I agree with you on this, .Birch. There are definitely people who should not use mj as a medication or recreationally. My psychiatrist cautioned me against using it when I was being treated for anxiety, as it can heighten this feeling, and i certainly agree that it can. As with any drug, I think users should have caution and not treat it so cavalier-ly as it is.

Responsibility must be taken with any drug, natural or not.

I'm schizophrenic I believe and I have smoked it before. It isn't fun nor relaxing for us, it is a frightening experience. Strange things happen to us when we smoke it, even stranger than normal. I can't understand why it is relaxing for some to smoke it, and it does the complete opposite to us. It really sucks because we need something to do like everybody else, well, some of us anyway, not the bad ones. And to be honest before I became ill i loved to party. But after your psychotic breakdown there is no drinking, no smoking, no fun, no relief.

So what are we supposed to do for fun?

You can't party without drinking or smoking pot? Sorry if that sounds callous, but I'm generally straigtedge aside from a few special occasions, and even then, I don't have a need to drink. I've never smoked. Why can't you go to a dance club and not drink, and just dance and have a good time sober, making fun of the dumb drunk people?

Don't you have hobbies? Swim? Draw? Meditate? Hang out and just talk? Explore museums? Go to an amusement park?

I just find it totally silly that you think you can't have fun sober and off drugs. I don't feel this huge "need" to get drunk. I've never actually been totally drunk.

I relax laying in the sun, taking a long walk in autumn. I play games with my friends. We hang out. But we hang out in a public place on a college, so there isn't even any alcohol within a mile of us.

to most people that is fun.it's a way to really let loose and not give a dang about hwat people think.It's like its your time and no one else matters.It's not for everyone.

I suppose it's not, but I let loose during many of the non-drug non-alcohol activities I listed... I guess I don't hide who I really am, so I have no need to "let loose" because I'm loose all the time... So I don't needs drugs or alcohol to help me feel better about myself.

I'm sure there are many of you guys on here who don't do marijuanna just to "let loose" and be someone you can't be during the day. I'm sure many of you use it more like I use meditation.

I think (my opinion is) that it is unhealthy to live a life where you cannot have fun or let go or relax unless you're under the influence. Not being able to have that skill in a normal state of mind seems detrimental to me... I can relax just about anywhere. I don't need weed too do it.

Again, this is all just my opinion, but I am a rather opinionated person With a very odd mix of conservative and liberal ideals.

Its not about hiding who you are.I'm a very laid back person myself but drinking sometimes does make things more fun and interesting.I don't need it to feel better about myself either.Thats what its about for some but not all.It's just a way to have fun!

again, its not about not being yourself its about fun on a different level!

Again. . .I know this is your opinion but the fact is not everyone is like that.read above statements.Some people just don't understand.

I am too!

I got off of the subject.
Marijuana and psychotic illness.
I shouldn't smoke it is pretty much all that I can say.
It makes me to sensitive and to aware. Much to aware. Yes awareness can be a bad thing.
And it does seem to increase the symptoms of my disease.
Other mentally ill people may be able to do it though, I don't know.
But if they are anything like me I hope that they do not, especially the murderous ones, ya know?

Well, my point was more that adolescents smoking mj may have an increased chance of earlier onset of sz, and they may also have a worse prognosis.

I hope that you fin another way to find relief.

I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 4 years ago. I take 3 different meds for it and this could have something to do with the effect of my marijuana experience. But i also noticed that while i smoke i feel COMPLETELY insane .. don't get me wrong most of the time i am chill and fine but every so often i completely go crazy and hallucinate, auditory and visual, speak dyslexically (sense made that if), and feel like im going to die. At times ive even talked to myself in my head wondering if i were still alive or not. For days after i smoke i still feel not quite myself for a while and generally more depressed and irritable. Of course i am an idiotic teenager tho and risk still smoking for the possible enjoyable experience.

Why would you do something you don't enjoy? If this happens to you every single time yet you repeat the activity expecting something different... that's actually a sign of insanity, isn't it? I'd say you need to lay of the smoking before it really does kill you.

" don't get me wrong most of the time i am chill and fine but EVERY SO OFTEN i am completely insane .. "

It doesn't happen everytime just occassionally. I'd say 40 percent of the time.

That's one to many times for me. If something that horrible happened to me more than even once, I'd never touch the stuff again.

Your brain is still developing. As an individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder and taking medications for it, you need to stay away from harmful substances like mj, nicotine, caffiene, and alcohol. These things are going to effect you differently than the average user and have potentially deadly interactions with your medications.

I used to work in a psych unit of a hospital and saw many young adults w/ bipolar disorder who were high on only marijuana but who were a bloody mess.

I worked at a psych unit also and have never heard of that but with psych patients anything is possible.. Patients on a psych ward should never do any kind of mind altering drugs, coffee,herbs,cigs, liquor, etc...they are on a psych ward...HELLO..no nothing except prescribed meds from there physicians. If some one is psychotic then anything is likely to send them on an episode so you really cant blame the pot. It was the person. They could go psychotic over a TV show, a song, a memory, anything..I think the person you are referring to as a bloody mess would have been a mess with or without the pot. It does not help to smoke pot if you are mentally unstable...it doesn't help to do drugs and drink either..but that is an entirely different subject all together.

I have to disagree with most of what i read. smoking pot helps me feel mre like my "old" self.. Im new to this bipolar disorder.. i get so down and out, and by smoking and having a drink here and there really help me.. although, its for a short period of time.. it still helps. without smoking, i loose my appitite all together. not to metion that i dont sleep very well w/o it. but to tell the truth, i dont sleep very well either way.. no matter what i do. the urge to get high is so strong.. all i keep thinking about is how to buy my next bag of pot. no one can or will ever convince me otherwise.. pot has always helped me cope! I know that there r others out there who feel the same as i do, they just dont want to addmit it online.

true

http://ehealthforum.com/health/potential-t herepeutic-uses-for-medical-marijuana-t153 523.html

and check this out

http://ehealthforum.com/health/depression- bipolar-disorder-anxiety-helped-by-medical -mj-t161072.html

Peace and Love,
Homer

Alcohol can also cause mental and psychological disorders, such as depression.

I agree with Tylenas, that MJ can be used to relax, but you should still be able to have a great time at a party without having to resort to taking drugs, be they legal or illegal. I rarely drink at parties and I don't rely on it for a good time, I can have a good time without resorting to drugs.
At the same time I recognise that other people like to use alcohol or MJ to help them have a good time, but you shouldn't feel like you HAVE to take something to have a good time.