Cannabis, marijuana, hashish, THC, & CBD / cannabidiol or Hemp oil

[degen12]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2864503/

 

Skip to the heading "Do cannabinoids cause persistent psychotic symptoms or a psychotic disorder?" if you don't want to read the whole thing.

[degen12]

This review is probably the strongest study:

 

Lancet. 2007 Jul 28;370(9584):319-28.

Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes: a systematic review.

Moore TH, Zammit S, Lingford-Hughes A, Barnes TR, Jones PB, Burke M, Lewis G.

 

Abstract at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17662880/

 

"The uncertainty about whether cannabis causes psychosis is unlikely to be resolved by further longitudinal studies such as those reviewed here. However, we conclude that there is now sufficient evidence to warn young people that using cannabis could increase their risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life."

[degen12]

http://drthurstone.com/marijuana-psychosis-connection/

 

A great collection of research.

 

Here is her rebuff to the Harvard study:

 

Today, people championing marijuana legalization and generally looking to explain away the potential harms of using this addictive drug are trumpeting research conducted at Harvard University that found no causal link or association between adolescent marijuana use and development of schizophrenia. The preliminary study, published December 2013 in the journal Schizophrenia Research, is titled, “A Controlled Family Study of Cannabis Users With and Without Psychosis.” Its authors are Ashley C. Proal, Jerry Fleming, Juan A. Galvez-Buccollini, Lynn E. DeLisi.

For the purposes of this guide, it is important to note:

• the main finding is that it’s not cannabis use alone, but, rather, an interplay between use and an underlying genetic vulnerability that may cause schizophrenia. This is consistent with previous research findings.
• researchers acknowledge the limitations of this study. They compared four groups of research subjects ranging in size from 32 to 87 people. The researchers concede this sample size may not be large enough to detect actual differences. Indeed. For example, one study that found marijuana use was linked to a fourfold risk of developing psychosis involved 45,570 people and followed them for a 15-year period (See “Lancet. 1987 Dec 26;2(8574):1483-6. “Cannabis and schizophrenia. A longitudinal study of Swedish conscripts”.
• this study is cross-sectional, not longitudinal. Longitudinal research — such as the 1987 study cited above — is needed to prove or disprove causal associations between marijuana use and psychosis and/or schizophrenia.
• this research does not diminish repeated and widespread findings of strong association between adolescent marijuana use and psychosis. And while psychosis is not necessarily schizophrenia, it would be foolish to believe psychosis isn’t worth worrying about and guarding against.

[westcoast]

Longitudinal research can't prove causation. It can only reveal correlations. Only a double-blind true experiment can do so.

 

The problem with correlational pot research, whether it is cross-sectional or longitudinal, is that the people who use it are, in many countries, law-breakers to start with, which means they might already have underlying issues. Second, they may be self-medicating (using pot to feel better), which again can point to underlying issues.

 

And heaven knows how many of them were also on psych meds in the studies we read about. (I have heard that Effexor and pot interact badly, via Erowid.com, a drug users' web forum.)

 

I knew a young woman who routinely acted like a schizophrenic when she smoked pot. I finally decided she actually was schizophrenic, but can't know how she would have turned out without pot. She also took Adderall, the adhd drug which is basically speed. Her dad was a formal bigamist (secret second family) who did time for medical manslaughter, her brother was a burglar, and her sister was dating a heroin dealer. They were all whack jobs! Both parents were medical doctors, for what that's worth.

[degen12]

Yes, but due to ethical reasons, these will never be done. Think of tobacco and causation. Although experiments have not been done, no one would now doubt that there is a causal relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, for example.  Of course, the level of correlational research linking cannabis use to psychosis is not nearly so numerous, large, or unanimous in its findings, and there are many variables that are perhaps not yet accounted for, as you point out. 

 

I believe in the precautionary principle and a large review in the Lancet states that, "...there is now sufficient evidence to warn young people that using cannabis could increase their risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life."

 

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, and deserves respect as any do. I do not believe that developing brains, especially those of a teenager, should be exposed to any psychotropic or psychoactive drug, plant or pharmaceutical, except at great need. I am perhaps biased here due to having been drugged since age 6.

 

Kids will be kids and some will experiment, but I don't doubt that, despite not having rock solid evidence, regular pot use in teenagers who are susceptible, will be causally linked to psychosis. Since it can be construed that all brains are developing, I will add that there are several life stages in which there are bursts of brain development. Several of these occur during our teenage years.

