Thread: Mental health and marijuana

A lot of people, probably yourself included, like the mellow high of smoking a joint. To justify their habits, they will say to themselves and to other who will listen things like, "hey – it’s cool – it’s organic – it's not a heavy drug – it won’t hurt you, you can’t get addicted to it, etc.".

All of this is basically a load of crap, excuse the vernacular, that is intended to justify self-destructive behavior.

Marijuana is a real drug that you can become addicted to. It does bad things to your brain and body. It contributes to cancer. It can make you paranoid. It destabilizes your brain. It is not a healthy thing. Yes, the high feels good – but it is not worth the problems it will cause you.


~4tRACY

I just wanted to add my 2 cents here...I have friends in recovery, as well as one of my older children, who suffer from bipolar illness.

Marijuana actually DOES help tremendously! However, the unfortunate thing is if you're not living in a state where marijuana is legal and you can't get it prescribed correctly then you're buying it on the streets and it's a gamble if you are getting the correct "dosage" you truly need.

Marijuana is a very common drug prescribed for BiPolar as well as other mental illnesses that require some "mood stabilization". That is why many people with mental illness gravitate toward marijuana, they find simply it makes them feel better and more stable!

Although I'm in recovery, and I personally do not smoke pot, I do believe it's a very good medicinal herb and one that hopefully will be legalized, regulated and medically dispensed correctly to aid our mentally ill friends. Marijuana also is not physically addictive, tho certainly some find it mentally addictive. And you can have some crappy feelings aka withdrawal if you stop smoking or eating it suddenly versus gradually.

I'd encourage those of us here to talk to their doctor about it. Many doctors are aware of pots benefits, and are willing to work with us if they think it could help us regardless of whether it's passed medically in our state.

That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking with it! Happy day to you all!

tdb

Babydoll, thanks for adding your "two cents" worth... (You're selling yourself short, lol)

Understand your position. Many people feel that way.

I'm taking the current medical stance on this subject as I'm a retired nurse.

There is much disagreement on this issue, even in the medical field.

Just want to stress that EVERYONE has a right to an opinion on ALL MATTERS HERE.

As I said before, the jury is still out on this issue about marijuana.

Speaking from the medical aspect of mental illness, yours, specifically, dear private messenger...

People such as yourself who have (judging from your medicines) problems with anxiety, mood swings, and psychotic symptoms should NEVER NEVER EVER go near marijuana.

Why? Your brain is already having some problems staying stable. All those medicines you are taking are there to try to hold your brain together in a reasonable semblance of normalcy. If you take these medicines as prescribed, you can have a good chance of remaining reasonably healthy. If you smoke or eat marijuana you will be sabotaging your treatment – hurting the chances of your medicines to help you remain stable, and forcing your brain to get even more whacked out than it already is. If you even hang around with other people who smoke, you’re going to want to smoke yourself. Only thing is – you can’t afford to smoke because your brain will blow a gasket. If you care about yourself – if you care about other people around you (your family, your friends, your loved ones, a therapist you respect, anyone at all who you might care about and who might care for you) then please ditch those pot smoking friends, and stay away from marijuana.

Just for your information, there are treatment facilities and 12 step groups out there (they are rare now – but they still exist in some locations) that treat people with dual diagnosis problems – people with a psychiatric disorder who are also having problems avoiding alcohol or pot or cocaine, or whatever. Dual diagnosis programs are sensitive to your mental and drug conditions in a way that a pure psychiatric or pure drug program cannot be. You might want to just keep that knowledge in your back pocket in case you ever need it.

Again, wearing my RN cap, this would be my response to you, PM'er.

I appreciate the OPPORTUNITY to discuss this further, if you like.

I'm am SURE more medical data is being generated and interpreted as we write this... PERHAPS the medical view will change. Perhaps not. It's just too early to tell.

For now, though, I stand by my statements until more information is forthcoming.

One reason I stated my stance so strongly, is where we are now... in a forum for those seeking to recover and stay sober. Better safe than sorry, I say.

I personally do not use marijuana, although I had in the past, for about 10 years, as recently as 5 years ago. It did not help the conditions I took it for. Fibromyalgia, yet it did help with my glaucoma. I simply have decided it's better to be DRUG-FREE. ENTIRELY DRUG FREE.

Personally, I believe that's the best way to live.

Lastly, please know that I STRONGLY ADHERE TO THE BELIEF THAT WE ARE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OPINIONS. I will stand with anyone - to protect their opinions, even if different than my own - who has a strong opinion.

ALL OPINIONS ARE RESPECTED AND HONORED HERE.

Originally Posted by tdbabydoll

Marijuana actually DOES help tremendously! However, the unfortunate thing is if you're not living in a state where marijuana is legal and you can't get it prescribed correctly then you're buying it on the streets and it's a gamble if you are getting the correct "dosage" you truly need.

Really!! How much we should take for a dose? Could you please explain.