigarettes).  Ha Ha.  I've really tried to learn to laugh at my anxiety and remind myself that it's eventually going to fade back down.  (I know.....easier said than done).

Again, thanks.  It's comforting to know there are people like us out there who truly understand each other.

[jakegorzen]

Are you wearing a Nicotine patch?
I too was beginning to quit smoking "only smoked like 2-3 cigs a day" and was wearing a patch, and that was around the time I started to feel Extreme anxiety.

Yes nicotine can cause anxiety, what nicotine does is lets more Dopamine in your brain, a natural chemical that is in your brain to help you "feel good"
when you stop feeding your brain that, it "punishes you" so you want to smoke again.

I read a study, that people who smoke have a better chance of gaining a unwanted anxiety disorder, my case its GAD.
And let us not forget all those other little chemicals that they put in cigs that can ultimately effect us.
I ended up quit quitting for now because the severity of my Anxiety.