Pot & Depression

[The Mad Toker]

Alright, today I was just diagnosed with clincal depression and the doctor wants to put me on anti-depressants. Basically they said that the frontal part of my brain is producing very low ammounts of seratonin which would explain alot of things that have been going on inside my head for the past few months. Though I dont really like bringing it up but there are days on end when I feel like total shit mentally and question question whether it's really worth it all though I will never act on those thoughts cause I know it's fucktarded. Just wondering if anyone else out there is in the same boat as me and what they do to cope with it. I honestly do find that cannabis has helped a great deal as I always feel happy and at peace for an entire day even if I toke a few bowlfulls. I'm just contiplating whether or not I should go on the drugs so everyday I have a "chemical happiness". I already tried talking to my doc about getting med pot but he said my condition does not qualify at this point though it is a possible future choice. It just kind of sucks cause now I have to totally replan my life seeing the military will not take me anymore (I guess they figure if they give me a gun I'm gonna off myself or sumthin) so right now everything is messed up quite a bit. I just dont want to leave it too long seeing it has already begun taking a toll on my work and personal life in that I have become extremely antisocial and dont really enjoy hanging out with people as I once did.

 

[The Mad Toker]

Great info. Thanks alot. I know what you mean by feeling like a robot. Depression runs in my family (my mom has it, my brother and my sister who was suicidal for a while) and they are all on antidepressants (not sure which ones as I dont live with them anymore) however I have noticed that they dont really act like their usual selfs alot of the time. Almost seems if the are like not really in control of their own thoughts and honestly that scares the living shit outta me. My next course of action is to visit a few mroe doctors and see what they say seeing I'd rather have a diagnoses from several doctors then from just one. However I am not ever gonna go on those drugs seeing I have a big rule in life and that is not to take anything that seriously messes around with your brain.

 

[Marianne]

I've had to deal with depression and anxiety since my mom died a year and a half ago, and even before that since I found out she was addicted to heroin and I was constantly worried about her. My doctor wanted to put me on stuff and I said no. I also knew I would not act on my depression and that pot helped me. Who cares if you don't qualify for it, that doesn't mean you should stop doing what helps you. It doesn't make it's benefits any less real. Believe me, I'm on the other end of that depression now and I'm so glad I never took drugs for it. I mean, if you really need to as a last result, like if you're suicidal or whatever then by all means do what you have to do. But it doesn't sound like you are. I know everyone's different, but for me what worked was smoking a lot, reading a lot of philosophy, especially existentialist philosophy, watching I Heart Huckabees (it seems silly but that movie honestly helped me reevaluate my life) and spending time doing things I enjoy, like surfing and playing guitar.
Also, I'm no scientist, but I know depression also causes your brain to produce lower levels of seretonin, and that by getting out of that depression if corrects itself. If you can find your own way out of it you'll be okay. It's a long road but you just have to take each day at a time and be true to yourself. Life starts to have more meaning that way and other things fall into place. If you ever need to talk let me know-we're all family here, at least that's how I think of it.

 

[Pinch]

Cannabis linked to psychosis reduction

Radio New Zealand
Sunday 04 Dec 2005

Research in Australia suggests cannabis contains a compound that may
help to reduce psychosis.

Consumption of cannabis has previously been linked with an increased
risk of psychosis because of the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol which
creates a "high".

However, a researcher at Melbourne's Monash University says another
compound called cannabidiol has been found to reduce drug-induced
behavioural disturbances in mice.

Leonora Long says the compound could be developed to treat people with
schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Ms Long says researchers now plan to investigate how the two compounds
interact.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bullet...40901/2391f93e



Works for depression too.. that's a good thing.

 

[Kirkatizer]

I have my stages of depression my sister has cuts all up and down her arms. Wich I hate having to worry about. Yet my mom thinks smoking is worse then cutting your arm, I mean come on. MJ makes me feel at one with everything no need to worry about anything when im high or anything. But to get over my Depression I smoke, Surf, Chill with my friends ALOT. It seems to be working but try and convince my parents that, there trying to bring my whole life down by trying to get me to stop smoking. When they can't see it's helping me not hurting me.

 

[Lilstinky420]

Hey Mad, when i was younger i went to a few "substance abuse" shrinks, doctors, they even tried rehab. In the course of about 4 years, ive had about 7 or 8 different doctors tell me I was depressed. Each time they tried to give me a prescription to anti depressants, but i told them I wanted nothing to do with them. Ive seen people miss days on anti depressants, and it wasnt pretty. I personally dont think i'm depressed, just like smoking weed, and my parents didnt. A good bowl or joint usually brought a smile to my face : ) Doctors will prescribe anti depressants ALOT, hell my mom just got some other day combined with sleeping pills and pain reliever. My advice to you seeing someone breakdown after missing a day is dont take them hehe.

