PSYCHIATRY IS PSYCHOTIC: January 2014

I plan on sending this to my parents soon.

You hate a plant more than you care about me. You are ignorant. You refuse to even consider the possibility that maybe this is a medicine that works for me while insisting that psych drugs are just fine. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL NOR DOES ANY DOCTOR! I admit and realize that this may not be the answer for everyone and in some cases could cause problems, but so could ANY drug a doctor could prescribe me. When it is legal, I will use it, it’s just another medicine-one that works. You need to wake up, YOU ARE KILLING ME. If you are heartless and cold enough to let me go homeless because I want to use a medicine that makes me feel better and helps me function then to hell with you. You put me in a lose-lose situation; go homeless or remain miserable while knowing what medicine actually helps me and not using it. Go homeless or keep on being an untreated guinea pig.

I am researching all I can and putting this together. I will be contacting doctors and other health care professionals for support. You won’t help me but there are people in the world that care and actually understand medical marijuana. It IS a treatment option for my disease and if you can’t see that then you really don’t care about me.

If you want to cut me off once I start using it as a medicine LEGALLY then please do it now. Acting civil towards each other until it is legalized is pointless. Let me starve, don’t pay my rent and let me go homeless. I will find a place to live or die on the street but I refuse to be told what medicines I should or shouldn’t take by people who have no idea what they are talking about. But if you care at all, open your mind up a little and please read this. You are very uneducated about this stuff; you owe it to me to explore every possible treatment option. You have defended brutal anti psychotics and electroshock therapy, at least think about this-you clearly haven’t. The country is changing; marijuana will be legal in every state pretty soon, it’s the right thing to do, it really helps people, when used correctly it’s a miracle drug-recreational use is a separate debate not relevant to this letter.

The following is just the research I have done, I’ll be writing healthcare professionals next.

This is all the research I am going to do for now. A rational person would at least think about the information, an irrational person will just get angry, reject it and not even read it. While being a lengthy letter this barely scratches the surface but if none of this means anything to you then nothing else will.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER

*A key to this is the strain used. One called sativa can be bad for bipolar, HOWEVER other strains are very good for it. That varies too because sativas can be good for some bipolar symptoms but it depends on the type. Most ideal might be a hybrid strain-think of it like taking more than one psychiatric med, it’s the same principle. Dispensaries are like pharmacies, they have a ton of different strains all used to treat different things.

Numbers per page relate to references

Medical Marijuana (Cannabinoids) Relieve Bipolar Symptoms: Follow physician’s suggestions, then with help from family members, try medical marijuana for symptom relief:

Appetite stimulant (Sativa's)

Mood elevators (Sativa's)

Fatigue (Sativa's)

Sleep disturbances (Indica's)

Hyperactivity (Indica's)

Mania (Indica's)

Focus (Sativa's)

Look for strains with higher CBD-Cannabidiol levels. Sativa's have higher CBD levels than Indica's. Hashish has highest amounts of CBD's. "Durban Poison" has higher CBD levels.

Testimonials:

HU210 {hi-potency cannabinoid} treatment reduced anxiety and depression. Journal of Clinical Investigation. Oct. 2005

Patients report significant improvement with their bipolar disorder when using medical cannabis as adjunctive treatment.

Those who experience extended depressive episodes are likely to be helped with medical cannabis. "Cannabis and Depression" 2003. Jay Cavanaugh, PhD

"It improved my mood. My anxiety disappeared, raging curbed and more productive, overcame shyness. Taken orally (2-3 grams) in the morning." John Frederick Wilson

Increase in good days using medical marijuana. Used to treat ups and downs. CBD is antidepressant, antipsychotic with anticonvulsant effects. Delivered sublingually, use as adjunctive medication. Relieves restlessness. With appropriate use of cannabis, patient can reduce or eliminate other psychiatric medicine. Frank Lucido, MD

30-40 % of bipolar disorder patients are not consistently helped using conventional treatment. For some, cannabis may be useful in stopping the symptoms and reducing the side effects of lithium. Lester Grinspoon, MD. "Marijuana and the Forbidden Medicine" 1997

Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, MD, a consultant in the Department of Pyschiatry and Psychology at the Mayo Clinic, stated the following in the "Expert Answers" section of the Mayo Clinic website in response to the question "I'm curious about marijuana and depression. Can marijuana cause depression?" (accessed June 11, 2012):

"Some research suggests that marijuana smokers are diagnosed with depression more often than are nonsmokers — particularly regular or heavy marijuana users. However, it doesn't appear that marijuana directly causes depression. It's likely that the genetic, environmental or other factors that trigger depression also lead to using marijuana. For example, some people may use marijuana as a way to cope with depression symptoms.