 

I am not making any argument that responsible adults should not be able to partake in recreational pot use.

 

How I wish that more caution was exerted in regards to the approval of many pharmaceutical-grade  psychotropic drugs.

[degen12]

Would any of you now support a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, lasting several years, giving an SSRI to healthy teenagers and monitoring them for behavioural and mood changes?

[Rhiannon]

 

 

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, and deserves respect as any do. I do not believe that developing brains, especially those of a teenager, should be exposed to any psychotropic or psychoactive drug, plant or pharmaceutical, except at great need. I am perhaps biased here due to having been drugged since age 6.

 

 

 

I sure wish more people cared about this. I can't believe how many kids are on psych drugs. It's horrible. And we see the aftermath here all the time.

 

And of course nobody wants teenagers to use cannabis either! I just wish it were easier to persuade the kids themselves. At that age it's so hard to get them to care about their developing brains. 

 

Hopefully with legalization the black market will eventually become less profitable and less ubiquitous, and you'll have a situation like with alcohol and cigarettes, where kids will have to find someone with ID to buy it for them if they want it. At least that makes a slightly higher barrier than what we have now, which is pretty much nothing.

 

Don't know what to do about the psychiatrists, though. It's crazy to me that they don't even think about what a drug that perturbs neurochemistry is likely to do to a brain that's still developing. That's absolutely insane.

[Rhiannon]

Also, maybe with legalization we'll be able to explore some of the gray areas between "it's all good" and "it's the devil."

 

Right now it's hard to find any legalization advocates who are willing to admit there may be drawbacks to cannabis use, or any legalization opponents who are willing to admit there could be benefits from it.  Like everything in actual reality, it's probably a mix of good and bad, just like alcohol I suppose, or chocolate for that matter; and the more that people can be informed about the pros and cons and make informed decisions, the better off we'll all be. 

 

The vast majority of people who use alcohol do so sensibly and responsibly, at least from what I see looking around me. Hopefully we'll get to the same place with cannabis eventually.

[degen12]

I agree. Fear-mongering actually made things worse, at least at my school. After a school seminar in which horror stories were told of what would happen if you smoked weed, some kids uh.. paradoxically became more curious about the substance and began to experiment for the first time . Even I couldn't believe it could be as bad as that.

 

I also hope with legal sales one would be able to chose a strain that has the THC and CBD %, and subjective qualities that meets their individual needs.

[Ibid]

This article (link below) appeared this morning on Alternet. It maintains that CBD (which doesn't get you high) and other cannabinoids aid neurogenesis and therefore may have many disease-fighting benefits, among them to combat and protect against--(and maybe aid in recovery from?)--depression. The links are pretty good. It notes other significant, positive effects as well. As many of you point out, of course, there are probably negative effects as well. More and better research please!

 

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/pot-could-save-your-life-4-ways-cannabis-good-your-brain?akid=12796.1914329.Ewqi8l&rd=1&src=newsletter1031917&t=7

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

I agree on more research. I am just so against any chemical help for 'depression' after being burned by AD's.

 

Ibid, is there any chance you'd like to write an update in your topic and tell us how you are doing?

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3905-ibid-prozac-stopped-doing-it/page-2

[indigo]

Before I went on Prozac I used pot to ease stress from PTSD. It worked well but I wasn't getting much done so I stopped using it.

Prozac felt great for awhile. I became super functional. No PTSD.  But after a number of years I realized it was blunting my creativity.

(I'm a painter) so I started to taper off it.Tapering  withdrawal was manageable until I got to very low dose then all hell broke loose.

I now have a Medical Marujuana verification card for legal use of cannabis to treat severe withdrawal symptoms from Prozac. Kind of ironic.

I haven't actually used it yet because I feel as if I should  be keeping track of my withdrawal symptoms to judge the rate of my tapering.

[antidepressantsNoMore]

Pot may help those going through chemotherapy, degenerative dieases, neurological dieases but it has a lot of downsides. Now, not everyone who smokes pot experiences the negative side-effects but I did. Pot CAN most def. cause paranoia and anxiety especially for those who suffer from anxiety disorders. You couldn't pay me to touch that crap ever again.

[InvisibleUnless]

weed helps me with withdrawal sometimes (and i was on benzos, ADs, AAPs, etc).  my body is not always able to handle it, and ive partaken of much smaller portions at much fewer intervals the past many years.  ive used it with different levels of success for intractable muscle dystonia, neurological upset, and other often incapacitating elements.

