Need info on marijuana and effects on Severe Depression

[MadamePandora]

Hi all

 

my partner has severe and prolonged depression that is not being adequately controlled by conventional pharmaceutical medication. She has been hospitalised because of it for the last 2 months and next week they are beginning shock treatment (Electro-convulsive Therapy), this is kind of the last resort where medication has failed.

 

I am wondering if anyone here has any information on using marijuana as a treatment for severe depression. I'd be particularly interested in links to reputable studies... if there are any, but if you have anecdotal evidence of it helping you or someone you know I'd also be interested in hearing about your experiences.

 

I smoke it for pain relief and its muscle relaxant properties, but my partner does not smoke it regularly. She has leukemia and one of her doctors has previously recommended it for use with the nausea and muscle cramping side effects of the chemotherapy. (the leukemia is unlikely to be fatal but she will be on oral chemo drugs for the rest of her life so the nausea and cramping will be permanent).

 

I am at my wits end from arguing with F**king psychiatrists for weeks and I am desperately looking for advice or help with this issue and willing to consider any alternative medication or therapy that people can tell me about.

 

thanks

[littlbit]

MadamePandora, I had the roller coaster ride with the medical profession, their drugs caused me to be suicidal, fits of anger and rage, regardless of what concoction they put me on the results were always the same, and the headaches were beyond belief.

 

There were in the end things I found out for myself once the internet was real. I found the medication they have me on for thyroid reacts very badly with everything, side effects of that drug are all the things I experienced, multiplied many times over. I also discovered that I should never have been put on the drugs to begin with that there is a way to actually get the thyroid in balance without destroying it.

 

So then I looked at the problems I have always had with the world and people, the anger, etc, I discovered that I was asperger and again everyone of their mind altering drugs did the opposite of what they were supposed to do. Autistics and psychotics do not mix, they make us more angry, more likely to kill than hug, more depressed to the point of suicide.

 

The best thing that happened to me was to become allergic to all their bloody drugs, and find cannabis. The difference in my mood is chalk and cheese, I function better, think more clearly, less agro, less depressed even now as we are about to camp through winter I am not ready to kill me or anyone else, and believe me that is massive.

 

So first thing you need to get your partner to do is see a genuine psychologist, make sure neither of you are at all autistic, then find someone who grows clean organic non sexed plants, and try small amounts to begin with, perhaps with an experienced user with you both to talk you through the effects as you experience them.

 

If any of this makes sense to you, and you need to chat with me further PM me and I will send my email so we can work through some of these things together. I have no medical experience, except to be on the receiving end of their lack of knowledge or concern. I understand this nightmare from first hand experience, and I do hope I have helped.

[saltbox]

It's an interesting topic that I've thought about a lot over the years.

 

I also suffer from pretty severe depression. I've been on all kinds of antidepressants. They generally work but give me a lot of side effects which aren't too harsh, just annoying. The main one being severe hunger. Not just munchies kind of hunger. Constant stomach rumbling I have to eat something right now kind of hunger. Before I knew it I'd gained around 40kg. I still exercised but due to work I didn't have enough time (or energy) to do more.

 

So I figured I'd start smoking more MJ. In short, it worked. I'd smoke every night when I got home from work. I never went to work stoned because I never felt like smoking when I woke up. Most nights I got a really good sleep so I woke up feeling good. I'd get out of bed and go to work to slave over a hot soldering iron for 8 hours. All was good for 6 months or so, until my supply disappeared.

 

Then I had no MJ. So I figured I'd go back to the anti-depressants. What a shitty couple of weeks that was. My body was wondering where it's lovely MJ had gone while at the same time fighting the side effects brought on by the pills. Eventually my mood stabilised again and here I am a year or so later.

 

The major difference I found (apart from the side effects) is that I still have really shitty days on the pills. I lost the best job I had because I couldn't force myself to get out of bed and go into work. I sleep really badly on the pills - almost always wake up with a faint headache brewing. Never in a good mood when I get up.

 

A lot of it had to do with my personality. When I was using MJ I had something to look forward to at the end of the day. I could get home, smoke up and watch some TV to help me forget about the shitty day I might have had. I'd then go to bed and sleep like a rock. On the pills I come home and can't get what may have happened that day out of my head. I watch TV but it's boring and other issues are nagging at me inside my head. I go to sleep and wake up probably 5 or 6 times throughout the night.

 

So yeah, that's my experience with using MJ to treat depression. It worked for me but since everyone is different I don't think there'll ever be a conclusive study on this matter.

