Advice/help needed

[Matt the Funk]

Well basically I have been smoking cannabis almost daily for quite a while. I have been diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder. Im not sure if cannabis helped it surface more but that is besides the point. I really need help. When I smoke cannabis daily or every other day my mood stays regulated and I have fewer and less intense mood swings. I also tend not to have psychotic episodes(which are very big problems). Anyways, my parents don't like my smoking(I live with them) but don't really stop me. Because I don't want to be kicked out of my house, face anymore legal troubles, and to respect my parents, I have pretty much quit smoking, the only problem is, my mood. I feel like I can't control myself(it's hard even after smoking sometimes) but now, it seems unbearable. I don't want to seem like an addict, but my parents are worried about my mood. Last night my dad even had to restrain me and make me take some Seroquel (quetiapine fumarate) an anti-psychotic. I haven't taken my meds for a few months, and taking them makes me depressed, and stops mania. Although I dis-like mania, depression is 10x worse. The last big break I took from cannabis was 2 months and I was put in a psychiatric hospital after the 7th week. After I came out of there I was put on many meds and started smoking cannabis again. I quit taking all of the meds, and I had been doing pretty well. And now since I quit smoking again I can feel myself having the same feeling I had before I went to the hospital. Now what I am asking is, should I just continue to smoke? Or should I try to work this out with the medications? I really hate the medications as they make me gain weight and make me lazy. But my parents don't want me to use cannabis since it is illegal. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Matt the Funk Reviewed by Matt the Funk on 12-08-2006. Advice/help needed Well basically I have been smoking cannabis almost daily for quite a while. I have been diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder. Im not sure if cannabis helped it surface more but that is besides the point. I really need help. When I smoke cannabis daily or every other day my mood stays regulated and I have fewer and less intense mood swings. I also tend not to have psychotic episodes(which are very big problems). Anyways, my parents don't like my smoking(I live with them) but don't really stop me. Rating: 5

[HiProGlow]

Dude, take your medications. If you don't, you'll end up having another psychotic break. There is hope though. As long as you stay away from hard drugs, a few puffs of cannabis a day shouldn't set off another psychotic break. Some rules- eat well, sleep well, take you meds, and stay off hard drugs. Use marijuana very sparingly. You'll lower your tolerance and you'll find that a little bit can go a long way. The most important thing is to stay on your meds. I can't stress that enough. Only you'll know when the onset of a psychosis is upon you, but everyone else will see the actual symptoms when it's too late. If you find that marijuana starts to make you excessively paranoid or manic, switch strains. But please, start taking you meds again.

[Matt the Funk]

Dude, take your medications. If you don't, you'll end up having another psychotic break. There is hope though. As long as you stay away from hard drugs, a few puffs of cannabis a day shouldn't set off another psychotic break. Some rules- eat well, sleep well, take you meds, and stay off hard drugs. Use marijuana very sparingly. You'll lower your tolerance and you'll find that a little bit can go a long way. The most important thing is to stay on your meds. I can't stress that enough. Only you'll know when the onset of a psychosis is upon you, but everyone else will see the actual symptoms when it's too late. If you find that marijuana starts to make you excessively paranoid or manic, switch strains. But please, start taking you meds again.

Thanks for the advice, it's just sometimes it's hard to take the meds. I feel like a total zombie, and they got me at a pretty high dose. But I'll see what I can do. I just go a new doctor(the kind that prescribes pills and shit) and I'll see if I can work something out with him.

[HiProGlow]

I hear ya man. Ask your Dr. if he can lower the doses...sometimes they are upped because of the breaks and can be lowered after you've returned to "normal". The drugs are stone-aged shite, they work but they take a huge toll. They tend to make people extremely tired, which increases the caffeine intake which decreases the effects of the drugs....a vicious circle. I have some friends trying to work out the chemistry of some future antipsychotics which don't leave a person lifeless. In time, the effects begin to lessen, but it takes a long time to build up a tolerance. Lithium seems to be the lesser evil, but then you have to have a blood test on a regular basis. The worst thing that can be done is to use alcohol while on the meds. Depressants are no go's. Keep your chin up though, help isn't too far away! Peace!

Oh yeah, interesting bit of information: more than 2/3's of people who have used LSD more than 3 times in their lives have wound up with a "self-induced chemical imbalance" that has led to bi-polar disorder.

[420izzle]

My brother burns a lot and has been diagnosed with bi-polar. He has the same thing going on with taking meds / not. Doesn't take them regularly enough. He hasn't quit buddha...and that's a good thing. He seems more self-destructive etc when not toking. But like HiProGlow says, the meds to be key. I have ADHD and I can tell you that I need my buddha meds, or I can't function.
Check this out...
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6541

Take care

[Matt the Funk]

Thanks for the advice. I think im just going to start taking my meds again.

[yoda]

i have a few friends diagnosed with bi-polar. they go through happy swings, then destructive moods. but when they are high, NEVER have they been destructive. while they take their meds, they still go through these swings.

hopefully more research will be done between bipolar and marijuana, which i believe to be the best medicine for it.

id also recommend NOT taking ecstasy. the roll is great, but for me, when the effects are wearing down, i feel downright terrible. my bipolar friends, couldnt even begin to describe what they go through, but you can just see it in their faces and the way they talk, cant be enjoyable at all.

[rebgirl420]

Yeah im bi-polar too and i'm court ordered to take my meds. I take allll sorts of pills, 7 at night 4 in the morning EVERY DAY. With bi-polar you just cant take your meds when you want to. It needs to be consistent or it wont work. It usually takes a month for your body to even realize a change. Take your meds if you don't you'll regret it later when your minds racing and you have a deppression/panic attack.

[yoda]

Yeah im bi-polar too and i'm court ordered to take my meds. I take allll sorts of pills, 7 at night 4 in the morning EVERY DAY. With bi-polar you just cant take your meds when you want to. It needs to be consistent or it wont work. It usually takes a month for your body to even realize a change. Take your meds if you don't you'll regret it later when your minds racing and you have a deppression/panic attack.

how does marijuana affect your moods, versus the meds your prescribed? do you suffer withdrawal symptoms when you dont take them?

[rebgirl420]

I get viciously ill if I dont take my meds. Like rolling on my bed crying. sweating, and shaking. I take alot of meds, Lithium 2 times a day 250mg each, Serequil 1,000mg Once at night and trazadone 100mg once a night. Weed affects my meds a little bit, makes my trazadone less affective but besides that i'm fine.