[QUEEN OF WANDS]

i originally posted this in addictions but i think i may try here because nobody has replied....
i have quit smoking mariguana before and noticed i had nightmares to the point that makes me very fearful of quitting again..i can go without it although the anxiety is very high..but i cannot handle nightmares,the images are very disturbing and frightening,,,has anyone else experienced this?

[Shadowghost]

QUEEN, I don't think the marijuanna is giving you the dreams. I think it's the anxiety over quitting. Marijuanna isn't addictive, and is only slightly psychotropic. The marijuanna may help ease your anxiety over the short haul, but overall, it's probably contributing to your anxiety. Quitting will probably give you bad dreams for a few days, but then the dreams will very likely stop altogether. You should commit to quitting, if for no other reason than that it'll mean more money in your pocket. There's the obvious health aspect to consider also, but having more money to either spend or save should be a nice incentive to help you quit. Marijuanna doesn't come cheap, and over time the cost of buying an eighth or a quarter every once in a while really adds up. Your bad dreams will hopefully stop fairly quickly after you quit. If they don't, you should consider seeing your family doctor for a referral to see a psychiatrist.

[QUEEN OF WANDS]

well,i am going thursday to be evaluated and i know i will be put on meds...i have to disagree that marijuanna is not addictive..i do not know what psycotropic means...i have seen alot happen over weed..someone close to me is highly addicted to the point he cannot go more than 2 hours without a joint..he cannot go without it,,he becomes very violent and has a very hard time in public without it,,it is always on his mind,,and yes the amount of money spent is absolutely rediculous..marijuanna may not be seen as such a bad drug but without it he cannot cope so i would say it is addictive,, on the marijuanna he can be a nicer person,even caring,but without it he is dangerous and becomes very hostile and violent and mean and degrading...it is easy for me to have a puff when he is around because he does it so often,,and i see him daily but i do not smoke as much as him,he even gets up a couple times through the night just to puff and go back to bed......the dreams dont start right away,,it takes about 2-3 weeks..maybe once i get on meds it wont be so hard to deal with the anxiety...and maybe there is somekind of message my brain tries to tell me through the nightmares ,altho the content makes no sense to me,,they are very intensly frightening...thank you for your reply

[Shadowghost]

QUEEN, marijuanna really isn't addictive. If you have a friend who acts that way, it's purely psychological. There are no habit forming chemicals or properties in marijuanna. People do not sign into detox centers rehab centers to get over marijuanna. People don't experience, or die from, withdrawal symptoms associated with pot. I know all this for a fact, I smoked pot myself, for more than fifteen years. I was a very heavy pot smoker, I researched marijuanna. There is nothing about marijuanna that could possibly addict anyone to it. Your friend is either smoking pot with other drugs that ARE habit forming, or as I already said, it's purely psychological, all in his mind. There are no physically addictive qualities to marijuanna.

[QUEEN OF WANDS]

well,what do you mean by psychological?does he think he needs it?maybe he is addicted to the effect ,not the actual drug?he called the detox center and they were going to give him a bed right away,but he is bipolar(and more) and cannot be in that type of environment,they also suggested he start N/A...he has smoked heavy amounts since the age of 14(25 years ago),,,also mixes it with tobacco,,,its almost like he is a different person without it...i deeply appreciate your replies....i was once given information on marijuanna(5 years ago,so i dont remember it all) it said that withdrawal from it does not usually occur until about a month later,,and that dreams may occur(the original reason for my post )...maybe they have newer info,,i will get some...i really wish someone in the addiction forum would have replied...should i ask in a different form of the question? again thank you shadowghost....i hope your day is a good one

[Shadowghost]

QUEEN OF WANDS, in my experience with drugs, from both first and second-hand knowledge, any addiction is a serious matter. I'm not downplaying your friend's situation, I'm simply saying that marijuanna isn't physically addicting. There are no physical withdrawal symptoms, but that doesn't mean that your friend isn't an addict, only that his addiction is psychological. Now, his cigarette smoking is a different story. That IS a physical addiction. I was only attempting to dispell the myth that a lot of people have that marijuanna is addicting. It's not, but it is a gateway drug, meaning that use of marijuanna very often leads to the use of other, heavier drugs. Marijuanna is a serious drug in this respect. It's almost inevitable that someone using pot will also try other drugs. This greatly increases the risk of becoming an addict to some other drug. Your friend almost being admitted into N/A Was very likely just a preventive measure to ensure that he got help for his problems, not because of any so-called addiction to pot. Maybe he exaggerated his problem, maybe not. At any rate, I imagine that his bipolar disorder accounts for some of his behaving as though he has a physical addiction. A lot of times, people diagnosed as bipolar also suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. That's the case with me. I have bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety. People with either one or both of these disorders are also frequently more susceptible, due to their personality make-up, to becoming addicts. QUEEN, I hope your friend gets the help he needs, and I hope your nightmares stop. Oh, let me address the question you asked at the beginning of your last post. Psychological addictions are where someone thinks they have an addiction. They use whatever substance as a crutch to help deal with some other problem they have, either because they can't deal with this other problem or they simply don't want to deal with it. It's kinda like a defense mechanism. That's my understanding, anyway. Maybe I'm wrong. But psychological addictions are every bit as serious as physical addictions. The power of the mind is amazing. I hope my overly long post here helps you somewhat.

[Nupoet64]

THC is a mind altering substance and does cause a depressed state. It can also reduce the immediate anxiety symptoms. The lack of it allows you to have the symptoms you would have already; nightmares, etc. It is called "self medicating". There was something there to cause you to desire the altered state in the beginning.
There are prescription meds that help with sleep and help with anxiety. But if you can find out why you ahve nightmares, that would prob be the best solution...imo.
Good luck.
the THC is not physically addictive, but it is psychological addiction. But that is adressed above, I think.