Most efficient and reliable portable vape for these criteria? price and battery life not a concern

• -I'd be using my vape only occasionally, as in less than once per day but more than once per week. It would be by and large used only by myself, at most I would share with 1 person, mayyyybe 2.

• -it being portable and at least moderately small is required. I live with my parents right now, since I had to withdraw from university due to mental health issues. They would practically disown me if they knew I've even dabbled in weed. So I need to be able to conceal it, charge it unobtrusively, and take it outside to use.

• -at the same time, overall discretion isn't important. I don't plan on vaping in public (maybe once in a while if I'm walking the dog down a country road), mostly I'd dip around the back of the house or use it at my brother's place.

• -I have to be able to take small, light hits. I have a small lung capacity and I don't handle the harshness of combustion well at all. The option to go longer and stronger is good, I just also need the option to be a big baby. Also, since I have low tolerance and prefer to conserve, making it easy to pack differing amounts is a big asset (I've heard some vapes only work their best if you pack a full and tight chamber)

• -I'm not worried about price, I'd rather just get the best thing I can and rely on that. Would consider a backup vape if they really all break down as easily as everyone seems to imply. Battery life isn't a concern (as long as it lasts for at least a few good sessions) because I wouldn't use it often enough and away from the house enough that going back to charge it would be a problem

other than that, some things I like (but aren't be-all, end-all requirements) are ease of cleaning, ease of use, and lower draw resistance. Can anyone give me advice based on that criteria, prioritizing efficiency and longevity/reliability? I'm poor and would love to make my money back by getting just as high as before on much less product. Also, if prematurely breaking down is inevitable, a good warranty with good customer service (ie actually willing to help you out) goes a long way. My anxiety makes it almost impossible to deal with a customer service rep giving me a hard time, and I'm unable to press through a company that tries hard to avoid honouring their warranty)

here's some I've considered so far, just to show that I have done some research on my own first.

• Pax 2- I like how pretty and small it is, but I've heard it's difficult to pack smaller chambers, and it's not the most efficient. At the same time, that 10 year warranty seems a pretty excellent sign of reliability

• Crafty- seems to be the best of the best for portables (along with the mighty, but that one's a little too big for me I think) being very efficient and good for easy use and draw resistance. The super variable app would make it easy to avoid harsh vapour, but the problem is I've heard many bad things about it's reliability, that it breaks down frequently and that the manufacturer is pretty bad about actually replacing or fixing it. All the same, I've heard talk of there being a slightly upgraded model? If anyone knows if the newest model made great improvements on reliability, that could sell this one for me

• firefly- I haven't heard much on if it's reliable or not (which makes me nervous), but 5 year warranty is a fairly good sign. Love the efficiency I've heard about it, and how nice everyone describes the vapour. Also love being able to pack small, relatively loose amounts, and heat it up in seconds as well as take breaks without wasting product. However, it seems a little difficult to use, and has no temp variation, leaving it all down to technique (as a beginner, I worry about my own competence) I've also heard that when batteries are replaceable it means they're built to die quickly (at the same time tho, if most vapes break down because their non-removable battery dies, I'd prefer to have to replace a 30$ battery more frequently and have my vape never die) I've been lurking the firefly2 thread though, and may just wait for that to be released.

if there are any other vapes I should be considering, please let me know! Alternatively, if you've got some tidbit that would lean me one way or another that'd be great.

steama said:

I recommend the Pax2 for your privacy needs since you live at home still. The Pax2 is the most stealth vaporizer you listed. The Pax2 is very easy to load very small chambers in fact I never use large or a fully filled bowl. The Pax2 produces great vapor with the best of them. This is possibly the easiest vaporizer for beginners to use and carry in your pocket. It has a great run-time which make it a great day vape when you are out and about.

Plus the 10 year warranty. WOW! The Pax2 is the 'best throw in your pocket vape' I own.

