bronzie

Sorry for posting back to back tonight. I've just been so busy all day. My youngest is sleeping and I'm waiting for my oldest to get home safe.
I really want to drink so bad tonight. I've been doing so good all week. But I didn't get any booze at the store and there is none in the house.
I do have a medical marijuana card, and its totally legal here. I eat gummies every day when I ask my vitamins, and smoke a joint or bowl like once a month. It's helps my anxiety, relieves pain, helps me me stay focused and productive, and helps me not drink.
Just curious how people here feel about that.

Dee74

I have a long history of pot addiction and abuse so I couldn't do it.

I wouldn't recommend it if anyone asked me either because my pot addiction and my alcohol addiction intertwined...if I was drunk I wanted to be high and vice versa...

If thats not the case for you, and if it's prescribed for you by a Dr, then it's none of my business Bronzie

D

bronzie

Thank you for your response, Dee. It's totally opposite for me, I can't do both at the same time, would be pointless. But I also have a history of hard drug abuse (not for the last 5 years).
My family doctor knows I use medical marijuana and approves it with my prescriptions. It calms me and helps keep my impulsiveness at bay. I'm on antidepressants but I won't take anxiety meds. I am Native American and I prefer natural cures. I hope I can get off all alcohol and pills, and only use herbs and teas. One day....

Gottalife

Of course alcohol is totally legal in most places too, but that doesn't reduce its harmful effects for alcoholics.

Maybe addicts of other types could chime in on this one, but there seem to be certain substances other than alcohol which I should never take, even if prescribed. Marijuana is one of those. It is not my drug of no choice, I can't see the point in it because I used it alcoholically which made it very expensive BTW. But the last time I had a wee puff from some well meaning friends, it lead instantly to a drink, which led to a year long bender. I know recovered addicts that would rather die than take certain medications pushed at them by psych doctors, and I feel the same about marijuana for me.

ScottFromWI

I think the fact that we have a forum dedicated to marijuana abuse is probably a good indication of the answer that question Bronzie. And really, what we feel about it shouldn't matter to you. Do you personally feel that you use pot for purely medicinal purposes as prescribed by your doctor? Or do you use it impulsively/addictively?

As you say, Alcohol is legal, but none of us here can drink it in a controlled manner. I personally used any mind altering substance in an addictive manner, so I'd never ask for medical pot in a million years. Just as I would never ask for benzos for my anxiety, they are basically alcohol in pill form.

You'll really need to answer this one for yourself I think.

FreeOwl

I tried getting sober once while still smoking pot.....

That led to me smoking pot a lot. And that led to me treating pot in many ways the same as I did alcohol. And that led me to ignoring the things in my life that needed healing in sobriety. And that led me back to drinking.

I tried getting sober once while NOT smoking pot.....

That led me to staying sober. That then led me to working on myself in many ways - well beyond just not drinking and not smoking pot. That then led to me deepening, expanding and drastically improving my life. I have smoked or eaten pot a couple of times in sobriety. Each time, I've come away looking at it as time misspent.

My life continues to grow and improve and expand without alcohol or pot.

Your results may vary - but these have been mine.

totfit

I think this a personal question really. Is what you are doing working for you? I don't think that addiction, recovery, etc. is a black and white thing. People react differently to different drugs, even caffeine. Again, I think the answer to any question such as this would be, does it work for you or not?

tomsteve

I could find a way to rationalize anything.
I got hooked on crack for a couple year. then I THOUGHT I hit bottom. after a few weeks I started feelin better. then stopped at the store and bought a 40 ouncer. in a week I was up to a 6 pack and a pint- I had never mixed beer and liquor before. added pot shortly after.
rationalized that as long as I didn't smoke crack again, all would be good.
3 year later I was ready to kill myself.
even though I didn't smoke crack again.
when I was given the gift of desperation, I knew for a fact it was all or nothing- stop ALL drugs and alcohol or end up dead.

bronzie

I do use it only in a medicinal manner. I don't abuse it or feel addicted to it at all. It definitely helps me to stay away from alcohol, and it's a lot healthier than drinking. I rarely smoke it, I usually take one gummy in the morning with my other medications.
I also refuse to take any anxiety medicines like benzos, or opiate pain meds. My doctor knows this, as we have talked about it. I used benzos years ago and it wasn't good for me.....too addictive.

