Marijuana.com

TheNewGuy

Heres the only problem with the "history of mental illness thing": I have a family history of depression and OCD. I had both growing up. When I started smoking marijuana about 2-3 times a week (sometimes smoking more, sometimes less, never more than 7 times in a whole week) I noticed a drastic reduction of both. It wasn't a cure or anything, but it controlled the extreme lows so that they were just "normal" lows. Instead of being really really happy or really really depressed, I would be pleasantly happy or just sorta mopey. I started hovering around a nice midpoint mood-wise. Also, the little OCD-ish quirks I had mellowed out to the point where I didn't feel at all like I had to touch something a certain amount of times, or go back and read the poster in the hallway, etc etc. I was mentally addicted for about two months where I wouldn't be able to go out and have fun unless I was high to some degree. Without any input from outside sources, I decided that I had a problem and that I needed to take a break. It was tough for a little while, but after a month or so I decided I didn't feel the need/craving for it and started smoking again on an occasional basis. What happened? Nothing. That is to say, I felt no actual need mentally or physically for it, and found that I could smoke whenever I felt like it without craving it afterwards. I simply took a break, told myself that I was being stupid for allowing a substance control my life and got on with things. That was about two years ago, and I've never had a problem since. So even people with histories of mental illness don't necessarily become predisposed to Cannabis addiction. Like buzzby said, it depends on the personality of the user more than anything else. Thats what I believe anyways, although I'm sure there are plenty of medical reasons certain people have problems with it and most others don't.

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"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

 

dankitydankdank

Ok....If this were a controlled experiment, and not just a news article comparing two young peoples marijuana use (which it is), you have to look at the variables used:

Rebecca is 24. She started drinking alcohol at 12 by sneaking drinks from her mum and dad’s drinks cabinet. She started smoking cigarettes at 14 and by 15 she was a regular cannabis user. By 17 she couldn’t live without it.

Obviously, Rebecca doesnt know or practice MODERATION. It was instilled in her at a very young age (although unconsciously) that moderation is not how to approach a mind-altering substance, and thus, she abused the alcohol that her parents kept locked away. As Rebecca got older and into a more social scene, again, the ABUSE became more prevalent in her everyday activities that led to her downfall. Since children are so impressionable, is it not out of the question to relate her marijuana abuse to the misteaching of moderation at a very young age?

Daniel smokes cannabis every few months, and only with friends. He plays cricket regularly in summer, holds down a good job as a junior accountant and has been in a happy stable relationship for the past two years. He drinks alcohol much more often than he smokes cannabis.

In this scenario, Daniel's younger years are not reflected so we cannot grasp what was taught to him at a young age, as we saw with Rebecca. Daniel was obviously brought up in a well-rounded environment that gave him a level head, where he learned to make decisions for the betterment himself (as seen by the good job, regular sporting activities, and stable relationship), whereas Rebecca was not. As infrequently as Daniel uses marijuana, he is still a marijuana user and is the reflection of a responsible functioning pot user

Until we can find out the specifics on how Daniel was taught MODERATION, this article is just an offspring of Reefer Madness; nothing more.

__________________
Whadd'ya say we go for a ride.....
Whadd'ya say we get high.....
'Cuz I'm so tired of days that feel like the night.
-"Me and the Moon" Something Corporate

"When they legalize weed, you better invest in some fast food futures..."

totoro

I smoke alone all the time, just to blow off some steam. I dont have a ton of friends that smoke, and i am too busy to get together with them more than once a week, so at night, i like to smoke and watch TV and just relax. I dont think that 'social' smoking vs. personal smoke sessions really has any thing to do with dependence/ health issues. Its just the way my habit works out. And the 'health issues' of canibis can easily be avioded, just get a vaporizer.

chemicalhaze

i smoke wid friends and alone .. but i try to smoke it wid friends as much as possible... so that i don smoke a whole J ... and smokin wid friends is better .. more fun