There are also links between marijuana and other mental health conditions. Marijuana use may trigger schizophrenia or detachment from reality (psychosis) in certain people. There is also some evidence that adolescents who attempt suicide may be more likely to use marijuana than those who don't. As with marijuana use and depression, more research is needed to better understand these associations.

The bottom line: Marijuana use and depression accompany each other more often than you might expect by chance, but there's no clear evidence that marijuana directly causes depression."

D. Mark Anderson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics at Montana State University, Daniel I. Rees, PhD, Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado Denver, and Joseph J. Sabia, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics at San Diego State University, stated the following in their Jan. 2012 study "High on Life? Medical Marijuana Laws and Suicide," published by the The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its Discussion Paper Series:

"Consistent with the hypothesis that marijuana can be an effective treatment for depression and other mood disorders, there appears to be a sharp decrease in the suicide rate of 15- through 19-year olds males in the treatment states as compared to the control states approximately two years after legalization...

Our results suggest that the legalization of medical marijuana is associated with a 5 percent decrease in the total suicide rate, an 11 percent decrease in the suicide rate of 20- through 29-year-old males, and a 9 percent decrease in the suicide rate of 30- through 39 year-old-males. Estimates for female suicide rates are generally measured with less precision and are sensitive to functional form...

The strong association between alcohol consumption and suicide related outcomes found by previous researchers... raises the possibility that medical marijuana laws reduce the risk of suicide by decreasing alcohol consumption."

Thomas F. Denson, PhD, Professor of Psychology at the California State University at Long Beach, and Mitch Earleywine, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, wrote the following in their Apr. 2006 study titled "Decreased Depression in Marijuana Users," published in Addictive Behaviors:

"Those who consume marijuana occasionally or even daily have lower levels of depressive symptoms than those who have never tried marijuana. Specifically, weekly users had less depressed mood, more positive affect, and fewer somatic complaints than non-users. Daily users reported less depressed mood and more positive affect than non-users... Our results add to the growing body of literature on depression and marijuana and are generally consistent with a number of studies that have failed to confirm a relationship between the two after controlling for relevant variables...

The potential for medical conditions to contribute to spurious links between marijuana and greater depression requires further investigation."

George McMahon, author and medical marijuana patient in the US Federal Drug Administration's Investigational New Drug (IND) program, stated in his 2003 book Prescription Pot:

"People who have never struggled with a life threatening or disabling illness often do not comprehend how debilitating the resulting depression can be. Long days spent struggling with sickness can wear patients down, suppress their appetites and slowly destroy their wills to live. This psychological damage can result in physiological effects that may be the difference between living and dying.

The elevated mood associated with cannabis definitely affected my health in a positive manner. I was more engaged with life. I took walks and rode my bike, things I never considered doing before in my depressed state, even if I had been physically capable. I ate regular meals and I slept better at night. All of these individual factors contributed to a better overall sense of well-being."

Tod Mikuriya, MD, a former psychiatrist and medical coordinator, was quoted as stating the following in the 1997 book Marijuana Medical Handbook written by Dale Gieringer, Ed Rosenthal, and Gregory T. Carter:

"The power of cannabis to fight depression is perhaps its most important property."

Frank Lucido, MD, a private practice physician, stated in his article "Implementation of the Compassionate Use Act in a Family Medical Practice: Seven Years Clinical Experience," available on his website (accessed June 11, 2012):

"With appropriate use of medical cannabis, many of these [cannabis-using] patients have been able to reduce or eliminate the use of opiates and other pain pills, ritalin, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, anti-depressants and other psychiatric medicines, as well as to substitute the use of medical cannabis as a harm reduction measure for specific problematic or abused substances with a much more serious risk profile (including alcohol, heroin/opiates, and cocaine)."

Jay Cavanaugh, PhD, National Director for the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis, wrote in his 2003 article "Cannabis and Depression," published on the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis website:

"Numerous patients report significant improvement and stabilization with their bipolar disorder when they utilize adjunctive therapy with medical cannabis. While some mental health professionals worry about the impact of cannabis on aggravating manic states, most bipolar patients trying cannabis find they 'cycle' less often and find significant improvement in overall mood. Bipolar disorders vary tremendously in the time spent in the depressive versus manic states. Those who experience extended depressive episodes are more likely to be helped with cannabis.