 

[Miss Indica]

Hey there,

I receive medical marijuana for depression that's a symptom of bipolar disorder. However, your doc is right about a new diagnosis of depression not being enough for a license..... I went through hell and back including six treatments of electro-convulsive shock at 15 years old as well as having sampled every medication available by the age of 13 with no real results. Even with a case as debilitating as mine, (I qualify for disability), it was still difficult to attain my license. It is not that the doctors won't give you a license for depression, it's that the medications they can prescribe generally work better than medical cannabis (to be honest with you). I was finally given my license because I was not reacting to any of the medications anymore and there were't really any options left. They gave me a three year license that will end in about a year. Because I'm sucessfully taking two medications now and having positive results, they probably will not renew my license. So yeah, what I'm trying to say is that it's not super easy to get a license for a mental disorder, but it can be done. I'd advise taking whatever medications the doctor thinks may help you and go from there. You may find that the conventional drugs really do help. From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that they're not, "happy pills," like the media and social culture have claimed them to be. They are exquisitely developed chemical compounds/medication designed to equalize the serotonin deficiency in the brain. The result is feeling "normal," once again. They are in no way intoxicating either, and I've never encountered any side-effects that were any big deal or concern. Trust your doctor. Keep smoking bowls though if it helps... I know I ALWAYS will

 

[Shavosgrrl]

I have had major severe depressive disorder / Bipolar II since I was at least in middle school. It has only gotten worse with time, and the medications keep me a bit sedated, but what is the point if you cant function. It is a bloody mess. So I dont take the meds so that I can get up for my crap job that has no care for me whatsoever and get on here to hopefully find some sort of companionship and happiness to fill my nights here at work.
Now I am at a point where I am hanging over the edge and almost have no reason not to fall off of it; it has gotten impeciabbly worse. I dont care to talk to anyone and everything I love is turning to shit. I have lost jobs, friends, my child, everything because of this disorder. And the best part about not having insurance is that I get to go to the free clinic and thrown on a converyor belt of patients sifted through the line to the doctor for a 15 minutes visit that is supposed to encompass my 3-4 months since my last visit. Then they give me tons of drugs to pump through my system with no way to update until my next visit.
This all has turned out to be a giant mess. I am not good at doing anything right now. My focus fails and I start wandering off into my personal la-la land. and this will go on for weeks - beyond my control. --Obviously, I even lost my position here because of it all. [thats what I meant by Thanks]. At least I know everyone uderstands ROFLMAO I wish... --
I am having the hardest time right now. I am talking more than my prescribed dosages on some of my meds b/c they just arent enough. I dont know what to so. I have no support so I sit and fester with this dibilitating illness alone. No one cares or cares to understand. Apparently, I am too much of a bother/inconvienence to be dealt with. And my question is this ; if that is true, why am I even here????


and that is what I am dealing with right now. Of course, I am also not able to smoke pot until the 14th. So no luck getting to take that medication. Especially not the strains I need. Anything else is pointless to smoke.




I may not be back here to the forums for a little while.
Everyone, take care.

 

[Marianne]

 

[Marianne]

Shavosgrrl, I didn't know you were going through all that. I felt the same way after my mom died. I was just existing pretty much, or really depressed when I was feeling. I'm starting to feel normal again but I do get depressed sometimes. I try to be optimistic but this world gets to me sometimes, and those are my really bad days, but it did get easier with time, as cliche as that sounds. Anyway, I feel for you, and if you ever need to talk pm me or something. People do care about you, I think we all care about each other here. Look what happened when Josh passed. This place has become like family, at least the people who are here pretty often. We all express our opinions and talk about stuff, and even if we dissagree it's still so nice that someone takes the time to really listen to what you think. Some people don't understand , but talking on these forums really opens people up to conversations that they might not have in real life, and allows us to really express ourselves, and I think that helps us all to feel a little important.
Anyway, sorry for the tangent, I'm a little buzzed, lol, but take care of yourself, things will get easier.My mom had a lot of depression problems, and they got easier with time, in fact she became quite sagely and I think her depression contributed to her spiritual/philosophical growth. I bet you have a lot of interesting philosophies about life.