[Radic]

from rick simpson

radio interview

To energize someone suffering from depression, I recommend a good Sativa strain. For most other medical conditions, I strongly suggest that Indica strains be used. Indicas relax a person and provide them with more rest and sleep.

seen

jack hara rules the sativas for max THC from a stable domestic strain

still

there are always sativa hy-breds too

seen

sativa works well for relief from severe depression

but

imho

a suffer can not smoke nuff

namatta how hard dem a try

seen

for cure

one needs to eat it

in large doses

depending pon severety of sufferance

 

forward cannabis

heal the people

heal the land

[MadamePandora]

Half way update:

 

the ECT is working and my partner is pleased with the results so far after 7 of 12 treatments. We are hoping that she will be out of hospital in about 2 weeks.

 

I am looking at alternative treatments to maintain her mental health once she is home.

[need4weed3]

marijuana as a treatment for severe depression?????

GOOGLE it

317000 articles

 

Having suffered depression myself

and given untold combinations

of pharmacutical DRUGS

most of which created

new and nasty conditions

I treated myself.

 

Get rid of

or remove yourself

from those

situations

things

that are causing

depression

[PoisonGirl]

G'day OP

I cant offer you any reputable case studies, though i can offer you one of my own personal experience.

I have been clinically depressed since the age of 10, and only prescribed an anti depressant after my third suicide attempt... (prozac), i had this upped after a year to double the dosage as ,my original prescription proved ineffective. I was on the verge of being institutionalized after my upped dose also was proving ineffective... when i decided to start smoking weed again, (id been a hardcore toker in the early years of high school, stopping at 15 due to a boy...this is also when the nastyness of my depression set in). I started again, relatively easy, having two or three cones a day in the evenings finding myself happy for the first time in a long time, pretty much straight away. Today, i still take prozac, smoking when i have the green and i have found myself a happier, more confident assertive person, i have more friends then i ever have had and actually have fun and want to go out!! Im never going to look back. Depression is an ugly illness, so isolating and black and ive found hope in weed, my darkness is light for the first time in i can remember. Mind you, i still have "episodes" when my dealers are dry but this only enforces how much weed is helping me.

I hope this can help, even a litte

And best wishes to your other half.

Peace

[Pig Mindset]

Mind you, i still have "episodes" when my dealers are dry but this only enforces how much weed is helping me.

 

Also having depression which was fairly severe at one point, I used to freak out a bit when I couldn't smoke and would be worried that everything was going to go shitty again while I had no dope but I found the best way to overcome this is to take regular breaks whether they be for a couple of days or a week, the first times you do this it can be pretty horrific but it ends up being very worthwhile. I wish you well in getting off the prozac also when you feel you are ready.

[Wrangler556]

Does Cannabis offer relief for depression, sure it does, in alot of cases. Does it fix or get rid of depression, no, not really.

 

It allows you relief by changing the way you think and percieve things, takes your mind of it so to speak, allows you to think about other stuff for awhile, or from a different perspective. It distracts you. But As soon as you stop using cannabis, or run out as a few people have said here, the depression is still very much there. Sometimes it even gets worse, as you've come to enjoy the effect it has, perhaps even addicted in a sense, to the effect(not the drug), and when you can't access that better state of thinking, the negative thoughts and feelings can increase. In some, not everyone.

 

Depends on what sort of personality you have, how you think about life, and how bad the triggering effects/cause of the depression are, and how often you have to deal with them.

 

I'd definetely reccomend giving Cannabis a try for depression, it can help.

 

 

Just remember, the best way to fix or treat depression is tackling the problem that causes or triggers it head on. That aint no easy process though, its often hard for a lot of people to actually identify what makes them unhappy, and in a lot of cases, its really hard to change it. ie due to financial issues, relationship problems, you name it. Sometimes it is really hard to come up with a way to fix it, without, what would seem, making it worse.

 

To me, depression is like your brain conceding defeat... it thinks "this is as good as life gets, and its shit"

 

All the best,

 

Wrangler.

 

Edit: I should also say, using Cannabis for some people can make their depression worse, by making them think more deeply and hence increasing negative thoughts, if they concentrate on those aspects. Its not for everyone.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Wrangler556

[jabez]

Does Cannabis offer relief for depression, sure it does, in alot of cases. Does it fix or get rid of depression, no, not really.

 

There is NO drug that can fix depression, but cannabis has the least side effects than any other drug out there. Your point is completely irrelevent!

 

It allows you relief by changing the way you think and percieve things, takes your mind of it so to speak, allows you to think about other stuff for awhile, or from a different perspective. It distracts you. But As soon as you stop using cannabis, or run out as a few people have said here, the depression is still very much there. Sometimes it even gets worse, as you've come to enjoy the effect it has, perhaps even addicted in a sense, to the effect(not the drug), and when you can't access that better state of thinking, the negative thoughts and feelings can increase. In some, not everyone.

