[moremi]

Well I don't know where to start so I will just come out with the main issue first. My daughter has been showing signs of bipolar for the past year or so. Then we find out she was smoking marijuana she says it helps her. I don't understand this because when I was younger I couldn't smoke it my smoke it myself because it cause panic and anxiety. I figured it was due to the chemical imbalance in my brain from being bipolar. Does anyone else have any related stories to this. I don't know what to do. I know its illegal for her to do it and she has never smoked it in our home that I know of..

[moremi]

I probably should tell more about it. My husband wont allow her to go on meds to treat bipolar because he has been on the medication merry go round with me. So my daughter feels that weed helps her like an antidepressant would. Idk about that. I don't know if its true or if its her being 16 and wanting to smoke weed????

[Debi54]

Obviously, I can't speak for everyone, and there is a chance that your daughter will react to certain medications (or substances) like you or your husband (my daughter took after me), but I wasn't diagnosed until in my 30's, and I smoked marijuana from the time I was 16. At first it was because others did, but I soon found that it helped calm the crazy urges I'd get, or the anger and depression. So she may be right. For a long time, that was all I had. And it's certainly better than drinking, which was the next thing I tried. I believe medication is important, but just watch her to make sure she doesn't have a reaction like you did.

[A Red Panda]

(disclaimer: not diagnosed so there's always the chance that I'm not bipolar although I think that I am..)

I've always found that weed calms me down. Sorta zombiefies me sometimes actually. It slows my thoughts down and I can only focus on one thing at a time. Which usually means I'm very focused on who I'm talking to, or what I'm watching, or listening to what's being sad, or making sure I'm not going to drop my glass.... that I don't have the mental energy to even be sad or stressed out.

Alcohol, on the other hand, makes me hyperactive.

The problem with marijuana, from what I've read here about those who've tried to give
it up, is that it is sold now in a much more highly addictive form and is very difficult to break
the addiction. Before that happens, I would help her wean from it and look for other,
more healthy ways to control the feelings. "The Lemon thing" is one that is helpful.

It might even be helpful to try acupuncture.

Your husband must learn to realize that if she is bipolar (and you need to have that
checked with a psychiatrist) she may need medications to keep the illness from growing
worse over the years. That can happen if she remains without medications for a long period.

Please ask that your husband attend the psychiatric conference, as well, to learn more
about treatment and improving feeling tone for your daughter.

She might not be bipolar; that would be wonderful, but you cannot risk not knowing.
Either way, a psychiatric conference is called for, in my view.

[vjdragonfly]

I can understand your reaction to marijuana when you already have anxiety it can worsen the paranoia if you are not in the right mind before smoking. Honestly, I have smoked for a lot of years and then quit when I had my kids. I have recently picked it back again and I do find it soothing and when depressed over even tormented it picks me up. The bad thing is it is for only a little while. This is where it can become "addictive". You want to feel better so you smoke more and it can come to a point that you feel like you can't function without it ( I watched my husband go through this and it made him miserable to live with when he didn't have it). It is kinda like not having your medicine for anxiety. She really needs professional help. Yes, it takes time to find the right med cocktail and somehow this needs to be explained to your husband. Not every medicine works the same for each bipolar person. It took years before I found my mix, but it was worth the trial and error because now I am more functional. I wish the best fro you and your daughter.

[faerie_moon_x]

I know everyone is on the fence about this issue. Persoanlly, my opinion is that a lot of the research done on medicinal use is biased and skewed by old mentality standards, and we really don't know the effects. I don't trust anything I see in the media about it or even any papers by doctors/researchers because I've seen it both ways and who knows at this point. I think it is like any other medicine or chemical and it effects everyone differently, has side effects and some of them can be very bad for certain people.

When I was a teen I smoked socially with my friends. I will always remember the first time that I did. I looked at my friend and said, "I'm thinking one thing at a time." For me, it made me giggly yet slowed me down. My mind never slows down, even when I'm deeply depressed. So it was a huge deal when it happened. That was my experience. This was many, many years ago now.

I'd like to try is medicinally some day, but for now, I don't want to risk having it in my system with my job. (Even though it is legal medicinally here, you can still be legally fired for using it.) Plus, as I said, I'd like to see some actual, non-biased research on both sides to come around for the mental health community.

As for your daughter, it could be just a phase. I had a phase. I didn't get addicted and it was easy to stop. But, my brother-in-law who also has bipolar is severly addicted to marijuana and it hasn't done him any favors. I say get her evaluated by a psychiatrist, find a good therapist, and you and your husband have some really serious discussions with both of those providers of what the best bath is to try next.

[moremi]

Thank you all for your advice. I am definitely going to have a conversation with my husband and see if he will at least give it a go at the psychiatrist with her.

[BlueInanna]

That's a hard thing. They see us on meds and think natural herb is better... I've had a hard time with my teen kids. I've found no effect arguing with them about their pot use. When I was young I felt it helped me but my life was a mess anyway. Anytime p's tried to force me to not do something or not hang out with the certain people, I would still do what I wanted anyway. I had to learn for myself and I don't love pot anymore, never thought that would happen back then, but it seems to increase anxiety now. My advice is get her with a counselor who will work with her on all the issues and preserve your relationship and bond with her.

Cannabis helped me a lot through my teenage years. In fact, I'm not so sure I would've been alive if it weren't for cannabis. It was the only thing that actually did something for me, unlike the antidepressants thrown at me by professionals. I've avoided acting upon many suicidal urges by smoking cannabis first. However, it has also become a problem for me, and I do think there are healthier ways of coping with my emotions. Those ways are just not as simple, effective and obvious. I agree that you should talk with her about seeing a psychiatrist.

[newtus]

cannabis never helped me.
alcohol did for awhile but not cannabis.
ive only smoked a handful of times. from the very first time i did it at 15 to the very last time - i had bad expereinces each time. i think if i was on it i would be dead or in jail because it blew my paranoia to extremely abnormal standards - like i tried to call the police once to tell them off for spying on me for years. or it made me dysfunctional. i know little about illegal or even legal substances.

i deal with paranoid schizophrenia anyway.
but some people with Sz say it works for them too.

not me though.

[olivvia1andonly]

i used to smoke ALOT. I quit by force when i was pregnant with my son and later resumed my use. I chose to stop smoking when i realized how it was contributing to my mood swings and my irrational perspectives. remind her it is a type of hallucinogen