ScottFromWI

Alcohol is legal pretty much everywhere. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to drink it.

Keep in mind that you are posting on a sobriety forum which prohibits the promotion of ANY drug, prescription or not. So you aren't going to find anyone here to tell you that it's OK to keep smoking if that's what you are seeking.

16YearsDrunk

I am not seeking that, I am merely giving an example between an anti depressant and cannabis.

Your alcohol comment makes no sense because although alcohol is legal it is not prescribed to treat mental health issues. Whereas in many parts of the world cannabis is, and legally.

With cannabis being prescribed for anxiety and depression it should fall into the same category as zoloft, citalopram, fluxotine. A person who uses zoloft for anxiety is a dependent user because without it they have anxiety - and withdrawal.

With this in mind I'll continue, until a health professional can do otherwise.

ScottFromWI

My comment was based on the fact that you seem to be trying very hard to justify the fact that cannabis is somehow "less dangerous" or less addictive. Many of those drugs that you list can be wildly addictive - especially benzos. Whether or not it's legal or used as a prescription is kind of irrelevant in the lens of addiction. Take a read in the marijuana forum and you'll find many individuals who have had very real withdrawals due to quitting pot. If you read back through this thread itself one could say that even you are experiencing said effects yourself.

16YearsDrunk

Ok, I'll put it a bit more simply.

If I quit cannabis I have to take anti depressants for my mental health.

So now I have a choice. Do I take the prescription drugs (legally of course!) for that anxiety and depression, or do I continue with cannabis?

Which is the lesser of the two evils because I'll be dependent on one of them.

And yes, I had side effects quitting cannabis. I had side effects quitting anti depressants in the past. What's the point?

DontRemember

That's up to you to decide. I've smoked/grown a lot of pot over the years,but it never had a negative effect on my life and I could/would go months without smoking with no real urge to smoke . Take it or leave it type feeling... I don't really smoke anymore and it's 100% legal where I live with no doctor required. We each have to decide what's best for ourselves in our recovery. Doesn't help anyone 'debating' over it. IMO it's similar to debating about 'moderation drinking or tappering'..


Edit: There's also a very nasty stomach flu going around where I live,with a lot of the same symptoms you described in your OP.

ScottFromWI

There are lots of alternatives to prescription medications for many mental health issues. I am diagnosed with one myself and while I did take some anti-depressants early on, I've found very effective techniques to manage my condition without any drugs now. It was not an easy transition but it was very possible and in the long run i'm very happy to not need to depend on any drug or substance.

Having said that, your question about whether or not you should use pot is not one we can answer here on this forum. Even if you would be using it for what you view as medicinal purposes, it constitutes the promotion of a drug - which we cannot do by forum policy. Just as we coudln't give you advice about using benzos. The legality or moral aspects do not usurp the fact that we are a community committed to complete abstinence.

Jim1958

​​​​​​I smoked for years. No withdrawal symptoms really. My issue is I would mix weed with beer. I found them to be cross addicting. I tried to just do weed and no beer. But it always took me back to alcohol. I quit weed first, then alcohol. Alcohol was far worse in my opinion. I had real withdrawal from that. It will get better.

tekink

I've been a heavy smoker for 20+ years, and a heavy medical user for 7. I kicked a giant opioid habit and only use cannabis now for pain.

I've had many situations come up where I could not partake due to travel and never had a side effect. I lived in alaska where home grows are legal and have spent most of my adult life with more freely available cannabis around than I can give away let alone smoke. I refused to sell anything.

DontRemember

That's how I was.. I'd smoke some on a Sunday..then not smoke until Saturday..and 'think' if I control my weed,why can't I 'control' drink a few beers too?..at the end I had stopped the drinking and a few months later just stopped with the pot. I'll,very rarely, take a hit or 2 at a poker game or something..but,just don't really see the point in it for me. I do fully believe the medical side for pain,CBD's for seizures,anxiety,ect..

Like I said..we're all individuals and our recovery 'methods/decisions' and if something is causing issues in our own lives, it's fully up to us to decide what we want/don't want to do about it. Just OWN it!

MantaLady

Hey 16! Sorry your having it rough and I get you, 20 years of daily smoking here and the withdrawal can be really difficult. Rather than run a bath get a few hot water bottles to put on your stomach 😉

I agree personally that caninanoids can be beneficial for mental health but the derivatives of cannabis not the stuff that gets you stoned. Smoking joints isn’t good for mental health and medical grade cannabis has all the “high” removed.

I couldn’t sleep for weeks, felt like I was on speed 24/7, sighed constantly and had a temperature for the first month I gave up after 20 years, was aweful but it did go away eventually.

Look after yourself 16! You’ve come a looong way from those dark days last year, be kind to yourself xx

Dee74

You know my story 16 - 30 years addicted to weed.

I would not be self medicating with cannabis - which is what you're doing - the rest of the discussion about prescription drugs and legality is irrelevant to me.

It may be legal in some places, it may be prescribed from some doctors ( I've never heard it prescribed for aspergers tho and I have a number of friends with aspergers)

but what you're doing sounds an awful lot like someone self medicating with alcohol which is what bought you here in the first place.

I can only share my own experience...my mental health was decimated by my pot use. Paranoia, anxiety, lack of motivation, ahedonia massive mood swings....

If you really think you need help with your mental state I suggest you at least consult a dr and run your idea of self medication past them.

The idea that anti ds are bad for you (mmkay) and pot is not is a false premise. Get some professional advice and go from there.

Quitting pot is no fun - you can expect at least a few days of discomfort - but you got through alcohol withdrawal - you can get through this too

D