Re: Has Anyone Heard of Smoking Marijuana for Bipolar Symtoms?
I just read through this entire thread and have been squirming in my seat to post a reply.
Before I get started, here's some info about me: My husband has ultra-rapid cycling bipolar II, dx in 2007, has attempted suicide twice by overdosing on sleeping pills, has had countless episodes of suicidal ideation, and has been hospitalized three times. I am an occupational therapy student, have a BA in psychology and just finished a fieldwork rotation at the VA Hospital working with homeless veterans who usually also had mental illness and/or chemical dependency problems.
My husband has been smoking a small bit of marijuana every day since last summer (July '08), when he overdosed on Ambien and was hospitalized (the third and most recent time). He has been through just about every single mood stabilizer and antidepressant out there. Most of them caused him to experience the opposite of what the meds were supposed to do, i.e. extreme depression from Lithium and psychotic mania with Abilify, Zyprexa, and Geodon. Right now he is on Seroquel, Lamictal, Prozac, Klonopin, and Adderall (and therefore doesn't medicate soley on marijuana). However, these meds had limited benefits before he started smoking. Before he began using MJ, he would often spike down into depression several times a month, becoming almost catatonic at times. He would come home very early from work (without telling his boss) and sleep for the rest of the day and night. He also used alcohol frequently to escape from the depression, usually after taking Ambien, Klonopin, and Seroquel (and therefore doped up out of his mind and pretty much sleep-walking). There were quite a few nights when he would stay up late into the night doing god knows what, and I would have to drag him into bed after finding him passed out on the floor.
This was the most HELLISH time of my life, and several times I considered leaving him because it was just too much for me to handle. Every day I was almost sick with fear and worry about how he would be each day. It was like walking on eggshells.
Thankfully, marijuana has kept him stable, sane and alive for over a year now. He is content and relaxed. When he does have a mood swing, it's not nearly as extreme and he is actually able to cope with the depression and concentrate at work at the same time. He stays at work and is EXTREMELY productive, making more money than he ever has before. He verbally expresses true love for his job (he repairs musical instruments) and voluntarily goes to work on weekends. He is eager to share with me his knowledge about instrument repair. Our relationship has improved ten-fold. There is no way in hell he would have been so consistent in his moods and behaviors before he started MJ.
It really upsets me to see people just flat-out assuming things about marijuana without actually getting to know more about the individual in question. I don't know about you guys, but I would much rather have a husband who smokes pot responsibly than one who is dealing with kidney and liver problems, tremors, and tardive diskinesia after prolonged poisoning from the traditional psych meds. Yes, I know these meds have worked wonders for
some people. And yes, many people with BP who use MJ are simply using it as an escape, and are often addicted to other (and much more harmful) illegal substances. But you have to look at the person's personality and behaviors to decide whether or not it's substance abuse or successful self-medication. My husband hates drug dealers. He does not have any pot-head friends. He carefully measures out his dosage and adheres strictly to that dosage. He knows what is too much for him, what will make him way too high and unable to function. He provides insightful answers when questioned about his MJ use that go far beyond "It makes me feel good". That was his answer for alcohol, however. As a side note, he decided to abstain from alcohol ever since he began the MJ, knowing flat-out that it caused him to become depressed the next day. I can't believe how much he has matured and grown as a person. Now he's actually able to focus on developing coping skills and educating himself.
It's funny when people mention that "today's pot is not the same as it was in the 60's". We can do something about that! Something easy, like establishing regulations and providing dispensaries where people can purchase marijuana knowing where it's coming from and that it's safe! By eliminating the need for seedy drug dealers, we can help to eliminate the dangerous lacing of marijuana.
Also, it's interesting that some people stated that people are just "dependent" on marijuana and become depressed or manic when they stop using it. Uh, last time I checked, the same exact thing happens when people abruptly stop their meds too. Essentially, one becomes dependent on a drug when one suffers without it. So how is this ANY different?
Regarding self-medication, people self-medicate all the time when they take Aspirin or Tylenol. There's a difference between self-medication and deliberate escape from pain and problems via drug use.
Also, it is impossible to overdose on MJ. My husband could have died after OD'ing on Ambien, a perfectly legal drug that was prescribed to him. It just doesn't make sense to me that MJ is somehow "worse".
Every individual is wired differently. Some people benefit incredibly from Lithium; others, like my husband, crash and burn. Some people become doped up and sleepy when they take Benadryl; others bounce off the walls. Some people get paranoid and anxious when they smoke pot; others feel exactly the opposite and are able to function and participate in LIFE.
So, in the end, who cares if someone smokes marijuana to treat his bipolar disorder, as long as he is enjoying his life? Quality of life is what's important here, not assumptions and sterotypes and research findings and clinical observations. As long as I can see his smile and hear him laugh and just be himself, I'm perfectly content. It's much better than being afraid that I'll find him dead in the bathtub or closet when I come home every day, or visiting him at the hospital for a measly hour each day and paying thousands of dollars for the medical bills.
Please be open-minded about this. It really does help
some people, and we need to progress with the research and remove the stigma. It's very frustrating that, if he wanted to, my husband could easily drop by the liquor store and drink himself to a stupor when he feels depressed, yet he's considered a "criminal" for using a natural drug that actually helps him FUNCTION. It just isn't right.
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