Patients who use cannabis to 'relax' may be treating the anxiousness sometimes associated with depression. Cannabis aids the insomnia sometimes present in depression and can improve appetite. Better pain control with cannabis can reduce chronic pain related depression. While cannabis cannot yet be considered a primary treatment of major depression it may improve mood when used under physicians supervision and in combination with therapy and/or SSRI's."

Bill Zimmerman, PhD, former President of Americans for Medical Rights (AMR), stated in his 1998 book Is Marijuana the Right Medicine For You?:

"Some patients have found the mood altering effects of marijuana to be helpful for treating mood disorders such as anxiety, depression and bipolar (manic-depressive) illness. Using marijuana to treat mood disorders was described in medical writings in the 19th and early 20th centuries...

The mental component of the pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) often causes psychological problems and is now technically classified as an atypical (not typical) depression. Many women report benefit from using marijuana to improve the symptoms of PMS."

Deaths from Marijuana v. 17 FDA-Approved Drugs

(Jan. 1, 1997 to June 30, 2005)

You would prefer I take more dangerous drugs that don’t really help….

BIPOLAR DISORDER AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Research has shown that some mood disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder, can run in families, with the potential to skip a generation between diagnosed cases. Beyond the known causes of chemical imbalances in the brain and the chemical transmitters not working properly between the cells of the brain, it isn't certain why some people are predisposed to bipolar disorder and others are not. Bipolar refers to the two poles of mood, similar to a battery. One is for the "positive" effects of mood and the other "negative". Usually the person with bipolar disorder has rapid swings in mood, cycling from high energy and inflated sense of self and even elation to severe depression and exhaustion that leaves them unwilling to crawl out of bed on any given day. The more rapid the cycle the more dangerous the situations for the patient with bipolar disorder as both extremes can result in death from suicides, accidents or carelessness because they think they can fly, run faster than a train, etc.

These mood cycles over the last fifty years were controlled with some very powerful drugs and even treated with electroshock therapy. "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is all about mood disorders and bipolar treatments. Half the characters in the story suffer from a mood disorder. These barbaric treatments that left patients overmedicated and over-treated led the revolution to find "safer" drugs to treat these disorders. In the last thirty years, lithium, the very dangerous substance and the same substance used to charge batteries, became available in pill form to treat bipolar disorder. Its very promising effects kept it on the market and it's still in use today despite the fact that studies have revealed that long term use of lithium damages the speech and thought processes of the brain. Patients who regularly take lithium have to have regular blood draws to check for toxic levels of the drug in their livers/systems.

BIPOLAR DISORDER AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA TREATMENTS

But these patients don't have to even start lithium, ever. The two main strains of medical marijuana, indica and sativa, can be used together or separately to treat the symptoms as the patient starts to cycle. Indica is often used to calm, alleviate anxiety, and relieve insomnia, which could be used when the patient is experiencing a high cycle and can't be bothered to come down to sleep, eat, or focus. Sativa elevates mood, and acts as a stimulant; most effective for the lows in the person with bipolar disorder. So much relief could be gained and without any harm to the body's organs or long term damage to the brain and liver through the use of medical marijuana. And the expense? Lithium tablets are several hundred to several thousand dollars a month without insurance, whereas medical marijuana is quite a bit less.

So why aren't more people with mood disorders like bipolar disorder being treated with medical marijuana? It's simple really. Either they don't live in a state that has legalized its use (like Wisconsin, where depression is rampant due to less sun all year round) or lack of information and informed choice in the states where it is legal. MarijuanaDoctors.com make a point of their entire website and their work to get the word out on the benefits medical marijuana has for so many people. They can and will help anyone find the right doctor in the right state get the prescription they need for medical marijuana control in a more natural and healthy way their bipolar or mood disorder. That's a guarantee.

TruthOnPot.com – Bipolar disorder may be one of the world’s oldest known illnesses with records of its existence dating back thousands of years.

But today, doctors are faced with a greater challenge when it comes to treating the condition. The challenge is drug abuse; a problem that affects only 6% of the general population yet plagues more than 50% of all patients with bipolar disorder.

Interestingly, cannabis appears to be the drug of choice for these patients, which has led many to question its role in the treatment of this age-old disorder.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder (also known as bipolar affective disorder) causes dramatic mood swings in patients, alternating between states of depression and mania. Mania can range from moderate levels of energy and excitement to symptoms of psychosis, such as erratic and delusional behaviors.

