Combat PTSD

I'm a Beiruit Vet who lived with undiagnosed/untreated Combat PTSD until 9/11 totally blew my world apart and and I had a PTSD driven nervous breakdown. Since October of 2001 I have been treated by both a civilian psychiatrist and the VA Health Care System with little or no improvement and a quality of life that was in the toilet.

A little over a year ago I rediscovered marijuana and found instant relief from the symptoms of PTSD and I'm beginning to like my life and who I am. I just wish I would have rediscovered it back in the 80's.

I doubt they will ever find a true cure for PTSD but there are treatments that work. Time to pass on what I have learned and what is working for me.

1) Don't self medicate with alcohol! As a recovering alcoholic I can attest that it MAKES THINGS WORSE! If you have a problem with alcohol.....Get help. The VA has some fair to good rehab programs.

2) Learn about and take part in EMDR therapy. You can do this at home (comes in handy after a nightmare or flashbacks) and it does work! I use a mechanical metronome myself.

3) Use anti-depressants/anti-psychotic medications only as a last resort. While they may be effective the side effects and withdrawal can be brutal. For me thet were not worth it and it wasn't until I was free of them that I started to get my life back.

4) Eat healthy! PTSD takes a toll on the mind and body. Help your body heal by eating properly. Avoid processed, junk and fast foods. Learn to cook healthy for yourself. PTSD releases enough toxins. Do you really need anymore?

5) Stay hydrated! Flush those toxins (and chemicals if you are going through medication withdrawal) out of your system.

6) Get regular exercise. You don't have to live at the gym but regular exercise bleeds off stress and the Endorphin buzz is a cheap natural high.

7) Talk to your doctor about an ADHD medication and Proprananol. The ADHD meds help you focus on stimuli instead of being overwhelmed by it. The Proprananol is a very effective Beta blocker and I have found it helps with the stress of "combat mode".

8) Use marijuana as part of an active and preventive therapy program. If you have a nightmare or a flashback.....Smoke! It helps. In time you will discover what your therapeutic dosage is and you can find a happy medium. (For me a half gram every hour or so when I'm having a bad day is a Godsend!)



I hope that passing on what I have learned the hard way will help Veterans afflicted with PTSD. Lord knows the VA Health Care system needs work.

Over the past year of medical marijuana use I have found that the nightmares are less frequent and less traumatic. While I still have flashbacks they too are reduced.

Very good post! I've struggled with multiple cases of PTSD throughout my life and will definately throw down my two cents, when I've got an extra minute! .....PEACE!

Boris99, This is so embarrassing I can't believe I'm even typing this. I've been diagnosed with PTSD, (OIF Vet/ Witnessed Horrible Things) I'm only 23! I can't imagine living a whole life like this. I often contemplate giving up on living. It's been taking a toll on me. I can't sleep with my girl friend or dog anymore due to SEVERE nightmares.(I bite, punch, choke, kick) I wake up and I live my nightmare all day long. I take the medicine they give me but I really don't think it's working. I'm still Active Duty Military so I can't try marijuana. I can't be in large crowds or even traffic jams. I constantly sweat, and my heart rarely slows down during the day. Just typing this, I'm beginning to feel it come over me.
PTSD pretty much killed my military career. My unit looks at me like I'm a liability. I think they want to get rid of me so if I kill myself it won't be on there hands. (I'm not contemplating suicide) I was doing pretty good too. Made E-5 pretty quick; always squared away. I've been drinking a lot lately. A lot. I can't wait until my enlistment is over so I can really get some help for this shit. I love life and I wish I could have mine back. I feel like the Military gave up on me. And I'm pissed because I was willing to give my life for this shit! Sometimes I wonder why I even made it back. I want to smoke pot but A Dishonorable Discharge would just fuck up my plans for college. I love this Country. I love our Military. But I feel like they let me down.

Sarge

Thanks for serving guys. I served in the Coast Guard for five years. I know how the military shits on people. It sucks.

Sarge, don't be embarrassed, man. There is nothing embarrassing about PTSD. It's been around for thousands of years. My grandfather had it bad after he came home from WWII. If he was walking down the road, and heard a car backfire, he would jump in a ditch. My grandmother said, "when he got back, he was changed," and she looked down and got such a sad faraway look in her eyes, I wanted to cry.

Me and my best friend in the Coast Guard were both very idealistic. We joined because we wanted to help people and serve our country. Little did we know that we'd spend a lot of time cutting grass, and doing busy work. We were very disappointed in the waste of taxpayers' money, and the disrespect those of higher rank would automatically show us.

