# Struggles and Support > Medication >  >  cigarettes and cipralex (lexapro)

## slytherin

I started cipralex about 5 weeks ago for depression/anxiety and it started working on the depression on the 3rd week and it was just starting to kick in for the anxiety, but I wound up going out and drinking some and I've been smoking a lot of cigarettes lately because I've been out late and they make me feel safer when I'm walking alone. I've drank before on cipralex and felt very few negative effects from it, but after the cigarettes I just feel like I've undone all the work. I've been getting really down again lately and I feel awful! Obviously I'm going to stay away from cigarettes from now on, but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem or knows why cigarettes might have a depressant/anxiety-inducing effect?

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## Frogger

cipralex helped me to stop smoking due to that reason.

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## WintersTale

Cigarettes mess with your mood, and since you're on a mood stabilizer, it's probably doing contradictory things. I'm not a medical doctor, but I think you should quit smoking.

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## metamorphosis

People usually smoke because cigarettes are an upper. Remember cigs. have carcinogens and other toxins that damage the lungs, and heart.They are highly addictive.
The pleasure from smoking comes from it's direct actions on the nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Which stimulates different alpha receptors. Basically DA is released in the nucleus accumbens  Which in turn the extra DA  the relaxation people experience. Addiction starts with the desensitized receptors because of continual smoking. That means less and less dopamine is being released .So, smokers smoke more chasing that DA relaxation.The problem being is when the receptors resensitize.  That is when the craving for nicotine starts again. That is a very simple version of what happens. It has to do with DA released in the nucleus accumbens and a lot of receptors becoming desensitized and then resensitizing causing the craving. The toxins in cigarettes will kill.
 As far as alcohol is concerned. It is the one drug that can effect almost every organ in the body and systems. Cardiovascular, the liver treats it as a toxin immediately, the pancreas has to release extra insulin because alcohol is eventually metabolized into sugar. That affects the pancreas and insulin. And that means long term drinkers can become diabetic and of course kidney disease and cirrhosis of the liver.
So just drink in moderation for your future. Your life.
The problem about drinking on antidepressants is that it will negate the anti-depressants effect inside the body. Not to mention alcohol is a depressant itself. So drink very moderate and not to excess. Then you will be okay. Your body is your temple. I think that I have heard that somewhere. Lulz, just keep yourself happy. Don't smoke and drink moderately and don't get smashed when you do. A few drinks is  all good, yo! Especially if you want that AD to work!!!

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## WineKitty

Cigs always relaxed me but staying away from those nasty things is a great idea.  I have been a nonsmoker for over two years now and cannot even stand the smell of it.   They are deadly.

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## whiteman

Cigars are the one thing I know that will calm me down when I'm really beside myself with anxiety, but they're also the antithesis to who I want to be as a person. For the most part, I'm a health addict. So I only smoke them when I really need them and I only smoke them when I don't have any other options besides jumping off a bridge-lol.

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