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Thanks! I actually looked slighty less into the pax2 because I know a friend of my brother who owns one, so I'm waiting to try it personally and field them questions before I put more thought into it- advice is great but personal experience is even more valuable. Since I never plan on using it while in sight of other people, anything small enough to mostly cover in one hand, and throw in my purse or sweater pocket is probably stealthy enough. That being said, the pax2 is definitely my favourite aesthetically so far (which earns points despite the fact that I'm trying my best to prioritize function over looks)

I keep hearing how important it is to pack tightly with the pax2. I've also heard there are screens you can use to push down on a smaller bowl to ensure that? How is it for efficiency- getting you high with less? My low tolerance ass is more concerned about conserving than getting powerful giant hits (tho I won't complain if I get both) And yeah, that warranty is definitely one of the biggest factors putting it on my shortlist. If it does break down, is Ploom pretty good at following through with their warranty?

Since you have limited lung capacity you might consider water. I also have limited lung capacity and I love my Haze. I haven't done well with any of the vapes I've tried that have a learning curve. Although some here have said all vapes have a learning curve that doesn't apply to the Haze for me.
Simple to clean. Simple to use. It has 2 compartments so you can use 1 and have the other waiting.
I only put a tiny bit of herb in each compartment (I have no idea how much the amount I use weighs). I don't know if it matters to some how it's packed or how fine the herb needs to be but it works well for me regardless. When I want to stop I pull out the stem and shut it and can start it up again later.

The customer service is amazing. It also comes with a 10 year warranty and if you look on the Haze thread you'll see Scott is there to answer any questions or deal with any problems.

Arizer Solo or Arizer Air - Preference to the Solo. IMO best beginner vape there is. Simple, powerful, sips product, excellent battery life and damn near indestructible.

I'd like to throw in the Firewood 3.0 for your consideration. It looks like a small block of wood when you're not using it. It's a convection vape so it's more efficient than most conduction vapes. Based on your usage patterns you'd probably only need to charge it once or twice a week. The capsules system is really easy to clean. With your level of desired consumption you'll be amazed at how little material you go through. It's made by a 1-man team in Massachusetts in small batches and doesn't have the marketing reach that the vapes you listed have and consequently doesn't have many reviews from the big vape reviewers. It's a reliable device and Marc, the guy who makes them, is incredibly responsive if you have any problems and will sort out any that come up. There's a small bit of "technique" but it mainly boils down to take a quick hit to get the device to know you're gonna use it and then wait a few seconds and take a slow draw. Size of the draw and the load is easily adjustable and small works just as well as big, maybe better. Loading just a pinch you can use it as a one or two hitter, and loading the capsule more completely you can enjoy a nice session with it. You'll probably want to use the lower 2 or 3 temp settings as 4 can be harsh for some people, as can 3 depending on your preferences and how you use it. It's a really versatile vape that I am constantly finding new ways to adjust my usage of it for optimal enjoyment for myself.

Crafty, FF (or wait for FF2). Pax2 is great, but mostly useful for stealth and sessions...it's not a great one-hitter.

Some folks feel the Arizer Air and Solo have a restricted draw. You can buy stems/mouthpieces that give an easier draw.

Planetvape sells several types with their PVHES line of mouthpieces. They have extra slits along the sides of the mouthpiece to add to the airflow.

The Solo you can buy for around $150 and the Air is about $20 more. The Air is smaller and uses owner replaceable batteries. The Solo initially the battery lasts over 2 hours before it needs charging, mine is 2 years old and has an hour left on the battery before charging is required. Both of these units are well made and last the owner a long time.

You will only be vaporizing once a day or so. Maybe something like a Magic Flight Launch Box would service you best? I didn't like having to put a battery in every time I wanted to take a draw. Too much hassle. Others like the MFLB and it works for them. You can buy one for $120 and it has a lifetime warranty.

It really comes down to preference. You will need to do your homework and read up on a few units that you are interested in. What works for one person might not be for you.

