Antidepressants

[jaydot]

Read onelove's first post in the thread. Mine made me sluggish and emotionally detached. Yet I had this sense of "happiness" like, honestly, I'd had a pill or something. It was that same rush of endorphins you get in your stomach, it didn't feel natural. If it stops you self-harming, (and I mean suicide) then fair enough take them but I believe a combination of therapy, a very low dosage of anti depressants if needs be and changes to your outlook, lifestyle, routine, and circumstances are the one.

[__________]

Quitting weed and getting a job are definitely my main priorities and I think a little less time on the internet or in front of the tv would do me the world of good

Absolutely this. I think you know exactly what you need to do but wouldn't mind a short-cut via antidepressants.
I felt like I was in the same boat as you about 18 months ago. Was considering drugs. I think it was just unemployment. It's hard to feel much sense of satisfaction about sitting round all day smoking weed, making beats, internet-ing, gaming, etc. It's great for a bit, and I'd kill for it now, but it fucks with your head and is a fairly unsatisfying lifestyle.
I got a job, felt needed, earned monies, upped my levels of satisfaction.

As for weed...I don't think its as clear-cut as "stop smoking and you'll be happy" but it would almost certainly make it easier to find a job if you cut out SKUNK.
I've not smoked a large amount of skunk for about 2 months now and feel loads more vibrant. Switch to hash/low-grade for a bit. That would make it easier to totally quit too, if you decide that is the best course of action for you. I get just as blazed these days smoking hash/low-grade, but have a lot more energy and money compared to when I'd only smoke skunk.
The oldies are right, skunk isn't normal weed, its like weed² and is NOT for smoking every day unless you're already fucked in the head and can't do any more damage.

[test_recordings]

This video might shed some light on what gets people down other than drugs (the speaker has done some excellent research on what actually constitutes madness in Europe, America, and other related cultures):
(won't embed unfortunately)
http://iai.tv/video/richard-bentall-why ... es-you-mad

[Alex T]

[/quote] Positive thinking for some reason isnt always easy but i think quitting weed is definitely a good start. [/quote]

Quit weed, full stop. I did mate and i tell you what it will make you into a new person. you can focus on things better, you don't have that constant thought running round your head when you run out of weed 'oh damn i need to get some weed' you should see that not doing drugs is like being free.

It did it for about 8 years and i'm so greatfull that i had the strength to stop it. sometimes, unfortunately it takes a major event in your life to make you wake up and smell the coffee.

You can't change if you don't want to. no one can, but never forget who you are and where you are from.

Soundcloud

[swoggles]

wow,i'm impressed with not only starting this thread but the reaction it has got,most forums i have been on for various things would tell u to fuck off and man up,which is obviously massively cuntish, but there seems to be a lot of support and knowledge to help. A lot of people have been in that situation but i think more drugs(anti depressants) shood be a last resort. as a negative person my self i find that talking to people works wonders,cheered me up so many times and continues to,just do what u enjoy doing and keep ur self occupied! i found watching Human Traffic was good,yes there is a strong drug reference but look past that and it makes u realise how important having fun is, especially if u have that crappy 9-5 job

[kingGhost]

what'd you expect man? bunch of hippie liberals on this forum. man up pussy

[autobot]

My two cents (similar to most ppls two cents) - I know a lot of ppl who went on anti depressants and it fucked them up real bad, most of these people went on them for a considerable amount of time and got real messed up from the side effects and withdrawal symptoms. In saying that, I think prescription drugs do have a time and a place, but that time should be pretty short term before it starts to fuck with you.

From a purely psychological point of view - theres actually no independent research (i.e. not directly sponsored by the drug companies who manufactor SSRIs) that suggests that depression is caused by a serotonin deficiency, which kinda proves the above point, SSRIs will work in the shorter term as they give you that positive boost, but long term they aren't solving any problems - I dunno, I always think thats real interesting, even medical research these days is completely run by corporations

But yeah I agree with everyone else, do exercise, get some decent sleep hygiene going on and make sure your diets up to scratch

[kingGhost]

lifestyle changes can solve most depression issues. doctors are in bed with the pharmaceutical companies and are handing out anti-depressant meds like they're candy corn and it's halloween up in this bitch. my wife was on em for a while, changed her entire personality... in a bad way.

can they help if you have a legitimate chemical imbalance and need them? of course. but most people don't have a chemical imbalance... just a crap lifestyle or some bad circumstances they need to take care of. preferably without the help of habit-forming meds. life is hard, yes it is... but taking the easy way out never helped anyone in the long run.

for example, when i was out drinking a lot, i was depressed. i wasn't sleeping enough, wasn't spending enough time with my family, and had a substance problem. when i quit drinking, it pretty much solved my depression issues, and a lot of other things in my life started to line up (health, family, career) correct after that as well. i think if you genuinely feel depressed... you should try to find the root cause of your depression, and snuff it out by any means. sometimes it's substance abuse, sometimes it's a crazy thing that happened to you when you were a kid, sometimes its a bad life circumstance that isn't necessarily your fault.

