Significance

• Chantix is not a controlled substance and most people experience no withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing the drug.
  
  

Function

• Chantix mildly affects the regions on your brain that are sensitive to nicotine, which decreases the unpleasant symptoms associated with not smoking. The drug does not change levels of chemicals in your brain or produce euphoria.
  
  

Features

• Typically, after a course of treatment with Chantix, you are no longer dependent upon nicotine, provided you used the drug continuously during treatment as prescribed by your doctor.
  
  

Risks

• Infrequently, patients develop serious psychiatric symptoms while taking Chantix, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, aggression and violence. Doctors do not fully understand what causes this, but these symptoms are believed to be caused by withdrawal from nicotine in people who have a history of or are predisposed to mental illness, RxList explains.
  
  

Considerations

• If you have a history of depression or any types of mental illness like psychosis, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, it may not be safe for you to take Chantix, due to the manner in which withdrawal from nicotine may present while on the drug.