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Health The Big & Dandy Bipolar Disorder & Psychedelics Thread

I'm bipolar.

I really don't think that my use of psychedelics like LSD, DOB, DOM, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, or psilocybe mushrooms has really had any effect on my bipolar disorder at all.

But drugs like MDMA and ketamine have definantly had an effect. And a negative one, at that.

If you have bipolar disorder type I, I would definantly stay away from MDMA. The last thing you want is to give yourself even more of a chemical imbalance.

Ketamine was bad for me because it tied into the problems I was having with manic episodes and anxiety. It was particularly the times when I would take so much that I would either relive past events or have near death experiences. My manic episodes and anxiety got far worse as a result and I'm still having problems because of it years later.
 
Im also bi polar and agree whole heartedly with not taking MDMA. I've never really had much of a problem with mushrooms or LSD.
 
I dont know what type of Bi-Polar he is but he is really had alot of problems in the past, while he has told me he did smoke crack once and had no problems with it. and this weekend we might be taking mushrooms so ill have to keep him under control:p
 
the only thing that you really have to worry about is the fact that his mood may influnce his trip.
this could cause him to have a really bad time if hes not quite in the right frame of mind.
lsd has been reported as "bringing out" mental illness but from what ive read it seems to be things that involve multiple personalitys ect and having a family history is a warning sign.
anyway have fun
 
is your friend taking antidepressants?
if he is find out what type they are and go here

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/maois/maois_info4.shtml
(soz didnt know how to insert a link lol)

and with respect to not being on antidepressants:

"LSD + bipolar cycles, no medication: A report of an apparent manic episode
I'm not sure if there are any known harmful interactions between LSD and lithium. In fact, I don't think anyone is _sure_ why Lithium is effective in stopping bipolar cycles.

However, I am SURE that LSD is not something that should be introduced to anyone with manic-depressive disorder. My girlfriend is also bipolar, and LSD will cause a triggering effect in her that sends her straight into mania, almost immediately. All it took was one trip. She had gone without an episode for more than 5 years until she decided to dose one day. Can you imagine how unpleasant that must feel? Full blown mania PLUS an acid trip (which would probably become a bad trip.)

I hate to be one of those types that perpetuates these drug horror stories, but it's just not a good idea for anyone who has a clinical disorder to take mood altering drugs. Clara actually had to drop out of school that semester and seek treatment at a hospital she ended up staying at for six weeks. Mind you, she wasn't being treated for "Post LSD psychosis" ( a condition which is a complete myth in my opinion.) but for the mania which the LSD catalyzed.

I've also had positive experiences with LSD, so I have no bias against it. but please don't let your friend take it! If you do decide to do it, keep a close eye on her! (as if you wouldn't :) )
this was also on erowid

sorry about the last post that i wrote.
8(
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[size=-1]Removed a name on request of the author of Erowid article[/size]
 
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I know of someone who very recently took lsd and had quite a bad time with the trip. That person is an experienced tripper, but I don't believe the person had tripped after being put on medication for bipolar disorder. The person contacted his therapist who informed him that it may have been a possible side-effect of the lithium/lsd combination. I'm not educated on this at all, but this is what the therapist relayed. Either way, I think your friend should do some research on drug reactions and possibly talk to a doctor (regardless that the doctor will frown upon drug use).
 
I've got bipolar 1 and MDMA (I havn't used it in around 2 years) certainly complicated things while I was using it. The comedowns where unbelievable harsh (to the point of me being a threat to my own safety). Sometimes the comedowns would transform themselves into full blown depressive episodes that would last for weeks. Pretty much all other psychedelics did the same thing
to me they do to most others. If I had to recommend anything it would be psilocybe mushrooms; I've had consistantly positive experiences (even when they were unpleasant) with this drug.

The drugs people with bipolar really need to avoid are stimulants which is ironic considering people with bipolar are often misdiagnosed with ADHD and given amphetamines (how I first became psychotic).

In general, I'd say avoid any drug which is associated with serious dependence (such as Heroin) because even if the drug doesn't seriously destabalize your mood you're still at a much higher risk of addiction than most people.

If you're taking mood stabilizers or antidepressants find out what, if any interactions there are with the recreational drugs you're (or your friend) taking.
 
Well, I don't know if I'm bipolar since I've never been diagnosed.. I have had some "issues" though.
While tripping I tend to not have any major problems although it seems that I tend to be a bit more unstable than most people. That is, I've never managed to avoid feeling quite a bit "down" during any trip, but it's never really been very extreme.
The only real problem for me is after the trip, I tend to be very "tired" of everything and I just want to go to sleep to escape reality, this tends to pass within a week or so..

/Mikael
 
Can Psychedelics make one Manic-Depressive?

Is it possible for, say shrooms, to turn a depressed (or 'normal') person into a manic-depressed person?

I've taken shrooms and had a "fun" manic-depressed time that lasted for the duration of the trip.

However, I'm wondering if that condition can last after the trip.

Gratzi.
 
If you have genes that are predisposed to becoming manic-depressive or "bi-polar" then yes, a powerful psychedelic adventure (or any other shocking emotional experience) can bring that out. But bi-polarism is very rarely seen in individuals without a family history of manic-depressiveness, and of course, psychedelics can't mess with your genes:\


Or are you asking if a person suffering from depression can take a psychedelic and afterwards suffer from lasting manic-depression?

I have not heard of that happening or have any idea why it would happen. With the exception of the individual having a family history of manic-depressives.
 