 

here is a short 'factoid' response list from academic research papers (i wrote for college back in the day), independent research, and personal experience:

 

-RE-legalization is about money, just like the initial, belated illegalization was about money.  industry, taxation, and control of assets (like guns and contributions to gang coffers that could go elsewhere), and everything involved in political campaigning and officiating are the push behind drug proscription and permission.  im sure this sounds familiar to people facing severe pharmaceutical withdrawal.

 

-weed has properties that both help alleviate psych disorders AND can agitate them.  cannabis is a natural antipsychotic, anxiolytic, and antidepressant, however weedflower is a highly varied collection of chemicals and achieving appropriate and effective doses for particular problems is a matter of professional breeding and studied discussion rather than grabbing a dimebag on your local streetcorner.  there have been no proven causal effects between adult marijuana use and the development of mental illness, however many users report weed kicking up a storm for their bipolar/schizo-whateveritmaybe, or other issues, and data suggests that smoking may provoke earlier incidents of already developing or to-be-developing mental illness diagnoses.  i have had a prescription for several years now for depression and anxiety, and have known many individuals that find it to help with such psych conditions, but there is no panacea in medicine, and no treatment that works or is safe for everyone.  and, of course, marijuana can be dangerous or growth-inhibiting in pre-mature individuals, just like any other psychotropic compounds (psych meds, some painkillers, etc), and regular use would most likely be irresponsible at best.

 

its much like how weed has cancer fighting abilities, but many methods of dosing can entail carcinogenic risks---burning plant or rolling paper/blunt wraps, for instance (which generally does not precipitate the same degree of damage or danger as cigarette or tobacco smoking because active compounds from the cannabis are contained within the smoke and are administered directly to the lungs for local as well as systemic affect).  marijuana is a potent herb and should be treated with the respect and careful specificity of other medicative psychoactive compounds.

 

-the positive benefits are not limited to the CBD, and oftentimes the THC, CBD, and other compounds work together in your body to create the most helpful constellation of beneficial effects.  however, a general principle is that CBD is often the most effective primary ingredient for many pain and inflammation issues, and THC (especially high-THC, low-CBD strains) is often the riskier ingredient when it comes to agitating pre-extant conditions that are sensitive to psychotropic stimulation (including alcohol, meds, etc).

 

-mixing weed with alcohol, and especially mixing weed with psych meds, can be dangerous!  weed can combine with medications like antidepressants to set off serotonin storm, and, like any of these medications, even taking it on its own does not guarantee safety.  everyone has different physiology and drug-reactiveness, and there are risks and benefits just like any other food, herb, or medication.  its not for everyone, and should not be treated as if it can be.

 

 

as for people cautious about literature mentioning receptor binding behavior...i think its good youve learned from your negative experiences with the medical establishment and know enough about terminology to see something potentially dangerous.  however, receptor binding is how our brain works, and everything we eat, breathe, and interact with changes what chemicals are available and how our brain chooses to handle those resources.  im not trying to say eating a piece of ham is the same as toking a joint, but the point is that our existence as humans is predicated on marinating our brains in chemicals, and trying to find the most productive balances through proper diet, activity, and ritual.  one hugely important factor here is internal perception---you can get better from mere meditation when people who take ADs or smoke weed or go through psychotherapy may or may not succeed, and the variable mental environment shapes how studies of compounds are reported on, run, and carried out in interpretation.

 

so, i feel we can agree that studies cant make a drug or decision safe or unsafe, and we ourselves are the most knowledgeable of our workings and responsible for our own wellbeing, even when corporations and governments try to get us to relinquish increasing amounts of that control.  weed is not good for everyone, and anyone with bad medication history or withdrawal should be especially skeptical and cautious.  fearing receptor binding action as an independent phenomenon is not, ultimately, a coherent response, but the degree of action, particularity of targeting, preferential operation, etc are all meaningful things to consider when wondering if a food or supplement or physical experience could potentially be dangerous.

 

please consult professional and learned sources (hopefully interactive ones) before deciding if weed could be helpful for your own set of issues.  someone being a doctor (even a MMJ-prescribing doctor) or working at a high end dispensary does not necessarily make them qualified or helpful!  some of them can be, and some are most decidedly not.  the internet is a good ground-level research platform, but sometimes nuances or specifics of recommendation need to come from someone who can know your personal history and particularities.  given the power and steep learning curve for medical administration of weed, i personally think it should be low on the list of things to try for people who are adequately managing their withdrawal already or are not so desperate that they need immediate and significant assistance.

