Marijuana and Anti-Depressants

Philly_Buddah said:

(Im not sure where this thread belongs)
Is it safe to smoke marijuana when taking anti-depressants?

I have anxiety, depression, possibly more, and I cant function too good now, Ive tried everything else and I give up. Im probably going to have to take medication again, anti-depressants or similar things.

I ask this question because I have heard some reports where people have had really bad adverse reactions when combining the two. There was this one on erowid where this guy had convulsions with serious palpitations and almost died from combing the two. If Im happy with the anti-depressant and if it actually helps, Ill most likely cut down a lot on my marijuana smoking, but I love marijuana and it made me feel good when I thought there was nothing else to live for and I was finally able to just relax for the 1st time in years. Does anybody else do this? and is it safe?

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If you can afford it, MJ can be a good antidepressant on it's own. It may not work as powerfully as say zoloft, but it doesn't have anywhere near the side effects and I didn't feel as doped up as I did on anti's. Anti depressants never made me get over depression, they just made me into someone else that was "normal" and not depressed. And personally, My opinion of antidepressants is that It isn't any better than any other habit, If you have seen someone on withdrawl from antidepressants, it's just about as bad as someone withdrawing booze.

I have taken zoloft and toked before and it DID give me the shakes, for a moment I thought I got bud laced with meth, but I remembered that I took the pill earlier. I didn't have to see a doctor or anything, but I wasn't very comfortable.

So I would avoid taking them both. But honestly, over the long term, I have had much better luck without the antidepressants and just plain old MJ (not even once a day). And on the plus side, you can still get your freak on when you're high. Don't even bother looking at porn let alone try and get it on if you take antidepressants TOTAL WASTE OF TIME!

hope this helps.

The thing is, I HAVE taken anti-depressants before and they didnt really help at all. The only thing they did help is my deep depression, but I didnt feel like a human being anymore, its hard to explain. I was tried on about 6 different anti depressants over the course of 3 years, and I ended up just stopping taking any of them (my psychiatrist actually said it was okay to stop them, because none of them were helping), I was much better and could think clearer after I stopped. I also know how bad the withdrawal is, I was either taking effexor or prozac before I quit cold turkey, and man....that was probably the worst 3 weeks of my life. From the brain zaps, to nausea, I couldnt sleep but couldnt stay awake, I was shaking constantly, it was real bad.

You all just reminded me how much I hate anti-depressants. Also, the only illicit drug I take rite now is marijuana, and thats hardly even a drug. It does help a lot with my depression, but my main problem now is anxiety, and since marijuana is illegal and I have to hide it from everybody, it adds to the anxiety a little. Im not sure what I should do rite now. I like weed, dont like anti-depressants and medication, but I cant go on any longer the way Im going now.

Ive never taking anti depresant...im almost 20 now, but when i was 18 i lived in florida and i sold weed,, i knew so many people and was making so much money...i loved it, i felt important...like 50 ppl called me a day, then i got into trouble and moved to MS with my family to get away from that stuff,, and i was depressed for like a year, i wouldnt even come out of my room, i went from having evrything to being a nobody, im juss now kinda of getting over it, so i feel for u

I think if you are on antidepressants and you still want to smoke weed then those pills aren't working. The weed is more natural anyway. Big pharma has to have everyone on some sort of pills.

I've done it for years, my friend.The weed helps with the rage.I have a physician's desk reference that says weed can increase the effect of the antidepressant.

ElBarto said:

you should discuss this with whoever it is who is prescribing you the meds

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my doctor told me smoking weed would stop my SSRI working but it seems to be working fine and im a heavy smoker

If it's anxiety, ask your physciatrist about seroquil. Helps me, and works like a charm. Will have you sleeping like a baby.

is that a weed plant spida? It looks like a weed christmas tree....

Hahah yes, that's all the top cola.

Do you have a grow journal somewhere? I'd like to see more pics of that. Looks like a really nice plant.

spida said:

If it's anxiety, ask your physciatrist about seroquil. Helps me, and works like a charm. Will have you sleeping like a baby.

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What are the side effects from that? (dont say none, because there are always side-effects). Especially with: weight changes, appetite, erectile/sexual effects, and anything else significant that you noticed. Im still considering anti-depressants, Im not entirely against them.

Ya, unfortunately there are some side effects. They include, a slight increase in hunger, sometimes more then others, and also slows your heart rate down, which is not good if it mixes with some medicines, especially drugs like E and Meth. Weed is fine mixed with it, but as soon as you stand up it'll make you sit down again. Haha. I noticed a slight increase in weight over time, but I think that was just due to my poor eating habits, and lack of excersize. That's the extent of the cons, but the pros I would say outbeats it. It definitely is very relaxing, and will allow you to have like 12 hours of uninterupted sleep. Pretty hard to overdose on, because I am perscribed 125 mg which works fine, and a safe dose is up to 500 mg. But I really noticed a difference in anxiety. It also basically helps me for my anger. Overall, I would reccomend it, as long as you can keep up exersize and somewhat good eating habits. Only bad thing is if you decide tto just STOP taking it, you will feel sick the next day. Nausea, stomach aches, etc. You have to build up to whatever amount you take, and also have to work your way back down slowly.