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"Or are you asking if a person suffering from depression can take a psychedelic and afterwards suffer from lasting manic-depression?"

Yes.

I went through a manic-depression stage during one of my trips. I was depressed (rock bottom) to complete mania, and then back down to depression. I'm just curious if the bi-polarism can be lasting.

And nobody in my family that I know of is a manic-depressive.
 
funtime manic depression

All that psychedelics can do is trigger any latent psychiatric condition, not cause them (other than possibly some residual anxiety related conditions). I know this as my father is bipolar and so was my grandmother (paternal side), and LSD use during my days at uni resulted in my eventual diagnosis as being bipolar.

As to the fun bit, at the beginning of an upswing in mood (during the hypomanic stage), you get loads of "good" ideas and find that you can communicate them with an eloquence and wit that would normally be difficult to achieve. My condition rarely goes to the full blown manic stage, but when it happens, you start getting so many thoughts that demand attention immediately that it stops being fun, you can't sleep and loose all ability to communicate coherently, eventually resulting in grandiose delusions which sometimes become out and out megalomania (in a way, it's a lot like using amphetamine/cocaine, including the ineviable crash; only with bipolar illness, the up swing can last weeks and be utterly exhausting).

It's the fun hypomanic stage that makes people with bipolar illness reluctant to take meds like lithium, as it prevents the highs, as well as the lows.
 
They can make you at trip time and maybe several days after wards emotionaly imbalance. When you experience in one trip total bliss and then utter terror then it may shock your brain. But I haven't heard something like this happen more than day after.

Just my 2 cent's
 
I don't think it's that hard to compare some drug experiences to manic-depression, especially drugs affecting dopamine transmission like methamphetamines:

Possible locus for bipolar disorder near the dopamine transporter on chromosome 5

I was surprised to read in An Unquiet Mind, Jamison's manic depression was so severe that she suffered from full-on hallucinations. I'd recommend reading that book to get an idea of how severe real manic-depression can get.
 
Bipolar disorder and psychedelics (mega-merged)

I was curious if someone(me) on wellbutrin and lamictal for mild bi-polar disorder could suffer neurological damage from LSD. I have taken shrooms on several occasions with the majority of trips being possitive. I have heard LSD can bring out underlying issues such as schizophrenia. My family has a semi history of manic depression so basically thats why I am asking. Acid has always been the scary drug for me because of its negative media. I have had many possitive associations with MDMA. If I try Acid under a good setting and possitive mind, can damage still occur at the neurological level triggering psychosis?
 
Yea, it psychedelics do have a higher chance of bringing up underlying problems in people with bi polar disorder. If I were in your position, I would not try it just due to the higher risks of permenant damage.
 
My friend is extremely bi-polar. They perscribe him Lithium Carbonate, i believe the strongest stuff for his condition. He has some rapid-reocurring cycle or something that denotes himself the worst case of Bi-polar there is. I'm not a psychiatrist yet, so I can't tell you the exact symptoms.

Ok, well I've tripped with him twice. Once we were both on LSD. The second time I was sober and he was on 4-ACo-DET with a friend.

Both times the kid was a complete buzz kill. It seemed like no matter what anyone tried to do to help his situation he was constantly having a bad trip. Moments of pure happiness followed by moments of utter despair to the point of break down.

Even when I was just chillin with him and his friend as they were trippin the DET, he killed my initial enthusiasm that I like to bring anywhere when I know people are tripping, and I was sober! I'm convinced that he even brought down the trip of the friend that was there, who initially was up playing with glow-sticks and dancing to music like myself. However Bi-polar was so persistent with his cries of attention due to seemingly negative aspects of his trip (fabricated for attention or not). He couldn't handle his shit and just sit and allow other people to enjoy their trip.

The kid is just generally fucked up in the head and has always displayed "special needs" while tripping. If the attention isnt on him, he finds ways to bring it back on him, negatively. Causing too much noise, consistantly causing waves to focus everyone's vibe on himself.

I reccomended that he never to psychadelics again after this incident. But, people rarely listen to advice.

I would say that if you are bi-polar ... use psychadelics at your own serious risk to your health. The experience I've seen from its use brought nothing that I would conventionally consider possitive amongst other mentally-sound psychadelic users.
 
^^^
Damn...thats crazy. Ive tripped off MDMA and Shrooms many times though, Im actually better at controlling myself then most of my friends.=D Marijuana is the only drug that fucks me up, it causes hyper-anxiety and excessive paranoia in my case.:(
 
From what I've seen there are a lot of times when the bipolar diagnosis is somewhat questionable or its a wierd type of bipolar or something. My friend has something like that- he has been diagnosed, but in the two years I've known him he hasn't ever been really very manic or swung to a huge depression, and overall he seems totally sane and normal.

anyway, he can trip fine. He hasn't had any problems any of the times I've seen him trip, except for when he was uncomfortable during a high dose 2ce trip. It seems like mostly sane with a bp diagnosis can trip all right.

But for someone who really has the mood swings and dissappears for weeks at a time going crazy with sex credit cards and sleep deprivation, then shifts to weeks in bed, it is a REALLY BAD idea to trip. There is a girl I've known since gradeschool like that, and she goes absolutely crazy. If she were in a jungle with a shaman it might be a healing process, but in a town with cars and parties it is a trainwreck every time. People with strong BP are really on the edge with emotions, and shouldnt be taking any recreational drugs imo, least of all hallucinogens.
 
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