Drugs And Trauma

[Jonathan]

I also smoked weed (pot) before my trauma i was not stoned at the time had had not smoked for a few days but personaly i dont think being stoned could have made things worse. this is just my opinion i could be wrong....

i am also intrested in this thread.

 

[Grama-Herc]

Well NYC

Doesn't look like you have gotten any real answers yet to your question. But, I bet eventually someone will come along with some help.

There is such a wide variety of people and issues here, just wait long enough and an answer will come your way

 

[upstream]

Drugs, not so well.... pot only, has measured effects in quantified doses to help the sufferer relieve anxiety.

If pot reduces anxiety... hmmm

So you have two identical twins in the same room with the same life experience. One sober, one stoned out of his mind. Both witness the same traumatic event.

So if pot reduces anxiety, the event will be less stressful on the stoned twin.

So therefor the sober twin would have a more severe form of PTSD?

I've never been stoned, so help me out here. Is this a plausible theory?

 

[linasmom]

Hi upstream - I see two flaws in your question - firstly, you're assuming that simply because twins are made up of the same genetics that they will respond to stress in the same manner. That simply is not true. Secondly, you're assuming that each twin will respond to getting high from pot in the same manner, (or not getting stoned in the same manner). Genetics make a portion of your reaction to life experiences but is not the end all. Each individual will respond in their own way.

Personally, when I first starting smoking pot it quenched a lot of my anxiety but that changed dramatically over time. What once worked eventually stopped working. I have friends, who in times of trauma, smoked pot and it put them over the edge. I don't think Anthony meant that pot reduces stress in EVERY individual, however it has been proven that it does reduce stress for others.

I don't mean to speak on Anthony's behalf, but that is simply what I gathered from his statement.

This conversation has been interesting.

-Rachel

 

[upstream]

Hi upstream - I see two flaws in your question - firstly, you're assuming that simply because twins are made up of the same genetics that they will respond to stress in the same manner. That simply is not true.

That's why I stated the assumption that they have identical life experience. I'm trying to convey the idea that they are in essence identical in every way. While this is impossible in real life the question is a hypothetical.

Appreciate the input.

 

[Jonathan]

That's why I stated the assumption that they have identical life experience. I'm trying to convey the idea that they are in essence identical in every way.

This brings me back to what i was saying i personaly think if i had been stoned during my trauma it would not have been so bad, but again this is just my 2cents

John

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi nyc,

I doubt anyone knows the answer to that because the mind is complex. I believe any answer given here would be hypothetical. Unless a study was done on people that were high and exposed to trauma versus a placebo group (which those don't always tell the facts) there is no way of knowing.

I initially thought you were asking if pot would help reduce the anxiety after the fact. Sorry for my comments, as I was unaware of the real question and must have jumped to conclusions.

I smoked pot several times when I was a teenager and it made me paranoid, and wanted to go to the hospital. One hypothetical is if pot makes you scared it probably would make the trauma worse, and if it relaxes you then it may lesson the effects of the trauma. It stands to reason, but with the mind it is difficult to answer such a question.

Peace
Tammy

 

[upstream]

Hi nyc,

I believe any answer given here would be hypothetical. Unless a study was done on people that were high and exposed to trauma versus a placebo group

I guess we'll just have to wait for the next sociopath mad scientist to come along. He could also test Anthony's concussion theory :stupid:

 

[anthony]

I don't mean to speak on Anthony's behalf, but that is simply what I gathered from his statement.

You hit it on the head Rachel.... well said.

If pot reduces anxiety... hmmm

So you have two identical twins in the same room with the same life experience. One sober, one stoned out of his mind. Both witness the same traumatic event. So if pot reduces anxiety, the event will be less stressful on the stoned twin.

So therefor the sober twin would have a more severe form of PTSD?

I've never been stoned, so help me out here. Is this a plausible theory?

That is not even close to what was being said upstream. Firstly as Rachel stated, being part of what I would have said. Thank you Rachel.

Next, you have now take the use of pot as a form of anxiety reduction to now using pot in an attempt to avoid anxiety all together. You have taken a statement from post-trauma to pre-trauma use. Not the same. If you have two people side by side, one stoned and one sober, actually the effects could be much worse. The person who is stoned could actually experience the traumatic event much worse than that of the sober person who can see exactly what is occurring vs. the stoned person who is now imagining things and seeing things much differently to the sober person.

Far different aspects you discuss.... one which could actually show worse PTSD from the person who was stoned and endured trauma than the sober person who can then discuss out the facts of the event, not a mythical reality or interpretation of events the conscious brain perceived.... though the sub-conscious recorded the real trauma which it processes regardless at now a worse interpretation.

Not something I would suggest....

 

[upstream]

That is not even close to what was being said upstream.

I'm not trying to speak on anyone's behalf, or re-interprit the question, or twist anyone's words, etc. :think:

I'm just asking a similar question on a subject I don't know much about, hoping for an answer from someone with experience on the subject. :dontknow:

That's all, nothing more. I sincerely apologize if I upset anyone. :doh:

All the responses have been great, now I'm better informed. Thanks Rachel, Tammy, and Anthony. :thumbs-up

Though the idea of developing a drug that could lesson the effects of PTSD on soldiers is intriguing (pot of course being one of the last drugs I would want to give to a soldier in combat)

 

[pandora]

I totally understood the question....sory!

 

[anthony]

For many years propranolol has been tested, used and highlighted as the drug to erase memories.... yet what it actually is, is a beta blocker. It does not erase, it only suppresses. They are testing to see how long, though that could take a decade or more.