Therapists, Psychiatrists, and drug habits.

I have a question for anyone that might be able to help me and has had different experiences.

So I want to start seeing a psychiatrist again, for some pretty deep psychological issues that I think need to be taken care of. But I'm a little weary about taking that route again, because one thing, I smoke weed daily. I am considering eventually breaking my pain killer habit, and perhaps it is part of my problem, but maybe instead they help, not the point of this post, but maybe it makes a difference to the psychiatrist. I really most of all do not want to stop smoking weed, and I don't think it causes a problem at the rate of once in the evening before bedtime.

My inquiry to anyone who might know, is, are there psychiatrists that don't take issue with their patients being cannabis users?

My last one, who I did like for her critical abilities, was very regretful to put me on SSRI's or even have sessions with me when I am a cannabis user. I lied to her for a while and told her I wasn't, but she found out I still was, and said I could only continue if I took drug tests, and so I didn't continue SSRI's. Then I told her I was occasionally using pain killers and she immediately had me tell my parents. I do not really expect any psychiatrists to be open to their patients having a opiate dependency, but I don't think I want to remain this way anyways. However, weed has really always been helpful to relieve much of my tension and I would have a hard time giving it up. However however, I would be open to limiting my use to once in the evening type thing.

So if you've had experiences with different psychiatrists and know about this sort of deal, any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Any psychiatrist that doesn't take issue with a patient's marijuana use is highly irresponsible, a rather shitty psychiatrist, and a waste of money.

Marijuana affects the hormones that most all common psychoactive medicines use.



Why don't you go to a psychologist and work out some of these 'deep' issues instead of having a psychiatrist drug you up and make you feel happy?

 

A psychiatrist, in my experience, does talk about issues and resolving them practically, and is pretty much therapy. The only difference is the ability to prescribe medicines. So you mean to tell me the couple people I've known who's psychologist/psychiatrist have been fine with weed smoking, are full of shit?

I understand marijuana effects serotonin, but I don't think that's principally the hormone involved with its effects. I thought dopamine was the main hormone, or neurotransmitter, that was responsible for psychoactive drug effects. Psychoactive meaning to me, a drug that immediately and temporarily changes a person's state of mind.

In my past experience for the period of a couple months where I was on, I think Celexa, an SSRI, and I did not stop my daily use of marijuana, the SSRI was effective at what it was supposed to do. In short, I benefited from Celexa, in the relief of my depression, and it even had me craving more weed than before. Just saying.

I meant to bring up LSD use as well, but I'm sure you'd say the same thing about that, although LSD does have some potential mental health benefits, though debatable, there are personal experiences, including mine to back it up. I do mean to take that inquiry over to the acid board I saw here.

I'm not sure what attitude you intend by quoting my statement "deep issues" to further your opinion. Maybe they're not actually that deep, meaning they are rather simple mistakes in my attitude and thinking that have noticeable effects in my world. And I mostly intend at resolving it in such a manner, an was not focused on the idea of anti-depressants. But if there are even psychologists and therapists that are lenient on their patients using marijuana.

Also you are pretty young to be so convicted with an opinion on this matter, as if you know the whole story. In my questioning of this, and trying to get some personal experiences, an opinion based reply doesn't seem very helpful. But I understand what you're saying, I just think there is more to be said.

 

No, I mean to tell you that their psychiatrists suck and are irresponsible with their patients' well being.

It doesn't matter which hormones cause the effects you are looking for, marijuana use greatly effects serotonin levels, which is what SSRIs work with. SSRIs are to control serotonin levels, therefore ANY marijuana use, is interfering with the drug.

Even your argument suggests that the two interact.

I don't know anything about LSD's effects on hormones, the acid board is probably a good bet.

There are some especially when use isn't very often or extreme. I haven't had any luck finding those ones, but they are out there.

The whole story is that marijuana effects serotonin levels; SSRIs are potentially dangerous drugs that are used to control serotonin levels. The specific details of your usage, dosage of medicine, and eye color are completely illegitimate.

You are just trying to cop out.



It's like this:
Builder one (psychiatrist) has had a project commissioned on a site (your brain). They are building a hospital.
Builder two (marijuana) is building a separate project, a funhouse.

Here is the kicker though: it's at the same site, and though both are vaguely aware of each other, they have no access to each other's plans and zero ability communicate.

And you're just kinda sitting there: I want both built, this should really work.

 

Haha, why do you want a hospital built in your head? I don't know how the hospital part of the analogy means anything about helping depression. Why don't they have access to each others plans and ability to communicate? I feel like they could, and perhaps that is even a good reminder for me, that maybe the therapy route isn't the best. Maybe as an introvert I have the ability for self therapy. In the past, with the help of LSD and ego-death experiences, weed at night, and eastern ideas I have been able to reach a very self aware state with discipline. LSD experiences and getting high in the evening helped me realize a deeper self, that was a very good viewing location, the best ever. Ultimately it was social issues, like losing touch with my friends also emotionally because of school, others thinking and attitudes, assumptions, egos and personalities differences that I felt weren't understood, and I just lost the ability to operate within the context of this deeper reality, because this world, the reality of existence, even capitalism, was very substantial in the relative world, and by default of nature our minds perceive to more of a degree in the relative, we can only sense the absolute through the relative, for if our awareness were absolute we'd lose touch with any "reality." But people trash the absolute, and ultimately it was that, that had me put the balanced times behind me, and take count of just how marginalized I was. And I stopped LSD use, I somehow gave up the psychedelic spiritual experience.

 

I agree with Duck on this one...he is right in every aspect.

Psychiatrists will not help you if you are using drugs...plain and simple. And it is because if they find it necessary to prescribe meds and you are smoking weed or doing pills then they are liable for any crazy shit you do.

I saw a great therapist when I was having a rough spell a few years ago and they had me do exercises to help me get over my depression...trust me, a good psychologist will do exactly what you want to resolve the issues you have.

And remember, pills and weed can cause depression (or make it worse) if you are having some issues. Especially pills...I stopped doing those shortly after I started because they made me practically go insane.

 

I have a Psychiatrist that recommends minimal use of marijuana use because it stops my urge to cut. She is a excellent Psychiatrist the best I ever had.
My therapist also recommends the use of small amounts of marijuana.
Also to note I am not on anti depressives I am on mood stabilizers, anti psychotics ,and anti anxiety meds.

 

I have been smoking weed so long to "self medicate" myself for so long I'm afraid to stop smoking it. The few times I have not had any (today for example) I am super emotional and angry. I have been on SSRI's and they make me feel like a robot, I hate them. I've been on Cymbalta which made me suicidal which is very unlike me, Paxil was the worst I couldn't feel anything. I was on that for a year almost and had my levels changed a few times, and last but not least Prozac.

 

If you're going to be prescribed drugs, you need to listen to what they say about all the drugs you take.

Your choice.

You seem to be asking for help finding a shrink who will be your bitch, prescribe what you want, and irresponsibly not say anything about the interfering drugs that you insist on taking.

I don't think there's anything wrong with pot smoking, even heavily, depending on your personality. But it appears to not be working with yours, if you're having these problems on the drugs you take the first thing you need to do is stop taking them, and then base wether or not you keep using on what happens when you go an extended time without using. It's pretty fucking simple, really.