[cafegrrrl]

I recently finished up a partial hospitalization program (not for D/A specifically) and while there, I was stupid and told my shrink I do smoke marijuana.

Now, he wants me to give up both smoking AND caffiene. He says I "suffer" from caffeinism. And he strongly believes i need to quit caffiene. I told him I did cut down to about 6 cups a day from a pot of coffee. He says that's still too much caffiene. He says it can and does interfere with my meds (just 20 mg of paxil a day). It doesn't matter to him that when i was in college I used to drink coffee like water (I used to work in a ton of coffee shops while i was in school and after i graduated).

I saw my counselor again for the 2nd time since I was "successfully discharged" from the partial program. She, too is insisting I cut back on the caffeine and smoking.

The last time i saw the shrink ( a little over a month ago) he asked if i'd be willing to enter a treatment program for smoking. I told him not to bother because i wouldn't go.

But, since starting to see my counselor again, i'm afraid they'll try to commit me involuntarily. Can they do that if I refuse to enter a treatment program?

I don't smoke that much...just 1-3 bowls a day. I'm only smoking that much now because it's winter and there's nothing to do and nowhere to go, really.

My shrink also doesn't seem to believe me when i tell him i've only been smoking for a year. I tried it in high school and college but it never did anything for me. I only tried it again last year because it was offered and meds weren't working. That one time was what did it for me. I finally discovered why it's so popular.

Aside from possibly interfering with the way meds work, I really don't see what the big deal is. I'm not hurting anyone. I guess i'm damaging my lungs and have a nice THC build up in my brain (and the synapses, neurons and etc), but other than that, no one else is being harmed.

And, during my last session with my counselor last week, my counselor asked if I think I need to enter a D/A program. I told her I don't.

Does anyone else here know what can or could happen when i see my shrink and tell him I'm not going to stop? Can they involuntarily lock me up simply because I refuse to stop?

[deliquesce]

nah, they can't lock you up.

personally, i'd like to throw out a big "SCREW YOU!!" to your shrink, regarding the caffeine. i drink about six cups of coffee each day too and my pdoc thinks it's fine. he has encouraged me to slow down a bit, when i've been *really* wound up and anxious, but he doesn't think there's anything wrong with it.

as for the pot - i think there are still better things to do with your life in winter than sit around and smoke. but, ysee, i have asthma and i value my life too much to want to try . it could be something worth discussing with your counsellor - other things to do. and... i think it does harm more than just yourself. some people get addicted to it, some people have a psychotic reaction to it. who is going to look after you then? i'm not a big fan of drugs (as you can probably tell) but i respect your choice to do whatever you want.

bottom line: neither your counsellor or shrink can lock you up for not doing what they want. they might not be happy, and they might (but probably wont) stop working with you, but they def cant lock you up.

[madisgram]

the fact that weed disrupts your meds affectiveness is something you may seriously want to look at. why take the meds if the weed is gonna interfere with it? your docs must be concerned too or they wouldn't keep going back to it. IMHO.
i would imagine they could choose to not rewrite your meds if they are adamant that this interferes with their treatment for you.
no they can't lock you up.

[cafegrrrl]

I don't know if i even care about the meds. I know I haven't been on the Paxil long enough or consistently enough for it to make much of a difference. And, so far, the only difference I've noticed since taking the Paxil is my creativity or need for it, is coming back, a little.

I figured he'll probably tell me if I don't stop and refuse rehab, he won't prescribe the Paxil anymore and that really doesn't bother me. I'm also afraid that if i try applying for disability, he may not back me up. Which is fine, I suppose. I'm in the process of seeing if I can work for myself and if I can do so on a consistent manner, anyway.

I don't have anyone really, to look after me and that's fine too. Maybe i'm just being a defiant baby or something but I really don't see why it's such a big deal. It pisses me off that they want me to quit the only 2 things that seem to make my currently pathetic life bearable. I'd like to take away some of the things they find to be enjoyable in their lives and see how they feel.

I think the only reason why they want me to give up the caffeine and marijuana is because they're chemicals and not prescribed. And, since they're not prescribed, they don't get nice little kick backs or whatever the drug companies and their reps give them to push their legal crap.

