Will Smoking Marijuana While On The Antidepressant Citalopram Negate The Effects?
I know it won’t kill me, that’s not what I’m worried about.
I enjoy smoking now and then (not excessively) and I just wonder whether or not doing that will screw up what my anti-depressant is supposed to do.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I’m a student working toward my bio-psych doctorate, and this is a difficult question to answer truthfully for a number of reasons. Is this the first medication that you tried for your depression? If it is the first medication that you tried then does it seem to be helping you?
Citalopram’s primary mechanism of action is as a serotonin inhibitor, marijuana wouldn’t have a direct effect on this but it’s indirect and behavioral effects vary greatly from person to person. So it could potentially worsen side-effects of the medication, so I’d say it’s really a personal choice, just like medication use. Doctors are quick to prescribe medication because, sad to say, it’s how they make their money so if you go to a doctor with a problem then chances are you’re going to leave with a medication. I’m not saying that no one needs medications, many people do, but I’m just saying hopefully you tried counseling, nutritional aspects and you get plenty of exercise as these are in my opinion the three most important aspects for a person with depression. For a good nutritional site check out my source link, it has lots of valuable information on nutritional healing of mental illnesses.
There are a lot of uninformed, ignorant people on yahooanswers (and in the government) that blame marijuana for many of society’s problems. The funny thing is alcohol and cigarettes (or any tobacco) has killed millions of people and cost American taxpayers billions of dollars in medical care and marijuana has killed how many? None, marijuana has never directly caused a death since it has zero toxicity, the only money that it costs American’s is the billions spent trying to keep people from acquiring it by any means necessary (including: cancer patients, AIDS patients and quadriplegics – a few years ago a QP man who required a ventilator to BREATHE was caught with mj and sentenced to 10 days in jail this alone was cruel, but the worst part was they took his ventilator so he died). In America everything is political and the weak will listen to anything the government wants them to believe while the strong will question everything and find out the truth. Basically our nation is devolving because of this as well as many other things (have you seen TV?), but believe in what you want, just make sure it’s your belief and not one that was handed to you.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Very interesting as smoking marijuana screws up your brain and causes depression, psychosis, and schizophrenia. You depression will get worse and it collides with the antidepressant, that is an upper and weed is a downer. You may end up in the psych ward it will not surprise me, I smoked and took meds and I was in the psych ward twice, and smoking was part of the reason.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
well i cant say for sure cuz i’m not on anti-depressants… although what i do wanna say is i really dont believe that pot is a depressant, i believe that very strongly… i have bipolor and i do take meds or it, i know that they are working and stuff but i still have many days where i feel as though i have the weight of the world on my sholders and i’ll feel just down for days… if it really starts to get to me i usually smoke up, and i tell you, when i can literally stand taller and feel like i’m on top of the world insted of under it, it makes it very worth while. now i dont wanna argue with anyone if they really believe that its a depressant but i really cant say it is cuz when it can get me out of my darkest pits that i sometimes find myself in its a great feeling to just slow down and realize exactly what i have and who i am… i become so happy and i stay happy for days after! plain and simple though if your really worried about it having negative effects when combined with your pills just simpley ask your doctor. they shouldnt judge you on it, that is not their job, get the facts and then you’ll know for sure if there is anything to worry about (highly dought it though:) good luck!
December 4th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
well, marijuana is a depressant and you’re taking an anti-depressant. I occassionally drink (depressant) and take an anti-depressant. I’ve noticed when I drink excessively, I tend to get more anxious and depressed, so I watch how much I drink now. I would just do it in moderation.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
no well it depends really if your by yourself when you smoke maybe but this is mainly because cannabis is a social herb people feel more comfortable around people when there high but chemically THC will not interact with your anti depressent
December 5th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Quit smoking the marijuana……
December 5th, 2009 at 8:14 am
if ur on antidepressants, i think ur already a little screwed up.
i guess if ur depressed do what makes u happy……..