I'm not a mental health professional, so I am very wary about recommending cannabis or vaporizers to someone whose mental health issues were severe enough to cause him to leave school

I rarely would recommend this to a new vaper, but I think the MFLB would suit you best. Since you don't seem to need big rips, and stealth is important, the MFLB seems like a no brainier. I suggest buying one second hand, as it has a lifetime warranty, and people sell them for $50-60 all the time.

hoptimum said:

I'm not a mental health professional, so I am very wary about recommending cannabis or vaporizers to someone whose mental health issues were severe enough to cause him to leave school

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Cannabis has been shown to be very effective to counter some mental health issues. I understand not wanting to give cannabis advice to somebody living with their parents, but for what it's worth I had to leave college because of mental (well sort of physical too- epilepsy) health issues. Granted my parents are supportive of my cannabis use, but just because somebody wasn't able to complete college doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to use cannabis. What about the millions of blue collar workers in this country who never went to college? I'm back at school now, and I have no regrets about the time I took off.

hoptimum said:

I'm not a mental health professional, so I am very wary about recommending cannabis or vaporizers to someone whose mental health issues were severe enough to cause him to leave school

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yeah, I can understand that. I mean, medication would be wonderful, but I'm too afraid of becoming reliant (i know cannabis is very low addiction, but all substances that make you not sober are substances you can develop a dependence on) so I actively try not to frequently indulge just because I'm feeling down and instead use to just make a nice evening even better. That being said, on occasion I have indulged on those days where you can't get the distress lump out of your stomach, and it makes a world of difference.

I guess I made it sound super bad because I didn't want to give too many details. Basically, I have symptoms very in line with Depression and generalized and social anxiety (having my second therapist assesment appointment early February actually. Hoping to work towards an official diagnosis). It was a year and a half experiencing these symptoms and them causing me to fail courses because I couldn't make myself get out of bed and just the idea of starting work made me anxious and sick feeling.

I'm not saying I'm the most deserving or ideal person to be using cannabis of course. But I've proven myself to be responsible enough that it won't be sending me spiraling into something worse, or otherwise inhibiting my recovery.

j-bug said:

I'd like to throw in the Firewood 3.0 for your consideration.

[...]

It's made by a 1-man team in Massachusetts in small batches and doesn't have the marketing reach that the vapes you listed have and consequently doesn't have many reviews from the big vape reviewers.

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thanks j-bug! I've actually never heard of the Firewood because I'm new to all this, so I'll definitely check it out. A manufacturer I won't be afraid to ask questions or get help from sounds great.

I initially ignored the MFLB because the use of a simple AA threw me off, and I'd heard that it can easily burn your material by accident if you don't know what you're doing. But there's been several suggestions on it, so I'll look further into it as well.

The MFLB was my first vape. I got it when it came out and it was way too harsh for me. They have accessories now that help with that. I also have the Solo and the Air currently. I think that liking a specific vape is somewhat personal. Many people like the vapman and I never got the hang of it. Every now and then I take it out and try again but I always char the wood even after watching many videos.
For me, as mentioned, the Haze is my favorite and it's very highly rated as are the ones you mentioned.

My second favorite right now is the Firewood. It's pretty new and I haven 't figure out how to get clouds yet. But, even without clouds it's good at medicating. It's very small, wood, and I doubt anyone would recognize it as a vaporizer without the mouthpiece. And, as with most that I like, I can use just a tiny bit of herb in it.

I'm not a medical professional either but I have anxiety that flairs up from time to time. I've had it since I was a child, as long as I can remember. That is why I started originally using cannabis back in my 20s. I am in my 50s and live a very productive life.

I'm not interested in using pharmaceuticals I want something more natural that won't do harm to my body.

Edit
Smoking cannabis isn't very healthy. I am so greatful to this community for all the help with helping me achieve a healthier lifestyle. Always remember to fuck combustion.

perennialflare said:

yeah, I can understand that. I mean, medication would be wonderful, but I'm too afraid of becoming reliant (i know cannabis is very low addiction, but all substances that make you not sober are substances you can develop a dependence on) so I actively try not to frequently indulge just because I'm feeling down and instead use to just make a nice evening even better. That being said, on occasion I have indulged on those days where you can't get the distress lump out of your stomach, and it makes a world of difference.