 

 

------

 

 

a few interesting tidbits off the top of my head, not particularly relevant to overall issues herein discussed, but good context:

 

-there are still patients receiving federal weed in america

-initial studies into the legalization in colorado reflect a decline in both relative and gross mortality when viewing statistics of public behavior like traffic accidents

-government efforts to poison and otherwise compromise drug cash crops abroad, including marijuana, are resulting in serious health problems for individuals---quite arguably more disease and death than the free use of marijuana

-countries legalizing or decriminalizing weed (and other far more potent drugs, even) generally see a correlating decline in non-drug criminal behavior, incarcerations, and social costs

-criminalization of drug activity in america is one of the primary causal factors behind the current continuing spread of several deadly and/or debilitating diseases like AIDS, and is the #1 factor in some metropolitan areas

[Lexy]

I told my doctor I use medical marijuana to ease wds. He said as long as I didn't have any negative effects coming from it then it's ok.

The cannabis is the only things that helps me get out of dark intrusive thoughts. It also helps with body aches and anxiety wds.

[sky68]

Guess MJ works for some, and does not so for others.

I used to blow one a day, also in my depressive period, which eased my stress and found it beneficial.

 

But then all of a sudden this totally changed over to severe anxiety and panic attacks. And I am sure it was because of the MJ. So I quit totally (about half way in my tapering period).

 

What does make me feel quite a bit more relaxing, and taking the tension away, is using CBD oil. It has almost no THC in it, and is not psychoactive by itself. Just a few drops under my tongue when I go to bed, I feel quite an improvement of my anxiety levels that had built up during the day.

 

Don't underestimate the power of MJ, in both positive and negative way!

[sky68]

I'd like to add that I do not advocate the use of MJ, CBD or whatever. Please don't take the above as a suggestion or advice.

These are only my experiences, that's all.

[oskcajga]

I had a HORRIFIC reaction to marijuana about a year ago that set me back over a year.  I wouldn't recommend anyone try marijuana unless you can ensure a SMALL dose and work your way up carefully.  Recreational smoking with friends can be EXTREMELY dangerous for hypersensitive withdrawal sufferers.  Seriously folks, this topic is nice and all, but my life was destroyed by smoking pot during withdrawals.  The DP/DR just got like 5X worse and it destroyed my nervous system.  Four hits.

 

So if you're thinking about smoking pot, maybe you can read my horror story on the subject (http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8788-oskcajga-partial-recovery-ssrisnri-withdrawal-and-adverse-reaction/)

 

Here's my prediction:  1)  It might work for you, 2) it might not do anything, or 3) it might ruin your life.   In my case, I tried marijuana 2X during withdrawal, I got the #1 response the first time and the #3 response the second time.  Whoops.  

 

I couldn't possibly recommend anything LESS than marijuana for withdrawal (unless you can do VERY small doses and see how it works).  I would never recommend bong hits or high doses of the stuff.  Even small doses combined with other medications you may be taking can mess up your central nervous system very well.

 

"legalize marijuana" is a nice theme, and it's popular these days, but for folks with hypersensitivity marijuana can spell absolute disaster unless very carefully taken.

 

Note, if you insist in smoking, I'd have someone who knows you that can cut you off once you stop.  The DP/DR effects of marijuana can make it hard to guage how much you are smoking or ingesting, making it VERY easy to overdose accidentally.  That's basically how I destroyed my life with marijuana.

 

If you would like to know what happened, basically I got too high too quickly on some strong stuff that a close friend of mine was smoking in a group.  I got high on like 1 hit, but didn't realize it, and then proceeded to take bigger and bigger hits without even realizing it.  I then had like a 12 hour panic attack, and then recurrent panic attacks for the next 6-9 MONTHS.  MONTHS folks, thats 9 months straight of heart palpitations, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, numbness tingling, HORRIBLE DP/DR, psycotic thoughts and ideas, the list just goes on and on and on.  It's now been about 1 year since I smoked the pot, and I'm like 50-75% recovered from my already fucked up withdrawal state before I smoked the pot (so maybe like 10-20% recovered overall).  So I lost a LOT of progress.  Very ******* tragic, really.

