Is What I Went Through Really Traumatic, Or Is It Just Me Being Overly-sensitive?

[InHell11]

I agree with you that an anti-depressant would be masking the symptoms if it worked. That doesn't alter the fact that smoking cannabis is masking the symptoms. I think the point is that anything you need in order to survive symptoms is best used as a temporary crutch and to be used just enough to get you through while developing other coping methods and working on overall healing. That's different from viewing it as a permanent solution, and/or seeing it as something there are no issues around using.

The trouble is I was already aware the cannabis masks the symptoms, in fact that is the main reason I still use it. Its about the only thing that reduces the symptoms enough to where I can function somewhat and work towards better coping techniques and such. Anti-depressants and klonopin apparently just make me insane, and the trazodone I have for sleep and anxiety works fairly ok but the side effects are somewhat disabling. For instance if I take it for anxiety than it slows me down which I don't always have time for. Perhaps I can get approved for MMJ, and have it treated as medicinal drug but easier said than done. And sure maybe someday I wouldn't need chemical relief from symptoms but maybe not I am willing to consider both possibilities

Any drug alone is not going to solve a psychological issue one has to also do other things like perhaps get up, take a shower at least walk around a little outside for some fresh air and of course things like therapy or other non-substance treatments are helpful. Anyways, I see cannabis as a viable medication and in the state I live in it is used as such hence all the dispensaries but I realize not everyone will agree with that.

 

[InHell11]

"Substance Abuse is Contraindicated

Self-medication with substances is contra-indicated for survivors of
trauma. Use of alcohol, tobacco, street drugs or a mis-use of
prescription drugs is a negative coping mechanism. (SIDRAN
Institute, Presentation at Syracuse Regional Conference, June 6, 2003).
While it seems to provide some immediate relief from either anxiety or
pain, in reality it complicates and confounds the healing and recovery
process:

- it only provides temporary relief, if any at all;

- it often blocks necessary psychological processing and can prevent
or delay the natural completion of the grieving process;

- it often results in lower functioning capacity resulting in poor
choices and poor decisions and even behavioral dysfunction;

- rather than calming nerves, alcohol and other drugs can actually
increase both anxiety and fears, they intensify and exaggerate
emotions so they come out drug-affected... and long term use can
even cause emotional stagnation;

- they can disrupt sleep, especially stage four or deep sleep, and they
can increase nightmares and make them more vivid and believable;
Even the most minor use of these substances, unless by physician’s
prescription and under a strict medical protocol, can actually make the
symptoms of trauma - especially the more severe symptoms associated
with PTSD -- much more serious."

I think with all those it sort of depends on the drug an the person, as for marijuana there is evidence that it has medicinal potential therefore I am not so sure use of it would make things worse in all cases. Also, different kinds of drugs have different kinds of effects some can contribute to anxiety, some might calm it then there is how it effects the individual. Its not as simple as medications are good, street drugs are bad.

I am not trying to downplay the dangers of addiction or drug abuse, as I know those are real and it can be a major issue. I just take an issue with the attitude that if someone resorts to street drugs its simply a bad choice they should have known better than to make and thus they brought on all their problems mental issues them-self when its a lot more complex than that. I mean drug addiction is seen as a mental disorder as far as psychology is concerned which would indicate its not just some character flaw.

 

[Pietro]

...drug addiction is seen as a mental disorder as far as psychology is concerned which would indicate its not just some character flaw.

No, it's not a character flaw. Addiction, in general, is often rooted in coping -- it's a way of dulling/avoiding emotional pain. There are some substances that are, themselves, highly addictive simply due to their physical properties. Outside of this, anyone can become "addicted" to something if they find that it helps them feel better, function in life better, etc., consciously or unconsciously.

By the way, isn't Marijuana legal in your state, now, for use outside of medical purposes?

 

[InHell11]

anyone can become "addicted" to something if they find that it helps them feel better, function in life better, etc., consciously or unconsciously.

By the way, isn't Marijuana legal in your state, now, for use outside of medical purposes?

I thought addictions had to interfere over-all negatively with life, like causing more harm than benefit, so I wouldn't usually consider regular use of a drug addiction unless it was having a negative impact in their life and they individual isn't able to just up and stop without some sort of help. I think before problems related to drugs could be solved there needs to be more actual research and information not a bunch of stigma towards people who use drugs I strongly feel it should be regarded as a health issue than a legal issue.

Also it was voted to be legalized outside medical use and so one can have up to a certain amount in Colorado without getting in any trouble, as well as a certain amount of plants cant remember what the specific amounts are. However its not to the point its legal to be sold in stores and such so acquiring it outside of dispensaries is of questionable legal status more or less. I also heard on the news when the law was just passed they dropped a bunch of marijuana charges against people who were facing legal consequences due to having/smoking it. So it remains a confusing issue.

