Bipolar Disorder and Marihuana by Anonymous

Julie Gardener

New Member
Bipolar Disorder and Marihuana by Anonymous​

I am bipolar 1 and suffer from severe mood swings. I generally use an arsenal of medications to control my illness, but I recently tried marihuana to combat my depression. Over a period of a month I smoked about 2 joints a day and during that time my mood was steady and positive. I was able to stop taking Klonopin without negative side effects. I had to stop using pot when my supplier left town and my mood swings increased about two weeks later. I went back to my old meds. While the medication I am taking is helpful, it is not as helpful as marihuana.

As a psychotherapist I am familiar with the literature on medications for bipolar disorder. Marihuana is regarded as a drug to be avoided, but my experience with it was beneficial and therapeutic. It may not work for others with my illness, but as everyone in the business of psychopharmacology knows, prescribing is more of an art than a science. Trial and error is the method psychiatrists rely on to prescribe medication, and the patient is the one who suffers during the search for a suitable treatment.

It is sad that marihuana cannot be added to the list of drugs being researched objectively for treating mood disorders. I hope that clinical trials of marihuana for people with mood disorders will be considered some day. Its healing potential could help save the lives of many patients.

Source: Comments and Observations
 
It is the same for my friend... and a great mood stabilizer. Every morning he gets up and takes a sip, then he is fine all day until about 6:00pm. Without it he requires medication for the out of control mood mania swings.

For sure being "High" is a state of mind... for those who have mood disorders, being high might just be easiest step up when depressed and a freaking joyous step down from mania.

The problem is that it generally leads to problems for people with disassociation disorders and people with the schitz. they are already unable to control themselves and the hallucinogenic effects seem to increase those problems...

The most interesting thing is that the drugs prescribed for these disorders need to be build-up before they work right... hence a person who is smoking pot to medicate away these types of mood disorders should expect a time-period for the THC to build up. My point here is, people who smoke strong stuff only once in a while, no tolerance, get blown out when they partake... but smoke the same weed every 4 hours-8 hours for two weeks and the effects are minimized by the tolerance build up. The high effect becomes more stable with the tolerance. So this is an option, as long as you are okay with being high all the time.

Just like they suggest to not go off your meds cold, or start high doses cold, so too should the regulated mood medical user, pick a low-mid grade, and stick with it until it seems to have no effect on you... then the chemical THC bath your brain gets when used becomes the zeroing out point.... And the high becomes the regular daily, which is much preferred to the mania or depression, and the frequency is regulated, stabilized...

Also because the medical industry is still loose and unregulated, it is important not to switch brands if this is your lifeline... Think about it, different weed different high, new tolerance needed. So sticking with the same stuff is key.

So my friend gets a lot of the same and he makes sure he has it in advance. Because a reality of these disorders is that you got to plan your life and schedule your mood. when he switches he integrates the new into the old and get smooth transition.

People doing this should not drink alcohol whatsoever... to many fingers int he puddy puddy pie.
 
I've posted similar experiences before...was on Xanax for the anxiety/insomnia and finally settled on Zoloft (after trying Prozac, Paxil, Trazadone, and Klonopin) for the depression. Unfortunately, I was walking around like a zombie from the Xanax and the Zoloft cause more side effects than I can remember -- like severe night sweats (thought I pissed the bed the first time because the entire sheet/bedding was soaked), lack of enthusiasm for all previous hobbies, eating issues, insomnia, and a couple other problems that about cost me my marriage....and sanity.

I made the decision to try MMJ for the same reasons listed above....the "high" from a good sativa or hybrid is WAY better than the depression, and is also a way to moderate the mania (especially with a little more indica in the hybrid mix). Over the years, I have been an "all day" smoker, but even friends see it as an alternative way to treat my problems. Just 2 years ago, I tried some of the more "refined" MMJ strains available through the CA collectives and found Blue Dream works really well...amazing considering growers designed/bred that strain for anti-anxiety and depression.