 

Just my 2C, hopefully someone here who's on the fence will be dissuaded by my story and save themselves 9-18 months of hell because of it. 

 

--

to stay on topic - I'm not so sure if something as powerful as marijuana should be purchased at the local supermarket or pot shop by ANYONE over the age of 18.  there are a LOT of people that end up with depersonalization and derealization, psycosis, etc, just after smoking pot once.  Usually, folks smoke too much at once, but without a doctor telling you how much to smoke, how are you supposed to figure it out?  Sometimes you get a little carried away, and then BAM you're screwed for years.  Go to http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/, lots of those folks got DP/DR after smoking pot just once.  After my experiences with pot, I'm not sure if it should be legal or not.  There's a shitload of unnecessary imprisonment that occurs, and I totally disagree with the legal system - for that reason, I'd say yes to legalization.  However, there are substantial risks people take by smoking pot, it should be labelled as extremely dangerous and provided instructions for use (i.e., start a small dose and increase as tolerance improves).

 

Idk, my 2C again.

[indigo]

I have tapered down to a very small dose of Prozac but even with minute drops still experience dark, anxious days after dropping.

I was prescribed medical marujuana a couple of months ago to help with these withdrawal symptoms. I felt a bit nervous about it,

but yesterday had one inhale late afternoon. Have to say it totally lifted my anxiety and dread for the rest of the day. Everyone is different.

[freespirit]

Indigo,

 

Do you know anything about the amount of THC in the medical marijuana you're using? I've been considering some for treatment of pain, but very much doubt my doc would prescribe. I'm thinking I might grow my own, if I could find seeds low in THC.

 

I've used some pot a number of times through withdrawal, mostly micro-dosing to treat symptoms. I make crackers, so it's easier for me to control the amount I'm taking in. I found it helped with nausea and also with mood. But now, seems to not be doing much of anything for mood..and I might be having a reaction a few days later..though it's hard to tell for sure.

[indigo]

My mm came from the original medical marijuana collective in California. They grow their own organically.

(something to consider if you buy from other dispensaries)

The mm I got is  60% indica, 40% sativa. Didn't get the THC content,

but one toke lifted  dark thoughts and dread, without getting me really stoned.

In this town you can buy MM seedlings of different kinds on Craigslist.

You could check it out in your area but no way of knowing what you're buying is what they say it is.

 Definitely wouldn't risk buying seeds this way.

Growing your own is the way to go.

[freespirit]

CA is miles ahead of where we are here in terms of mm. I found a farm on the island that grows organically. My next problem would be in finding a doc to prescribe. Health Canada has made it a complicated process, so I suspect many people end up buying on the street instead..where you have no idea at all of what you're getting. I buy mine from a friend of a friend. He grows a very small operation, only for himself and a few friends. I've been told he doesn't use chemicals, but who knows if that's true or not. The main problem for me is that he is always changing up what he grows...so in that respect, I don't know what I'm getting..and I suspect the goal for most people is getting high, which is not mine. One of my friends in CA is growing his own this year. He bought seeds through a Canadian company, which I've looked at. He has a prescription for psych issues. He believes it has saved his life.

 

I really prefer taking it in through food, rather than smoking it. I find it gentler and also, easier on my lungs. I need to make my crackers gluten free though, which I haven't done yet...will have to adjust the recipe.

 

I'm glad it proved helpful for you and that it continues to do so.

[indigo]

Wishing you the best with this. 

[InvisibleUnless]

there are reliable mail-order sites for seeds (though i dont know of any current ones offhand).  also remember to try to regulate your day/night cycles and have extra goodies for the plants like guana/fertilizer and even more experimental (but proven) techniques like sub-aural sonic stimulation if you can manage.  each breed has different sets of preferences, but there are some plants that are much easier to take care of while still meeting your CBD/THC ratio needs.  many dispensaries or shops have treelings you can get and then grow to maturity on your own, as well.

 

i dont know if i buy that CBD is 'not psychoactive', but its classification is kind of arbitrary because what counts is the experience as an individual---does it meet your needs or does it muck stuff up.  CBD is not the only thing to pay attention to when shopping for the ideal blend---THC has a synergistic effect with CBD, which means sometimes your benefits come from having both, even if they are regarded to be in the CBD spectrum of positive effects, and there are many other special chemicals appearing in different amounts in each strain that have an influence on the effect.  its more like buying a painting than choosing a material type for making pants.