 

[The Albatross]

Well from a therapeutic standpoint for PTSD, if it was considered a health issue at this time, it is contraindicated and doesn't support your choice from a mental injury or illness standpoint. It does make sense if it is a lifestyle choice, but PTSD doesn't have a thing to do with it as it is presently. Perhaps one day, your position will be supported, but for now, it's not.

 

[Pietro]

I thought addictions had to interfere over-all negatively with life, like causing more harm than benefit, so I wouldn't usually consider regular use of a drug addiction unless it was having a negative impact in their life and they individual isn't able to just up and stop without some sort of help.

No, addictions are not determined by how they affect your life -- it's mostly about whether you are compelled to continue the thing to which your addicted, that, as you said, you can't just stop it. The definition of a "functional alcoholic" is a person who's addicted to alcohol, but where the addiction hasn't interfered with his/her ability to maintain their lives, at least the part that everyone sees.

Habitual use of a drug, just like promiscuity, does not equate to either drug addiction or sex addiction, respectively. Only if engagement in these activities becomes required for someone to function, without getting withdrawal or anxiety, does addiction come into play.

When I made the comment about "anyone can be addicted to anything", I was really just responding to the comment that you made regarding drug addiction not being a character flaw. I wasn't trying to suggest that, just by using marijuana, or any other drug, that you are automatically an "addict". Sorry if I wasn't clear. :)

 

[InHell11]

It does make sense if it is a lifestyle choice, but PTSD doesn't have a thing to do with it as it is presently. Perhaps one day, your position will be supported, but for now, it's not.

Not entirely sure what you mean, I suppose the way I see it PTSD effects pretty much every aspect of life so it would have quite a major effect on lifestyle choices. I mean if someone tries self medicating their symptoms the PTSD or even other mental disorders would have everything to do with it.

 

[InHell11]

Habitual use of a drug, just like promiscuity, does not equate to either drug addiction or sex addiction, respectively. Only if engagement in these activities becomes required for someone to function, without getting withdrawal or anxiety, does addiction come into play.

That is where it gets complicated to me, I mean a lot of people need meds to function but not so sure they'd qualify as addicts. Withdrawl in my opinion is a good indication of addiction, but anxiety could simply be the result of the lack of relief from the anxiety that is normally there.

When I made the comment about "anyone can be addicted to anything", I was really just responding to the comment that you made regarding drug addiction not being a character flaw. I wasn't trying to suggest that, just by using marijuana, or any other drug, that you are automatically an "addict". Sorry if I wasn't clear. :)

I know you didn't mean that, I was more generally speaking a lot of times addiction gets treated as more of a character flaw by society and the system in general and in my opinion it should be treated as a health issue and then there is stigma about it which probably doesn't help the issue too much.

 

[Pietro]

Addictions occur, in large part, because people need something to help them cope with the conditions created by the trauma, before they realize that trauma/PTSD might be at the root of it all. It's not just because someone is "weak" or "stupid" -- we do what we need to do to survive, and to avoid pain. So, yes, addiction is, at its root, a mental health issue.

But the stigma occurs because there are some addictions that, maybe, are not really trauma-based. A lawyer, for example, who starts doing coke, then can't stop, did not necessarily start doing it to kill the pain of trauma. He/she did it as a leisure activity, and got chemically hooked. This is not something that people are going to have as much tolerance for, but they don't differentiate addiction by this means vs. addiction that started by someone looking for a "pain killer". Motive is the only differentiator here -- the lawyer is looking to go from "good" to "great", while the trauma-sufferer is looking to go from debilitated to neutral.

As far as anxiety and withdrawal, you're right -- this can be confusing. Here's a real good example to muddy the waters: anti-depressants can't be stopped immediately, even if someone wants to do so. Your brain and body go into a form of withdrawal, because the drugs make changes to the functioning of the brain. It can take several weeks to several months of slowly weening down on the drug to be able to quit it. I did it once -- over a period of 3 months, and was lucky that I didn't get any withdrawal symptoms. From what I've read though, SSRI withdrawal is horrible. The funny thing is that you don't emotionally crave it, like a drug that specifically targets your pleasure center, but your body does physically crave it.

So, then, are anti-depressants a form of legal addiction then? ;)

 

[The Albatross]

Someone early in recovery told me I was habitually "taking something from the outside" to change the way I felt on the inside". It became habitual and then became a behavior. It fueled for me, a fundamental sense of helplessness. I had to decide, did I want to be a vehicle for my brain to get the substance of it's choice, or did I want to run the gauntlet and attempt to live a self actualized life in pursuit of healing in as much as I was able? The starting point was kicking the substance, so I could get down to the more important issue of dealing with my PTSD and physical illnesses. I decided to leave to the professionals whether or not I needed meds and stopped playing amateur chemist and messing with my own brain and body chemistry.