So for this 40-something adult - this is no big surprise - it just confirms my personal belief and experience with using MMJ for my medical issues. Not that this is a cure all wonder drug...I still have my ups and downs...it's just the MMJ tends to smooth out the peaks and valleys - and makes the "rapid cycling" non-existent.

As an added bonus - I rediscovered my athletic/physical side when I got off the Zoloft...and even though smoke A LOT of MMJ, am also a fitness junkie that is in top shape.

Just my experience...

:peace: and :Namaste:
 
Hi Folks,I've been smoking for the high for years,albeit a hiatus of a few years due to recovering from alcohol addiction.
Upon moving towns I lost contacts and went without...my mood swings were phenominal and I ended up collecting over half a ton of flat washed up rocks,from the beach,by the bucket(household) load for an ill considered cactai garden over about 3 months and after telling the Dr my head hurt,he doped me(this time)with mirtazapine and a bottomless psych account.
Driving home one day I picked up a dodgy looking hitchiker,had a sesh,got on and have become(more or less) stabilized,combined with 30mg mirt everyother day.
Oh,as mentioned I have a psychologist(50yr vet) and he doesn't approve,I said look at me,I've been stable for 3 years and have a life now,I did REBT or cognitive therapy for the alcohol,he counters with"do you really want another addiction?"so I parry with"should
I become dependent on big pharma with their opiate based drugs for my osteopenia or should I use cannabis and MANAGE both conditions at the same time?"
Alas,the bearded stone face moves not.:peace:
 
Over the years, I have been an "all day" smoker, but even friends see it as an alternative way to treat my problems. Just 2 years ago, I tried some of the more "refined" MMJ strains available through the CA collectives and found Blue Dream works really well...amazing considering growers designed/bred that strain for anti-anxiety and depression.
I know what you mean about BD. That was my strain of choice until I found Cookies.

I've been using Cannabis as a mood stabilizer for 3 years, it helps with everything; anxiety, depression, "hypomania", insomnia, appetite, pain, and mixed episodes. That means I am high all day in addition the the other meds I'm on; zoloft and abilify. I know cannabis isn't for some people, but in my case it's keeping me sane and alive. I wish it would be studied and taken seriously as a medicine. Then I could actually talk to my doctor.
 
I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember, but it seems like it's gotten worse the last few years after I started a new job so i've definitely been smoking a lot more which worries me a little. But it's the only thing that keeps my anxiety under control. It just helps me think straight and I don't get as stressed out by things at work. I too have tried a lot of anti-depressants.
 
I was diagnosed with Bi Polar in 2010. Many different medications were prescribed. All these meds did was keep me in bed until mid afternoon everyday and I was unable to accomplish anything. After completing a drug rehab, I quickly stopped taking all prescribed meds, and started using marijuana. Fast foward to end of year 2014 and I am better than I have ever been, steady and secure in my career, and now even my personal life is improving. I firmly believe that this wouldn't be possible without marijuana
 
I know what you mean. I too have a lot of problems but before I put them out there I want to tell everyone my experience since I started using marijuana. I have been married 3 times. Spent about 3 years in the county jail on and off and went to prison 2 years. I didn't know at the time I was bipolar and suffered from agoraphobia" fear of open spaces ie' crouds". I have always had anosmia but none of this was ever addressed. Things like simply talking to some one I didn't know were impossible to do unless I was drinking but then I would get angry easily. I became very reclusive. I finally started seeing a doctor and I was diagnosed with anxiety"agoraphobia" bipolar disorder 1 and ansomia. I tryed a lot of different meds. The only thing that came close to working was lamictal,lithium,xanax and lunesta. Some of the meds even put me in the psychiatric hospital for a couple weeks. Now to the good part! I had a friend who smoked and I said what the hell. About this time I met my 3rd wife and we hit it off great. We got married and I adopted her 2 kids.We been with each other for 10 years now and I haven't had one pill from a doc since then! Just for the record too. My wife has never smoked a day in her life but she is pro all the way. Marijuana gave my life back to me.
 
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