 

i would write to a knowledgeable/experienced weed pharmacist about picking out strains that are best for your respective conditions/experiences and also liable to be grown more accommodatingly in private settings.  if you cant reach someone good, there are many websites dedicated to documenting the medical and experiential effects of particular stains---but be advised that many people either do not know or knowingly mislabel their strains, some strains have multiple names (or some names have competing identities), and that not all official strains or crossbreeds have the exact same ratios and effects.

 

microdosing and non-inhalation administration seem like great ideas to me, so i hope others are encouraged by the success of people here with that.  (which is, of course, not to suggest its right for some people, or that anyone should make a change based on the experiences or opinions in these posts.)  im afraid of eating my doses right now because it seems harder for me to regulate amount and effect that way (and the consequences in terms of duration can be more dire), but it is definitely easier on some peoples systems.  partly depends on how your internal organs are doing, i would think.

[freespirit]

Thanks for your input invisible. Seems like you have a lot of knowledge on this subject. I'm only at the beginning of learning.

 

Home growing might be more than I'm willing/able to take on right now...a big part of wanting to do it is simply knowing what has gone into it and not the use of chemicals..which seems to be a source of a lot of my problems these days.

 

I'm also using it very infrequently right now. I am generally going several months between uses. I try using every other healing tool I have, before resorting to pot. There is always the risk it could make things worse, even in small doses..

 

For awhile, I wasn't able to take the crackers. When my digestion was bad, nothing would happen for about 6 hours after taking it..then it would hit me like a ton of bricks, about the time I was ready to go to bed. That's when I stopped using any of it, as smoking was very irritating to my lungs at that point, even 1 tiny hit.

[InvisibleUnless]

growing can be a serious chore, and i wouldnt really recommend a first time grower tackle it while going through withdrawal.  most measures are just about boosting your quality and purity, as opposed to being absolutely vital to produce medication at all, but taking care of extra people, animals, or plants is a lot of work.

 

im a tad researched (and ive known a few growers)...mostly i just live in california (the amsterdam of america, despite colorado and washington having broader legalization policies), and have read some agricultural articles and weed politics magazines.  im glad you are highly suspicious of random origins...ive been lucky enough to largely account for my products via direct lineage, due to my location.  all sorts of chemicals, bad methods, and middleman contaminants can complicate or compromise your medication, and its a real shame.

 

ive had to ditch item after item due to increasing sensitivity to chemical contents...deodorant, most ice creams, tap water, etc.  i hope you can find some sort of legitimate source for the time being.  i dont really know the current cannabis situation in canada (or bc specifically, either, if each province has a say), but if you can get government vouched weed, id hope that would be at least a bit more reliable.  and if medical cannabis is legal there, perhaps there are collectives that would allow you to join (where you help them grow the community garden and then everyone gets a share---if you are disabled beyond the point of most work, i bet theyd understand and try to find a way for you to contribute).

 

if its a long process to get a script, i dont think i can really advise you specifically on it, but if theres waiting periods and tons of paperwork, id do as much as i could online/beforehand, and seek a recommendation to a doctor that knows about cannabis as a treatment tool and can give you a prescription that is direct and informed.  its really easy to get a weed prescription here, but there are a lot of shady docs/clinics/non-doctor prescribers that dont hold up to scrutiny as well, so finding someone aboveboard is important.

 

i imagine your options are somewhat limited there, but there are easier non-inhalation ways of taking your doses relatively precisely available some places.  less healthy things, like sodas, but also less recreational themed stuff, like CBD pills or suspension droppers (liquid, like homeopathic stuff or whatnot).  and, depending on the application you are requiring, some conditions are helped through topical medications---salves, lotions, 'skin butters', etc.  i dont know the laws there about shipping that stuff through the mail (perhaps authorized providers can drop ship from their location?), but hopefully working out a prescription and getting mail order could work if local options are too unreliable.

 

if you are in doubt about the safety of your available stock, i could try researching ways to try to reduce potential contaminants in samples.  its often hard to part plants from grown-in chemicals, but sometimes there are ways (usually involving state-changes).

[freespirit]

You've provided a lot of great information here invisible. I'll probably come back and read again. I really appreciate your knowledge and input.

 

I think right now, growing my own is probably too much. I live on 1/4 acre lot which keeps me more than busy through this time of year. I even opted to plant the majority of my veggies in pots this year..to try and make things easier on myself. So, adding something I'm totally unfamiliar with on top of all of this is not a great idea at the moment.

