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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by matthhhh on July 23, 2003, at 12:18:07
Does anyone know if there are any meds out there that give relief for social anxiety or ocd, similar to that of marijuana?
Posted by crazychickuk on July 23, 2003, at 16:44:39
In reply to MEDS THAT GIVE RELIEF SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA, posted by matthhhh on July 23, 2003, at 12:18:07
pot acts on certain brain chemicals in the brain, do a search on google... for the chemicals then search for meds that do the dame thing..
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 23, 2003, at 16:53:01
In reply to MEDS THAT GIVE RELIEF SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA, posted by matthhhh on July 23, 2003, at 12:18:07
You could try dronabinol, which is synthetic THC. It provides some of the same effects as marijuana, since THC is the main active constituent of pot.
Other than that, I'd say benzos are the way to go. And from my personal experience, tramadol as well.
Posted by fairnymph on July 27, 2003, at 23:38:17
In reply to MEDS THAT GIVE RELIEF SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA, posted by matthhhh on July 23, 2003, at 12:18:07
There are MANY good drugs that can treat anxiety disorders. For milder cases, buspar might be a good place to start. For more intense anxiety, SSRIs, remeron, Effexor, and serzone could all be good options. I would probably recommend an SSRI, prozac is great for OCD for ex.
I would NOT recommend a benzo or ultram, as these lead to dependance and with someone who likes to use recreational drugs, addiction is a likelihood.
Talk with your dr -- he/she will make a diagnosis and treat you properly.
Also, realize that marijuana very often WORSENS anxiety and ocd, so be careful!
> Does anyone know if there are any meds out there that give relief for social anxiety or ocd, similar to that of marijuana?
Posted by MB on July 28, 2003, at 0:13:14
In reply to MEDS THAT GIVE RELIEF SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA, posted by matthhhh on July 23, 2003, at 12:18:07
> Does anyone know if there are any meds out there that give relief for social anxiety or ocd, similar to that of marijuana?
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There is a drug being researched as a posible antidepressant which binds to the same receptors as THC.
MB
an article follows:
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Scientists copy pot to combat depression
Carolyn Abraham MEDICAL REPORTER
Monday, December 2, 2002
Printer Friendly version
Scientists have created new compounds that act like cannabis on the brain to reduce anxiety and depression -- but without the hunger or the high.By prolonging the punch of the cannabis-like chemicals that the brain makes naturally, researchers from the United States and Italy have shown in rat experiments that they can copy certain benefits of the common street drug with far fewer side effects.
If the new compounds pass in clinical testing, these synthetic cannabinoid cousins could herald a new generation of antidepressants, offering the calm of marijuana without the munchies.
But such man-made versions are unlikely to supplant the desire of many ill people for old-fashioned marijuana. The drug's many touted medical uses are not simply related to mood. Some people praise marijuana as a pain reliever and others, those with cancer and AIDS in particular, rely on it to boost meagre appetites.
While researchers in this study did find that their synthetic compounds had a modest impact on pain, they were primarily interested in the effects on mood.
Daniele Piomelli, a pharmacology professor at the University of California at Irvine, explained that he and his colleagues tested two compounds that appear to work similarly to THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, marijuana's main active ingredient, but far more gently.
"THC reduces anxiety by binding directly to receptors in the brain and resulting in its familiar high sensation. The reaction is too strong, creating marijuana's side effects," said Dr. Piomelli, a senior author of the report, which is to be published in the January issue of the journal Nature Medicine.
In the past decade, researchers have realized that THC is pleasurable in part because it mimics a natural neurotransmitter in the brain called anandamide, from the Sanskrit word for "bliss." This family of brain chemicals appears to be involved in mood, pain and a range of physiological functions.
Both THC and anandamide, for example, bind to the same brain receptors.
Just as researchers of the 1960s and 70s discovered the brain's opiate receptors and endorphins while studying the effects of morphine, so too is marijuana research opening new chapters in neurobiology.
Several scientists and drug companies, for example, have been trying to develop drugs to exploit and enhance anandamide. Last year, Dr. Piomelli's group published a report that they had discovered a brain substance related to anandamide that may help to combat obesity.
In this study, Dr. Piomelli's team, which included scientists from universities in Parma, Naples, and Rome, created two compounds to block the brain enzyme that breaks down anandamides.
By preventing the breakdown, the researchers report that they were able to keep higher, natural levels of these neurotransmitters in the brain, which appeared to reduce signs of anxiety and the infamous high in studies with rats.
Rats given the drugs, for example, squeaked less when isolated and increased their exploration of otherwise intimidating wide-open mazes. Meanwhile, the rodents showed no drop in body temperature, or increase in appetite or lethargy -- all hallmark symptoms of a cannabis high.
The compounds, dubbed URB532 and URB597, appear to work like Prozac, the well-known antidepressant that also raises the brain's natural levels of serotonin by blocking it from being recycled.
Still, Dr. Piomelli acknowledged, the new drugs are early in development. "While the study's results are promising, the road from laboratory to discovery to available medication is years long, often winding, and definitely expensive," he said.
MEDICAL REPORTER
© The Globe and Mail. Republished with permission. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or republished or redistributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Posted by Viridis on July 28, 2003, at 0:14:26
In reply to Re: MEDS THAT GIVE RELIEF SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA, posted by fairnymph on July 27, 2003, at 23:38:17
Benzos aren't likely to produce "addiction" in people with real anxiety disorders, based on decades of evidence and a fairly recent evaluation by the World Health Organization. They often do result in medical dependency, so discontinuation requires gradual tapering. SSRIs and related drugs -- especially Paxil and Effexor -- rate highest for difficulty of discontinuation (much more difficult to come off than the common benzos); doctors and drug companies just choose to call this "withdrawal syndrome".
Antidepessants are great for some people, but for those with genuine anxiety disorders, benzos are much safer based on the available evidence and have far fewer side effects.
This is the end of the thread.
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