cj117

Think it's possible? I mean it's a chronic (haha) physiological pain, not just a back ache or elevated disc or something, but it's just as real.

Do you think it would be possible to get a Medical MJ card to treat my depression? If it isn't already possible, do you think it should be?

SpiralArchitect

I'm not sure if it's possible, I find it likely, but I don't think it should be done....

Marijuana elevates your mood, it's an artificial happiness. You are simply 'escaping' when you get stoned. Your not finding any solution to your problems, infact neglecting them often elevates the seriousness of your issue.

If you are serious depressed you should find an alternative method for help, rather than escaping through self medication via marijuana. I have fought depression for quite some time, and let me tell you - drugs are often the least helpful thing. I have been on a plethora of RX to help me with my anxiety and depression, but none of them helped. After I stopped going to my Psychiatrist and taking my medication I would indulge in any and all intoxicants to become 'comfortably numb', after several serious breakdowns I realized the err in my ways.

Looking inside your self, reevaluating your priorities, negotiating your problems, and talking to people about your condition to find help is going to be a much better bet. I wish you luck in fighting your depression, it's a condition not to be taken lightly.

Don't be afraid to ask for help, it will go 10 times farther than a joint will get you. Good luck.

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Andrew87

I think it would most certainly be a better solution than the mind-numbing psychiatric drugs that are handed out like candy nowadays, however, no drug is the solution to mental health issues. Talk therapy and working through your problems is the ONLY thing that will ever make them go away (or at the very least, minimized to a managable degree). No drug, legal or otherwise, is going to supernaturally work out social issues in the way many people seem to think. However, if it comes down to a choice between mj and rx, I'd pick the mj without hesitation.


And psychiatric drugs don't do the exact same thing?

Exactly.


To anyone that may have an interest in this topic, I recommend the book Toxic Psychiatry by Dr. Peter Breggin. He is a psychiatrist who is fed up with the emerging dominance of the new ideas of "biopsychiatry," which concentrates on simply diagnosing the patient and then drugging their problems away. Breggin asserts that psych. doctors should be more concerned with the events that actually caused the problem and working through them with talk therapy, rather than simply coming to the unfounded conclusion that there are biological factors involved.

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BigGun1

I definitely believe that MJ should be prescribed not only for depression but also Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD). I suffer from severe PTSD from 2 tours in Iraq. Along with PTSD I also have major depression, anxiety attacks and insomnia.

When I first returned home after the 2nd time and before I started seeking help I started drinking very heavily. While I was home on leave I toked up with my brother-in-law and I felt awesome, not just while I was high but for several days after that I just felt things were alright. Now I do realize that toking while in the Army is a very stupid thing to do and that's why I don't do it right now, but I plan on starting back up as soon as I'm out. The meds they have me on now just make me feel dull and spaced out, plus I'm not a big fan of pills anyway as they are harder on your body than many other types of meds.

cj117

Thanks =)

That's really what I've been trying to do lately, reprioritize my life and figure out what's important. I'm still trying to get back to the point where I have a reason to keep going on.. I don't have one yet, but I don't feel like running away so much anymore.

I smoked frequently for a couple weeks after I started feeling like shit, but I realized it wasn't helping me any in the long run. In fact it was making me more contemplative about the issue instead of forgetful.

The problem with therapy is that it's expensive, it's hard to get a time slot available with the therapist, and it's difficult to make time for yourself to see the therapist, especially if you're busy all day every week like I am. I'd really like to look into it.. considering I'm not getting much advice from parents and friends, as much as I know they care =\

In the mean time, video games seem to be helping =D

Andrew87

Yeah, therapy can end up making matters worse if you can't find someone who's good at it - I know from personal experience. In the meantime just keep yourself busy, idle time is what feeds depression. Maintaining social interaction is very important, as well.

SpiralArchitect

A lot of psychiatric drugs actually work though. And no, they don't get you high. They work on your brains chemical imbalances or do a variety of other things.

Marijuana is a plant that induces euphoria. It has medicinal benefits, but not in the sense of an anti-depressant.

BigAzzJoint

All due respect, Spiral, I would tend more to disagree (it sounds cold, I don't mean it like that) with this. I'm not saying that you're wrong, but more because when I was a teenager, I had panic attacks and some "ups and downs" when it came to battling depression. They were hereditary, almost everyone on my dad's side. A lot of the psychiatric anti-anxiety meds either kept me awake, put me to sleep, or made me gain 30 pounds.

I've since grown out of the panic attacks, and no longer need the prescriptions, but now and again I'll find myself feeling the "onset" symptoms, and after a bowl, feel much more relaxed and in control. If my day has gone to shit, I'll come home, smoke a bit, and I won't feel as wound up about it.

On the flip side, I've also smoked so much weed in one sitting that I've actually "created" an anxiety attack. I no longer do this.

I suppose what you mean, Spiral, is that weed, while it may improve one's mood, doesn't really "control" a chemical imbalance (though I believe that term is used too informally nowadays) whereas a medication targeted for such will. Correct?

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Andrew87

For SSRI's, it's all about whether or not you think they will work.

Depression - Antidepressants are No Better than Sugar Pills? Well...

I won't argue with you that certain other types of drugs work, because in fact, they sometimes work TOO well. See below.

They do worse. They can potentially cause irreversible damage to the brain. Google "Tardive Dyskinesia".

The 'chemical imbalance' crap is for the most part a manufactured business tactic. The only "chemical imbalance" that doctors know for sure exists is the one created by psychiatric drugs. Advocates of bio-psychiatry will often show PET scans of two brains - one schizophrenic, and one "normal", and then point out that they are different. What they fail to mention is that the reason they look different is due to debilitating anti-psychotic drugs prescribed to schizophrenics.

Psychiatrists take advantage of negative proof - although it has yet to be proven that any sort of naturally-occuring 'chemical imbalance' actually exists, they are able to proceed under this presumption because no one is able to prove that it doesn't exist.

I recommend taking a look at some of Dr. Breggin's or Dr. Thomas Szasz's writings - it will really open your eyes to the aspects of mainstream psychiatry which are conveniently "buried."

Pompo

Better suited for the Medicinal Marijuana forum, moving thread

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