Experts say that approximately 4% of the population will fit the criteria of bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. And while the underlying cause has yet to be identified, there are a variety of treatment options available for patients.

The first-line of treatment is lithium which acts to reverse symptoms of mania, but other mood-stabilizers (anticonvulsants) and antipsychotics are commonly used as well.

On the other hand, current pharmaceutical therapies subject patients to a wide range of side-effects, which can sometimes outweigh the benefits of the treatments themselves. As a result, some are beginning to turn to medical marijuana – a sparsely recommended treatment option that is gradually becoming more noticed as research progresses.

How Can Marijuana Help?

Medical marijuana acts on the endocannabinoid system – a homeostatic regulator that is present in all humans. Interestingly, research suggests that certain cannabinoids found in marijuana (i.e. THC and CBD) may have significant mood-stabilizing properties that could be beneficial for patients with the disorder.

Studies have shown that THC, under certain conditions, can have anti-anxiety, hypnotic and antidepressant effects, resulting in improvements in mood and overall well-being in normal subjects as well as in patients suffering from pain, multiple sclerosis or cancer. CBD seems to counter the psychoactive effects produced by high doses of THC and may also possess anti-anxiety, hypnotic and anticonvulsant properties of its own.

Researchers have also identified a link between marijuana use and cognitive improvements in patients with schizophrenia – a finding could explain evidence of similar improvements in bipolar disorder.

What Studies Say

A number of recent studies have set out to determine the effects of marijuana use on patients with bipolar disorder and have provided some thought-provoking findings.

In 2010, researchers at the University of Oslo in Norway published the results of a study conducted on 133 bipolar patients. What they found was that patients who used cannabis regularly actually performed better than non-users on tests of verbal fluency and learning, although improvements in learning were not statistically significant.

In another study, published in 2012 by researchers at the Zucker Hillside Hospital in New York, regular marijuana use was linked to higher levels of attention, processing speed and memory among the 200 bipolar patients that the researchers followed over a 9 year span.

On the other hand, while these results suggest that marijuana use might improve cognitive function in cases of bipolar disorder, a study published in 2009 found that bipolar patients who used cannabis exhibited less treatment compliance as well as higher levels of illness severity, mania and psychosis, although data was only collected over a 12 month period.

Interestingly, the study also found that while cannabis users were less likely to have a relationship and were less satisfied with life in general, they were still more engaged in social activities than non-users. Furthermore, the study identified no significant differences between cannabis use and independent living or work impairments.

Anecdotal Evidence

Despite the overall lack of clinical research available on cannabis use and bipolar outcomes, case reports provide an abundance of evidence that seem to support its usefulness.

A study published in 1998 by Harvard professors Dr. Lester Grinspoon and James B. Bakalar documented 5 cases in which patients obtained significant relief from their bipolar-related symptoms through the use of medical marijuana.

One of these patients, a 47-year-old woman, found cannabis to be more effective than other drugs in controlling her manic episodes.

“A few puffs of this herb and I can be calm… this drug seems harmless compared to other drugs I have tried, including tranquillisers and lithium.”

In another case, the husband of a bipolar sufferer told of numerous ways that cannabis seemed to help his wife in dealing with the disorder.

“My wife functions much better when she uses marijuana. When she is hypomanic, it relaxes her, helps her sleep, and slows her speech down. When she is depressed and would otherwise lie in bed all day, the marijuana makes her more active… Lithium is also effective, but it doesn’t always keep her in control.”

These cases were also cited alongside others in a review study conducted by a team of British researchers. The review, published in 2005 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, presented evidence from a 1996 report that described 5 cases in which marijuana seemed to have a direct effect in countering depression. The researchers also cited 2 surveys conducted in 2003 which found that 15-27% of medical marijuana patients in California were prescribed the drug for various mood disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and ADHD.

On January 1, laws making legal the use of recreational marijuana went into effect in Colorado and the state of Washington. Fifty-six percent of Americans now favor legalization and regulation of marijuana.

In the meantime, there are 20 states plus Washington DC where medical marijuana is legal, and four states with pending legislation.

“Medical marijuana” is something of a misnomer. A physician does not write a prescription for a specific compound at a specific dosage that a patient fills at a pharmacy. Indeed, the physician’s only involvement may be in issuing the requisite medical marijuana card.

