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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Hello people,
I've been struggling with chronic depression, or dysthymia if you like, for almost ten years, and am sure it began after smoking a joint. I know that's pretty unheard of, but that was my experience. Took a few hits if off this joint and then felt some shift in myself that was just wrong. Like someone turning down the my capacity to feel. Ever since I've been going through the motions of my life but not feeling any joy. Feeling utterly disconnected from everybody. As the years have gone on it's become harder and harder to stay motivated to live a normal life, and now reached the stage where I live at home with my folks, barely go out and feel utterly hopeless. Tried taking Effexor and then Avanza and seeing a shrink a few years back but neither helped. Ended up leaving the country and trying to outrun my despair. Going from country to country, working when neccesary, but moving as much as possible. Until eventually burnt out. Now trying "Lovan" but so far no great effects. Also seeing a Psychologist.Anyway, this is my first time posting, and I seem to have gone on a bit of a rant, the main purpose of this post was to ask if anyone else out there had similar experiences with smoking pot and onset of problems?
Posted by Declan on March 18, 2007, at 3:37:51
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Hello Don
I've heard simply terrible things for a minority of people. Sometimes neurological things.
There is a case on Erowid of someone who after smoking a joint had one pupil large and the other narrow.
And someone I knew smoked a joint and that was it...never the same, she had a cracked pained look after that, diagnosis schizophrenia, FWIW.
Trust your feelings, hey?
And welcome to psychobabble.
Posted by Phillipa on March 18, 2007, at 16:03:16
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » don1000, posted by Declan on March 18, 2007, at 3:37:51
Im so sorry this happened to you. And pot and I never got alone either. No side effects or bad things just didn't work. Love Phillipa and yes welcome
Posted by madeline on March 19, 2007, at 5:03:03
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Welcome to Babble Don!
You know, I just attended a grand rounds seminar given by the head of psychiatry/neurology at the university where I work.
It was entitled "Einstein's theory and the brain" To make a long story short, the crux of the lecture was that Everything in the brain is relative - entirely context based.
A sober person's brain will interpret things one way, while a person on LSD (for example) will perceive things entirely differently. Once the LSD is gone, the perception goes back to "normal"
Sometimes, however, the shift in perception becomes permanent. Depression, he noted, was the typical case. At first, there is a stimulus to the brain to become depressed, in some people when this stimulus is removed and processed, the brain snaps back to the "normal" state.
In others, the brain "appears" to snap back, but the context of the brain is forever altered. Another stimulus - no matter how innocuous - sends the brain right back into depression.
I also think that this explains why people experience worsening depression through their life and why we often feel as though depression just "comes on" for no apparent reason. Our brains just keep getting a signal to fall into depression.
I think it is entirely resonable that single joint could have completely changed the context of your brain and predisposed you to depression.
You are not the first person I have run across that has experienced this after a single experince with drugs. I also think some presciption drugs do this as well.
Maddie
Posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2007, at 10:06:46
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » don1000, posted by madeline on March 19, 2007, at 5:03:03
So are you saying that an ad or illicit med can alter your brain for life and that depression always gets worse the older you get. Why does depression get worse as you age? Love Phillipa
Posted by Kath on March 19, 2007, at 11:27:08
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » madeline, posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2007, at 10:06:46
DOES depression get worse as you age Phillipa?
Kath
Posted by Kath on March 19, 2007, at 11:29:20
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Hi Don
Welcome.
I'm very sorry this happened to you. From the other posts, it's apparent that you're NOT the only one this has happened to.
I hope you keep posting...it's nice to have you here.
:') Kath
Posted by madeline on March 19, 2007, at 12:52:03
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » madeline, posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2007, at 10:06:46
..."So are you saying that an ad or illicit med can alter your brain for life..."
I think that is entirely possible in some people yes. I even think that a single event that is sufficiently traumatic or *perceived* as such can alter the brain for life.
..."that depression always gets worse the older you get..."
Nothing is ever *always*, but there is a trend that people have more frequent depressive episodes as the age.
