Are You Self Medicating?

[Don W]

You need to stop to get better. Non prescribed medication or alcohol/drugs will only cover and intensify your PTSD. Please see a professional. Cost a problem? There are ways to get around it. We can help. You need to get better to feel better. Don W

[mbyantis]

On the other hand, I am a PTSD patient of the Veterans Administration. Rather than stay drugged up all of the time, I lowered the dosage to the anxiety and nightmare medication and started supplementing it with marijuana. The result, I can block out the intrusive thoughts, daymares, a lot of the nightmares, a lot of my dissociative activity and so on. I don't know the answer. I wish I could locate some research on PTSD and the use of Marijuana. I just know that it is better than living in a fog. Thanks for listening.....I just don't know what to do any more.

[Wolfstarr]

Mybantis,

Welcome. I have located an interesting article on PTSD and marijuana on Web MD--you can check it out at:

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/...ic%20Disorders

I don't know if this is helpful to you, but I hope I helped somewhat.

Glad you stopped in. Come back often as others will post and you can gain information. We are all connected and I will listen and be here for you as most
everyone here will.
Peace,
Vivian

[Don W]

Welcome, I too am a patient at a VA Hosptal here in Mass. First, welcome to SR. What branch were you in. I'm a "Swabby" myself. I found out a few things. It took me awhile to learn and put these into practice. First off, avoidance isn't the answer to mine or your PTSD issues. Second, even perscribed medication without a progam and involvement in it isn't helpful. I feel that medication only helps you deal with issues that must be dealt with. My mind was so messed up that my perspective of things were based on fiction rather than fact. The events, don't get me wrong are very real, but, our thoghts of them can be off. Vivian, mentioned a site. The more you learn the better you can at least understand what is taking place. Please continue to post. Just a few questions if you don't mind. How old, have you been or are you in treatment for PTSD? You mention somkeing pot, still drinking? I'm not and will not judge you. I only ask in order for myself to indentify or not with your situation. For years I drank with my Paxil, because the Paxil wouldn't help me to forget. Turns out, that wasn't the purpose.

[Bluberry]

Yes the trick is very much not to forget. Since I first started seeing anyone for help they have told me this, and I'm not very fond of their advice. Some of the best advice I recieved however, was to take my flashbacks, and instead of immidiately sending them away, try to remember. Remember and feel. Because for years I avoided a lot of things, not just the painful memories but I lyed about a lot of things, to others and especially myself. That hurts more in the end. I was told to take these memories and self-explore. Now that I have spent a lot of time practicing that, I have come to accept myself, and the things that I have done, and have happened to me. And understand.

However, my latest flashbacks are more like trances that usually end in a violent outburst or a crying spell. They happen a lot less then the old flashbacks, and marijuanna helps a lot when it gets bad, but if I use it to cover it up from the beginning the end result is, well, not pleasant. Does anyone else experiance these types of symptoms, with the trance/flashback and end with the outburst or crying spell? Does anyone have any kind of advice?

[Don W]

I believe I remember a few trances. My wife or others would catch me staring into space. It wasn't a blank space for me but, sort of like a recap of past events. The best I can say it is, like my life flashing before my eyes but, not my whole life. I am a firm belierer in what your talking about. There are things in life we need to go through. We need the experence to deal with future problems. For years I've gone around them, even if it requires going back I must experence it to learn. I spoke of Padadigms on another thread. I believe that false paradigms/models formed my behavior and thoughts. Because I had nothing to compare them to I believed and learned them. Like you mentioned, it can be painful and many times I gave up. looking back, I know I gave up with relief just around the bend. I don't know why or how it works but, a girl by the name of Morning Glory use to tell me. Don, many times just exposing your fears, make them dissappear almost right away. There is something about verbalizing that allows me to get a hand on the situation and deal with it. Locked in my mind it always seamed much to large for the likes of me to handle.

[Lifeonlybetter]

Hi, I am trying to find some links on self-medicattion hypothesis...linking psychopathology to specific drugs. For example a lot of depressed people drink alcohol; ADHD has been linked to cocaine. But I would love to have a complete list. Does anyone know?