The card allows users to shop at marijuana dispensaries. It also amounts to a “get out of jail free” card

Having said that, medical marijuana has been a godsend to many, offering relief across a wide range of conditions. One can also make a case for medical marijuana to treat bipolar, albeit one with a host of major provisos. At the very least, the issue bears examination. Let’s get started ...

The case for medical marijuana

Anyone who has endured for just one minute the sheer terror of the brain in a state of siege is justified in checking out any form of relief. Like most other psychiatric meds, marijuana slows down the brain. Depending on the user, this may translate to relieving anxiety, reducing stress, regulating sleep, easing mania and agitated depressions, and even improving cognition. Marijuana may also be incorporated into a strategy of maintaining good mental health.

Also, for some people, marijuana may offer a safer alternative to prescription meds.

But there is a major catch or two ...

Safety and abuse issues

All medications, including psychiatric meds, carry substantial risks that must be weighed against potential benefits. Marijuana is no exception.

“Self-medicating” is an extremely serious concern for our population. Six in ten of those with bipolar have experienced substance abuse sometime during their life, five times the rate of the general population. Co-occurring substance abuse can effectively turn treatable bipolar into untreatable bipolar.

In addition, a number of studies have linked marijuana use to an increased risk of psychosis. This is not the same as saying marijuana “causes” psychosis. Moreover, the studies suggest that the risk is greatest in those who begin marijuana in their teens. Nevertheless, we need to be mindful of the risk.

And it goes without saying: Cognitive abilities take a major hit (pun intended).

Last but not least, smoking marijuana raises the same health concerns as smoking tobacco.

Efficacy issues

There are no clinical trials to support the use of marijuana in treating bipolar. Having said that, “absence of evidence” does not equate to “evidence of absence.” Nevertheless, we lack essential medical guidance in terms of best practices and treatment strategies.

An alcohol parallel

“Glass of wine a day may ward off depression,” reads a headline on WebMD.

The catch is when that one glass of wine turns into two or three - when a small indulgence turns into a craving and an addiction, when an escape from stress turns into an escape from reality, when an enhanced ability to function turns into a major impairment and a ruined life.

In other words, can we trust ourselves?

Two possible marijuana strategies

Assuming we can trust ourselves ...

The first strategy is analogous taking an anti-anxiety med PRN, “as needed.” In an ideal situation, the med does its job and life returns to normal. We stop taking the med before building up a tolerance or dependency or incurring long-term side effects.

The second is analogous to staying on a mood stabilizer as part of a maintenance strategy, perhaps not continuously but on a more regular basis. In an ideal situation, the med is running in the background. We are hardly aware of it.

It is very important to note that neither strategy calls for getting high. A “medical” dose is not to be equated with a recreational dose. Likewise, a medical bipolar dose (whatever that may be) is not to be equated with a dose for another medical condition, such as chronic pain.

To put it another way: Getting high is not a sign of the efficacy of the treatment. Nor is it a legitimate side effect. The result you’re looking for is extremely subtle but profound - a brain that works.

Nevertheless, some short-term cognitive impairment may be inevitable. As with any medication, this needs to be incorporated into your treatment strategy, such as, perhaps, using only before bedtime.

Please endeavor to find a physician or therapist you can work with. If you are on any medication, you need to inform your physician.

Choosing your product

All marijuana plants are technically cannabis sativa. But there is an indica variety that has the effect of slowing down the brain, as opposed to the more uplifting effects of sativa. As a general rule, sativa may help more with depression, indica for a runaway brain and regulating sleep. Dispensaries supply clearly labeled products. There are also various blends and hybrids.

Doses and delivery systems

The main concern for medical marijuana, especially for bipolar, is calibrating doses. Back in the old days of nickel bags and marijuana brownies, this was virtually impossible. These days, dispensaries carry very sophisticated products that promise some degree of consistency. We are still in a wild west market, but the before and after represents a quantum improvement.

Ingestible cannabis - Typically, it takes 30-60 minutes to feel the effects of ingested cannabis. The effect also tends to be longer lasting. Accordingly, ingestibles may lend themselves to maintenance strategies. A very little goes a very long way.

Inhaled cannabis - The effect is instant and more transient, which lends itself to “as needed” strategies. Inhaled cannabis is far less potent than the ingestible variety, but one hit may be all you need.

Vaporizers and pens - In their latest incarnation, these are e-cigarettes applied to marijuana. Depending on the pen, the user inhales the vapor of a concentrate or flower, without the health risks of traditional smoking. Because no lighting up is involved and because there is little or no telltale aroma, users can take a discreet hit with little fear of discovery.

