Posted by zeugma on January 2, 2004, at 14:08:09
In reply to pregnancy / smoking / dopamine / anxiety, posted by mrgeek on January 2, 2004, at 13:28:05
my mom smoked while pregnant with me, then quit in time for my younger brother's conception; he does not have anxiety, depression, or ADHD, but I do. That proves nothing in itself, but I have had to wonder the same thing as you.
Cigarettes are quite powerful euphoriants for me. They make it easier for me to be around people and I focus a lot of better on them. Their side effects are more heinous than any currently prescribed psychotropic med, and I can't get my insurance to pay for them :), so I don't smoke, but I wonder if their appeal for me stems from some prenatal experience that set off my nicotine receptors.
Drugs that affect the nicotinic receptors have been investigated for both ADHD and depression. Smokers are also more likely to suffer from these disorders themselves (they self-medicate), so there could well be a double means of transmission: genetic and environmental. My ADHD, depression and anxiety are severe enough to have compromised my functioning for most of my life, so it's possible that I received this double influence, while those who suffer from milder forms of these illnesses possible were influenced by only one of these factors. Just a speculation.
poster:zeugma
thread:295765
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031231/msgs/295778.html