Mental and Physical Health Support Thread

[Kanzeon]

Hey fam!

For those of us with mental health issues, feel free to post here and say what's up. I know those of us with depression can have it rough this time of the year, so I'm here to listen for anyone that could use it.

I've been keeping the depression more under wraps this year with that blue dream and by watching a lot of standup. Spending time with the plants really helps, too- it's nice to always have something to be able to focus on when I need to get out of my head. I'm also on the spectrum, so I like to say my brain is like a haunted computer. Michael Pollan's "How to Change Your Life" legit saved my life last summer- learning what the default mode network is and how it affects brain patterns has been enormous. It's a whole subject in and of itself so I won't go into more detail here unless there's interest.

I also have PTSD from the actions of a major US metropolitan police department that's been keeping me from holding down a job since last June. Shit's been tough.

Also, I know farming is physically demanding stuff and we put our bodies through hell. I know @Dirtbag and @MIMedGrower have been having back problems, maybe crowdsourcing some solutions could provide some relief? Also @Jimster just had his ticker worked on, if I'm remembering correctly. I've had a few major injuries and surgeries too. Feel free to use this thread as a community resource for all of that shit.

I've found some physical pain relief from drinks infused with kava kava, fan leaves, and thc (I use reclaim). Excellent muscle relaxer. I'm also a fan of combining icy hot and tiger balm in layers on my back, which is fucked.

For anyone who might be trying to kick opiates, or have family that is, kratom is the shit. It satisfies the cravings, but you can't die from it. It's excellent for anyone not trying to go cold turkey. But honestly for that, acid and/or shrooms in a therapeutic setting is the best bet.

Be well!

 

[MIMedGrower]

Nice thread. Subbed.

 

[oldskol4evr]

hell nuts is just nuts i will always be nuts hahahaha,acid and shrooms aint gonna help friend,they sure will make you forget about stuff though hahahah

 

[Kanzeon]

hell nuts is just nuts i will always be nuts hahahaha,acid and shrooms aint gonna help friend,they sure will make you forget about stuff though hahahah

Turns out that in addition to being tremendously fun, acid and shrooms affect a part of the brain that's called the default mode network.

Default Mode Network - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

www.sciencedirect.com

One of the roles that it plays in our brains is that it sets patterns. Which is why things like addictions are hard to break. It also filters the world so that we're biased to view things in ways that reinforce our already held-opinions. Essentially, we literally create our own reality by creating and reinforcing our patterns.

Dissolving the dmn, aka ego death, is very similar by all descriptions to the Buddhist concept of enlightenment. When it dissolves, we feel "connected," "one with all things," "a tiny part of a huge amazing universe."

The concept of interconnectedness is antithetical to the concept of ego, so essentially a role of the dmn is to regulate how we view ourselves in relation to those around us. IE: Democrat/Republican, every other thing in the US that's somehow become polarized politically.

When we take actions that reinforce "our tribe" in opposition to "other tribes," we're programming our dmn to view members of that tribe as enemies, essentially drawing a "self" around our tribe and an "other" around the other. This is good in that it does things like getting people to attack and ostracize rapists and child molesters, for instance. This is harmful in that this same concept can be extrapolated to "other" things unhelpfully, like saying that all members of a race or religion or region or political leaning are bad.

The interconnectedness/ego, self/other, faith/doubt ratios of a person can essentially be tuned and balanced with psychedelics and meditation. I believe that depression is generally an affliction of people not feeling interconnected enough, and that narcissism is the product of people believing that they are overly important to the people around them. Both of these illnesses create their own patterns in the DMN, which lead to behaviors and thoughts that continue to perpetuate these patterns. If something were to exist like a trip sitter plus rehab, where people can have their desired patterns reinforced and their undesired ones (addiction) get a solid dmn wall built around the concept of doing whatever addictive substance again.

I don't claim to be an expert, or to know everything. All I can say for certain is that I reset my dmn last January and the symptoms of my personal PTSD and depression were reduced for months afterwards. Last fall I literally set a suicide date and now I'm alive and happy.

 

[Dbear180]

Hey fam!

For those of us with mental health issues, feel free to post here and say what's up. I know those of us with depression can have it rough this time of the year, so I'm here to listen for anyone that could use it.

I've been keeping the depression more under wraps this year with that blue dream and by watching a lot of standup. Spending time with the plants really helps, too- it's nice to always have something to be able to focus on when I need to get out of my head. I'm also on the spectrum, so I like to say my brain is like a haunted computer. Michael Pollan's "How to Change Your Life" legit saved my life last summer- learning what the default mode network is and how it affects brain patterns has been enormous. It's a whole subject in and of itself so I won't go into more detail here unless there's interest.

I also have PTSD from the actions of a major US metropolitan police department that's been keeping me from holding down a job since last June. Shit's been tough.

Also, I know farming is physically demanding stuff and we put our bodies through hell. I know @Dirtbag and @MIMedGrower have been having back problems, maybe crowdsourcing some solutions could provide some relief? Also @Jimster just had his ticker worked on, if I'm remembering correctly. I've had a few major injuries and surgeries too. Feel free to use this thread as a community resource for all of that shit.