I guess I made it sound super bad because I didn't want to give too many details. Basically, I have symptoms very in line with Depression and generalized and social anxiety (having my second therapist assesment appointment early February actually. Hoping to work towards an official diagnosis). It was a year and a half experiencing these symptoms and them causing me to fail courses because I couldn't make myself get out of bed and just the idea of starting work made me anxious and sick feeling.

I'm not saying I'm the most deserving or ideal person to be using cannabis of course. But I've proven myself to be responsible enough that it won't be sending me spiraling into something worse, or otherwise inhibiting my recovery.

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Thanks for sharing some more details. I'm just trying to look out for your well being. Cannabis can replace pharmaceuticals for many people suffering from depression and other mental illnesses because it is less dangerous, less addictive and has fewer side effects. Still, it is a potent drug and for some people it might amplify their symptoms rather than help. Cannabis certainly can be psychologically addictive, but not so much physically. Since cannabis is still considered a dangerous drug federally, most health care professionals are either uninformed about its benefits and side effects or are reluctant to even engage in an open dialog. You seem like a conscientious individual who is mindful of what he puts into his body. If you conclude cannabis might help you, I would recommend monitoring your cannabis dosages carefully and keeping a log, as you would with any medication, and observing how your body responds, good and bad. In that sense, a vaporizer might prove helpful, since you can regulate your doses fairly reliably. Start small and go slow. In my experience, one of the Arizer portables, the Air or Solo, might fit the bill for you as a small dose portable device. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Welcome to FC!

You have (obviously) found the most supportive Forums on the web regarding topics such as this one.

I too suffer with Social Anxiety and Agoraphobia, coupled with severe chronic pain.

I hate the fact that I have to take 5 different pharms, but alas, they are essential, or I'd be bedridden.

Cannabis balances everything for me, it is a miraculous plant that still has a negative stigma attached to it, as we've been lied to as citizens of the "Acceptable" (Draconian) American Society.

Anyhow...
I would suggest starting out with the Arizer Solo as well, you can use different stems to either increase or decrease the amount of herb/airflow that is used.

Very versatile, and seems to have the simplest learning curve of any vaporizer I've ever used. She is sleek and feels so natural in one's hands.

Of course I'd love to have a more technologically advanced portable sometime down the road.

Like the Elevape Smart Vaporizer, Zion, Mighty ... This list could go on and on.

But I do recommend getting your feet wet per se, with a unit like the Solo, she will guide you through the beginning of your journey, providing the exact kind of hits you are seeking.

All the best,
Hashtag

I would usually suggest a Solo to most new vapers, but that's because most people feel vaping is too weak at first, and the Solo is good at crushing that. Since you're ok with small hits, and you're trying to maintain stealth I'd really suggest looking into MFLB. I moved away from the MFLB because I prefer big hits, and don't mind losing the stealth and efficiency. That said if I had to go back to hiding my cannabis use from those around me, or if I was on a very limited budget for bud I'd hands down choose the MFLB.

Once you narrow down to a couple it might be helpful to check the specific threads and even ask questions of those familiar with that vape.

hoptimum said:

I'm not a mental health professional, so I am very wary about recommending cannabis or vaporizers to someone whose mental health issues were severe enough to cause him to leave school

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I understand your hesitation bro, given a lot of the information out there. However, I am a mental health professional (researcher, not clinician) and cannabis is known to be beneficial for a number of mental health conditions. I myself medicate for a couple of mental health conditions with the support of my clinicians in a prohibition state because my clinicians listen to the science (BTW if you are a medical user and get medical benefits from cannabis and your clinician doesn't like this without good reason - for example, other contraindicated prescriptions that you are using - find a new clinician!).

