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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Depressed and ill reaction to marijuana
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Depressed and ill reaction to marijuana
by sm304, Jul 06, 2004 12:00AM
Two nights ago, my sister, fiancé, and myself (all adult professionals) smoked marijuana using a glass bowl/pipe. We all smoked the same marijuana, that came from the same "straight" or safe source. It was my second time trying pot, and only my first time feeling high from it. My fiancé used pot about once or twice a week for several months when he was 20, but has not used it at all in the twenty years since (he is 40). The other night, he had an extremely weird (and upsetting) reaction – different than anything he had ever experienced before from pot usage. At first, he felt the “normal” high that my sister and I were also feeling. Before long, however, he started feeling extremely depressed. He laid down on the couch and acted extremely groggy. His face became abnormally pale, and he started sweating profusely. He could barely talk to us as we questioned him about what was wrong, but he did say that he was “so sad” and "didn’t know why." He also said he felt nauseous. When I would gently shake him to get his attention as I tried to talk to him about what was wrong, he would look at me very sudden and startled. High for the first time myself, I became really upset and paranoid about what was wrong with him. I helped him to bed (although he had quite a difficult time even walking) and forced him to take little sips of water; before long, he fell asleep. My sister and I both felt completely normal the next morning, but he was extremely tired all day (falling asleep at the dinner table during a family picnic!). When we talked about his experience the previous night, he said that while he had felt so depressed, he also was extremely paranoid about “staying alive” and was scared he was going to die! Today (two days later) he STILL feels really tired and "foggy," and is even nauseous and sweating more than normal. Some other background information about his health that could help: he has a lot of allergies (grass, dust, pet dander, pollen, etc.) for which he gets allergy shots and takes over-the-counter medication. Also, he has suffered from depression, but does not currently see a therapist or take medication. He briefly took Prozac about 8 years ago, but stopped shortly after starting the medication because he did not want to feel “dependent” on prescription pills for depression. More recently, he has tried to manage his depression with exercise, healthy diet, and St. John’s Wort herbal supplement. Otherwise, he is in great health. 6'5", 195 lbs. Why do you think he had such a strange reaction to the pot, and why is he still not feeling himself? How long will it take for him to feel normal again? Should we be worried that this was something serious, or an indication that something is wrong with his health? Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jul 08, 2004 12:00AM
, Jul 08, 2004 12:00AM
He has had a "bad trip" and obviously shouldn't do it again. What happened is he opened up a compartment in his mind that is the source of his depression that he has managed over these decades, but not really addressed or resolved. These are ancient childhood memories and worries. He has had a glimpse at them. If he wants to resolve them, this is a good time to see a therapist for a short term highly focused intervention. He could do a lot in a short period of time with the right person.
I smoked not too much with some friends, and quickly felt too high to be able to handle myself. I went to bed and had terrible spins, and was afraid that i was going to die. I woke up the next morning, everything seemed fine. I quickly noticed later on in the day something wasn't right. I felt spaced out, and disconnected, over the next week or so my eyes became consistently dry, and insomnia started setting in. I have really wierd dreams when i go to sleep now. The condition almost went away for a couple of days, then came right back. I've also noticed some vision problems, feels as if either my left eye is bulging, or some central vision loss occurred. It is now approximately 3 months later, i've had an MRI of the brain done, 2 blood screens, and a trip to the opthalmologist. Nausea occurs in there as well, i find it hard to focus on any one object at a time with my eyes. only abnormal things that turned up were some minor high blood pressure readings, and high ocular pressure in the left eye, which i guess wasn't severe enough to treat. wondering if maybe any of these symtpoms are present in your friend/husband. Good luck
But like the doc said, I certainly would not try it again under those cicumstances. It could have been laced, as you never REALLY know. Molds and other unknown factors could also produce allergic reactions in some people.
Hope it helps!
Miena