[Shaymus]

Like two or three weeks ago i decided to quit my effexor cold turkey and smoke pot when i get really down/anxious. Wasnt fantastic to start out but the last week or so ive noticed positive results. My downs that used to last up to two weeks now usually dont outlast the day. My better moods now seem to be the ones in control and i consider it a good thing. Things that would happen here such as the landlord deciding to come over everyday for hours on end that would put me in a panic->anger->depression cycle now seem to only keep me for 24 hours usually. Dont get me wrong i still panic, i still get pissed and i still get depressed but now it moves alot faster. My moods are more fluid. They dont get stuck nearly as often and when they do they work free.

Im sure most people would disagree with the choice i made but if it works for me then it works. My girlfriend has even noticed my moods have been much better lately. I feel so much better but somewhere the brainwashing of illicit drugs=bad still is in my mind. I dont want the good to end but im a lil paranoid that somehow im digging a hole even tho it feels like im forming a mountain.

Shay, some do hit the herb for relief. It has a very calming effect. My only advise is to keep it in check and try not to depend on it to fix you. I wish you the best. If it works for you and you're happy then I'm happy. Best of luck.

Ryan

[saudade]

As I see it, the only problem with Marijuana is, it's been made illegal after WWII.

I mean, all drugs have side effects, starting with alcohol and moving on to pills - oh, man, pills leave a trail of dirt - and weed and whatnot.

I have done the same, that is, trading anxiety & sleeping meds for pot. It works great on my body+mind, since weed doesn't leave me hung over the next day, as opposed to the pills.

Smoking pot when I get home from work is my only unlawful activity. I'm a good citizen. I pay taxes. I'm a good neighbor; orderly, quiet.

It's a fact that my life has improved since I quit taking that load of crap (anxiety pills).

[LMo]

Although I am a pot smoker, I disagree that the only problem is the illegality. My biggest issue with it is that it is not a controlled substance. Unless you grow your own, you can't have a whole lot of confidence that what you're getting isn't tainted in any way, or how much you need. Consequently, if one is using it to self-medicate (rather than just recreate), then I would recommend NOT smoking pot but rather talk to your doctor. Or get a medical marijuana licence ;-)

[Dolfin]

In all honesty Shay, I'd rather toke down that take my Klonopin. I look at it as an "herbal" remedy to calm myself as opposed to the possibility to getting addicted to the k-pin.

I only do it in moderation (not a teenager anymore LOL) and I prefer the after effects of marijuana as opposed to Klonopin. I enjoy not feeling the drug hangover.

Just be careful! (and have one for me LOL)

Jenn

Or you could grow your own. Do the docs give licenses for medicinal herb to help with mental illness?

[Shaymus]

What i do is i judge my high and not how much i smoke. I know the feeling my head gets when i reach the high i need. Its all different for me anyway as somedays i need several times to get where i want and somedays its like the first hit will pile drive me and poor me has to finish whats left in the pipe Now if only the flavored rolling papers would get delivered i got on ebay all would be good haha.

LMAO Shay. I'm glad that you found a relief.

Ryan

[krzyk101]

I at one time years ago could smoke and maintain work and college, only once my mental illness went from anxiety to back then schizophrenia and now bipolar, ocd, PTSD , Adult ADHD.

Seems once I got to taking the huge cocktail of different medications, I could not get the benifits from mary jane I once did actually I get the opposite as I once did like extreme :confusion: parania and stuff. Really I wish I could still use the herb to relax only seems it causes me psychosis instead and that kinda makes me angry

If it helps you still I say that besides it not being legal it's positive benifit's and does not cause alot of paranoia than It is a positive thing for you. Only have to be careful as I hear alot of it can be laced with crack and stuff that is addictive. Peace.

[Zorah]

It works better for me than sedatives & with the added benefit that it is an appetite stimulant. You can not get a license to grow unless you are terminal (physically) or your oncologist will prescribe, i.e. you need to have cancer. I would have died of anorexia in my early 20s without it I think. They say it is no good for schizophrenics, but my son is one, & it is one of the more reliable ways of calming him down when he gets violent.

[sqrlb8]

Can't believe I didn't spot this one earlier. lol.

And guess what ? ! Even medical studies are showing marijuana effective in treating mi symptoms of a wide variety, bipolar and depression in particular. The NORML site has links to many of them.

Given the general lack of side effects in comparison to the meds, it's a reasonable consideration for anyone to make.

[ktp]

My brother is also schizophrenic and it works much better for him than any other combination of meds the docs had him on. I believe it should be legalized, even if only for medical use with a prescription. We can't even get that here.

Anyway, I used to be a smoker but when I quit the smokes I quit the mary jane, but it worked better at sedating and ridding my anxiety than the Xanax I'm prescribed. Hmmm..and the Xanax is more addictive. Ironic, I think.

[LMo]

By the way, we have another thread going on about this same topic, and different people have posted some good comments worth reading:

Marijuana in Substance Abuse

[Shaymus]

I noticed the other thread there but i felt like i should make a new one elsewhere as that is the substance abuse forum and i didnt wanna plaster all over "weed is nifty!!" and make someones job of quiting harder. I know when they took it away from me back in december i wasnt liking it to much and if something made it harder i might have failed. Thanks tho for sharing as if i hadnt been there i would have wanted to. Its nice to see both sides (specially if i can get myself to listen and not give a rebuttal).