Cannabis is much safer and less mentally debilitating than any of the drugs that are prescribed for insomnia, one very common reason people with mental illnesses medicate. The other options for me were atypical antipsychotics (ever wondered what it felt like if you were one of the zombies from a George Romero flick? Take one of these suckers!) and benzodiazepenes (physically addictive as fuck - can lead to suicidal ideation). Insomnia is one of the most common mental health symptoms associated with many conditions. THC/CBN/some terpenes are known to be great at inducing somnolence without the debilitation of pharmaceuticals used for sleep.

For anxiety, I find that cannabidiol is better than any other medication I've ever had. Dabbing it is even better - since you can medicate quickly enough to stave off a panic attack! Not even xanax is fast acting enough to match this usefulness. Benzos suck for panic attacks because by the time the attack is finished the benzo is just starting to kick in (or not even close to starting - pills are stupid for rapid relief!).

Not only does cannabidiol have a known mechanism of action via CB2 and 5ht1a receptors (serotonin receptors), it does not get you high, is a known antipsychotic (reduces anandamide as measured in cerebrospinal fluid, which is associated with occurences of psychosis) and it is known to facilitate hippocampal neurogenesis - causing the part of your brain that actually atrophies and shrinks due to constant, lifelong experience of depression and anxiety to grow new nerves/mass!

It is true that a lot of varieties can cause anxiety in way over the top doses but with judicious medical usage, cannabis saved my career and kept me on the teaching/researching side of university academia (I in fact teach psychology to the next generation of therapists!) through the worst mental illness of my life.

I understand that you were not meaning to cast judgement on the OP , but us who suffer from mental illnesses face enough stigma and judgement in the community and often do not get respected like grown adults should by society and our therapists. I wanted to post this to make sure that the OP realizes that I am sure you did not mean to make them feel like this here.

We need to understand that adults with mental illnesses still have a right to make decisions for themselves without being second-guessed and that the autonomy of the individual is absolutely tantamount unless they are a danger to somebody else. Again this is a general message and not meaning at all to call you out bro, I am sure you meant well

To the OP, I recommend the Crafty from a local vendor who honor warranty themselves (ie: don't send off for your replacement from S&B). Regardless of what you choose, given that you want to only have small hits here and there and wanna be able to hit the same bowl a long time, I recommend you stick with convection vapes. This is because your nugs are gonna get nasty tasting after a few conduction vape hits (conduction seems to spend the taste very quickly in the first few hits).

I'm so sorry that you had to leave university due to your condition. I see this happen with my students time and time again. I came close to this myself at a number of stages. University life is very, very difficult for people with debilitating chronic illnesses and generally speaking, not enough is done to make university life bearable for the growing numbers of young people with mental illnesses in various countries around the developed world! Especially when we face the normal swings and roundabouts that people face in life (being broke, relationships ending, moving house, death of loved ones etc), mental illness can make things really tough!

I truly wish you the very best in your recovery!

Have you been prescribed antidepressants? I am a mental health practitoner and I find that quite a few people who are using marijuana regularly still need therapy and sometimes medication. The meds are a last resort and there are many other things to try first including marijuana. But it's not a magic wand and isn't effective for everyone. No one thing is effective for everyone.
If you live in a legal state or one where you can a medical card, you can check out the different strains on a website like leafly and see which tend to be used for depression. Or which help with sleep and which are more stimulating so you can try to match your symptoms.

But I hope you also try things other than medicating whether with cannabis or prescription meds.

herbivore21 said:

Cannabis is much safer and less mentally debilitating than any of the drugs that are prescribed for insomnia, one very common reason people with mental illnesses medicate. The other options for me were atypical antipsychotics (ever wondered what it felt like if you were one of the zombies from a George Romero flick? Take one of these suckers!) and benzodiazepenes (physically addictive as fuck - can lead to suicidal ideation). Insomnia is one of the most common mental health symptoms associated with many conditions. THC/CBN/some terpenes are known to be great at inducing somnolence without the debilitation of pharmaceuticals used for sleep.

