Has Anyone Heard of Smoking Marijuana for Bipolar Symtoms?

Also good to keep in mind that the pot of today is not only much more potent that the pot of yesteryear, but it is much more likely to be laced with other components which could cause psychosis or destabilization. I treat tons of bipolar and the best evidence is for Lithium or Lamictal, other agents can also be effective. I personally love to treat with Lamictal, it has strong anti-depressant properties, and we know that often anti-depressants can trigger mania and anxiety. As for the smoking pot thing, it sounds a lot like what I hear again and again from my clients : their long histories of using substances to self-regulate their moods. Perhaps out of desperation over never having had treatment success!

Very Very True



And speaking of lacing:

A particular nasty is "Wet"...MJ soaked in embalming fluid.....folks become very paranoid schiz-like real quick. The lucky ones begin to mentally clear in a month or two. The unlucky ones not so lucky.

What you describe was called "illi" in CT when I was there many years ago (pot soaked in formaldehyde). It can literally turn the brain to "swiss cheese," I've been told (CJD/BSE type holes in the brain).

OMG !!!! I never heard of that "wet" pot....
things sure have changed since I was a smoker in the 70's.....
How awful !!!!! No, I would have to be totally against it too, now........

Heck, after all the things I have had the Docs prescribe me (stating that I have mild anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression) it CANNOT be worse than marijuana. Call me open-minded.

However, I cannot give you a testimonial. I don't even know how to smoke a cigarette! People laugh when I say that...but the truth is, I have never smoked.

Drinking-now that I have done- here & there. Why? Because it was the ONLY time that I felt "normal" and "even". But because I cannot handle my liquor AT ALL, I can honestly say I have only lushed up about a dozen times. You feel like crud afterwards and it's just a quick fix. Plus, alcohol tastes super nasty.... bleck..it's disgusting.

Thankfully I didn't take after a few alcoholics in my family. Bless their hearts.

In conclusion, at this point in my life I'm more afraid of McDonalds than something I can grow in a pot in my room.

I don't disagree with you at all about McD's, but the fact that McD's food is bad for us doesn't mean "something I can grow in a pot in my room" is okay. There are plenty of dangerous, risky things you can grow in a pot at home.

True lol. I guess it just depends on the person & whether or not they will keep it wholesome and organic.

i did'nt know i had a problem until i quit smoking pot after 35 years of use.then i found out i had sleep problems,mood swings,and am told i am bipolar.i found this out after seeing a doctor about the problems,she diagnosed the bipolar and depression.they have me on amitriptylin,clonazepam,and seroquel.It helps the majority of the time but i still have daus that are not very good

I'm not advising anyone to do anything illegal but I can't discount or ignore the testimonies of those who say they have found relief using marijuana for bipolar.

I'm very skeptical of what anyone says, no matter what their credentials, no matter how many letters or what letters they have after their name. We all know that one size does not fit all when it comes to the human body and that research can be made to say whatever the researcher wants it to say.

Also, just because someone is a doctor or therapist or nurse or psychologist or whatever title or discipline does not mean that person is necessarily good at his or her job or that their opinions are correct.

The converse is also true - patients do know what helps them, be it lithium, Seroquel, or pot.

In my experience (25 years in psych), clients who tell us that THC (or other recreational drugs) "helps" their disorder(s) aren't functioning any better -- they just like the way the drugs make them feel while they're being dysfunctional. There are also tons of people who claim that ETOH treats their depression more effectively than medication -- it's plain ol' comorbidity; a mood disorder plus an addiction. Very common in the psych world.

People have all kinds of strange ideas about what "helps" them more than mainstream medicine -- I remember the brouhaha years ago about all the people who "knew" that Laetrile was treating their cancer more effectively than mainstream medical treatment (BTW, if you're one of those, you can still get Laetrile in Mexico ...) Look at all the quack "cures" that are doing a brisk business ... Never underestimate the power of the placebo effect!

Now, if someone wants to do a legitimate, double-blind study that shows that THC actually is effective in managing bipolar disorder, I'll be glad to take a look at the results. Until, then, I'm not buying it ...