Need advice ASAP!!!

Hi. I suffer from depression and anxiety. In the past I have used pot to help me focus and mellow out. However, I am not able to find a reliable source and have kind of given up-with the exception of relocating to Holland (since i can because i am a dual national of another european country).
In the past I have gone the prescription meds route-lexapro, wellbutrin, paxil and none seemed to help-at least long term. Does anyone have any experience with other prescription meds that may help me? ie-antidepressants? Please, I am desperate! I am at a really low point in my life and will be going to the doc soon-I am that messed up. Any herbal remedies-St. John Wort, 5 Htp? Have these worked for pot smokers who can't find any? I can't even finish my grad degree and am about to give up on it. Any advice would be valued.
Thanks

 

I used to suffer from major, major depression and anxiety. Ive never been one to use chemicals, so I can't give you any advice on that, but I can tell you what worked for me.
st. john's wort works well, but I found that after a while the effects aren't as good. rescue remedy (the liquid, not the cream) worked miracles for those times when you just need to get out of the house. but mainly, what seriously broke the depression cycle for me was a regular yoga practice. without yoga I don't know if I'd be here today (seriously). I got a book and a video, and worked with those until I was comfortable, and then moved on to other books that taught me how to develop my own practice. there are even books dedicated entirely to yoga for depression and anxiety.
that's what worked for me. I hope you get out of this, it's a bad place to be in.:butterfly

 

herbally, you can use scullcap and/or valerian - even gotu kola has been known to help with depression

pharmaceutically, i prefer valium over anything else and have recently discovered that ativan works well too - both, to me, have similar affects to a good stoning .....xanax seems to conflict with my personal ch'i, however, and would not recommend it

 

i personally really think meds make the situation worse. that is what i have seen from people i know who took meds. i think time heals all. getting a job, keeping yourself busy. meds just fuck you up.

 

I used to use pot as well when I'd start to feel the anxiety creep up and it could take the edge off. When pot wasn't there I used Valium. I liked it because it wasn't a daily drug per se but a 'nip it in the bud' pill that could turn that climbing up to an attack feeling around.

Of course relying on either of these completely will get you no where. That goes for any drug. Change your diet and excersize. Make a conscious effort to alter habits/behavours/thought patterns that cater to your anxieties. (and by alter I don't mean avoidance).

Pills have thier time and place and can be good to level you out but if you're not learning coping strategies, medication isn't doing to benifit you long term.

It's like trying to loose wieght by taking only pills. If you don't learn the habits of healthy diet and excersize then you'll just gain it all back when the meds stop.

 

exercize, a healthy diet and getting out into the sun can help a lot of people as well.

 

i agree, meds should not be used as a constant - only when you're about to lose your mind and need to step back and review your situation, think of new ways to act, rather than react to the world around you......even in therapy, you're only supposed to use meds for a month and then reevaluate - with applied self work during the month on meds, the client will often cease to need them

and i'm sure we all agree, there's no good substitute for reefer!

 

I have to disagree. Most good studies have shown that St John's Wort is only helpful for "mild" depression. In the opinion of most, "mild" depression should not be treated with ANY drugs (and yes, herbs are just as much drugs as Prozac or anything else) but, therapy, exersize ect.

From what I have found, most severe depression, the kind that interfers with your functioning DOES respond to medication, but no antidressant is a magic bullet. Therapy is a MUST. Working on eating well, taking care of yourself, and giving the medication a chance to work is also a must. No one gets "better" three days after starting a med, with no other help. SSRIs (the most commonly prescribed antidepressants) take up to a month to work, in the meantime, some doctors will give you some antianxiety meds, but usually only for a short period of time. Antidpressants, on the other hand ONLY work if they are "used as a constant" they aren't something you just tale when you are having a bad day. They take weeks to bring your neurotransmitters back to a near nomal level, and need to be taken for a while after the symptoms recede. Again, therapy and exercise is JUST as important for treating depression as anything you will swallow.

In most cases, people with what is refered to as "mild depression" responds well to placebos, real, intense depression does not. From what you are saying, yours is not the "mild" type, so REAL medical care is needed. I have do disagree aso that there is "no substitute for good reefer." Although I have no issue with people getting high, (done it enough myself) it is true that REAL depression will often become worse, and anxiety will increase in a good percentage of people who use large or even small amount of weed. The only exception is people suffering from cancer, who also need it for nausea, and who have EXOGENOUS depression (meaning depression caused by something from the outside, most depression is ENDOGENOUS, meaning caused by your neurotransmitters, usually genetically based, not something in your immediate life. Altough ALL depression is effected by occurances.)

Everyone is different, but working with a lot of post partum depressed moms, (and personal trials with them) we've found St John's Wort, Valerian ect completely useless, and also side effect heavy (I know you aren't nursing a baby, but side effects are still common in a lot of people with these drugs, Valerian, SJW ect) I took Valerian twice, this stuff got me more fucked up, and MORE depressed than any prescription drug I had ever taken, and even more messed up than pot ect. I just SLEPT for a day, and then couldn't wake up for several more.

Gotu Cola and other stimulant herbs need to be used with caution, they can raise blood pressure, and they are imainly used as a stimulant to help with memory. Depression is not one of the more common uses for them.

The best thing to do is to find a GOOD doctor (NOT an Internist or a GP or a OBGYN) a real neurologist or psychiatrist, as depression is what they specialize in.