I've found some physical pain relief from drinks infused with kava kava, fan leaves, and thc (I use reclaim). Excellent muscle relaxer. I'm also a fan of combining icy hot and tiger balm in layers on my back, which is fucked.

For anyone who might be trying to kick opiates, or have family that is, kratom is the shit. It satisfies the cravings, but you can't die from it. It's excellent for anyone not trying to go cold turkey. But honestly for that, acid and/or shrooms in a therapeutic setting is the best bet.

Be well!

Have you tried medicated balm instead of the icy & tiger? I make a mixture of coconut oil, beeswax, & pot that works wonders. My grandma is super scared of pot & I tricked her into using this stuff, 10 minutes later she wouldn't stop talking about how fantastic her knee/leg felt. My shoulder is boogered up from looping a motorcycle on asphalt @ 60 mph. On the days it really bothers me this stuff helps tremendously.

 

[Kanzeon]

Have you tried medicated balm instead of the icy & tiger? I make a mixture of coconut oil, beeswax, & pot that works wonders. My grandma is super scared of pot & I tricked her into using this stuff, 10 minutes later she wouldn't stop talking about how fantastic her knee/leg felt. My shoulder is boogered up from looping a motorcycle on asphalt @ 60 mph. On the days it really bothers me this stuff helps tremendously.

Yup! I roast the the old roots and use them as topicals with both icy hot and tiger balm. First infused into olive oil, then mixed with shea butter. I've also got a bad shoulder.

My mom is the same way. She's always in pain and is in a legal country, but she won't try cannabis for some reason. There's that saying about horses and water...

 

[Dbear180]

Yup! I roast the the old roots and use them as topicals with both icy hot and tiger balm. First infused into olive oil, then mixed with shea butter. I've also got a bad shoulder.

My mom is the same way. She's always in pain and is in a legal country, but she won't try cannabis for some reason. There's that saying about horses and water...

I've never tried roots, entire rootball goes into my out door landscaping, always fluffy lower branch buds in my balm.

The first time I used it I put wayyyyyy too much on my knees & went to bed, the next day I woke up & still had a lot of residue left that wouldn't rub in, once I got to moving around walking back n forth at work & it really soaked into my skin my legs felt like warm jello. Not that I couldn't walk but I kinda had to think about it lol.

 

[Dirtbag]

@Kanzeon right on man. Solid thread.
Many of us struggle with this, and talking about things can be one of the best medicines.

I've also been suffering from PTSD for a few years and actually just started seeing a psychologist for it. Took a long time to admit I needed help. I'm sure you heard about the plane crash we had here a couple weeks ago? That was a tipping point for me. I was the search team leader for that call and it was pretty bad. Took a few days off work afterwards and just last Monday decided it was time to talk to someone.

I'm focusing on embracing the concept of post traumatic growth, and becoming a better person on account of my experiences rather than letting them consume me.

Post- Traumatic Growth - Trauma Informed

Focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses is a basic tenant of recovery, however for people who have experienced trauma this can be very difficult and part of what is wounded in the trauma. There is a tendency to see themselves as inherently weak due to their experiences. Beginning to see...

trauma-recovery.ca

 

[Kanzeon]

@Kanzeon right on man. Solid thread.
Many of us struggle with this, and talking about things can be one of the best medicines.

I've also been suffering from PTSD for a few years and actually just started seeing a psychologist for it. Took a long time to admit I needed help. I'm sure you heard about the plane crash we had here a couple weeks ago? That was a tipping point for me. I was the search team leader for that call and it was pretty bad. Took a few days off work afterwards and just last Monday decided it was time to talk to someone.

I'm focusing on embracing the concept of post traumatic growth, and becoming a better person on account of my experiences rather than letting them consume me.

Post- Traumatic Growth - Trauma Informed

Focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses is a basic tenant of recovery, however for people who have experienced trauma this can be very difficult and part of what is wounded in the trauma. There is a tendency to see themselves as inherently weak due to their experiences. Beginning to see...

trauma-recovery.ca

Damn bro, that had to be tough. Trauma affects people in ways that are so illogical that it can be very hard to admit, like the one time I had a full blown anxiety attack inside a grocery store because something smelled like the jail I was kept in. It's so stupid logically, but logic only goes so far in combating the anxiety and other bullshit our brains throw at us.

The hardest thing for me was/is to stop judging myself and my greatly diminished capability to do some things to the same level as before. Like you said, becoming a better person because of trauma is a fucking excellent way of coping. Maybe it's about finding the right fit for how to help other people.

 

[bunkerking]

I recently learned I have Aspergers. Sucks... but at least now it maybe will be easier. When I tell people, so they can at least have an understanding. That it's ok to tell me don't do that, but please explain why. Wouldn't do it if I knew it wasn't acceptable. Really need to get some cbd plants to help with it.

