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Those who have been prescribed anti depressant medication with or without therapy have you found any marked improvement in symptoms ? Do they simply mask the depression and numb all emotion or are the effects not so noticable ie personality changes etc. I question the wide use of anti depressants in modern medicine especially SSRI's as this method seems so blunt to me. Any expiriences would be much appeciated. Also what are peoples general opinions on using marijuana for treatment? thanks
Also I should note I'm considering some therapy and at this point in time do not feel open to use of medication but some real expiriences are always useful.
Hey again. Glad to see you're sticking around :) Hope you're ready to read and if not you'll be kind!
When I decided I would be evaluated for anti-depressants it was really important to me that I wouldn't experience large personality changes. I know people and have heard stories about people that have become numb from them, so like you I was concerned. In reality I think most of these stories stem from assumptions about the drugs or experiences with bad doctors. They do not induce any sort of dulling or euphoria on the senses they (SSRIs) simply keep more serotonin available to the brain. After being satisfied with my own research on the subject I gave them a try.
My diagnosis was mild depression with social anxiety. I was on Paxil CR at half a 25mg dose for 2 weeks and then the full 25mg from there on. After the first week I noticed a general lift in my mood. It was subtle. I still had mood swings they just didn't get to the point of feeling lost or trapped. Making small talk and having petty conversations was a bit easier. I was spending less time evaluating and editing my words in my head before I spoke. This was a big deal for me because for so long I felt crushed under the weight of this unrealistic fear and anxiety. After being on it for over a month I was still having good results without any strange shifts in personality.
I was also "prescribed" therapy and went to the two sessions required to get my refills. I'd been to a psychologist before. Many times actually. For several years I was convinced that I could talk my problems away and it was above me to pop a pill. I realize now that therapy alone would probably not have made any real progress for many more years if at all. A lot of my healing was simply realizing that it could be overcome and suggestion alone offered only so much reassurance.
I do think that these drugs are over-prescribed on a very large scale. I know people that have been taking them for years yet don't seem to be any better to show for it. These are the numb victims we hear about when you talk to people about anti-depressant meds. I think my success came from having a doctor that took the time to actually listen to my concerns instead of coming into the room and leaving it in the same breath. A change in personality was my #1 concern and by the end of the conversation he shared those concerns along with me and prescribed something he considered appropriate. My follow-up appointments were all very thorough as well. He must have known I was serious since I didn't even have insurance at the time.
I don't take anything for depression or anxiety now as it is no longer a daily issue. When I see my mom she'll give me a couple Xanax from her prescription to I keep in the medicine cabinet--the .25mg ones. Not even enough to feel it on an entirely conscious level, but they will put a stop to irrational anxiety if it is being persistent.
I think the fact I consume cannabis regularly plays an important role in my continued good health. A lot of research has shown that long-term exposure to cannaboids will result in an anti-depressant-like response. That and I've had strains that will stop alarming symptoms of anxiety like heart palpitations in their tracks. I don't have access to the stock required to be a true medicinal user but I'd like to one day as I think it shows unlimited promise.
Treating depression solely with cannabis is not something I put much stock in though. The ups and downs, especially when inhaled, are too severe to have a therapeutic response to someone dealing with chronic depression. It's simply not a practical way to live for most people either, smoking dope every couple of hours. In conjunction with a psychologist you might indeed have good luck but I would contend this rests entirely on being honest about your cannabis usage and him being supportive.
Don't be overly worried about anti-depressants. If you have a puzzling reaction to what the doctor gives you the first time call him immediately. Lots of people have tried 2 or 3 medications before they found one that will work without side effects. It's definitely a route worth considering.
Thank you so much for sharing that Lemonboy. To be quite honest what you described sounds nearly identicle with my day to day life. I question whether I truly suffer from depression as I have generally been an upbeat person in my time. Currently I have a lot on my plate and am certain the combination is leading to my overall depressive mind state. I also suffer from social anxiety that almost feels extreme at times, your description of editing the words before they come out is exactly it amongst other aspects im sure you are familiar with. A number of years ago a friend of mine offered up some xanax while I was expiriencing panic attacks quite frequently, the xanax felt like that breathe of air I just couldnt seem to grasp. Overall im really not sure where to go from here. I have long felt therapy would be of benefit yet always put it off. I think it is finally time to speak with someone so thanks for your input I really appreciate it, and as far as cannibus goes I find it can work wonders on both anxiety and depression too. I love that big dumb smile I get :D Thanks again.