I volunteered to go to Iraq, I volunteered to go to New Orleans after Katrina hit. Both times they said no, because, basically, they didn't like me, so they didn't want to give me what I wanted.

Me and my best friend were the subject of constant harassment. They didn't like us, because we are happy and free-spirited, and they wanted us to be miserable lifers like them. We often talked about getting out before our time was up. Using the gay card. Feigning sleepwalking.

We finally ended up doing our time until our enlistment was up.

I also used to drink heavily to deal with the stress of work. It didn't help. I would just get nuts, and kind of annoying to be around.

I know this sounds corny, but do your best and stick it out. My opinion. You might be able to get out on a hardship discharge if you get diagnosed with PTSD, but I don't think you get your GI bill. Also, there is a possibility the government will take away your right to own a gun if you get diagnosed.

My friend and I used to smoke right after we got piss tested, or when the command would go on leave. But, in a unit of 16 people, it's easier to tell stuff like when they are going to piss test. It was probably stupid.

Weed definitely does help with the stress of life. The more extreme the stress, the more it seems to help.

Hell ya nice post for the members of the armed forces that have fought in any kinda conflict, and I mean fought in not was just over there in the mix. I was just disscharged from the military last year, and I'll tell you they treated me the same way. I was a high speed soldier made it to the rank of E-5 and had just went to the E-6 board and received 149 points out of 150, when they gave me the call to come pick up my profile and paperwork to start a medical disscharge on me. I begged them to not put me out but like everyone else when they're done with you they just shit on you. Now i am a dissabled vet because of receiving many blows to the head which resulted in Bleeding spots of my brain. So now I live a life at the age of 26 with dementia and what would be similar to being bi-polar because of the fact that my brain has scares and every time i have anger my braing cant shut it down before i do and say what most people would like to do but dont. So now my life is full of tests and all kinds of meds. But like everyone knows, I smoke the herb for my PTSD, my stomach which is always upset unless I smoke and to help calm my nerves in order to make it through another day.

Thank you for serving our country. Although I did not, my brother did, and many other family members.

Just wanted to add to the thread about MMJ and PTSD. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 02. I did not serve in the military, so it was not related to that.

I still got diagnosed with it. Whatever I went through was bad enough I guess. My question how common is it for some one to use MMJ to treat PTSD?

Are there any studies done to look at how it helps the brain?

I have a stupid drug test comming up at work in a non-mmj friendly state. So I stopped smoking last week. Sure enough my dreams come back. Last night I had one of the most vivid nightmares I had in a long time. I think this is becasue I stopped smoking. I really thought it was real the whole time to the end, and feel as if I got constant adrenaline goin through me all day. Still.

If I move to california, will they give me a card for being diagnosed with PTSD?

How many people here are diagnosis of PTSD that think mmj helps?

I think MMJ helps for a few reasons. Biologic roots to PTSD are in the amygdyla and hippocampus. That is also where are CB1 and CB2 receptors are. I firmly believe that MMJ is one of the best relievers of symtoms of PTSD. The condition has ruined my life. I have lost jobs because of it. I have a short fuse. Sometimes no fuse at all. I also believe it has prevented promotions and better job ops.

Any info would help. Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MMJpatient28

Any info would help. Thanks.

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If you go to PubMed PubMed Home and type, in the search box, "cannabis PTSD", you'll get thirty results.

Hopefully, you'll be entertained for a while. If you need help, for some reason, just post back.

in "Granny Storm Crow's List"-

IDF TO TREAT SHELL SHOCK WITH CANNABIS
Israel IDF TO TREAT SHELL SHOCK WITH CANNABIS

Study: Marijuana Eases Traumatic Memories
cannabisnews.com: Study: Marijuana Eases Traumatic Memories

Medical Marijuana: PTSD Medical Malpractice
Medical Marijuana: PTSD Medical Malpractice - Salem-News.Com

Cannabis for the Wounded - Another Walter Reed Scandal
LP: Cannabis for the Wounded - Another Walter Reed Scandal

PTSD and Cannabis: A Clinician Ponders Mechanism of Action
CCRMG

Cannabis Eases Post Traumatic Stress
CCRMG

Endocannabinoids extinguish bad memories in the brain
IACM-Bulletin

Natural high helps banish bad memories
Natural high helps banish bad memories - 31 July 2002 - New Scientist

Granny :hippy:

Just wanted to say hi and hope you gte some good relief from your PTSD

I am a disabled veteran from 11+ years active Marine Corp. I suffer from chronic pain conditions and a awaiting on the Michigan medical marijuana program to get started. Marijuana has been a god send for me

hang in there

USMC/medically retired