That isn't because you are supposed to STOP taking them then. This is because they can take a month or so to reach optimal effectiveness, and the evaluation is to see if that agent is the best for you, or if it would be better to switch to something else. Most people who terminate depression meds too early have rapid and extreme relapses. Which is why a good Psychiatrist or Neuropharmachologist is neccesary for complicated cases of depresssion. Most Internists have NO IDEA how to treat depression and just throw pills at people, which is why so many thing "Medications don't work." They were not treated properly. A good Psychiatrist keeps a close eye on you, keeps in touch with your Therapist and changes meds if you are not doing well.

And, therapy and lifestyle changes are really essensial. I know when someone is depressed the thing they don't want to do is MOVE, but usually movement, keeping busy, getting enough sleep, eating well and seeing a good therapist are good ways to feel better.

And, not everyone finds the antidepressant which is best for them on the first or second try. I had to try at least 5 or more of them, to treat depression brought on by a chronic pain condition. It sucks to have to keep going back, but a good doctor will be your helper and listen to what you have to say, and, if needed, prescribe the medicaiton most likely to help you. but, like many have siad, drugs themselves alone will not help, LIFESTYLE changes need to be done. And the best person to help with that is a PsyD or PhD Psychologist.

I am thinking of you. I hope you feel better, and get all the good help you need.

 

Oh, and Yoga is an EXCELLENT way to help with depression. That was a VERY good suggestion!!!!

 

sorry, i thought she was just looking for something that would help her focus and mellow out, other than pot......i was unaware that she was suffering from SEVERE anxiety and depression - everyone goes through periods of feeling kinda down, and my advice was based from that perspective

 

Therapy and exercise for "severe" depression? If that worked we would still have sanitariums running full steam across the nation more than RiteAide and other pharmacies taking over the country one street corner at a time.

Honestly it doesnt read like someone with severe depression, as its something that the original poster says was easily controlled with a bit of pot smoking.

Tokin a little herb is great for mild depression/anxiety, even better when you can smoke with friends, makes for a fine support group too! If you cant find reefer, its pretty standard to use other herbs to help out, but its always wise to tell your doc that you are going to use them and make sure there isnt any unwanted side effect.

Psych Goddess is a friend of mine, and an accomplished herbalist. She usually gives great advice on that kind of thing, and is one of the reasons I asked her to join the hipforums. I liked that the original poster asked for advice on both herbal and medicinal aids - getting the best of both!

 

ps - on the subject of your grad degree... Hang in there!!
Thats alot of work to give up on

 

If you really have depression pot would make it worse. I am working toward my degree and it sounds like you are just getting stressed and I know the feeling. The best thing I can tell you to do is take a night off go out with your friends and have some fun. If that doesn't help most Universities have counslers that you can talk to but, I would't recomend useing drugs of any kind to deal with your problem.

 

I've used 5-htp for a while now... only thing is you have to take it regularly to notice the effects, it isn't like taking an asprin for a headache. I think it works well. Also someone said about the liquid rescue remedy... that has worked for me too. I have also noticed sleeping well, eating right, exercising and getting outside everyday for a little bit helps with some of my anxiety.

 

Yeah, I see where you are coming from. If she was only a little stressed, I don't know if that is the case (and of course, we can't know everything from an internet forum.)

But, as the OP said that the Pot wasn'tworking for her anymore, and that she was so anxious that she might drop out of school, I saw that as a sign of pretty serious life interruption from her depression.

I hope she can get some help.

 

i can dig it, Maggie, you're right - we can't know everything from an internet forum!

based on her statement, i could only assume that it worked for her, but she was unable to find a steady connect

either way, keep at it illinois gal - the stress you're suffering from finishing grad school is short term - look at the long term benefits you'll get from your degree

sharing your knowledge with others, touching people's lives from your experience...that's really where it's at!

 

S'all Good, Mama!

 

Groove Thing!

 

For me, meds are necessary. Absolutely necessary. I have tried A LOT.
Wellbutrin (XL)
Lexapro
Depakote
Lamictal
Celexa
Effexor, I think
Topomax
Zoloft

Currently I'm on [quite a bit] Depakote - which REALLY helped me, it's more of a mood stabalizer - Wellbutrin XL, a bit of Lexapro (for social anxiety, it helps a lot) and Lamictal. Lamictal is a good anti-depressant. Celexa is a joke. Effexor, I don't remember much about it. Zoloft didn't do anything except make me sick the first few days.

Without therapy this would all be meaningless though. Sometimes I can't leave my room and just curl up in bed all day and am irritated by anyone who comes near me. But sunlight is great for you. I always sit near a window here at college and spend a lot of time outside. Exercise is great for just perking yourself up, even if it's just walking.

I recommend therapy before trying any meds. Therapy is a godsend if you have the right therapist. I've been with mine for over four years and she's helped me through some really hard shit. Talking can help a lot, even if it's just getting stuff out, whether it be on paper or to a person or even typing it on Word and not saving it.

Maybe I'm just weird. I do what works for me and pass that on to others. I hope something was helpful to you.

 

Thank you for sharing so freely, dances. As you found out, some people need to try several different agents before they find one that works.

As depression has many causes and has myriad forms, every antidepressant isn't the one for every person (one of the reasons there are so many antidepressants.) I, personally, found that Depakote made me as ill as a dog, I hallucinated on it, and it didn't help, BUT this helped YOU, while Zoloft is one of the few that helps me with NO side effects. Everyone is different, and every person who is depressed, has mood problems, or chronic pain issues (my main cause of depression is chronic pain issues) may need a different drug.

I am glad you have found something which works for you, Dances in Pajamas. It is a releif when the trials are finally over and you can breathe a sigh of releif and every moment isn't a torment.