You're welcome. The two were intertwined for me as if they were the same issue. The constant over-analysis of everything in my head was chaotic, leaving not much room for anything else. After I posted yesterday I was thinking about what my day-to-day used to be life and its funny how much I've put past me. The difference has literally been like going from living a perpetual asthma attack to being able to breathe again. It's something that I actively worked at and accomplished. Doctors, therapy, and medication are only tools. In the end the cure comes from inside. Good luck to you!Quote:
Originally Posted by realgood
Typical response I would get from my friends before I started treatment. Did they ever observe this in me while I was on the meds? Absolutely not.Quote:
Originally Posted by fat possum2
About 3 years ago I found myselft depending on medications, with many side effects to help me. I was diagnosed with Post Tramatic stress Disorder after dealing with multiple losses. I was on Wellbutrin for depression, buspar for anxiety, clonidine for my facial ticks, and lots of pain meds and muscle relaxers for pain caused by a horrible car accident plus that wonderful drug pulled off the market, Celebrex for my arthritis pain. I am 26 years old by the way.
I started smokin every once in a whle and noticed a less need for medication. I was always honest with my doctors and they hated it. There huge argument was that I didn't know what I was smoking. it could be laced. So I went out and got a medicinal license to smoke and gave a copy to a friend of mine who grew for me. Then their argument was smoke inhalation. I explained that for the last 10 years I had smoked a half to a full pack of cigarettes a day without them giving me this much grief. I had quit smoking cigarettes completely, and was smoking (at that time) marijuana once or twice during the week and on weekends.
For the past 2 years I have been smokin every night before bed. One bowl with my husband and i haven't been on a singel prescription or over the counter medication (not even tylenol) in 2 years. I have no side effects other than the munchies. Results are what you should trust. well, your own results anyway.
Well, here's my take on it from my own personal experience and personal testing. After being told to take Celexa, and reading about its side efffects from others, I decided not to take them. Stupid me!! I could have filled the prescription, not taken it and told no one and collected a disability cheque at the same time. That's honesty for you.
Through my research, I heard about St. John's Wort - a natural anti-depressant. I told my doctor and he laughed in my face telling me that St. John's Wort has a small amount of Prozac in it. Well, that and a certain original Star Trek episode (I know, everything I learned in life, I learned from Star Trek, LOL), told me that maybe the dosages doctors are prescribing are too high. So, I tried 600mg. @ 1 per day and I noticed a subtle stablization of my mood swings. Mostly, I would still get depressed but not nearly so bad.
I wasn't paying attention the next time I bought the pills and inadvertantly bought a 1500mg. dosage. Shit!! I was off the wall on one a day. So, my partner bought me another bottle, but only 300mg. and I didn't notice much change from the 600mg. I think, for me, 600mg. at 1 per day is good. I am out of it now and I am more or less stable, but that is because there are less of life's pressures on me right now. I don't know if I will take it again or just rely on mj.
All in all, I prefer to smoke mj. and nothing else. I will have one joint every 2-4 hours. Works just fine. I have been on it since 18 and am over 40 now. I don't have any smoke inhalation problems, but I agree with the comment that buying from a dealer, who knows what it is laced with. I've proven to myself that buying from a dealer is not best. I've had some pretty wild withdrawals from that shit and I never knew what strain I was getting. Some made me so f'ing cranky I was unbearable to live with. Better to grow your own. My side effects from my home grown are almost non-existent. It's a much more pure smoke and I need less of it to maintain my stable mood.
You can find more of my posts on this topic in other medicinal threads on depression. I don't have time to hunt for the links just now. Hope this helps. Any questions, just ask.
Yes i defintaly thing MJ can be a much better natural antidepressant medicine that can be used for an alternate for SSRI's of MAIO's. But I have been on Prozac (5 mg)a day for about 5 months, and it truely did help me with my depression. But it can also make u more depressed if u do not have a certain amount, so u should always ask a doc before u order sum pills off the net. They in no way masked my emotions, they just give u more Serotonin (which is what XTC does except, it makes u use ALOT more at once and leaves u empty after). Overall i just wish Marijuana was legal so docs could axually just prescribe it, instead of just using chemicals like paroxitine, on people who might just get adverse side effects.
Wouldn't that be nice. Is anyone aware as to how marijuana acts upon the brain speaking in terms of neurotransmitters ? thanks for everyones responses they are great.