Hoping the depression improves now that I understand why I fail so often with people. Just fucking embarrassed by it. Though, I bet people will get it. As I'm so strange, and quirky.

 

[MicrobesmakegoodBUDS]

hell nuts is just nuts i will always be nuts hahahaha,acid and shrooms aint gonna help friend,they sure will make you forget about stuff though hahahah
[/QUOTE

 

[Kanzeon]

I recently learned I have Aspergers. Sucks... but at least now it maybe will be easier. When I tell people, so they can at least have an understanding. That it's ok to tell me don't do that, but please explain why. Wouldn't do it if I knew it wasn't acceptable. Really need to get some cbd plants to help with it.

Hoping the depression improves now that I understand why I fail so often with people. Just fucking embarrassed by it. Though, I bet people will get it. As I'm so strange, and quirky.

Dude! No shit, I'm on the spectrum as well. But interacting with people after realizing it was so much easier. Now I just tell people "use your words, I don't really read body language." Worked really well with the wonderfully blunt (pun intended!) people on the east coast of the states, but I'm still in the infancy of learning Canadian definitions of politeness so I've ruffled a few feathers with my bluntness and general lack of emotion. Oh well.

Learning to limit the amount of stimuli I'm exposed to has also been huge. I used to just tear up and work through the anxiety attacks that came with working in fine dining, now I realize that the combination of the pressure, the long hours, the low pay, reading the people, the work itself, and being yelled at (especially in French) while doing it is just too much information for my brain to handle. I just thought if I kept doing it, I'd get used to it but it's like overloading the RAM on a computer. There's no real way around it except to stop running as many programs.

Know yourself and your enemy, out of 100 battles, you will win 100.

 

[bunkerking]

Guess nothing really changes. Still me. Well everything will now that I can work on it.

Even If I have no idea why I'm doing. If it keeps friends near by. Rad.

 

[bunkerking]

Oh and congrats on your progress with it as well. :)

 

[Kanzeon]

Oh and congrats on your progress with it as well. :)

Thanks man. It's just knowing what my personal weak points are and how to address those. Like, I'm absolutely horrible at regulating my tone when anxious, so even if I'm saying the "right" words they come across to other people in a way that ranges from arrogant to attacking, depending on how anxious I am. PTSD made that worse, so now, for example, I just don't talk on the phone unless I absolutely need to. Failure is the best teacher!

The whole point of my grow is to provide myself with meds for any emotional extremes that come up. Run things out a first time, see how they grow and affect me physiologically, harvest and reveg the ones that work for me, and keep rotating to avoid tolerance buildup.

 

[bunkerking]

Omg I hate personal phone calls. And omg that pissed people off. Like is it that important, it can't wait till I see you in person?

 

[bunkerking]

Also I think those autos with high cbd helped. I recall being pretty happy during that period. And there was alot of stress going on .

You should try to find a high cbd strain too. If you haven't got one. May really help you.

 

[Kanzeon]

Also I think those autos with high cbd helped. I recall being pretty happy during that period. And there was alot of stress going on .

You should try to find a high cbd strain too. If you haven't got one. May really help you.

CBD is fucking great. Just revegged Seedsman's Pink Kush CBD for that exact purpose! Later this year I'm hoping to get my hands on some high CBG stuff from Ace and see how that runs too.

And yes! Texting is a better way of communicating anyway. It's easier to go back and see how people feel about things when there's a way to cross-reference it. Plus in a business setting, there's a record of exactly what was said. What's the point of talking if not to exchange information? Why exchange information in a way that leaves wiggle room for other people to break their word after?

 

[bunkerking]

For real. I just assumed it was because most people are extrovert. I get pleasure from quiet time, they get it from talking.

text Is more literal. Less ways it can deviate from it. Like sorry you didn't make the sarcasm more clear. Did what you asked.

I totally get why I related so much with Sheldon on big bang. He doesn't get the cues as well.

 

[Kanzeon]

For real. I just assumed it was because most people are extrovert. I get pleasure from quiet time, they get it from talking.

text Is more literal. Less ways it can deviate from it. Like sorry you didn't make the sarcasm more clear. Did what you asked.

I totally get why I related so much with Sheldon on big bang. He doesn't get the cues as well.

Dude, if you're interested in shows with characters on the spectrum, I highly recommend Silicon Valley. The main character is on the spectrum, as well as a number of others, and they're all written in a realistic, non-patronizing way. Plus it's fucking hilarious.

Came across this in the google search for the above. Good shit.

Peter Thiel: Asperger’s can be a big advantage in Silicon Valley

"If you're less sensitive to social cues, then you're less likely to do the same thing as everyone else around you."

www.businessinsider.com

"I think society is both something that's very real and very powerful, but on the whole quite problematic," Thiel said. "In Silicon Valley, I point out that many of the more successful entrepreneurs seem to be suffering from a mild form of Asperger's where it’s like you're missing the imitation, socialization gene."

Asperger's "happens to be a plus for innovation and creating great companies," he added.