For instance, I had my first incapacitating depressive episode when I was 19. I had my second at 22, then for the rest of twenties I was depressed all the time. I finally got treatment when I was 30.
..."Why does depression get worse as you age..."
It may be that our brains just get rewired to be depressed.
Let me give you the example he used to illustrate the process of rewiring (or changing the context of) the brain.
So, you take a mouse and you give it a specific electrical impulse in an area of the brain that is known to cause seizures. The first impulse - nothing happens, no seizures, the brain recovered and "absorbed" the stimulus. The second impulse the mouse seizes, the third impulse - the mouse seizes. Finally, you don't need to give the mouse another electrical impulse - the mouse seizes on its own and stays that way. The brain just conditioned itself for seizure activity - even in the absence of a known stimulus to seize.The lecturer argued that the same thing happened in depression. At first there may be a legitimate stimulus to become depressed. The brain recovers, but is much more sensitive to the next depressive stimulus and the next until finally the brain just stays depressed even in the absence of any known "reason" to be that way.
I don't know if it is true or not, but it is a theory that explains a lot about depression in some people.
Maddie
Posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2007, at 20:10:06
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by madeline on March 19, 2007, at 12:52:03
Maddie I think you're right as you see people go on from simple SSRI's to combos and then the heavy weight meds the Maoi's and then ECT or now dbs with still meds on board. It really scares me when I read some posts of young people already at that point. I dont really understand it. Love Phillipa ps this is not a criticism of any poster please forgive me if I've offended anyone
Posted by don1000 on March 22, 2007, at 17:59:01
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » madeline, posted by Phillipa on March 19, 2007, at 20:10:06
Dear Phillipa, Declan and Maddie,
Thanks for your warm welcome and support.
It warmed my heart a little.
Cheers,
don1000
Posted by Saint on March 3, 2008, at 11:12:09
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Posted by Saint on March 3, 2008, at 11:20:35
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Posted by Saint on March 3, 2008, at 11:24:09
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
Hi,
Brand new here..This post caught my eye as I was contimplating how I might be able to obtain some marijuana to bake in some brownies for medicinal purposes. I saw a post that someone had a small piece of cookie laced with marijuana to ease their depression symptoms and was really happy with the results. My gut feeling was it wouldn't be a good idea but I was curious.
I just want to add to everyone out there suffering from Depression that I would like to encourage you to pursue some of the literature out there in regards to Mindfulness and the philosphy of Buddhism. These are Eastern philosophies which give a totally different and enlightening view of our existence. Buddhism teaches that suffering like Depression is an integral part of our life journey. We should not expect to feel happy all the time. In fact the Buddhist monks try to bring on unhappiness so that they can more fully appreciate and understand the purpose of life. In Western culture we want everything to be fixed immediately. In the Eastern cultures we learn from our suffering. It has helped me in my journey to be able to look at my Depression in a different light.
Posted by Kath on March 3, 2008, at 14:25:37
In reply to Re: Marijuana triggered my dysthymia » don1000, posted by Saint on March 3, 2008, at 11:24:09
I think 'mindfulness' type ways of experiencing the moment can be helpful.
As someone who does NOT like pain - physical, mental, emotional etc it blows me away that people would seek it on purpose :-))
But I understand how students/practicers of Buddhism might want to do it as you described.
Welcome to PsychoBabble Social.
Kath
Posted by kris123 on June 29, 2008, at 15:38:45
In reply to Marijuana triggered my dysthymia, posted by don1000 on March 18, 2007, at 0:02:45
hey don. i actually had the exact same problem that you have. I came across this post a while ago looking for answers but never found any. I had been severly dysthymic for almost a good four years. tried medication and all that, but it didnt help.
but then i ate some hallucinagenic mushrooms. and that cured me. seemed to "cleanse" my brain out and reset it back to normal, and now i feel better than ever. i dunno if this will work for you, but it fixed me. If you try it, be safe and dont smoke marijuana afterwards and see if you are any better.
good luck
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