Medical Marijuana?

[wormlady 1]

With all the talk of the uses of medical marijuana, and it being a natural verses a pharmaceutical, does anyone have an opinion on using it for panic and anxiety, or depression? Has anyone tried it?  I had a friend suggest may I might give it a try...lol..to me...the person who is terrified to even take prescription drugs when ordered by a doctor, and will most times not take them and suffer with the infection instead.

 

Her heart is in the right place, she is about my only remaining friend in the world and has been for 40 some years. She will take a call from me at all hours of the night and day, so I know she suggests this only to try to help.

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi wormlady. Did we welcome you to AC? If not I will do so now. My own view, and I emphasis it is a personal one as I don't speak for anyone else on the site, is that any drug that is not prescribed is best let alone. You could consult your GP on this but I'm sure the answer would be the same.  We have had many here who have suffered badly from non prescribed drugs and however harmless marijuana may seem it is still a drug. IF your doctor were to suggest you try the medical variety then that is a different matter, but I have only ever heard of one case where this was done. One thing leads to another and to begin taking non prescribed drugs for anxiety can put you on a slippery slope.

I am sure your friend means well but I think she is ill advised. However, she certainly is a good friend and you are lucky to have someone who understands. 

If you are not happy with medication then don't let it worry you. Many have got well without pills and so can you. It does require a degree of willpower but it can be done.         Best wishes.     Jon.

[HDBobbers 55]

I kinda disagree with that.

 

Marijuana had been a godsend for me for quite some time when used lightly.  It relieved much of my anxiety AND the lessened the IBS symptoms i suffer from.  Keyword here is LIGHTLY.  I found that if i smoked enough to get stoned, i triggered some of my more depressive states.  A puff or two here or there was what worked for me.

 

That said, i can't use it now.  I do not qualify for medical marijuana here in Connecticut for one.  In order to receive it, you need a life threatening disease; on a short list dictated by the state.  For two... my employer has strict policies in place that dictates immediate termination should you be tested.  For me, that's a problem.  I have no wish to lose my job, so that means I give up on the natural remedy that has definitely definitely helped me.

I wouldn't discount it if it can be gotten and used easily with little to no detriment to your working or personal life.

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi HD. I think the emphasis is on the word lightly. There is no doubt it does help a lot of folk, but what I was getting at is that a lot of people when they start using it get really addicted and it has a bad effect on their lives. As I said, taken under medical supervision is ok but going it alone may not be a good idea. I did say this was my own view and many would disagree. Some people are in so much pain that anything that helps and does not unduly affect their functioning is good. I think your State Legislature must have gone into this thoroughly when they made the laws, and they must have had their reasons. You seem to be using it to advantage and you have the willpower to stop when you know it is going to cause a problem. In your case it is a pity it is not available on medical grounds.  Best wishes.     Jon.

[Gilly 1086]

I'm pro MMJ, on a peronal level. It's not legal here, hence why I don't smoke anymore, but I really wish it was. Personally I was advised it could be beneficial for my crohns, and I wanted to take the chance and see if it was. It really was, it helped on so many levels and did a better job of keeping me in remission WITH good health as the toxic medication I have to take instead. They are helping me, but they come with side effects, one being an increased risk of lymphoma and skin c****r, more so the longer you take it, and I've taken it 10 years now.

 

My anxiety was vastly improved when I smoked, the problem is as it's not legal I didn't smoke for too long just 2-3 years.

 

My opinion though, is it is not for everyone, but neither are pharmaceutical drugs. I don't believe it to be harmful at all, It's not a drug, it's a herb, a plant. So should not be classed as a drug, and should be available to all who wish to use it to improve their health. I would never personally tell someone to use it, I think like anything else, it's a personal choice, and like medication, if you try it with good intentions then it may be good for you, if you try it feeling nervous and scared then yeah, you would probably freak out and maybe it's not going to be good for you. 

[Gilly 1086]

Hi HD. I think the emphasis is on the word lightly. There is no doubt it does help a lot of folk, but what I was getting at is that a lot of people when they start using it get really addicted and it has a bad effect on their lives. As I said, taken under medical supervision is ok but going it alone may not be a good idea. I did say this was my own view and many would disagree. Some people are in so much pain that anything that helps and does not unduly affect their functioning is good. I think your State Legislature must have gone into this thoroughly when they made the laws, and they must have had their reasons. You seem to be using it to advantage and you have the willpower to stop when you know it is going to cause a problem. In your case it is a pity it is not available on medical grounds.  Best wishes.     Jon.