For anxiety, I find that cannabidiol is better than any other medication I've ever had. Dabbing it is even better - since you can medicate quickly enough to stave off a panic attack! Not even xanax is fast acting enough to match this usefulness. Benzos suck for panic attacks because by the time the attack is finished the benzo is just starting to kick in (or not even close to starting - pills are stupid for rapid relief!).

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While I agree that Benzos are highly addictive, I feel they are very effective for occasional use to treat panic attacks and breakthrough anxiety. Both Klonopin and Xanax come in very fast acting wafers which are typically used for panic attacks... I've used these drugs for over 10 years and have had no problems. Now these drugs are only indicated for occasional use or short term treatment. Definitely not for everyday use or for those who have a past history of drug abuse...

For insomnia, I prefer cannabis in edible form. I find that the longer duration of effect makes edibles particularly suited for insomnia treatment. Edibles typically last between 4 to 8 hours depending on dose and tolerance..Smoking or vaping weed is great for sleep initiation, but if your issue is latent insomnia(trouble with waking and inability to go back to sleep) then I would suggest edibles as first line treatment and secondly Indica dominant dabs. At least that what works for me

little maggie said:

Have you been prescribed antidepressants? I am a mental health practitoner and I find that quite a few people who are using marijuana regularly still need therapy and sometimes medication. The meds are a last resort and there are many other things to try first including marijuana. But it's not a magic wand and isn't effective for everyone. No one thing is effective for everyone.
If you live in a legal state or one where you can a medical card, you can check out the different strains on a website like leafly and see which tend to be used for depression. Or which help with sleep and which are more stimulating so you can try to match your symptoms.

But I hope you also try things other than medicating whether with cannabis or prescription meds.

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For sure, cannabis can help some of us enough to not require other help, but this is not the case for everybody and other therapies can still help beyond what cannabis can in many situations. This will vary based on the conditions/symptoms being treated.

Chill Dude said:

While I agree that Benzos are highly addictive, I feel they are very effective for occasional use to treat panic attacks and breakthrough anxiety. Both Klonopin and Xanax come in very fast acting wafers which are typically used for panic attacks... I've used these drugs for over 10 years and have had no problems. Now these drugs are only indicated for occasional use or short term treatment. Definitely not for everyday use or for those who have a past history of drug abuse...

For insomnia, I prefer canabis in edible form. I find that the longer duration of effect makes edibles particularly suited for insomnia treatment. Edibles typically last between 4 to 8 hours depending on dose and tolerance..Smoking or vaping weed is great for sleep initiation, but if your issue is latent insomnia(trouble with waking and inability to go back to sleep) then I would suggest edibles as first line treatment and secondly Indica dominant dabs. At least that what works for me

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I don't use edibles because I find that delta 11 THC tends to give me anxiety much worse than delta 9. I dab though (gives you most of the longevity of effect of edibles without the delta 11), I don't vape buds at all anymore except with friends who do, I agree that bud vaping does not keep you asleep and have found much the same thing as you in this regard.

I have had the xanax you speak of and have found it never to have helped quickly enough to have even bothered with it for panic attacks. Of course, everyone has different chemistry/situations/conditions and I'm sure there are correspondingly different experiences of efficacy such as our different experiences.

The not for everyday use factor you rightly mention is the major reason I stopped with the benzos for sleep. I get regular, persistent insomnia and need medication almost every night to sleep. That rules out anything addictive from the get-go.

I agree that benzos have their place in mental health care. However, they should be used only when there is no other option and not on an ongoing basis.

little maggie said:

Have you been prescribed antidepressants? I am a mental health practitoner and I find that quite a few people who are using marijuana regularly still need therapy and sometimes medication. The meds are a last resort and there are many other things to try first including marijuana. But it's not a magic wand and isn't effective for everyone. No one thing is effective for everyone.
If you live in a legal state or one where you can a medical card, you can check out the different strains on a website like leafly and see which tend to be used for depression. Or which help with sleep and which are more stimulating so you can try to match your symptoms.

But I hope you also try things other than medicating whether with cannabis or prescription meds.

Click to expand...