Lest there be any misunderstandings...

Please do not construe any of the above as an endorsement for using marijuana to treat your bipolar. Nor should any of the above be interpreted as any kind of medical or consumer guideline. Rather, we are seeking an intelligent discussion on an issue that is fraught with ignorance and lack of understanding.

- See more at: http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/15/165750/medical-marijuana-bipolar-high#sthash.F1AKOiTD.dpuf

A recent study conducted in Glen Oaks hospital in New York, showed that marijuana could have a beneficial effect on neurocognitive functions of patients with bipolar disorder. The study was performed on 200 BD patients, 50 of whom have been smoking marijuana. All of them underwent tests that tested their neurocognitive functions (attention span, speed shifting, digits forward and backward tests and trails B test). The results were intriguing to say the least.

Cannabis Use Disorder

However, before we present you with the study’s conclusions, you have to bear in mind that the medical world is full of disorders, some being completely justified and others just being labeled as illnesses for the hell of it. In line with that practice, a frequent marijuana smoker ‘suffers’ from CUD (Cannabis Use Disorder) and is more likely to suffer from a history of psychosis than a person who doesn’t smoke. At least, that’s what the research suggests. Simply put, a BD patient with CUD is only 14% more likely to have a history of psychosis than a BD patient who doesn’t smoke marijuana.

Results

It was concluded that BD patients with CUD had significantly better cognitive tests results than patients who didn’t ‘suffer’ from CUD. That fact alone will significantly motivate further medical marijuana related research because now we can move away from the ‘burnout’ dogma and focus on the actual health benefits of cannabis. We always believed that you shouldn’t became a slave to the plant, but consume it moderately in order to reap the rewards it can provide and utilize its maximum potential.

Supporting Studies

To support this research, we found a study that was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in August, 2011. The study revealed that middle-aged men could benefit from the use of marijuana as well. Apparently, cannabis can significantly improve their mental stamina. They are able to think more clearly, a benefit that was practically never associated with the use of marijuana. The study was conducted on 8,992 male drug users. The first phase of research was conducted when they were 42, and the second when they turned 50. Basically, much was gained in terms of mental clarity, yet nothing was actually lost for good.

Conclusion

According to these two studies, it is safe to conclude that the use of medical marijuana is actually beneficial to both patients who suffer from bipolar disorder and middle-aged men. In addition, there seem to be no permanent psychological consequences of frequent marijuana use (at least in the time span of 10 years) with middle-aged men. This actually makes sense because recent research actually proves that the brain is not fully developed until you reach your late 30?s or early 40?s even. So, even you don’t toke in the first 20 years, don’t worry — there’ll be plenty of time to enjoy it afterwards.

Some people who have Biploar feel that marijuana works in terms of dealing with their bipolar. Most feel sativa strains are more helpful for treating Bipolar. However it can depend on which mood you are feeling so at certain times an indica strain may be beneficial.

Courtesy of the fine folks at the Medical Marijuana Blog

Summary:

There is a good amount of conflicting theories about this topic. The most important factor though is that everyone is different-especially people with mental illnesses. As it is you will be hard pressed to find to bipolar patients with identical treatments, some meds work well for some people while others are disastrous. Medical marijuana should be a treatment option. It should be just another tool in psychiatry that can be tried on patients. It won’t help everyone but no drug is good for everyone so it would be equal to those used today. Patients who benefit from it could use it; those that had negative effects from it could avoid it. That is the common sense plan.

It may be known to cause psychosis (especially some strains) but I would bet the amount of people who have experienced that is very low. Besides all the psych drugs prescribed today have potential for awful side effects but doctors don't hesitate to roll the dice with those. So it may cause psychosis, it also may cure it!

REFERENCES

(1) http://medicalmarijuana.com/medical-marijuana-treatments/Bipolar-Disorder

(2) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000226

*there are anti-arguments on this site as well but none consider patients on an individual basis they just generalize so they are flawed automatically

(3) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000145

(4) https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/content/ailments/view/15?ailment=bipolar-disorder

(5) http://www.truthonpot.com/2013/05/16/medical-marijuana-for-bipolar-disorder/

(6) http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/15/165750/medical-marijuana-bipolar-high

(7) http://www.theweedblog.com/can-medical-marijuana-be-used-to-treat-bipolar-disorder/