So I have read in “Surviving Schizophrenia 5th Edition” that we are known to consume ridiculous amounts of both coffee and cigarettes. In fact, when I was evaluated, the guy asked me how much of each I was consuming! I also did a study and presentation in abnormal psychology about coffee and schizophrenia, and the patients in the study drank 4-13 cups of coffee a day. This was taken from a psych ward here in the US, and the lowest coffee consumers drank 4 cups a day! The conclusion was that coffee in extreme amounts can have a very small impact on medicated schizophrenics…only the ones who drank at least a dozen cups of coffee a day improved hardly at all, only insignificantly when they were put on decaf without knowing it.
I have been smoking half a pack since I entered became full-blown schizophrenic and I drink caffeine twice a day. What about you?
I love coffee and cigarettes. I used to drink four cups a day and just suffer with the disorganization and floating feeling. I was down to 2 smokes a day, but this last week has got me back up to 6. I’ll cut down. I drink a whole pot all the time. So my sis got a smaller pot. (cheeky girl)
It hard because I just love smoking too, I really love the pause in the conversation to light up. I love the ability to leave due to a smoke, (not a panic attack)
I smoke a pack and a half of cigarettes per day. I also drink lots of coffee when I wake up. I also, on occasion, drink caffeinated sodas. I’ve smoked for a long time, though. I had my first cigarette when I was almost 14. For a while, in my late teens, and early twenties, I didn’t smoke at all, but I was overweight. When I started smoking again, when I was about 21, I noticed that I had an easier time losing weight, so I kept on smoking. I was depressed throughout my life, and smoked for that reason also. It seemed to self-medicate me. I want to eventually quit smoking, but it is very hard.
I’ve been smoking coffee since I was a teenager. I started having symptoms only about two years ago. The only difference - attitude wise since quantitatively nothing changed - is that before becoming mental I did use to abstractly think about quitting one of these days. Now I don’t even consider quitting smoking - like - oh, oh, to quit my beloved cigarettes to maintain and preserve this mess that I am today - uhm - no… (to all you quitting out-there - right on! - it is a right thing to do)
That’s a fine study on schizophrenic’s. But it begs the question, how does drinking a lot of coffee and smoking a lot of cigarettes effect ANYBODY, schizophrenic or not? Sure, everybody knows cigarettes cause cancer and heart problems. In fact, the original Marlboro man died of lung cancer. ( any fans of irony?). So there is absolutely no argument against the fact that cigarettes kill you. Either now or later on down the road. Studies on coffee I’ve read say that a few cups a day actually have health benefits. But don’t go by what I say, you can look it up somewhere online. I don’t want to be responsible for anybody’s intake of coffee, or I don’t want to have someone start drinking it because of me. And yes, I heard that study YEARS ago that a significant percentage of schizophrenics smoke more than the general population. And I being around many schizophrenics in hospitals, group homes, and vocational programs,day programs over the years, I’ve seen first hand how people with schizophrenia LOVE their coffee.
i stay away from caffeine when i can, but smoking seems to have gotten me. Pack a day though on cigarettes. I started to get into coffee but it was horrible lol. I just crash which makes it pointless.
I drink about 5 glasses of iced tea a day. I also add a lot of equal, which is widely reported to cause depression. I chew nicotine gum all day long. I break the pieces into thirds.
Thank you for your replying.
The schizophrenic needs to raise the level of attention
by very simple degree by natural ways “not medication”
throughout each moment from the waking stage,to be
attentive to the inner mental events that occur inside his mind,
that is to be have
the ability to give rightness mental response while he
in any daily condition
*raise the degree of the attention level toward the inner operations"
Mmmmm 2 cups o coffee in the morning, 2 or so during the afternoon or evening, and usually one cup before bed.
Can’t smoke because of allergies, growing up 3 out of 6 smoked in our house, so I received my life-time supply of second hand smoke.
Sure Cigs can kill you quicker than you would like. But gee how expensive are they? I live near DC. There cigs are 12.75 a pack at union station. Oh I smoked 1 pack maybe two a day…everyday. You do the math. That is a lot of money.
When I quit the cigarettes I saved up my money for nice guitar and then I got it as a reward. No credit card I quit for a year then purchased myself a guitar. When those times to smoke came up I researched guitars.com and found the perfect one for my needs.
Sure it is called smokey but that is the closest I come to smoking. get it?
I used to smoke a lot of cigarettes, especially when I didn’t feel that well, and back then that was often. I do like to drink at least 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day. I take a lot of meds that sedate me, coffee keeps me going. Cigs I can live without for now, coffee - never.
