marijuana & anxiety/depression

[zzzsleepyzzz]

I'm wondering if marijuana can generally be a positive or negative thing to induce if diagnosed with anxiety/depression, or if anybody has any information on how it interacts with a person's mentality over time

[Giz]

I dont know about generalisations, sometimes they can be dangerous..

Some people get very paranoid and freaked out when they use marijuana, so it is safe to say, that in that case, marijuana would be a terrible idea for someone suffering from anxiety-as it would only serve to heighten their symptoms.
On the other hand, some people find that marijuana calms them, makes them feel happier and they may use it for that reason.

The thing is, marijuana is a dicey subject. Its not legal in most places (despite the fact its a plant as Bill Hicks and many others have pointed out), there are many studies that label it a terribly harmful thing, and many that sing its praises.. Its a case of "the jury is still out". But it remains illegal, so for many, it is not an option one way or the other.

It would not be advisable to attempt to self medicate with it. This would initiate its own problems, as in, it may become a crutch. As it is illegal there is the element of law breaking involved and the stress that may induce. And if you are in a bad way, it is something that if used should be used sparingly-as it is a hallucinogen-so it can go either way depending on your mental state at the time.

I am not sure from your post whether you are asking about it from the point of view of occassional use or as a remedy. Either way I would advise against the use of marijuana as a remedy for anxiety, and would urge you to look into other methods of resolving your condition, such as diet, exercise and therapy (whether it be counselling, touch, artistic or group therapy) over this route..

As a recreational substance personally I dont see a massive problem with it, provided you keep a balance. As I said, its a plant-so it very well may be intended to have a purpose in nature, but anything is bad for you in excess, which is where most people get into trouble. One of the curses of the modern age is that moderation seems to have gone out the window.

Ultimately it is your choice whether you use it or not, if you are taking medication it may be best to avoid it altogether, as there may be drug interactions. (mind you, my feelings on the drugs prescribed for anxiety/depression are not positive and I would advise looking into diet, exercise & therapy over their use too!).

Hope that was of some help.. :)

[dtrotter]

Actually, marijuana can be beneficial to counter anxiety attack, it seems. I have checked it with Wikipedia, and that's what they said :)

[Robbed]

Actually, marijuana can be beneficial to counter anxiety attack, it seems. I have checked it with Wikipedia, and that's what they said :)

But that all depends. As the previous poster indicated, it CAN be helpful for some people some of the time (kind of sounds a little like SSRIs in this respect). But it also has the potential to cause problems for other people. I recall trying it a few times before I developed anxiety disorder. And let me just say that it left me feeling ANYTHING but relaxed. Further complicating things with marijuana is the fact that its effects can vary WIDELY depending on the exact variety used, as well as growing conditions for a given variety. So you certainly cannot ALWAYS count on marijuana to have the same effect on you every time you use it. Should you indulge? Ultimately, that largely depends on what kind of effect you have gotten from it in the past. If it has typically relaxed you, it might be helpful. If not, it is probably best to steer clear. Also, if you have gotten good results, it is best to try to get the same variety from the same source to the best of your ability.

[Giz]

Yes, with marijuana there are many factors to consider. For a start theres sativa vs indica.. I cant remember which is which, but ones more of a "high" and the other is more "stoned". Both will be present in the plant, but in varying percentages.. Each strain of plant contains different levels of THC vs the other chemical found in marijuana (cant remember the name now, its an acronym with a C in it, had a botanist friend explaining it once..)
So as you can imagine, with the different levels present in each individual plant-plus the fact that the conditions it was grown in etc can affect the composition then you know that you cant rely on it to always do the same thing.
Its best not to use something like marijuana as a remedy. If you know your way around the stuff and you choose to use it recreationally then that is your business, but theres no sense trying to fool yourself into thinking that it is beneficial to your anxiety.

[Georgec]

I know this is a kind of an old topic, but I was searching through and I found it...

I've spoken to many people over the phone who blame marijuana for their anxiety. I can't really disprove their theory. Maybe it has some effects on the brain. My job when I speak with them is to see if that is the whole truth, so to speak. Usually there is more to the story that they are not talking about. They usually figure it out on their own later... All in all, the people who took marijuana are scared it damaged them.

Thanks,

George

[fernandogress]

Negative emotions causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc.
Medication like Antidepressants helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication.Yeah I feel your pain I had a rebound anxiety disorder from smoking marijuana. Marijuana causes chemical imbalances and causes panic attacks even in people that don't have a disorder. Although there's a 50-50 chance of you growing some sort of disorder. Either you become anxious because you smoke and it subsides after the high is over with, or you form a disorder that causes constant worry and struggle. It seems you may have developed a disorder from what you were talking about "confusion" is a symptom and what you have to do is tell yourself that you're fine and that it's just anxiety ... it wont hurt you, but it will take time to overcome anxiety, if its chronic. You said you fully quit smoking, that's good... step 1 next step is to get evaluated from a psychiatrist and see what she/he says about the situation. Whether it's going to a councelor and performing relaxation techniques or to put you on medication.

