Weed and antidepressants. Is it really safe?

[Hopemeanslife]

I was a long term marijuana user and then I stopped smoking for about 5 years as I was having stomach issues that I thought was related so I stopped. Then one day I just had the urge and tried it again and I didn’t have bad side effects so I’m not sure what’s going on but it’s been fine.

It’s been almost a year since then slowly got back into the habit. I thought before when I stopped smoking my mood swings were just as bad and while I’m smoking I still have them but at least I have something to level me out as before I would literally be going through the motions sometimes days and weeks at a time so this does speed up my mood swings otherwise I can be stuck there for a while.

My doctor suggests for me to go on antidepressants but I don’t think that will interact well with this, so I haven’t done that as I have tried to do both before and got a lot of side effects where it affected my work.

So back to.. what I’m gonna do for the rest of my life I can’t smoke this forever but I also can’t be on prescription drugs either so it’s a lose.

Has anyone ever smoked and taken antidepressants?

 

[Lost in the Woods]

I use edibles for sleeping and I take a sub therapeutic dose of Zoloft to relieve frustration and anger. No problems at all. In a perfect world I would dump the edibles but sleep is important.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

I have smoked for 50+ years and take antidepressants…for many years. I think it’s part of my chemistry now because I feel very off without it. I am working on switching to edibles.
I have had a lot of trauma and it helps me feel happy as well as being a mental vacation.
I have quit several times for several years and feel better using it. So much safer than alcohol.

 

[enough]

put me down as a strong proponent of running the stock set up whenever possible. A clear view of the battle at hand is superior to feeling better about the little corner of it you can see in the fog in MHO.
Coming up on a year solid Northwest Sober, ie coffee still crosses the blood brain barrier but nothing stronger. Nuthin. Clarity.
Is it safer than a regimine including simultaneous anti d and THC? Not sure. what are you willing to risk? For me the risks are either seeing things that are hard to look at or missing something i should have seen. both suck. I like clarity, i just wish my view was better.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

@Hopemeanslife
I wanted to add that I am in active therapy and hope to decrease my use as my stress level lowers. It’s been a rough few years, losing my Dad, Mom, then my fur baby. Being totally alone without weed isn’t pleasant, but eventually I hope that changes…
It kept me sane while being a caregiver for 20+ years It’s pure pain control, physical and mental

 

[wallygator]

weed and the substance of CPTSD

I finally figured out that weed exarcerbates my CPTSD condition, while it seems to help in some way, the over comsumption and addictive personality that CPTSD engengers causes me to become seriously volatile, paranoid and agressive. I was not really aware of this because I thought I was doing OK, but now that I am taking the proper medication and quit using weed, I understand and can see that using weed was only a road to self destruction. A road that has left me alone in life without many friends. The weed does cause a problem called substance use disorder which makes CPTSD worse not better. I found that while I thought I was doing good, I was actually doing worse, fullfiling my mind with delusions about life, people and their motives. I found that weed made me more paranoid and frightened. It made me look to other people as a dangerous person at times, all the while I yearned for friendship and love from others. The problem with weed is that it heightens the feelings of who we are deep inside and if we don’t feel good then deep down at the core, weed makes us feel worse not better. I was using weed daily for over 15 years or so, very heavy user and looking back now that I am sober 2 months and back on Prozac and propranolol, I feel regret about the wasted time, the lost freinds, and the lost jobs that meant something to me.

 

[Lost in the Woods]

I am using edibles and Lunesta to sleep. It doesn’t work that well but it is better than anything else I have tried. I would really like to get off the weed and I am talking to my doctor tomorrow about a stronger sleep med.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

Last year I went THC-free for several months. I tried Lunesta and Ambien for sleep but they gave me weird, very weird dreams. It was like science fiction mixed with my memories…not for me. I decided to stick to what I know. I am thankful that I live 5 miles from a dispensary and am learning more about edibles, specifically, CBD in combination with THC for pain management.
In the past I used Percocet then Fentanyl patches for my pain but was able to discontinue without major side effects because THC mitigated them. I also started an exercise program that negated the need for narcotics.
It’s a very personal choice and certainly not for everyone.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

Error

 

[Freddyt]

I am thankful that I live 5 miles from a dispensary and am learning more about edibles, specifically, CBD in combination with THC for pain management.

for me its
1. Talk to doctor. I have one doctor who has a list of all my meds and knows of changes, so if anything and anything else are not compatible.....
2. Exactly the above. Sometimes exploring your options leads to finding things that work better than just THC or CBD. Sometimes its not good, sometimes you find CBG which has been amazing for me....CBN....not so much supposed to help sleep and did the opposite.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

for me its
1. Talk to doctor. I have one doctor who has a list of all my meds and knows of changes, so if anything and anything else are not compatible.....
2. Exactly the above. Sometimes exploring your options leads to finding things that work better than just THC or CBD. Sometimes its not good, sometimes you find CBG which has been amazing for me....CBN....not so much supposed to help sleep and did the opposite.

I did find success with CBG and I will be using it again. My medical and mental health providers are aware of my usage and although they can’t officially approve my use, they have seen me without and it can get ugly. Edibles are making a huge difference.

 

[Freddyt]

I did find success with CBG and I will be using it again.

Awesome. I find it reduces the background noise and is like a "damper" on anxiety.