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Medical Marijuana And PTSD

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A Vet friend of ours (lost both legs in combat) uses. He does not use the VA system for his mental health issues (big time ptsd) because of trust issues. He uses some prescribed meds that he simply pays for out of his own income along with daily pot use. Because he is not working through his ptsd issues, he remains completely dependent on any and all forms of medication. My C advises him to go to counseling and he advises C to use pot. Neither follows the other's advice. But they remain good friends to their mutual benefit. The best a person can manage is an individual thing that is very difficult to compare using any kind of greater than, lesser than scale. Both men are doing pretty good, using different methods to be doing pretty good.
 
By the way, I am just shy of 4'11" and hardly tip the scales over 100. So when I am 80 and can barely beat a yard stick in height and weight, I hope someone has the courage to put some pot in my brownies so that I won't waste completely away before I am put under the dirt.:wink:
 
I'm a licenced medical marijuana user I have this for ptsd I found that it made it possible for me to get out of the house. Aswell as it help with my anger and eating problems . I feel the massive amounts of meds i was on did not help. My doctors both agree that this has been of great benefit to me.
 
If I lived in a state where marijuana was decriminalized and I could take it medicinally , I would defintely give it a try. Until then, I will have to wait to see what the rest of the country does to make marijuana-derived medicines available to adults who need it. Having done a little research, I have found that we humans have natural cannabinoid receptors throughout our bodies and I can't help but to wonder if we were not meant to use this incredible plant for our medicine. I would love to learn of the latest research on these new medications like the Cesement that was mentioned, etc. I think it is a great thing if it can help people with pain, nausea, cancer, PTSD, etc.!
 
Being in the military for approx 20 years I was naturally against all things illegal (naturally). After being diagnosed with PTSD and having chronic back pain I searched for something natural, and took up alcohol and marijuana full time. I researched and even convinced myself that marijuana by far was better than any chemically manufactured medication out there, so took my self off my meds.
That was the worse move financially and psychologically I could have done. I have not had a drink for 16 months and have not touched the pot for 12 weeks. Financially I am enjoying life, but after nearly two years of chronic substance abuse (pot), I am going through all the other physical and psychological issues that not having my pot has left me with.
The first being the increase in pain receptors build up by chronic substance abuse, this means that a basic off the shelf pain medication does not work, I have to double or triple the dose. And the second being that all the anti-depressants and anti-psychotics that I used to take did not work any more. I am still trying now to find the right medication to alleviate my symptoms, but would rather have these feelings than no money and a son that thinks you are a stoner. He and the rest of my family are proud, so that must count for something.

Jimmy
 
Jimmy, please be careful with OTC meds as thay can cause serious health problems....Two of them being Kidney and Liver failure. Just a small overdose of either Acetaminophen or Motrin can cause this....
 
I too used alcohol and drugs to control my symptoms. I kept saying that if the doctors would only give me the meds to calm my brain and body, I wouldn't have to use. I really believed that for many years.

What I found to be the truth was that the longer I used, the less it worked and the support I had around me was very unhealthy, negative, and eventually self-destructive. I was extremely frustrated that I couldn't find anyone who could diagnosis me, and when they did, the meds never worked and often times caused side effects that I hated. I felt like I was going around in circles and thought that self medicating was better. When I was having problems it was end of 70's-80's. I lived in the south in a pretty small town with limited mental health professionals. They said they could help me but never did, so I felt my decision was the only one available.

It wasn't until 9 years after getting married and moved to a city that I finally had no choice but to get professional help. I was so afraid I would get worse if I stopped using, and I did, but only for a short time. My life at that time was so chaotic (nightmares, alters, depression, attempted suicides, dissociation, self mutilation, flashbacks) and it was all because of symptoms caused by untreated mental illness. When I got rid of the drugs and alcohol, the real symptoms could come out and therefore could be treated properly. My using created a HUGE mask over the real problems to work on. I never knew how much I had injured myself with them until I broke the addiction. I was a binge drinker (to the point of poisoning or blackout) and pot was my drug of choice for so many years.

My experiences, IMO, allowed me to see that when you have the disease of addiction, anything can cause it to raise it's ugly head and take over your life giving you false reasons why staying addicted is the answer for you. Anything can trigger that response, ie. drugs, eating, sex, whatever we love the most. It was a crutch for me to be able to say, "see, I have everything under control...I don't need anyone to tell me!" What a dangerous and untruthful place to be. What if you have the addiction tendency and are covering up your potential with your drug of choice? Can you say for sure you're not an addict? Do you use mind altering substances to cover your pain?
 
Hey She Cat, thanks for the comment, but the point I was trying to make for everyone is that chronic substance abuse (marijuana in my case), alters the effects of other pain medication and antidepressants, due to the receptors get built up by its use.

I hate taking any form of medication, but it is a necessary evil unfortunately at present.

The other point I was trying to raise was that there is a reason why on medication packages it say you should not mix with alcohol, and I suppose if marijuana was legal all over the world it would say don't mix with marijuana.
I am only saying this as I am still trying to find the right medication for me.

On a positive note, I read an article and have watched documentaries where a doctor in Palestine has found a way to extract the THC out of marijuana and this is used for 'terminal patients' to see out their days.

Jimmy
 
Just wanted to bump this up.
I'm thinking about smoking again,mostly to gain a little weight and to relax.
 
I just wanted to point out to some people considering using medical marijuana... as a long time user and botanist of 4 years of the plant, I have learned many different strains affects certain responses. Sativas vs Indicas is something each individual must consider personally before attempting to consume anything. Please do your research so you can safely benefit from this herb, because it does have the potential to ruin good progress. So I STRESS everyone to do some research for themselves. I just want to provide some meaningful insight on some important points, so I am sorry if this post is out of line. I am not trying to offer any kind of medical advice, and do not encourage any type of consumption unless it is out of your own personal choice.
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Sativas and Sativa dominant strains (such as Haze, Trainwreck, Sour Diesel) contain more THC to CBN and CBD. THC is the stuff that gives you more like a cerebral psychedelic high. It's affects are more "happy" and sometimes even hyperactive. These kind of strains are good for people who are lethargic and burnt out, people who want to explore open mindedness and insight, artists, and those who want to smoke only during the day time. It is not good for people who are very anxious, and paranoid as it may increase your anxiety severely.

Indicas and Indica dominant strains (such as Purple Kush, White Widow, Cali Orange) contain more CBD and CBN over THC. This means the high will be more of a couch-lock, relaxing, body high. This stuff can knock you out, so it's best used in the evening. It's great for people who need to relax, lessen and control pain, and just want to chill. It's not recommended to use during the day, as it will burn you out. These strains can be more "addictive" to some as it sometimes offers "opium" like effects.

Remember also that smoking is not the only way to consume. Making Hash Oil can be very beneficial to those who have constant chronic pain. Apply some to the pain area and feel the pain numb out. It works well in conjunction with hot/cold press as well. It will take away inflammation as well.
You can also cook with it. It's quite easy to make canna-cooking oil, but the process can be "stinky".
The benefits from eating it is that it tends to be more of a long lasting pain reliever. I find people with IBS and other gastrointestinal issues benefit greatly from eating. You can use it on anything from salads to the traditional "magic brownie". But eating it can be a horrible experience for the novice user, as digesting it has a more powerful outcome in comparison to smoking it. The body high can be very intense, and this scares a lot of people.

What is most important to remember, is that moderation is key. It is easy to abuse it, but it can just as easily be very beneficial. Everyone reacts differently to it. If you are a novice, I suggest seeking the advice of more "veteran" consumers.
Please feel free to ask any more questions if you have any!
 
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