 

I'd have to get the support of my own doctor, even if I can also find someone else who would prescribe. He'd have to submit information on what I've already tried for pain, and other stuff from my medical history. He is terrible at completing forms. It was a huge problem when I was going through legal stuff regarding a car accident. He just kept ignoring letters from the lawyers on both sides of the issue. It held things up. Also, he has been largely unsupportive of me choosing alternatives over western medicine. So, I have limited hopes of him doing anything for me on this count.

 

I currently live in a very small community. There are no sanctioned growers nearby and no community-type situations here. I found a place on the mainland that will prescribe, but it costs almost $400 to do it..not something I feel I can afford right now.

 

For the moment, I'm so rarely using that perhaps I need to just set this aside for a time. When I had a bit of cracker a few weeks ago, it was the first time in about 5 months. I do miss the relief that it used to bring me..but maybe it makes me more dedicated to other practices.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your chemical sensitivities. Tap water? Wow, that's intense if you can't even drink regular water. I tried to eliminate as many toxins as I could when I developed histamine problems. I use unscented, gentle, and natural produces as much as possible. But I can't afford to eat organic, except what comes from my own garden...I suspect that all plays a role in my health..but we each do what we can.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[Caratacos]

Hi All, I just want to ask if anyone ever tried using medical cannabis as an alternative meds? I have read many articles about medical marijuana and how it can help you in terms of chronic pain, glaucoma, eating disorder/anorexia, anxiety disorders and panic attacks, inflammation, even cancer and a lot more. Like this article about a marijuana strain:Sour Jack from:http://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/sour-jack/ . Cbd and thc are also new to me and I don't even smoke. If this is true I cant find any solid conclusive evidence that speaks to its efficacy. Any personal experience or testimonial would be highly appreciated. Thanks

[TedDykle]

Though I am not able to partake, has anyone found marijuana helpful?

 

I ask because as this becomes legal in more and more places, someone must have some experience with it and how it applies to and effects depression/withdrawal?  How many people would never have been exposed to the wonderful world of antidepressants in the first place?

[nz11]

Don’t go there.

[Centime]

I self-medicated with pot for many years, though I recently quit as part of withdrawal from ALL drugs. Does anyone have any info about the interaction of marijuana and SSRIs?

[Altostrata]

Merged similar topics.

 

Marijuana's effects are complex. Nobody understands its action. For our members, the effects are unpredictable. Some have benefitted and others have not.

 

If withdrawal syndrome has made you very sensitive to drugs, I would avoid marijuana.

[Centime]

I'm definitely avoiding pot for the indefinite future. Although it worked wonders on the language problems I was having due to the Paxil (I'm a writer), I grew dependent on it. Now that I'm tapering off Paxil, I want to know exactly what's going on with nothing confusing the issue. My main concern is how long-term use might have affected my brain chemistry as far as withdrawal is concerned. I'm being very cautious and don't want to throw any wild cards into the mix. Thanks for linking me to this thread.

[Altostrata]

We know that long-term pot users will experience withdrawal if they suddenly quit. That suggests that, while marijuana affects many kinds of receptors, it must cause some adaptation.

 

You can assume recovery from chronic marijuana use will be like other withdrawal syndrome recoveries: Very gradual.

[jordidog]

On 1/28/2015 at 7:42 PM, WiggleIt said:

I hate to burst y'all's bubbles, but weed damages people also. It just takes longer.

 

Although, honestly, these psych meds are the WORST thing I've ever seen, ever. So, weed probably would have been better for everyone here for anxiety.

 

Have I mentioned I hate this world?

I’m using cannabis with THC for anxiety...very moderate. 

Im using CBD oil everyday to help me with withdrawal

 

[WiggleIt]

On 6/26/2018 at 1:34 PM, Blandell said:

I’m using cannabis with THC for anxiety...very moderate. 

Im using CBD oil everyday to help me with withdrawal

 

Hello Blandell, 

Wow, I wrote that anti-weed comment three years ago.  My feelings on weed have changed.  In 2015, I was only one year off psych meds, and at that point in time I grew to hate EVERYTHING that was any kind of drug at all.  Nowadays, I'm much more mellow in my perspective.  I still don't think weed is anything to sneeze at or to take its usage lightly (bc it really can mess with people), but I do recognize that it can have very helpful value for some people.  

Just be careful and listen to your body.

I wish you healing and peace.