[madisgram]

of course the choice is yours. here's my spin on it though you might not agree. i am a recovering alcoholic of 18 years. i am also bipolar on the depressive side. i didn't have much mania just an agitated state of mind. i used alcohol to self medicate. many drugs that are in the family of alcohol and weed are depressants. they actually feed into the depression. i tried to take anti-depressants and mood stablilizers while drinking. i only got worse. much worse and almost died. my doctors told me that it was useless to do both. they treated me for both conditions at the same time. my life is incredibly wonderful...there is no way to describe the difference in words.
you stated you had not taken paxil long enough to see if it helped you. why not give it a try without the weed? you've got nothing to lose but perhaps a greater joy than you get from the weed. if you need help to put down the weed for an "experiment" let your docs help you do that.
as for your disability...you will definitely find a difficult road based on what your docs are suggesting you do. i know...i am disabled too. they will research your medical records before rewarding disability.
in my case because i got sober and took medications for the bipolar i had a return to my corporate management career and many profitable years working.
thanks for responding to my posting. at least you are searching for solutions.
oh, and yeah we are all a bit difiant about our drug of choice. so it's understandable. just keep asking questions and you'll come to your own answers.
keep us posted on how you're doing, k?

[stella01]

hi i hear you all these opinions are not qualafied opinions, pot should not be compared to any other abused substance, 4 1 thing its a natural growing plant unlike anything else ,2 its highly debated in the medical community as to how damaging or helpful it can be 3, they have not studied it enough to give an informed decision 4 i have read the 1 study i could find on the subject from a researcher in colerado & you'll be very surprised at the finding everything we've been told about it is bs the complete opposite infact so do a search & find it ,i was a chronic user for 25yrs but given up a mth ago im bipolar1 on lithium & aropax , ever since giving up my life has been hell on earth, dr says i used it as a mask to control it well now they have given me another mask friggan benzo's but hey never mind they they are far more addictive & no good for you there "legal" well im seeing how it goes for now but if start getting addicted & i will no1 will be telling me not to smoke,i can function just fine on pot my bipolar was stable the meds were working just fine till i gave up?but now on benzo's im a zombie but do the narrow minded misinformed sheep out there care bout that no its "legal"& by the way my pdoc knew & she tld me that it does not make it worse or interfear with meds but it does shorten the cycle between stable & unstable & she had a friend that she watched & made notes of before & after giving up so check out the ministry of amsterdam web page they quote the research results done in america & i surjest everyone that wants to have an educated opinion on the subject do the same. good luck tc

[Lenny]

I resist judgement on anyone cafegrrrl. You are a grown woman who has hundreds of choice to make every day. They are yours and as you have shared,,you have no dependents, so most of your decisions affect only you.

I have been around substance abuse all my adult life..some as a user and some as a educator...mostly my own education.

One thing I have learned is that denial kills far more people than any drug. It allows pollups to grow undetected in colons, arteries to clog one molecule at a time, a small cough to become malignant destruction and addiction to patiently wait for its moment to kill,,,one bowl, line or shot at a time.

I began with a stolen beer and ended with emptying stolen pints of cheap vodka in six or seven shakey swallows. And every moment in between telling myself I was OK and was hurting no one but myself.

Your using two drugs,,one legal and the other questioned by many, to get through your day. You have measured your intake in response to unfair critiques and questions. Your answers tell folks your OK and in some cases,,its none of their darn business. Its none of mine either,,but you posted on our forum and if I can't offer you the best of my experience,,then why bother...?

You can do exactly what you want and I won't judge you. I will stand next to my tree in the middle of the woods and softly share that I have walked out. As I lean on my tree and watch the lost make bigger and bigger circles I remember the path of my circle(s) and how I once saw a man against a tree. I thought "what a jerk" to be leaning when there is so much ground to cover so many choices to make,,and where is North?

I am the jerk today and I will tell you that I have walked out and it was hard and I took many wrong turns.

Be kind to yourself and if your inner voice tells you there is a problem,,then there is. If your inner voice is quiet or tells you everyone is wrong then,,,well,,maybe we are and your coffee and pot are all you need.

It is not for me to say.

With Care and Respect,

Lenny

[cafegrrrl]

I am the jerk today and I will tell you that I have walked out and it was hard and I took many wrong turns.

Be kind to yourself and if your inner voice tells you there is a problem,,then there is. If your inner voice is quiet or tells you everyone is wrong then,,,well,,maybe we are and your coffee and pot are all you need.

It is not for me to say.

With Care and Respect,

Lenny[/quote]

I didn't realize anyone else had posted to this again. Thanks for the response. I like what you said. And, I've made my decision...for now anyway

[nowheretorun]

ive heard rumors but opinions are varied.. pot has certain relaxation abilities in comparison to some other man made substances.. its for some and not for all maybe

[Kedzie]

Pot can be a wonderful thing, and its such a misunderstood drug in the mainstream. But at the same time, this idea that its a wonder drug that can do anything without side effects is silly. Anything that masks your emotions, from benzos, to beer, to bud, can have negative effects on mental health.

Its not that uncommon for it to cause social anxiety. Like nowhere said, its for some, but not for all.