Dude, sorry to hear that.

But from what I know and my lady is a pharmacist, that anit depressants are a kind of pain killer. Alot of ppl know weed as an anti depressant because it is in some ways a pain killer.
Its cured some of my injuries and whenever i have some pains, it reliefs it or takes it away till im not high.

I didnt know all this, but when i was depressed with alot of family issues, when I smoked weed, it lit me up. and after read all that it made sense.

No chemical drug will make u unhappy really, there just numbing.
Becareful not to become dependant on them, alot of it is mental.
dont mean to offend anyone

So true, khearts. Good insite to that.

Philly_Buddah said:

You all just reminded me how much I hate anti-depressants. Also, the only illicit drug I take rite now is marijuana, and thats hardly even a drug. It does help a lot with my depression, but my main problem now is anxiety, and since marijuana is illegal and I have to hide it from everybody, it adds to the anxiety a little. Im not sure what I should do rite now. I like weed, dont like anti-depressants and medication, but I cant go on any longer the way Im going now.

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Cannabis is also my only anti-depressant now, I used to be on scrips but they didn't work as well as the marijuana. Side-effects do suck, marijuana isn't the perfect anti-depressant.
From my experience anxiety can't be medicated or suppressed, you need to work through your anxieties. Welcome them, embrace them, step up to the fear and the "flight" instincts your body gives you. Its the hardest kind of thing to do but it feels so goddamn rewarding afterwords.

el shaggy said:

Cannabis is also my only anti-depressant now, I used to be on scrips but they didn't work as well as the marijuana. Side-effects do suck, marijuana isn't the perfect anti-depressant.
From my experience anxiety can't be medicated or suppressed, you need to work through your anxieties. Welcome them, embrace them, step up to the fear and the "flight" instincts your body gives you. Its the hardest kind of thing to do but it feels so goddamn rewarding afterwords.

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My anxiety got so bad over a period of time about a year ago, and kept gradually getting worse and thats when I started to have panic attacks, coincidentally, during that time I hadnt smoked for 3 months...I started smoking weed again and they got a lot better and eventually stopped almost completely.

Weed still helps with my depression and anxiety overall, but I find I cant enjoy the high as much anymore since my anxiety has gotten worse. My heart will start beating faster when Im high and Ill be like "OMG I think Im gonna have a heart attack! or pass out!" really stupid thoughts like that and Ill end up having a minor panic attack. I got a lot of problems I gotta work out though, and I gotta get my life back together. IDK, it could be worse. I really hated the anti-depressants though, they made me not myself and changed my ways, whether I wanted them to change or not. At least now I have some personality. And those side effects are horrible, I was like 15 yrs old and I could barely get my dick hard...now THATS sad. I just wish they could invent a pill that stops depression and anxiety but has no bad effects.

Philly_Buddah said:

My heart will start beating faster when Im high and Ill be like "OMG I think Im gonna have a heart attack! or pass out!" really stupid thoughts like that and Ill end up having a minor panic attack. I got a lot of problems I gotta work out though, and I gotta get my life back together. IDK, it could be worse. I really hated the anti-depressants though, they made me not myself and changed my ways, whether I wanted them to change or not.

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That used to happen to me, hasn't happened since I've been out of school so maybe 3 years next month. School was a major part of my anxiety and stress, I would also get stomach aches that made me want to die.

el shaggy said:

That used to happen to me, hasn't happened since I've been out of school so maybe 3 years next month. School was a major part of my anxiety and stress, I would also get stomach aches that made me want to die.

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I know exactly what ur sayin. I still got major anxiety symptoms, whether Im high or not. At first I thought I was really dying and shit, but after looking some things up and getting tests done, I found out its just all anxiety. I got the most irrational thoughts ever, I have a 0 risk of having a heart attack, Im very young, healthy, fit, and I have no risk factors whatsoever, but still I think Ill have one all the time. Thats how I can tell its all from the anxiety. It was even worse before I started smoking weed though, and after I stop for a long time, so weed has at least helped control it somewhat.

It helps to control your anxiety if you just keep reminding yourself that you can't die from a panic attack.

Those of you with panic attacks, have you ever done acid? I always wondered if the panic attacks might be related to past acid use. I just to love to do acid.

misshestermoffitt said:

Those of you with panic attacks, have you ever done acid? I always wondered if the panic attacks might be related to past acid use. I just to love to do acid.

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I don't think acid could have led to anxiety, unless when you were on acid you had a traumatizing trip on acid, and it's never let you go. That's just what would make sense to me, but I'm no doctor or a smart person for that matter. Just in my eyes, I would only see it leading to anxiety if you had a life-changing or traumatizing trip while on acid.