 

 

Jon, MJ is not addictive. It's impossible to become addicted to it. Habitual yes, rely on like a crutch yes. Therefore I agree, in that aspect, it won't just make you feel better, but can be an aid, like medication in helping you get there.

[HDBobbers 55]

Exactly.  Habitual, yes.  Addictive, no.  I've stopped utilizing it on a whim a good dozen or more times with no ill affects other than a recurrence of the problems i was relieving through MJ use.

[Reeka 3]

I am a medical marijuana user, and if you find the right strains that relieve the right symptoms, cannabis can be very beneficial. I have 3 strains that are kinda like different pills or meds for different needs. A heavy indica will put me right to sleep, so if you're unmotivated don't use this (just like a sleeping pill). There's another strain that is super helpful for my extreme nausea and vomiting symptom, and it is similar to the strains that would be given to c****r patients undergoing chemo. Finally, when I'm panicking, super anxious, or really unmotivated, there is a very uplifting and motivating Sativa strain that I guess is comparable to an Ativan & short-term anti-depressant mixed. 

When I was on anti-depressants, sleeping pills and a whole list of pharmaceuticals, I was so sick I had to be on disability; Now, on medical marijuana, I have a full-time career and a side gig teaching yoga, and still have time to get out to some (not all) social activities. I don't have to smoke/use it all the time, only when symptoms are flaring up. Plus it has an awesome side effect of laughter

[tonyeee 0]

I smoke the odd j it does help chill me out theres also Cbd oil it is shown to help with

Antiemetic
Reduces nausea and vomiting
Anticonvulsant
Suppresses seizure activity
Antipsychotic
Combats psychosis disorders
Anti-inflammatory
Combats inflammatory disorders
Anti-oxidant
Combats neurodegenerative disorders
Anti-tumoral/Anti-c****r
Combats tumor and c****r cells
Anxiolytic/Anti-depressant
Combats anxiety and depression disorders 

Its not legal here some shops sell it but its not the real stuff. Amsterdam I know u can get. Think there needs to be more research into the weed !!!

[Livinghappy 0]

When people talk about medical marijuana they often think of one thing.

 

However, there are many different forms of using this plant to help with anxiety. The 1) problem with using traditional medical marijuana to help with anxiety is that for some people it can cause increased paranoia and nerves. This is why it is really important to be very specific about the parts of the plant used.

 

CBD is one of the components of marijuana that are non-psychoactive but the most health promoting. There are zero psychoactive affects, so the sometimes negative affects of marijuana are not present. Instead the anti-anxiety and health benefits of the plant are present.

My recommendation would be a type of CBD product that you can measure easily, and one that is made from European Hemp Products. This means it is federally legal as a health food supplement in the United States.

I used a type called 'Oil of Sunshine' .

The oil is a light consistency and comes in a small dispenser in the mail. Because it is a European Hemp product, and non-psychoactive it is legal. After opening it I take two or three doses of the 'Oil of Sunshine' each day.

I found that after taking it for two weeks before I saw more help with symptoms, but I did find it helped significantly more then vitamins other supplements I was trying. It is positive because you can take it in conjunction with other medications without affecting them.

[jonathan123 2368]

What really concerns me about any form of medication, legal or illegal, is that it will never 'cure' anxiety. The relief of symptoms is good; after all, who wants to suffer, but long term relief can only be had by changing our way of thinking. It's a cognitive process not a medical  one that's required. The way we have thought has got us in this mess, and the way out is through the same process, thought! Medication COUPLED with therapy such as good counselling is the answer, and the medication should be for the short term until the cognitive process begins to have an effect.

Yes, I have heard all the objections to this line of treatment. Funds; distances involved to get somewhere and I do know how difficult it can often be. But what's the alternative? Years of medication or self help programmes? Now self help can be wonderful; in fact it's all most of us have or can reasonably get, but the ultimate aim must be to be drug free. If we have to rely entirely on drugs then we are not getting to the root of our problem, which may well be in the unconscious part of the mind. Good counselling or therapy is often needed to find the cause. This does depend on the depth of suffering of course. A short course of medication can often allow a person to realise their problem and correct it.

I know how controversial all this is, and I respect the opinions of those who find they rely on drugs of any sort. But why do we take drugs for anxiety? To be pain free? To escape from reality? To be able to function 'normally', whatever that means?  Or perhaps to escape from ourselves and our own thoughts which frighten us so much. But ultimately we have to make choices which we are comfortable with.