Pietro is right, statistically the link I posted suggests that 30% of substance abuse/addicts have had no trauma. 70% have, but the material does say that better coping with stress is key.

 

[The Albatross]

Research in the area of stress and substance abuse demonstrates:

‘ ‘ There are similar body neurological reactions to drugs and
stress"

Research, In Hell, does not support the idea that marijuana is an effective coping mechanism. If you choose to continue to use in the face of evidence to the contrary, it is a life style choice... not a medicine to self treat your PTSD.

" Cannabis has both psychological and physiological effects on the human body. Five European countries, Canada, and nineteen US states have legalized medical cannabis if prescribed for nausea, pain or the alleviation of symptoms surrounding chronic illness.

Acute effects while under the influence can include euphoria and anxiety. Concerns have been raised about the potential for long-term cannabis consumption to increase risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depression, but the ultimate conclusions on these factors are disputed. The evidence of long-term effects on memory is preliminary and hindered by confounding factors."

"Neurological effects

The areas of the brain where cannabinoid receptors are most prevalently located are consistent with the behavioral effects produced by cannabinoids. Brain regions in which cannabinoid receptors are very abundant are the basal ganglia, associated with movement control; the cerebellum, associated with body movement coordination; the hippocampus, associated with learning, memory, and stress control; the cerebral cortex, associated with higher cognitive functions; and the nucleus accumbens, regarded as the reward center of the brain. Other regions where cannabinoid receptors are moderately concentrated are the hypothalamus, which regulates homeostatic functions; the amygdala, associated with emotional responses and fears; the spinal cord, associated with peripheral sensations like pain; the brain stem, associated with sleep, arousal, and motor control; and the nucleus of the solitary tract, associated with visceral sensations like nausea and vomiting.

Most notably, the two areas of motor control and memory are where the effects of cannabis are directly and irrefutably evident. Cannabinoids, depending on the dose, inhibit the transmission of neural signals through the basal ganglia and cerebellum. At lower doses, cannabinoids seem to stimulate locomotion while greater doses inhibit it, most commonly manifested by lack of steadiness (body sway and hand steadiness) in motor tasks that require a lot of attention. Other brain regions, like the cortex, the cerebellum, and the neural pathway from cortex to striatum, are also involved in the control of movement and contain abundant cannabinoid receptors, indicating their possible involvement as well.

Experiments on animal and human tissue have demonstrated a disruption of short-term memory formation, which is consistent with the abundance of CB1 receptors on the hippocampus, the region of the brain most closely associated with memory. Cannabinoids inhibit the release of several neurotransmitters in the hippocampus such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and glutamate, resulting in a major decrease in neuronal activity in that region. This decrease in activity resembles a "temporary hippocampal lesion." (source link, Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_cannabis)

 

[InHell11]

Research, In Hell, does not support the idea that marijuana is an effective coping mechanism. If you choose to continue to use in the face of evidence to the contrary, it is a life style choice... not a medicine to self treat your PTSD.

" Cannabis has both psychological and physiological effects on the human body. Five European countries, Canada, and nineteen US states have legalized medical cannabis if prescribed for nausea, pain or the alleviation of symptoms surrounding chronic illness

There is actually research into the medicinal uses of cannabis, and there is research indicating it can help some people with psychological conditions such as PTSD. I know in my state one can get prescribed medical marijuana for something like PTSD but it is more difficult than getting it for physical pain as there is a bit less research. Evidence/research suggests cannabis can help with some mental disorders in some people.

So I disagree that my cannabis use would be a mere lifestyle choice, I specifically use it to control my symptoms...I am not opposed to another way but thus far another way hasn't worked. I would assume try and get approved for medical marijuana and continue with the therapy, maybe group therapy at some point to continue my life, and it is certainly a possibility in my state if one can find more open minded health professionals.

I am aware of all the various risks long term and short term, and they don't exactly outweigh the benefits I've experienced. But maybe it would be best if I told myself I don't know anything and just do whatever any mental health professional says or thinks I should do, but I prefer mental health professionals that listen to what the patient has to say and seriously considers their input. That wiki article doesn't really say a whole lot and is pretty vague so it doesn't really seem to prove anything other than yes cannabis can have negative effects and it also has medicinal uses.

If all the evidence was contrary to there being any possible benefit then I'd probably quit using it but there is evidence/research that does support my position, otherwise I would not of formed the position I have. I am the type that likes to get as much information as I can about a topic before I decide what I think of it I don't just form positions on things based on nothing.