[fear_cloud]

mj is all i can use and it seems to help me.
ive only ever experienced paranoia once,
my chest had been hurting that day and i got stoned and started to think i may be having a heart attack, but i called my boyfriend and he calmed me, and now i laugh about it.


and omg, Giz
i cant believe you quoted bill hicks.

my heart just skipped a beat.
:lol: :lol:
i love that man, and i never thought i'd see someone mention him on here.


lots lots lotsa love to you for that.

[Giz]

Negative emotions causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc.
Medication like Antidepressants helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication.Yeah I feel your pain I had a rebound anxiety disorder from smoking marijuana. Marijuana causes chemical imbalances and causes panic attacks even in people that don't have a disorder. Although there's a 50-50 chance of you growing some sort of disorder. Either you become anxious because you smoke and it subsides after the high is over with, or you form a disorder that causes constant worry and struggle. It seems you may have developed a disorder from what you were talking about "confusion" is a symptom and what you have to do is tell yourself that you're fine and that it's just anxiety ... it wont hurt you, but it will take time to overcome anxiety, if its chronic. You said you fully quit smoking, that's good... step 1 next step is to get evaluated from a psychiatrist and see what she/he says about the situation. Whether it's going to a councelor and performing relaxation techniques or to put you on medication.

Im sorry, but the seratonin thing is not scientific fact, it is a theory.. One that has been treated as scientific fact despite all the damage it causes, and all the evidence to the contrary.

In fact, the only thing the neurotransmitter seratonin has really been linked to is sleep. Which would play a role in anxiety and depression alright, but not in the way that we are told when it comes to anti depressants-which lets face it; Also have little to no scientific evidence to back them up.. Even psychiatrists reckon the whole research into SSRI/SNRI medication was not done properly and their effectiveness is a placebo effect at best..

For all the negative press marijuana is given there is also many benefits.. (last article I read was about the protective mechanism of THC against Alzheimers, plus the use of marijuana to reduce nausea caused by the drugs people with cancer or AIDS are forced to take) So its very hard to tell what to think about it..

Personally I would be more inclined to trust something that mother nature produced over something that big pharma produced anyday. As Im a firm believer that everything that we could ever possibly need is already growing out of the ground.. (for example-look at the use of Iboga in addiction, I cant understand why this is not used more frequently)
Having said that, whether marijuana is to be used for treating anxiety/depression is not clear.. Perhaps identifying the root cause is more beneficial, as for many the answer is so much more simple..

NUTRITION, EXERCISE, SUNLIGHT and THERAPY

All the things we have lost touch with in modern life.. Anxiety and depression are actually symptoms of nutritional problems such as blood sugar imbalances, vitamin deficiencies, stimulant addictions.. But instead of treating these causes, we attack the symptoms with drugs that have limited scientific data to back up their use.. I have lost track of how many anxious/depressed people I have asked about their diet to be told that they live on sugar, stimulants, processed food and little to no vegetables! And the same goes for other "disorders" like ADD, Bi Polar disorder, Schizophrenia, etc..


To Fear_Cloud: Of course, Bill Hicks was a prophet! All that stuff about the eyes of fear vs the eyes of love is so true.. (Look at the Hog Hype epidemic/pandemic!) Liek George Orwell he was well ahead of his time because he had his eyes open.. If only he had heard of B17 metabolic therapy or Dr Tulio Simoncini, he would be splitting our sides with his commentary on all the nonsense we are living through now.. Glad to meet a fellow fan!

[sherlockevans01]

Wow! Great post. I was really lookng for this kind of post. Im interested finding more posts about this topic. Anyone here can suggest where should I go? Thanks a lot.

[anxietyzen]

Having used marijuana since I was a teenager to deal with anxiety, I can tell you it was definitely not helping.

Oh I had relief sometimes sure. I was high all the time so I didn't feel much of anything. Just about every time I sparked one up I knew I was only making things worse though.

My marijuana use eventually came to a head many years later when my wife told me just how much it was effecting our marriage. I walked away from that point and dealt with an entire crap storm of anxiety and emotions.

At first I thought it was because marijuana was helping me cope. As time pressed on I realized it was because I was actually dealing with my anxiety for the first time.

Marijuana suppresses the nervous system. It doesn't treat the root of the problem. If you want to stay high all the time then you'll only have to deal with anxiety when you talk to other people who aren't high, or when you run out of pot.

If you take the time to come to grips with your problems naturally though, you'll be a better person for it.

I am.

[hendrleybeton]

But there are natural ways to do without medication was. Reasons for marijuana, even in people without disorders chemical imbalance, causing panic. Although there is a growth opportunity, you must be 50-50 random order. Either you become anxious, because you smoke is that it settles down after the high, or you develop a disease, leading to constant anxiety and struggle.

[idangle6]

one of the most terrifying things that made my panic disorder even worse was the first time "someone who isnt me" tried weed, multiple personalities extreme paranoia, id say if u a person who worries about alot of things odds are youll freak out about having a bad trip and have one or youll be fine, as far as a long term solution, its about as good as booze id say just my 2cents tho