Posted by Andre on January 21, 2004, at 22:52:04
In reply to Marijuana dependance treatment using SNRIs/SNRIs, posted by KieranK on January 9, 2004, at 9:28:15
Jason,
I stumbled onto your essay by shear chance. It was like reading into a mirror. I could not believe how close your problems are to mine. I cannot believe how similar your findings are to mine.
I have been smoking heavily (bongs - finely chopped bud = big hit) for about 6 years. I returned home from the US - College and left all my buddys behind. This is when I started smoking on my own most of the time. About 8 months ago I decided to stop smoking pot. I thought it was causing me lack of sleep and a depressed attitude - I was also feeling a sence of social anxiety. I stopped for 6 months. After 2 months my problems were still present, in fact they worsened. I then decided to see a professional who diagnosed me as having depression. I thought he was right due to the fact that I didn't feel myself....at all. I was not sad and ideas of suicide never even came close to my thought process. However, he was the pro so I listened and started taking AVANTA. After 2 weeks I was sleeping better and not worring about not sleeping. But even after a decent nights sleep I felt like a freight train had run me over in the morning; besides I still had random sleepless nights. At that point I was happy that I was generally sleeping without MJ so dealt with the negatives of the anti-depres. The Anti-deprs simpily took my edge off. Over the 3 months I was prescribed, it was pretty much the same thing - in fact in the end I started drinking more (perhaps because I was lonely). I realized the drinking was a bad idea so stopped that and start smoking pot once a week (not like before......bongs everyday). WOW did that make a difference. I then decided that I was not depressed and did not want to be on the AVANTA. I stopped and immediately felt better. Waking up in the morning feeling clearer and happier. Work mates and family have even commented on my upbeat attitude.
I uderstand your position - as I am living it. It is my opinion that using these anti-depressants is not the answer. Here's an example: I am not depressed. I may seem a little down or unmotivated doing general activities but if you asked me to go out and play paint ball I would be there before you could sau "boo". The smoking of pot has elevated the satisfaction of these general tasks.
I believe the real permanent solution is to get to the root of the problem. Why did we start smoking pot heavily in the first place? For me I think it is Social Anxiety.
poster:Andre
thread:298498
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20031208/msgs/303993.html