 

[Shavosgrrl]

I am on so many of my medications right now that I can barely type straight [much less drive]
I wish there would have been a trigger to all of this but it just happened. There is nothing I know to do to make it stop. I have tried almost every medication there is to try.
I havent stopped crying since yesterday morning. Im fully sedated right now, but yet, still crying [in between customers that is]

I have found that VERY VERY few people care. Most take it as an excuse why you havent finished your work, others write it off as a joke- since I am such a fucking joke to 98% of people, others act like they care and try to help and within that group are those who are just acting, have too many other things to deal with, or just truly do understand.

I dont know what to do at this point. I will try to stick around but dont really feel the need to.

 

[Marianne]

Please stay. I mean, I'm not always on, but there's always some really cool people on here. I don't think anyone here thinks you are a joke, so it's a good place to be, right?

 

[Miss Indica]

Yeah... Stay. I just appeared here in the last few days, but now I'm almost always on. You can lean on me anytime.

 

[Marianne]

Who's making fun of you guys?

 

[XLE420]

Shavosgrrl, your not alone. I became severly depressed around the time I was 14/15. Im 18 now, and still have problems with it. I went to one therapist, but all she did was try to prescribe me everything in her book. So I've since given up on traditonal doctors, and now use cannabis for my depression. It just gives this little shed of light that gives you just enough hope and strength to hang on. Depression is very rough, espeacily when people dont believe you. Thats the problem I still run into almost daily. People pass it off as a joke, when in reality, your so close to wanting to end it all. They just dont understand. Plus all the people who 'fake depression' these days to be cool. I saw it alot in school. These people would claim they were depressed, just so everyone would feel sorry for them. Then the next day, they got the money for their concert, so they are magically eh-okay again. But they always pissed me off. I would set there in class, listen to what they were saying, and shake my head. I knew they wernt for reals. I was, but I kept silent. I didnt want anyone to know I was depressed, nor did I use it as something to be cool. Its a rough life, but only the strong survive it. Things will eventually get better. PM me if you need to talk

 

[Shavosgrrl]

My only problems right now are that I cant smoke till the 14th and I dont have anythin ggood to smoke anyways. MJ is the only thing that really helps and makes me feel like I am normal, not sedated or asleep like the prescriptions do.
Thanks guys you all here have been really cool

I had my mom call into work for me today and tell them i am not coming in today. Now my phone is ringing off the hook. The last thing I need is some punk yelling at me to 'get my ass to work' like I am their slave.

baH! fuck them.

 

[XLE420]

Dont worry too much about work. They suck.

Just hang in there till the 14th. Its not too far off. I know its hard not having the only thing that makes you normal. I get worried when I get low because its my normalizer. Just hang in there, things will be alot better soon. Just dont think about it at all.

 

[Stoner4Life]

For Shavosgrrl and Mad Toker........ I truley feel for both of you. I'm 49 yrs old and have been diagnosed with depression for 17 yrs now. I have been on almost all the anti-depressants available during that time and NONE of them hit the mark the way MJ does. I recently (Oct. '04) was injured at work and have been fighting a work comp insurance co. to secure my benefits. I haven't seen a check from them since Dec. '04 (17 months) I've been forced to sell off two good cars and everything else I own but don't need on a daily basis just to make my bills. I know how you feel when you say you have become anti-social....... so have I again. I sometimes cry myself to sleep praying that God take me during the night. I understand your pain. Right now I'm out of smoke and have been for two weeks now, it hurts not having the only med that takes away the pain and I sympathise with you both. Hang tough and be strong for yourself..... Holding onto the slimmest thread of hope will carry you over the deepest chasm of despair. Please never give up. We all need each other.

 

[winterpeggyeh]

I have had several bouts of depression...some serious, some not so serious.
All you have to do is live day to day really.
I find excerise and socalizing helps alot, and weed the rest of the time.
A sense of humor always helps too.
If you can't laugh, i have found life can be a misery.

 

[myke]

Well, i started to smoke for similar reasons. I havent been to the doctor for it at all, but i really dont need to. I dont have to be professionally diagnosed to know somethings not right. Of course, im no doctor, but by feelings and research alone, i have a broad idea of whats wrong. I have some sort of depression/anxity/temper/stress/anger thing and weed offsets it all. Its all i need.

I hate the way pills turn you into a robot and how your body changes to depend on the drug, something bud doesnt do. Some people drink beer to relax, which alcohol isnt the best drug to relax with because it is a depressive. I smoke herb to offset the chemical imbalances in my head and to relax, and it works 100%. I can have the shittest day and i can offset it with a single J.

I live in FL, so theres no medicinal marijuana laws here yet, so its worthless to try and go to a doctor and get prescribed to it. So ill just be doing what ive been doing...