My man has depression, can't get to sleep or stay asleep and is struggling to ge!
Question:
My man has depression, can't get to sleep or stay asleep and is struggling to get off marijuanna. Please help
He has just been prescribed Zyprexa 5mg to help him sleep. He already takes 200mg Zoloft for his depression. He's been on the zoloft for about 2 years now and is still not sleeping very well. I'm trying to find out how long before he goes to bed he should take the Zyprexa for it to have the best effect. He's also going cold turkey off marijuanna at the moment (5 days so far) He's been using it way too much over the last few years to try to cope with life. I understand this works against his Zoloft and the doctor can't tell if his zoloft is working until he stays off the dope for a while.
I'm desperate to help him but don't know where to start.
Answers:
I always wondered what was the motivation to answer all these questions on this site, and all the sudden I understand... One reason that your man may not be able to sleep is the zoloft! You might think, as I did, that because it calms you down overall that it would be good to take before bed, but the fact is, is that it has stimulant properties that can prevent sleep. So take it in the morning (I still had sleeping problems even then), or switching to another medication. After zoIoft I took lexapro, then started sleeping for like 14 hours a day... which became unacceptable in its own way, but quite a relief at first.
He really does need to stop smoking - I basically started taking anti-depressants to counteract the depression that smoking lots of weed brought on, though I wouldn't have acknowledged that cause and effect at the time. Weed helped me cope day to day, but overall its very harmful... You just get way too closed in on your thoughts.
Your doctor does have a point, but its negated by the fact that your boyfriend has been taking it for 2 years... only you man knows whether or not the drug is working, and that he would definitely know after 2 years. I recommend at least 3 weeks to get all the weed mentality baggage out of his way of thinking, then switching to another medication.
The best antidote I have found for depression is exercise and a low sugar diet that is full of whole grains, because sugar and white carbohydrates make you crash, and not smoking weed. 20 minutes of intensish cardio at the gym will work wonders even just after 2-3 weeks. Exercise and diet are essential, but in no way cure-alls.