Pressmetilihurt

Hi. I hope this isn't controversial. I have 168 days off alcohol. I take medications for anxiety. They do help. I've dealt with depression and anxiety my whole life. At this point I'm happy to be sober. I don't long for it like I used to. I'm also not wanting to take these medications anymore. They are pharmaceuticals and cause side affects. I'm considering cannabis. Please note that I have never been a pot smoker except occasionally when trying to be social. I don't actually like being high. I was at a show recently and I had to leave the floor cause of all the smoke. I have used cbd based cannabis in the past with mostly good effects. My question; am I sober if I use non psychotropic cannabis?

Dee74

I've been addicted to cannabis in exactly the same way as I was addicted to alcohol.

I was addicted to escaping reality. Only recovery helped me deal with that.

Pot did nothing for my anxiety in the long run either - if anything it made me more paranoid and frightened.

There are other side effects from pot too.

One of the big ones for me was it made drinking again seem like a good idea: why just be high when you could be high and drunk as well?

It was not a good decision on my part.

D

Astro

I've heard a lot of different perspectives on this. My understanding is that I am not sober if I use anything that might be considered mind-altering. My suggestion would be to speak to a sponsor or others in recovery to get a good range of opinions and then see what you think.

PhoenixJ

It is a drug.
Alcohol is a drug.
Valium is a drug.
Each produces an artificial mood change. Self medicating- be it o.t.c antihistamines, cough medicines or codeine based pain relievers- to pot- to booze, is NOT safe. See a professional.

Forward12

Different people will have different opinions. Most AA'ers feel that any medication means you aren't sober, personally I feel if a medication helps with your sobriety and mental health issues, I see no problem with it.
I've been looking into CBT myself for my own anxiety and depression issues.

Briar

In my opinion, prescribed drugs used as directed are fine. The question is whether you're able to stick to using them as directed.

miamifella

I read this kind of thing online, but in real life I have never met anyone in the program who felt this way about prescribed medication.

In my experience, prescribed medication taken as prescribed is understood as necessary. This is especially since so much alcohol and drug use is self-medicating.

KES06

I"m not sure what medication you are on, but they have been prescribed for a reason. If you don't want to take them anymore, you need to discuss with your doctor and decide together what would work best. Benzos, anti-depressants, etc should not be stopped without being under a doctor's supervision. And I would be candid to doctor, too, about your thoughts on canabis and see what he/she has to say.
Good luck!

SoberCAH

Right on.

I don't see much of this type of attitude in AA at all.

I wouldn't listen to it if I did.

I account to God and I work the program.

I don't need anyone else's affirmation or approval.

SoberCAH

I can't understand why you want to get off of meds but onto marijuana.

Of all them meds you could have mentioned, you sought the one which is a well-known mind-altering drug.

Marijuana is great for anxiety, but only if you want more of it.

Like Dee said, it tends to result in more anxiety and paranoia, as well as lethargy, sloth, and gluttony.

I can do without all of them.

I think that medical marijuana is an arrow in the quiver of modern medicine which can be deployed in an indicated circumstance (e.g. to alleviate intense pain in some circumstances).

I doubt that using it in the context of a person who is newly sober isn't one of them, though.

You may want to continue taking your meds for a while.

One doesn't get sober overnight.

I take meds (non-benzos) for my depression and anxiety and I deal with some of the side effects from time to time.

It's not fun, but it's better than being swooned with depression and constantly fearful and nervous.

Stay here with us and keep us posted.

Pressmetilihurt

I really appreciate all the responses. I came from a very strict AA GROUP. I see a friend decompensate into mania because his sponsor told him to stop taking his meds. That is so messed up in my opinion. I called my therapist and my nurse practitioner today. I will hopefully get to meet with th soon. Actually cbd isn't mind altering. It's the part of the plant without the psychotropic effect.

Dee74

I was assuming you meant self medicated.

I'm not going to back away from anything I said cos thats my experience...

but if you can tell your doctor your complete story and addictive history honestly and openly, and he or she suggests that some form of marijuana is the best treatment for you, then thats a matter between you and your doctor.

D

red3215

I think of sobriety as relating to alcohol only, and the online definition I just looked up only uses it to relate to alcohol or alcoholism.

But you could be alcohol free and still get high on crack or some other substance just as bad or worse than alcohol.
I don't know much about weed but I think it's possible a person might be affected horribly by alcohol and not marijuana. Or the other way around.
It might depend on the person. Do you think you are in danger of abusing it? It's mostly your call to make IMO, but to answer your question, yes I'd say anyone who's alcohol free is sober.

NYCDoglvr

There's a saying: "you can't be high and sober at the same time". Alcohol was my drug of choice but it could have been a drug. An addict is an addict....

MindfulMan

He is talking about CBD, which, unlike THC, is not psychoactive, and can be useful against anxiety.

Glad he's talking to his doc about it.

August252015

Respectfully, this is definitely not the case in the AA meetings/people I spend time with here. Many of us use well-supervised PRESCRIPTION drugs as tools in our sobriety. I do.

I believe that intent is key; I also believe that for most everyone smoking pot is to get high...so no, we aren't sober if we smoke.

That's up to you. I'd always suggest anyone - myself included- see a dr before using anything off book, or stopping meds that have been prescribed, or other playing around with them.

stephengb

Many people confuse CBD and THC both cannabis.

CBD is sold generally as a health supplement both in UK and EU and is not a controlled substance or drug and is not psychoactive. It is reported to be supportive in a range of conditions both physical and mental. However before trying it you should consult a medical professional.

THC is a drug and can have adverse mental effects including increased anxiety etc.

Dee74

The trouble is there's a wide range of things being sold as CBD oils and in a lot of countries there's little or no regulations of what can be sold.

Also, though it may be legal where you live, thats not the case all over the world and as this is an international site, there's that to consider too.

Buying drugs off the net is not the way to go - like you say, best to consult a Dr first :always see your Dr before starting any supplements.

D

stephengb

There is in UK and EU. In late 2016 in UK they have brought in licence specific requirement for manufacturers. It is considered a health supplement and the premises it is produced need to be licensed.

No suggestion to buy any drugs off the net, which is moot point as CBD is not a drug. Anything to be consumed from a reputable source.

August252015

Not one to speak for "most" anyone else- I'm an AAer who believes prescribed medicines, by a good dr with whom I am honest, and used correctly are absolutely fine and do not mean I'm not sober. I have a drug regimen that is one of my tools for my sobriety.

I consider pot a different deal. While it can be used for medical reasons that are legit- it is also something that most people use to get high; I'd also tend to agree with Dee's experience from what I have heard in AA circles here, and even more importantly, ascribe intent (to get high) by using a drug or somehow escape [pain] as problematic to calling myself sober.

If you haven't, I'd talk to my dr about this.