bronzie

Sorry guys, I just realized there was a separate forum for discussing marijuana. I need to branch out on here.

tomsteve

please note,though, that themarijuana forum is

"An open forum to talk about your struggles with Marijuana Addiction and recovery"

Funtimefranky

For me I know weed would definitely be an issue. I'm a serious addict. I don't like weed but if I was prescribed it I would probably end up abusing it. No I'm lieing, I would definitely abuse it. To be honest if it were in front of me now I would probably take it just to not have to feel what I'm feeling today but I know deep down somewhere I need to go through what I'm going through. It seems to be a miracle drug for some but it is a drug all the same and I personally think mind altering drugs and addicts don't get along, not normally anyway.

Has anyone had luck with the oil that's had the stuff that makes you high removed? Sorry forgot what it's called?

STDragon

I thought long and hard about using pot to replace alcohol so I could quit drinking. I use to smoke pot in my younger years, it had it's side effects but I could take it or leave it .

I later saw a documentary about how todays pot has been bred to be so much stronger is very addictive and causes physiological breaks in some users. What I use to smoke was like baby aspirin in comparison.

I suppose medical cannabis is much weaker but I couldn't be bothered to go thru all the hoops to get approved. I trusted the medical system once before with my addiction and got burned, I wasn't about to go back.

bronzie

Thank you for pointing that out. I am not struggling with that, and I do not use it recreationally. My struggle is alcohol, that's what is hurting me.

bronzie

CBD oil. You can vape it or you can get a tincture to put under your tongue or in a drink (like hot tea). I have some and have tried it, yes it does help with anxiety and some relaxation effects, but I only cared for the tincture. I do not like to vape the oil or wax, or do dabs or any of that. Also I think it is too expensive and I don't find it to be a huge pain relief, I prefer the edibles for that purpose. The gummies I take are similar to gummy vitamins.

bronzie

Well, the medical stuff here is actually stronger dosages on edibles, and the flower is about the same, but is more expensive and taxed as recreational. I use the medical edibles mostly for pain relief, but I still have to take Aleve for my ankle.
I would say, with anything regarding your health, do your own research. I know the alcohol is what's hurting me, and that's why my focus is on stopping putting that poison into my body!

Thank you all for responding, I appreciate hearing others' opinions on the topic.

Misc72

I'm all for it. I don't do it because it gives me a headache. I did my college term paper on Legalization for Medical Purposes. It's just unreal how many benefits it offers. I hear the Canibus Oil is a miracle for arthritis. I tried some edibles when I went to see friends in WA. But like I said it gives me a headache. And I was doing it for the wrong reasons. If you are using it strictly for your Dr. ordered anxiety disorder then I'm all for it. Legal M is so much better than buying it from a stranger and it could be laced with who knows what. I'm not condoning it for party purposes though. To be very clear. Just one opinion of someone that doesn't even use it.

soberlicious

I agree with sunshine. I don't use it either, but I know many people who use it as prescribed with success.

What other natural/holistic treatments have you tried for your anxiety? Mediation, yoga, exercise, acupuncture, diet and/or other lifestyle changes?

duane1

I traded addictions from alcohol to pot 5 years ago. Pot is a very addictive substance that was not as easy to quit as I had thought it would be. Right now, you aren't addicted to pot, if you can keep it at a once in a while pace, I am sure you will be fine. For me, I went chronic with it and can't smoke it anymore. If you see it going in that direction, you should quit.

Dee74

I think it's time to lay some ground rules for this discussion.

If it's prescribed for you, it's medical and thats between you and your doctor.

Best case scenario there of course is they know all about your addictive history.

If it's not prescribed, even if it's legal where you live, and whether it's smoked weed, edible weed or oil, it's self medication and I self medicated enough on pot (and alcohol) to know that can end disastrously.

Ground rules established, share your experience, but noone should be recommending anyone do anything but see their Doctor.

Dee
Moderator
SR