I’m a recovering smoker. I still smoke cigarettes like a chimney, but it’s over a year since I quit smoking cannabis. It took me a while to quit after my episode. I wasn’t convinced that cannabis had exacerbated my mania and led me to psychosis. I had self-medicated with cannabis for so long that I couldn’t grasp the concept that it could harm me in any way. It took a lot of research and multiple discussions with my medical team to finally understand the implications of smoking pot regularly in my condition.
At present, it looks like more research is required to honestly assess the effects of cannabis on people with bipolar disorder. That being said, research does suggest that marijuana can increase the risk of suicidality and psychosis. So, if you have bipolar disorder or have a family member with bipolar disorder, it’s advisable to be very careful about using cannabis. Some researchers have found that marijuana use can make symptoms of bipolar disorder worse in some people. This review found that using marijuana could worsen manic symptoms in a person with bipolar disorder. They also found that marijuana use could trigger a manic episode. According to another study, suicide attempt rates in people with bipolar disorder were higher in those who used marijuana than in those who didn’t use marijuana. The study also found that people who used marijuana were younger at bipolar disorder onset (when their symptoms started) than those who didn’t. This is a concern, as doctors think that a younger age at onset causes worse symptoms throughout a person’s life. In one study, patients who quit using marijuana or reduced its use following their first psychotic episode had the most significant improvement in symptoms at the one-year mark compared to continuing cannabis users and people who had never used cannabis. (yay for me!) None of these studies proves that cannabis is actually causing these problems in people with bipolar—they just show an association between marijuana use and problems. But you should factor this information into your thinking when deciding whether or not to use cannabis. Some people have reported positive effects, such as improved mood. But others have said negative consequences, such as worsened mania or suicidal thoughts. Further research is needed on marijuana’s effects on bipolar disorder and the long-term effects of prolonged use. What doctors do know is that marijuana isn’t as effective as prescription medication and therapy can be in managing the symptoms of bipolar disorder. So if you have this condition, stick to the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. How to quit using cannabis I quit cold turkey. When my supplies dried out, I told my psychiatrist that I was about to quit, and he prescribed Seroquel to take around bedtime, which would help with sleep. I cut off my friends who were regular smokers and surrounded myself with positivity and reminders that being sober would dramatically improve my moods and help me regulate myself. In this past year, I have smoked twice. Once on my birthday and once when I was vacationing on a deserted island surrounded by coconuts and white sand beaches. A couple of months after I’d stopped, I dreamed about smoking every day; I thought it would go on forever. But nowadays, I only occasionally have those dreams, and they don’t bother me so much. This time I made a conscious decision to stop, and I’m always mindful of the inevitable results of starting up again (addiction, insanity), which outweigh any short-term positives of getting started again. The scariest part of quitting is the withdrawal symptoms. They’re mainly psychological and are not as severe as withdrawal from other commonly abused drugs. Signs and symptoms of withdrawal include but are not limited to:
Don’t be discouraged by this long list. You’re likely only to experience a few of them at a time. The withdrawal for hash and marijuana begins within 24-72 hours of stopping use, usually peaks within the first week, and tapers off approximately 2 weeks after the last ingestion. For some, sleep difficulties may last more than 30 days. If you have bipolar disorder and want to quit smoking, talk to your doctor, he will arm you with the right tools to handle this transition. Some tools that helped me quit (more resources and strategies here):
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AuthorI was born in 1986 in Lebanon. I'm still trying to find my passion in life and in the meantime I'm learning to navigate my bipolarity and redefining stability. Archives
February 2024
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