[dreamizm]

Prob goin a bit off-topic here, and I know greens has been discussed in many diff ways before on this forum, but...

Has anyone ever looking into why they are drawn to smoke consistently in the first-place, or drink/substance-abuse for that matter?

It strikes me that people who are happy with themselves/have inner-contentment won't seek out of this 'high' or 'escape' in the first place, whereas everyone else is just caught in a downward spiral unless they face this Q. (I am talking about people here with no obvious root cause either.. is it low self-esteem, just a thirst to get 'out of it' or even something deeper like wanting to transcend the human condition and connect to God/cosmic 1-ness)?

[test_recordings]

From a purely psychological point of view - theres actually no independent research (i.e. not directly sponsored by the drug companies who manufactor SSRIs) that suggests that depression is caused by a serotonin deficiency, which kinda proves the above point, SSRIs will work in the shorter term as they give you that positive boost, but long term they aren't solving any problems - I dunno, I always think thats real interesting, even medical research these days is completely run by corporations

But yeah I agree with everyone else, do exercise, get some decent sleep hygiene going on and make sure your diets up to scratch

Aye, some people just aren't improved by SSRIs and some don't even have what would be classified as a 'serotonin deficiency'. Regular exercise (daily is best) and a good balanced diet that includes unrefined fats have also been proven to keep moods perky, check out Dr Mercola and his newsletter if you want regular information that's easy to read

[d-T-r]

Prob goin a bit off-topic here, and I know greens has been discussed in many diff ways before on this forum, but...

Has anyone ever looking into why they are drawn to smoke consistently in the first-place, or drink/substance-abuse for that matter?

It strikes me that people who are happy with themselves/have inner-contentment won't seek out of this 'high' or 'escape' in the first place, whereas everyone else is just caught in a downward spiral unless they face this Q. (I am talking about people here with no obvious root cause either.. is it low self-esteem, just a thirst to get 'out of it' or even something deeper like wanting to transcend the human condition and connect to God/cosmic 1-ness)?

http://www.dana.org/media/detail.aspx?id=23620

all in the brain, yo... dopamine and serotonin levels amongst other factors.

... studies have found that people with higher levels of a specific type of receptor (the D4 receptor) for dopamine, the primary neurotransmitter involved in reward processing, have greater sensation-seeking tendencies.

Other types of dopamine receptors that normally regulate dopamine release appear to have an opposite effect: the fewer there are, the greater the novelty-seeking behavior.iv These may act as brakes on dopamine release, so having fewer of them means that more dopamine is released in response to novelty. This may in turn drive reward-seeking behavior.

The involvement of dopamine in novelty-seeking behavior may also explain the well-established relationship between high sensation-seeking and drug use. High-sensation seekers are more likely to try drugs earlier, to become addicted, and to experiment with multiple drugs than are lows. Like drugs of abuse, exposure to novel stimuli releases a rush of dopamine in reward areas of the brain. And, high-sensation seekers often develop a sort of tolerance to high-risk activities—boredom sets in, and they are compelled to add new twists that recreate the initial charge.

[psychedelicatessen]

Many thanks to everybody who has taken the time to contribute to this thread. I have read through each reply carefully and your advice and support has been enough for me to look on the bright side and not seek antidepressants as a solution to my problem.

I think the best medicine for me is to take charge of the situation, occupy my time with proactive pursuits, set goals and encourage positive thinking.

Quitting weed and getting a job are definitely my main priorities and I think a little less time on the internet or in front of the tv would do me the world of good. I also want to take on a new challenge, perhaps going to college and getting a qualification for a new career path could reinvent my future and get me out of this rut.

Once again a huge thank you to everybody for your input, it has been an eye opener and has given me what I need to turn myself around.

I wish more people had that kind of attitude. Big up to you sir.

[ComfiStile]

Who knew we had grown ups on the forum

Seriously though, guys, I'm impressed with how helpful everyone is.

Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside

[CrippsCorner]

Have you ever had therapy? I'm a very negative person but feel the same as you, it's not simply down to depression. Anyway I'm going through it now, trying to avoid anti-depressants as I know it's not a good route to go down. Not sure how much it's helping yet really but early days only had two sessions so far!

[ahier]

Have you ever had therapy? I'm a very negative person but feel the same as you, it's not simply down to depression. Anyway I'm going through it now, trying to avoid anti-depressants as I know it's not a good route to go down. Not sure how much it's helping yet really but early days only had two sessions so far!

i found therapy didnt really do much in the short term, but made me think about how i behaved and felt and why that happened. my sessions were free so probably werent the greatest (i also lied to her a lot about my drug use) but the way it made me reflect on my life has benefitted in the long term i think. its definitely worth shopping around for a really good therapist imo, friend of mine went through a couple and then found a good one that, along with lifestyle changes, has really helped him pick himself up a bit

[test_recordings]

It sounds like you need someone to give you lifestyle advice more than therapy for a major problem, go talk to some religious people... Buddhists might be the easiest because they've got no religous dogma going on that you'd need to subscribe to to be 'accepted'. One of the best things I ever learned that helped me relax and think straight was Raja Yoga at a Brahma Kumaris, they told you the accompanying Hindu philosophy but you didn't need to believe it explicitly and I've got quite a few Hindu mates anyway so I know vaguely how it works, I haven't really given it much thought in that respect. I've been meaning to go down to a Buddhist centre in Leeds and now I have the time I think I'll go down this week...

[dreamizm]

Prob goin a bit off-topic here, and I know greens has been discussed in many diff ways before on this forum, but...

Has anyone ever looking into why they are drawn to smoke consistently in the first-place, or drink/substance-abuse for that matter?

It strikes me that people who are happy with themselves/have inner-contentment won't seek out of this 'high' or 'escape' in the first place, whereas everyone else is just caught in a downward spiral unless they face this Q. (I am talking about people here with no obvious root cause either.. is it low self-esteem, just a thirst to get 'out of it' or even something deeper like wanting to transcend the human condition and connect to God/cosmic 1-ness)?

http://www.dana.org/media/detail.aspx?id=23620

all in the brain, yo... dopamine and serotonin levels amongst other factors.

... studies have found that people with higher levels of a specific type of receptor (the D4 receptor) for dopamine, the primary neurotransmitter involved in reward processing, have greater sensation-seeking tendencies.

Other types of dopamine receptors that normally regulate dopamine release appear to have an opposite effect: the fewer there are, the greater the novelty-seeking behavior.iv These may act as brakes on dopamine release, so having fewer of them means that more dopamine is released in response to novelty. This may in turn drive reward-seeking behavior.

The involvement of dopamine in novelty-seeking behavior may also explain the well-established relationship between high sensation-seeking and drug use. High-sensation seekers are more likely to try drugs earlier, to become addicted, and to experiment with multiple drugs than are lows. Like drugs of abuse, exposure to novel stimuli releases a rush of dopamine in reward areas of the brain. And, high-sensation seekers often develop a sort of tolerance to high-risk activities—boredom sets in, and they are compelled to add new twists that recreate the initial charge.

Thanks for this. You also find this interesting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-n ... d-14154598

In terms of conclusions/solutions.. I think there are other ways to this 'reward'/high (other than substance use/abuse), or finding a feeling/inner peace that negates the need for them altogether. I've definitely has a glimpse into it, increasingly so over the last 6 months/year - but this has also been accompanied with a similar amount of negative side effects (depression/anxiety etc).

I feel that meditation, yoga, positive outlook etc are all signposts for this path and although it might take a lot longer to get there and is a harder path, I feel at this time in my life it is the only alternative I have to a downward spiral of depression and negativity.

I smoked my last zoot last night.

Out to everyone else walking this path. I hope you get there too.

@test... I would definitely consider a Buddhist retreat, even if just for the insight/knowledge it could bring. A new context/setting would also prob increase the benefits.

[kingldub]

I was put on so many different anti depressants over the years and never had a single positive experience with any of the medication prescribed to me, I'd go so far as to say they actually made me a lot worse. The negatives greatly outweighed the positives. I tried the natural approach such as changing my diet, getting more exercise, getting more fresh air and it worked wonders.

[Lectric]

I have depression due solely to chemical imbalances in my body. Ive been taking antidepressants for a little over a year now, and i can say you shouldnt expect them to make you happy. they just help you get clear minded and help you focus and find excitement in things. they put you in a state where you can actually be happy, not a state of happiness.

[test_recordings]

Which chemicals, might I ask?