I know about two bipolar folks who smoke like crazy. But one of them quit and I am so proud of him. He seems to feel and sound better since then. I would think that the nicotine fit thing is aggravating to the condition in some way.

my doc said the nicotine can interfere with the absorption of the drugs sometimes.

I hate to admit it but I just bought a pack of smokes on Thursday. I haven't smoked in years. I just felt like smoking. I am not going to buy anymore. After this pack...I am finished! I smoke at most 3 cigarettes a day. I only smoke at work. On my days off, I don't smoke. So this pack should last a couple of weeks.

Anyone who wants go give me grief about smoking...I welcome your condemning hugs. I know that smoking is bad! Kermit only smokes Menthol. It has to be green...LOL

I smoke on and off.... off occurring for a week every now and again. I smoke when I'm stressed, maybe 5-10 a day. I figure that there is a pretty reasonable likelihood I will die young anyway, so what the hell. Not proud, just have bigger things to worry about right now than quitting.

My boyfriend smokes before and after.

Chantix is one of those FDA approved drugs which can be used to get over smoking habit. It works on body by giving you the same feel good effect like smoking and hence reduces the craving for nicotine. You can have all the information on chantix here http://www.chantixhome.com/ This medicine should only be used in accordance with the instructions of a physician as there are various side effects which may vary from person to person and it includes change of taste, sleeplessness and many more. I have smoked for more than 10 yrs, but now I am spending a smoke free life from last 2 months. Thanks to chantix. Along with having this medicine, you should also have will power and feeling that you want to get over this habit.

Chantix gave me a wonderful 6 week long hypomania! But I had to discontinue it because it caused weird weight gain. Such as 9lbs in a week or something bizarre like that I recall. Instead, I quit cold turkey about nine months ago. I was a two pack a day smoker. Now I am smoke free and I no longer have asthma. It feels great. I never think about cigarettes any more. And I haven't had the urge to smoke. I've saved a lot of money!! Smokes WERE my budget. I absolutely can NOT afford to smoke. Not at the current prices. Out of pure economic necessity I would have had to quit. I'm glad I did before the crash. It saved me the agony.

I unlike all replies thus far can give a shit less that I smoke. I like it and I am going to do it no matter what.
It calms me, soothes me like a teddy bear, and I thoughoughly enjoy it.
However, before my meds and crash I was always smoking about a pack a day, after meds and crash 2 packs a day and when a really anxious day 3 packs. Alot I know.
I am going to cut it down to 2 packs or less A day when things calm down for me. Which may be never.
Shit, bi-polar cuts the average life expectancy down 25 years so what the shit is the diffrence if I smoke. Probably, by the time I am 60, they will have a cure for lung cancer. But bi-polar will probably have killed me by then.

Smoking ciggs acts as a mild MAOI in the brain. Not surprisingly people in recover, mentally ill and during stress are all high on the smoke scale.

I used to smoke most when online out of habit. Now I've given up and I'm spending less time online to try and break the habit

i agree with 2deep, i have worse things to worry about than smoking and am smoking since i was about thirteen! last years x.rays show lungs are clear! have no cough, etc.. cholesterol is fine. it is the only thing i do, i don't over indulge in alcohol. i always reckoned it is legal suicide and maybe when my desire to live is stronger than my desire to die i might quit!

i smoke most of time too and more when i am on the net i think.
i don't know if bipolars smoke more than the others but in general i think we have more addictions than normal people.
kisses
christine

I gave up smoking 9 years ago then started again last year during my first mixed episode! I gave up 5 weeks ago and became suicidal but ive been feeling better for the last two days! If it werent for the finances id light up right now!

I have been smoke free since Nov '08. My kids finally got to me. My son picked my quit date.

I used the patch and nicorette gum.

Smoking was my crutch. Now I just need to find a healthy crutch. Anyone??

i smoke like a fiend, especially on here and i could give 2 shiites too. my pdoc never brings it up and asks me to quit, he knows better. my new gyn didn't even give me a hard time, i think that drs who realize the intensity of the disorder more than likely understand - now that i think of it, my internist never brings it up either. i make my own cigs and they cost $1.10/pack. i hate store bought cigs now. plus they are going up $1 a pack. whenever i go in the pward one of the FIRST things they ask is if you smoke, and if you do, they slap a patch right on you. the first ward i went in took us outside in the courtyard to smoke, that was nice. nothing worse than a nicotine and caffiene withdrawl since they only serve decaf everything in the ward. like the others said, our lifespan is reduced anyway, may as well enjoy it.