Marijuana Use

Marijuana known as the gateway drug to lower inhibitions and brings you one step closer to harder drugs. Not sure if this is necessarily the best label for this drug. To me this seems to down play the seriousness of the drug.

The THC in the marijuana plant resembles a chemical called anandamide naturally produced in the body which binds to cannabinoid receptors and play an important role in brain development and function. This system influences pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement THC overrides this system which causes altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory.

Marijuana also affects brain development and in young people the effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. Studies of adolescent marijuana users showed a significant reduction of connectivity in areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Further studies showed a drop of IQ by 8 points among people 13-38 who started smoking marijuana heavily in their teens. These cognitive abilities were not fully restored even in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults. This was not as significant who started using marijuana as adults.

Marijuana use has equal if not more serious consequences on the lungs than tobacco smoke. The effects of marijuana on the heart are equally as surprising. It raises your heart rate dramatically and increases the risk of heart attack by nearly 5 times within the first hour of use. Chronic marijuana use and mental illness also come hand in hand. Marijuana use has been shown to worsen mental illnesses and cause psychosis. Those who start to use marijuana at a young age are at an increased risk of having problems later in life.

Marijuana is addictive, it is estimated that 9% of users become addicted. For those who start young the numbers increase to 17% and chronic uses are 25-50% more likely to become addicted. Reportedly withdrawal symptoms include irritability, sleeplessness, decrease in appetite, anxiety, and drug craving.

www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

Dual Diagnosis: Mental Illness & Addiction

What is the link between mental illness and addiction? Is there some kind of genetic link between the both or at least originates from the same thing. In the brain there is a small area named the amygdala responsible for emotions such as anxiety, fear, anger and happiness.

Researcher's from Indiana University School of Medicine have determined that damage that has been inflicted onto the amygdala disrupts the normal development an in time the changes cause the amygdala to be more susceptible to addiction. This is quite a theory suggesting that the drug dependency is initiated in the amygdala from environmental and genetic changes instead of the drug itself causing the chemical dependence.

Those who suffer from multiple mental illnesses are more susceptible to addiction. It's estimated that 4-8 of every 10 people who suffer from mental diseases also battle addiction and 2-5 of every 10 people who are depressed or anxious also suffer from addiction. Mood Disorders Canada reports that 30% of Canadians who have a mental illness also have a substance abuse. Those with a substance abuse problem 37% of alcoholics have a mental illness and 53% of drug addicts have a mental illness diagnosis.

I see this link regularly in my interactions with others who suffer from addiction and I am always surprised at how many people share in my struggle with mental illnesses aswell. Which came first, the mental illness or the addiction? I don't think this is measurable but what can be said is mental illness can be brought on by drug abuse and mental illness can bring on drug abuse as a form of self-medication. For me the mental illness came on first and the substance dependence occurred as a result of being mis-diagnosed and self-medicating. With all these odds it's no wonder I struggle with both.

Abilify for Bipolar

Abilify is my newest medication added on to my list of Seroquel, Lithium and Cipralex. I am hoping this medication will be the one that helps me ditch all the others. The number of different medications I have tried is insane, the list includes Celexa, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Zoloft and many benzodiazepines. My benzodiazepine use turned into a substance dependence along with chronic marijuana use to help manage an un-diagnosed bipolar disorder and out of control symptoms.

Starting Abilify has made all the difference for me. When I added Lithium to the Seroquel and Cipralex I stabilized dramatically, my moods under better control, the swings much less frequent and the constant anxiety, irritability and agitation almost disappeared. However the low mood remained very low and my energy was extremely poor. I spent all my time in bed and when I wasn't in bed I wished I was because of the constant exhaustion. It wasn't until I started taking Abilify that I felt stable for the first time in years.

Abilify is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar, and major depressive disorder. It is classified as a second generation antipsychotic and works best for bipolar in combination with a mood stabilizer. In my case the Lithium and Abilify combination appears to be optimal. It is also used in combination with an anti-depressant for treatment of majoy depressive disorder, in my case in combination with Cipralex.

Abilify binds to neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin in the brain. Mainly it works on stabilizing the neurotransmitter dopamine transmissions. It has both activating and inhibiting properties somehow able to sense a deficiency or excess of dopamine and serotonin. This to me is a wonder drug.

Bipolar in a Nut Shell

From my mind to these pages may there be insight and guidance into the struggles and life of mental illness. Being diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses is not easy to come to terms with. I believe I have learned to accept the diagnosis of Bipolar Type I. Statistically approximately 10% of the Canadian population will experience a mood disorder at some point. That is approximately 3.5 million Canadians. That is a significant number of people. This does not include other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Also referred to as manic depressive disorder, bipolar is characterized by depression and manic episodes. Most of us are well aware of what depression looks like; this includes feelings of sadness, emptiness, decreased interest in regular activities, decrease in functioning, and a decrease or increase in appetite and sleep. This alone is a mood disorder called unipolar depression.

The opposite swing is a manic episode that is an up swing often described as a kind of high. This may present with euphoria, optimism, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, impulsiveness, rapid thoughts and speech, grandeur, and recklessness.

Together the depression and manic episodes create a roller coaster of emotions. It is no wonder the manic episode is much preferred since the result is more productive and enjoyable. Even though you may be living in a world you created, not entirely in touch with reality and occasionally even experiencing psychosis it is still better than feeling so deflated you don't even have enough energy to end your miserable life.