Marijuana & Mental Health

[pylon89]

So I've been watching this documentary on the TV and they've been talking about the links to cannabis to mental health. I was wondering what your views are on this topic?

I mean I know there's no real evidence to show that cannabis has an effect on your mental health but I know a lot of people that say they can't smoke it again cos it sends them completely paranoid. Anyone else ever felt like this?

 

[Balzac89]

Uhhh yeah from everything I have seen there is no correlation between mental disease and marijuana. Schizophrenia seems to be aggravated by the use of Marijuana. If you have ever seen someone get paranoid after puffing it is because they have mental issues.

 

[stunner789]

20 plus yrs of toking and the only time i get paranoid is when the blues are in the rear view and i aint gotta be high!!!!

 

[poplars]

only certain people get paranoid.

I for one can safely say I've never felt paranoia in my entire life .

and as far as cannabis and mental health, if it's used respectfully, it will only help, not hurt.

 

[ExileOnMainStreet]

I'm prone to depression so it doesn't help with that - but I've got to be smoking a LOT for it to become an issue and I can see it coming and back off a bit.

I think what the antis are doing is just looking at those few who ARE affected negatively making up the rest.

We've seen through this whole process that they are willing to doctor their studies to prove it's the 'demon weed' so I automatically any new 'evidence'
If you didn't know their track record, that would sound paranoid.

I think the ONLY way to get legitimate numbers would be to have an accurate count of the number of people actually smoking the stuff. You might get closer to that in Canada or some of the EU countries, but in the States there aren't enough people who will admit to long term use to make large scale studies relevant.
They're not paranoid either: they live in a country where college kids get bested for passing a joint - that's just wrong.

 

[sunni]

if youre a regular smoker, sometimes and a very small chance you can get really paranoid and prone to anxiety i knew a guy who smoked A LOT of pot and then he just quit cause it made him so paranoid and anxious that it wasnt fun anymore

 

[The sim's Bob Newbie]

I think if you do it regularly enough (like daily for a month or more) it DOES change your thinking from normal to more paranoid...I think it does in my case anyway - and it also generally makes your brain more sluggish even whilst your NOT on it during a "period" (shall we call it) of smoking...

Maybe I shouldn't do it as much as I have done in the past during a "period" what do you think? (Above is my own personal experience...)

 

[poplars]

maybe it did in your case but it certainly didn't in my case(and many others) . . . . and I smoked way more than regularly . . .

 

[rene112388]

I must say in my experience cannabis I very helpful I have borderline personally disorder severe ptsd and psychosocial anxiety and cannabis has saved me I was extremely suicidal since age 5 at 14 I started smoking and since I have noticed it helps me. It calms my anxiety actually though every now and again I do have the panic attacks but I smoke more and calm hits me cannabis slows me down gives me a chance to reflect upon myself in turn giving me a chance to better myself though I must admit it can affect my psychosis if its a bad day sometimes I find smoking too much makes me dwell on the images the psychosis creates though I think its not the pot that aggrivates it but that when I slow down I'm more focused on my thoughts I personally highly recommend it for those mentally ill it does wonders for some such as myself

 

[nickfury510]

It all comes down to brain chemistry. Marijuana will effect different people in different ways, thats why some people smoke it a few times and forget all about it and then there are those like us that smoke it and feel like it makes shit better. So could marijuana have the ability to cause mental illness to some? Yes it could, but then again many food alergies can cause adverse effects to you also, that doesnt mean it is a threat to the majority and the masses.

 

[kricket53]

i'm diagnosed with anxiety and cannabis has never made me paranoid, but takes away the paranoia i occasionally get as a result of an anxiety attack.

 

[pylon89]

Interesting stuff, I never knew cannabis had a plus side for your mental health

 

[kricket53]

Interesting stuff, I never knew cannabis had a plus side for your mental health

Haven't you ever heard of medical marijuana for anxiety patients? or to treat sleep disorders? or smoking a joint to relax?

i consider relaxation a plus to your mental health.

 

[pylon89]

Haven't you ever heard of medical marijuana for anxiety patients? or to treat sleep disorders? or smoking a joint to relax?

i consider relaxation a plus to your mental health.

I wouldn't really call relaxing mental health issues lol, I was meaning things like depression/schizophrenia e.g.

I've heard research has proven it helps depression but never heard of things like borderline personally disorder severe ptsd and psychosocial anxiety.

 

[sarah22]

i have borderline personality. i use pot to relieve my depression, and without pot i feel suicidal. it saved my life. sure i feel paranoia, but thats normal, i just control it. people so easily just give in to the weed paranoia and some stop smoking because of it...its really not that hard to control at all. you just have to focus your mind to stop thinking in a paranoid way.

 

[bigv1976]

I have seasonal depression and some anger issues and I feel that smoking has helped me control these issues. It is actually surprising to me to see that smoking aggravates some peoples issues because for me it has been a huge help.

 

[Don Gin and Ton]

cbn has been proven to actually stop you going crzy but to be honest if your gonna go fruit loops your gonna go. i know a few peeps that have done psychadelic drugs and had bad trips only to have weed trigger mental episodes. its not fun believe. mj works on the same receptors as psychadelic drugs, unfortunately its usually too late when you realise your brain is fucked

 

[mlore]

ive been smoking weed for about 5 years. and the last 2-3 i have been smokin about an ounce every 2 weeks to myself. on the weekend il have asmoke with mates. but im usual a solo smoker haha. but i can definately say i have a problem with paranoia. il get paranoid when i go out sometimes, looking over my shoulder. i also get para in my own house when im really baked and think someone might try and break in or summin. its stupid stuff, but i still get paranoid. and i never used to before i smoked weed. i also have aproblem socialising with new people, cant think of what to say. and can also be shy. i think wayyy to much. and i care about what people think of me to much. i can deffinately asy smoking has done some of this. but i think alot of this was in my personality before i smoked and when i started its just made them stick out alot more. i wouldnt stop for the world thoug. its not like its stopping me from doing everyday life. ive got alot better latley. its only really very bad, when im really really stoned of an indica. also i suffer from insomnia, so it really helps me sleep.

what i think is. if someone has allready got liabilities for things like paranoia or anxiety and social problems it can make them more prominent, but this is not the case for everyone. just the few people. but they are things we can get over. its all a mental thing. all in your head. and im getting rid of my problems while still smoking the ganj. seems to be helping at the same time.

sorry for the rambling.

peace

 

[3lions]

I have linsk with the medical community and there is no evidence of direct links to these issues after 100 years of trying to prove that there is. Legislation has meant that is has been difficult to even be allowed to do independent research, particularly in the states where everything is so tightly regimented. (land of the free?)

In the last few years where legislation has loosened in many countries and some American states there has been hundreds of studies that have brought to light hundreds of benefits and still no direct links to anything negative whatsoever. It is still unproven about any links at all to mental health issues, even the triggering of already existing mental health issues which altho possible to be exasperated by cannabis use could just as feasibly be triggered by any other products consumed. (including prescription drugs)

 

[3lions]

Having said that, i am also a realist and it is a fact that cannabis, altho not 'addictive' in properties, certainly does give a 'dependence problem'

These are the real issues that some people have to deal with, for some it is simply the effects of tobacco that they use 'habitually' along with the cannabis. These issues often lead to relationship problems and appetite issues above other things, i.e I need a joint before I do this, do that, eat this, go there