 

Have you ever actually tried to stop taking some of these anti-depressants all of a sudden. Its the worst feeling I've ever known a bullet in the head doesnt seem so bad. Take anyone off there medicine and ther going to feel like shit. Once again your point is irrelevent!

 

Just remember, the best way to fix or treat depression is tackling the problem that causes or triggers it head on. That aint no easy process though, its often hard for a lot of people to actually identify what makes them unhappy, and in a lot of cases, its really hard to change it. ie due to financial issues, relationship problems, you name it. Sometimes it is really hard to come up with a way to fix it, without, what would seem, making it worse.

 

Depression for some people has nothing to do with being unhappy and it cant be changed. I would love to hear your professional advise as to what I need to change to shake off my severe depression and anxiety. I've taken there meds (while abstaining from cannabis for long periods (like over 12 months), which just leaves me unable to eat, sleep or operate at all from my anxiety, do you know what its like to go without being able to finish a full meal or get more than 2-3 hours sleep in a 24 hour period for a year, just to try and prove to those fuck wits that cannabis has nothing to do with it. I've tried eating well and exercising regularly, I've changed the type of work I do many times and even not working at all. For some people there is no cure and cannabis IS there only relief!!

 

To me, depression is like your brain conceding defeat... it thinks "this is as good as life gets, and its shit

 

That is not depression! Thats being unhappy and I truly hope that you never have to know what it feels like to be truly depressed.

 

I have aspergers and am a very anti-social person. Which means I have a real hard time getting long term contacts which is the main reason your post got to me so much. Since (and if im wrong im sorry) it seemed that you were trying to say that cannabis isnt a good medicine because you can easierly run out. Which you know as well as I do that some people who arent all that social (no solid contacts) have problems getting there medicine because of prohibition, but the way I read your post it seemed that you were trying to blame the drug itself.

 

Depression and being unhappy are 2 completely different things. Anyway im sorry if I seem rude, but im just being blunt!

Edited July 14, 2009 by jabez

[Wrangler556]

Be as blunt as you like jabez, I won't get offended

 

I tried to highlight the pros and cons for using it as relief I guess, and the actual effects of cannabis on severe depression, like the topic says. I dont like anti-depressants. They are far worse to come down off, especially if you dont wean off them over a fair amount of time. And the side effects of some of them can be, well, hell. You obsiously experience a few of them, ie: not sleeping or being able to eat much. I can relate to your lack of sleep, not due to depression though. For the past 4.5 yrs ive gotten an average of 1-2hours of broken sleep a night due to severe pain, often go for several days with no sleep at all.

 

Depression isn't the same in any one person, and what I wrote was a short generalisation. There is no way you can sum it up to suit everyone, I shouldnt have tried to...

 

 

I do believe though that there has to be a trigger/cause in most cases of depression. It is widely believed that it is usally a combination of both recent events in your life as well as other personal or long term factors.

 

Most common triggers are- family conflict/relationship problems, drugs and alcohol(leave cannabis out of that for the most part, but in reality, it does effect some people), interpersonal conflict(which sounds like you, related to your aspergers ie; not being able to socialize and get on with people/being anti-social), recent losses or dissapointments, poor working conditions, medical illness/treatments, past bad experiences(which could literally be anything past or present), personality and how you deal with things, high anxiety, changes in the brain/chemistry, and it can be inherited/your famliy is predisposed to depression.

 

It can be one, several or all of those things, past or present, thats why I said it isn't an easy task. For a shitload of people, they can't identify it, it may have happened many years ago, but are still affected by whatever it was.

 

Anxiety and depression quite often go hand in hand, as is in your case.

 

Sadly, for a lot of people there isn't a cure like you said, plain and simple. But you can seek treatment/help to alleviate some of the symtoms, or learn better strategies/coping mechanisms in order to live a more normal life.

 

Non medication related treatments include Psychological treatment or cognitive behavioural treatment as well as getting in touch with people that specifically deal with depression and other disorders/illnesses that are similar. Now, not everyone likes Psyches, but they can be helpful to identify what causes you to become depressed, and teach you ways to manage it.

 

Please forgive me if im rambling on, im sure most of you already know much of what ive written here and it may be irrelevent, just trying to help.

 

Anyway, Cannabis is great relief for a lot of people, and like I said, i'd reccomend trying it if nothing else has worked.

 

There is a great organisation in Australia called Beyondblue. Their website is www.beyondblue.org.au. They have a wealth of info/resources in regards to depression, anxiety, bipolar and other illnesses. Some of the stuff ive written here, I learnt from their site.

 

I definetely suggest having a look and getting in contact with them if you haven't already, they are there to help.

 

Regards,

 

Wrangler.