I'm only in the early stages of knowing about my mental problems. I only just got bloodwork back to confirm my depression/anxiety symptoms were not caused by thyroid imbalance or some such physical cause (would have been the likely cause as it runs on both sides of the family, but no dice)

I had an assesment back when I was still at school a little over a month ago, and that's where I found out for sure I had real problems (enough to get me a full semester withdrawal without penalties right before exams even). Heck, it was only 2 months ago I was still denying my symptoms as something legitimate and not myself being lazy and irresponsible. I was told by the school counsellor that, assuming it wasn't thryroid (which I now know it isn't) then it's likely I will be put on a low dose. As of yet though, I'm still undiagnosed, but I'm hoping the assesment appointment I'm taking from a mental health therapist back home in Ontario will lead to someone who can finally say "yeah this is what you have." It is only after that point that I want to think about my options.

To be honest, I am legitimately a little worried about antidepressents, since I'm female and I've heard that women getting over prescribed for antidepressants is very common. Of course, if it works to get me a MMJ license more easily, that would be a nice turnaround. I just didn't think it was an option cause I'm under 25 and Ontario seems kinda strict on that front

also, @herbivore21 don't worry, I get what the concern was about. The way I initially worded it, it could have been anything, and while I haven't done the research I assume not every mental disorder interacts well with cannabis, some might be made worse.

I'll add the arizer solo to my investigative short list! (although after I looked it up, that firewood 3 looks gorgeous in Walnut)

I understand your apprehensions about antidepressants. I personally will never take an SSRI again. I was one of those who experienced a lot of negative effects (some lasting since I stopped using them 2 years ago) from this. There are open questions in the research literature right now as to whether the support for some such psychiatric medications has been a result of publication bias and other methodological/systemic confounds.

Still, it is worth seeing what other kinds of scientifically supported therapies can help in your situation once there is a diagnosis - even if you want to stay away from psych meds (which to me is not unreasonable, they are a very blunt instrument).

If you have any questions as you go through this journey, please feel free to ask anytime. This is a real period of adjustment (diagnosis/first emergence of symptoms/realization that they are symptoms) and can be very overwhelming at times. Plenty of us here have been through it and you can always vent or ask questions here

The solo is nice so long as you get a mouthpiece/GonG that allows more airflow, I found that my older solo with stock stem had too much draw resistance and I felt like my lungs were fighting with my vape over the vapor hehe - with this said, my friend's newer Solo with PVHES turbo shorty GonG is fantastic!

There are certain meds and classes of meds that I will never willingly take again. That said, I know many who wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for their Psych meds. Psych meds aren't for everyone but for those who need them and who alternatives do not work for psych meds can be the difference between living your live and just surviving, if that. Work with your doctor to find what works for you, and that includes working with them to get you off of meds that aren't working or where the side effects outweigh the benefits. The doctor isn't your boss, you're your doctor's boss. They are experts in medicine, but you are the expert on your own body and experiences. You need to work as a team with looking at your expertise on yourself and their expertise on medicine. Respect your doctor but also make sure your doctor respects you or you're not going to get the most out of your treatment. This is especially true with mental healthcare though many mental healthcare professionals consider themselves the expert on not only their field of medicine but also the expert on your experiences and should be stayed away from if at all possible.

steama said:

Psychiatric medicine keeps hundreds of thousands people alive and makes their lives MUCH better. That is what psychiatric medicine is all about --- INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY PHARMACEUTICALS. Of course it is only for those that NEED IT and prescribed by a psychiatrist. Psychiatry is different from other kinds of medical practices especially regarding medicine.

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I think my message has been misinterpreted as I certianly don't wholeheartedly support the psychiatric field as in many ways it is inherently flawed in really rather spectacular ways. When I cautioned against trusting psychiatric professionals who think they are the experts about your experience. There are many psychiatric professionals who work in the field they do because of the degree of power it puts them in over their patients and whom both use and abuse that power. There are many good ones as well, but the bad ones do a lot of harm and prevent a lot of good.