Posted by blueberry on September 6, 2005, at 15:58:58
In reply to marijuana and antidepressants, posted by needesp on September 5, 2005, at 21:26:01
I think marijuana and psychiatric meds combined is very dangerous, not in the short run, but in the long run. The good high and relaxation experienced early in use eventually turns into other weird psychiatric conditions later on. It might takes months or even a couple years, but eventually the goodness turns into evilness.
Cannabis affects a whole array of receptors in the brain, including dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA, opioids, and cannabinoids, and who knows what else.
When we take a psychiatric medication for a long time, it causes changes in the brain over time...either receptor downregulation, receptor upregulation, receptor supersensitivy, increased or decreased density of receptors, or whatever. Marijuana for occassional recreation won't do that, but with chronic use will change many things in the brain. And then the meds we're taking can't work right.
Best thing to do would be to somehow someway get him off of marijuana, get him through the short depression that will follow, and then stay clean. Or pay a hefty price later on down the road, a much heftier load than you are bearing right now.
poster:blueberry
thread:551148
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050901/msgs/551448.html