Am I depressed????????

[apksfinest]

Heres my story. I am a  19 year old male, all my life i have always been happy, childhood was good etc. I started smoking marijuana when i got out of high school when i was 17.  I didnt use it very much at first. Then i started to sell it, along with selling it came using it a lot. I started using it about 4-5 times a day over a course of about 2 years. I started to get a real bad pain in my lower left back so i went to my doctor.  My doctor prescribed me some flexeril to take for my back.  One day me and my friend were gonna go to the movies.  We decided to smoke before we went to the movies.  I took one of the pills with smoking weed and i noticed my heart to start racing.  It kept doing this for 4-5 days till i thought something serious was wrong so i took myself to the er.  My heartrate was about 90bpm sitting and would jump to about 140 just by standing. The doctors said it was synus tachyardia, at this point i was like thats it no more smoking or selling weed thats it im done.  For about a week or so I felt really weird, sweats, not eating very much, no motivation, fatigued.  Most of  those went away. Ever since then, which was about 3 months ago,  March 10th to give the exact date i stopped smoking. Anyways, ever since then i have felt down. I just dont feel like the normal person i used to be. I dont know if this is from smoking marijuana or what. I think it may be because i dont have a job right now and i sit around all day thinking about it. Im that type of person, if something is wrong i will sit around all day and just think about it. I try not to. Whenver i do excercises or anything i usually feel better but thats only for a little while. I have been reading on numerous forums about other peoples symptoms of depression and i dont really have them. Some people say they cut themselves or want to kill themselves just for example. I dont get those, but sometimes i do think about how i feel to where the point im like i cant live my whole life like this. This has been going on for about 3 months.  I really dont want to go get put on meds because of all the side effects and withdrawal symptoms they have. Is it possible to overcome this blue period or depression i am having without taking meds? If it is how long would it take? If i have to i will be put on meds but i would really prefer to overcome this myself. I tell my dad about how i dont feel right and i feel down and he tells me its all in my state of mind. He says i should smile more and be more happy but for some reason i just havent been able to do it for the past couple of months. I would love to read any suggestions of what i should do, and if i should get on meds what meds should i take. I appeciate any replies.  Matt

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Matt, I like the way you are thinking about this..you can do this without medication, and it is not a deep depression, but it is a low point in your life because you are going through an important transition, and caught in the midst of it.  If you get your feet on the ground and get your life moving again, your depression feelings will go away.  I suggest you go to my site (www.masteringstress.com)and sign up for a etherapy session( solution session) and at the same time get access to my book online.  There you can read about your age -related transition, and that will give you additional ideas about what is going on and what you can do for it.

Marijuana is toxic to the heart and it was important to stop smoking.  But also, your identity as a "dealer" now has to change to a young man with work that means something to you or gets you going somewhere.

[apksfinest]

Thanks doc.  I think more than anything i am suffering from anxiety.  I think about stuff way too much.  I find myself short of breath a lot.  Also i find myself gritting my teeth for no apparent reason.  A lot of times throughout the day i will find my body tense and when i finally realize it i will relax.  Then like 5 minutes later i will find myself doing the same things again.  I will sit around and worry about something so much that it will start to happen, i need to stop doing this. This is probably due to using marijuana so often.  Doc, do you think the way i am feeling could have anything to due with anxiety?  I am sure after i take my state test for my realtors license and after i get a job i wont have all this time to think about what is wrong all the time and it will probably go away. I am probably going to sign up for an etherapy session soon.  Thanks for all the help and if you have any suggestions or comments about this post be welcome to reply.  Matt

[DrErick]

I agree with your comments. You are finding meaning to your problem and that's a great start. Don't forget that most of what we do or think in life affects what we feel and our physiology. I suggest you get thereapy so you can learn also how to make choices that will affect the way you feel.

[DJW]

Your system will also be very depleted from all the marijuana use,etc so now is the time to be kind to yourself and feed in some very healthy nutriments. The best things are: raw organic fruits and vegetables (cooked as well), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, tahini paste (sesame seeds), some red meat, plenty of fish & other seafoods, chicken, eggs (all organic where possible) and take some extra vitamins and minerals as well, maybe in the form of Spirulina, Bee Pollen, kelp powder, celtic sea salt and those sorts of things. Visit a good Health Shop and check it out. Keep off the sugar as it is a poison to our systems and only causes extra trouble. So, I would spend that spare time you have really being positive about wanting to build up your health again. Study books on nutrition and things like that. You'll get a real kick out of helping yourself and the rewards are so worth it. I know, because I've been there.

[mommasweets]

Hay, I am not a Dr., but I know how you feel.  I was like that for a long time.  I dont know if it is the marajuana we smoked or if it is why we smoked it.  I still get depressed, but now I know what to do about it.  Some people need meds Im sure, but I think you can work through it yourself.  It takes work.  One of the reasons you are depressed, is that you dont have anything to be proud of.  Get outside.  I know that I am a recluse and very shy, but I forced myself to get out and now I dont want to go back in.  If I stay in or dont do anything worth wile with my time, I get the same way.  It is terriable.  Find a dream and go for it, until then get off the couch, and get out in the world.  It is scary as hell at first because you feel like you dont fit in, but now I know that I fit in more than I thought.  Find your dream and get busy.  When you work on yourself and accomplish things, life looks so much brighter.  Good luck