Weed caused my panic disorder...Can I still treat it with medical Marijuana??

[ineffableahimsa]

My whole family has anxiety/panic and my life was very stressful growing up so you could say I was very predisposed to having panic and anxiety. Since I was little I've always had anxiety and panic attacks where I felt like I was having a heart attack/stroke, etc. But when I smoked weed for the first time (age 15) it brought out a whole new type of panic attack:derealization.

This is the most terrifying and life-ruining symptom to me. I ended up in psych wards, I would have attacks that lasted days where I couldn't sleep. And now I have agoraphobia and irrational fears like fears of driving on the freeway or fears of taking a shower just because for some reason it makes me feel like I am going to get into that derealization mode and that is my worst nightmare. Anyways, I have been taking Clonazepam for these attacks for 3-4 years now and I HATE it. I hate benzo's because they are so addicting and habit forming and they build up tolerance fast. I still have serious anxiety and I am take 2mg daily.

I want so badly to get off of Clonazepam but I am seriously addicted/dependent and afraid if I stop I will get so much anxiety I won't be able to function, like have a constant panic that won't stop. I have been looking into alternatives to taking Clonazepam while weaning off of it slowly and I keep hearing people telling me about how medical marijuana can help anxiety. I keep telling them it can't help mine because mine is different, mine was caused by weed. But the more I talk to people about it the more I think maybe just maybe it might help. Maybe the panic attack caused by the weed was caused by the type of weed and the amount I smoked. When I had the panic attacks from weed it was after After the incident with the panic attack I was able to smoke VERY small amounts and get a good laughy high. I don't like the kind of high's that take over your whole body, it gives me anxiety when I feel like I am stuck in some sort of trance or feel "too relaxed".

I have heard people tell me that there are two different kinds of marijuana: Indica and Sativa. From what I have been told Indica would be a good candidate for anxiety but I am not sure as I have no first hand experience. I guess I would just really like to hear experiences and or advise from people who are knowledgable on this subject as I would REALLY prefer using an all natural medicine vs a Big Pharma endorsed addiction.

Thank You,
IA

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

Different strains of cannabis have different ratios (and amounts) of the various cannabinoids in them. Chances are you can treat your anxiety with cannabis if you find a strain that has good anti-anxiety effects.

I suffer from anxiety as well and some strains of weed jack up my anxiety levels - other strains are just as effective or even more effective than my clonazepam prescription for anxiety.

 

[ineffableahimsa]

Thank You. Do you know any specific strands that are good for anxiety and panic attacks in particular?

 

[nekointheclouds]

Im gonna start by saying I am about to tear your post apart some. Only in defense of the fact what you titled your thread is very wrong. I'm not trying to attack you in any way, just want to make sure you realize some things.

My whole family has anxiety/panic and my life was very stressful growing up so you could say I was very predisposed to having panic and anxiety. Since I was little I've always had anxiety and panic attacks where I felt like I was having a heart attack/stroke, etc.

But when I smoked weed for the first time (age 15) it brought out a whole new type of panic attack:derealization.

This is the most terrifying and life-ruining symptom to me. I ended up in psych wards, I would have attacks that lasted days where I couldn't sleep.

So pot cause derealization for you that was chronic? I mean did you continue to smoke pot or was it a one time thing? How often and how much did you use?

And now I have agoraphobia and irrational fears like fears of driving on the freeway or fears of taking a shower just because for some reason it makes me feel like I am going to get into that derealization mode and that is my worst nightmare. Anyways, I have been taking Clonazepam for these attacks for 3-4 years now and I HATE it. I hate benzo's because they are so addicting and habit forming and they build up tolerance fast. I still have serious anxiety and I am take 2mg daily.

I take it you have seen many doctors, what exactly have you been diagnosed with? Its very clear that you already head a disorder, and that smoking aggravated it. It did not cause it. Your teen years are when it can develop significantly too. I think its very likely that even with out the pot you are someone who is likely to develop phobias. And I have known way too many people become addicted to benzos who have anxiety issue, pot or no pot.

I want so badly to get off of Clonazepam but I am seriously addicted/dependent and afraid if I stop I will get so much anxiety I won't be able to function, like have a constant panic that won't stop. I have been looking into alternatives to taking Clonazepam while weaning off of it slowly and I keep hearing people telling me about how medical marijuana can help anxiety. I keep telling them it can't help mine because mine is different, mine was caused by weed. But the more I talk to people about it the more I think maybe just maybe it might help. Maybe the panic attack caused by the weed was caused by the type of weed and the amount I smoked. When I had the panic attacks from weed it was after After the incident with the panic attack I was able to smoke VERY small amounts and get a good laughy high. I don't like the kind of high's that take over your whole body, it gives me anxiety when I feel like I am stuck in some sort of trance or feel "too relaxed".

Pleas understand that its CLEAR you already had an anxiety disorder, you even had panic attacks before you smoked. Pot did not cause it, but it certainly sent you into a terrible panic attack which for someone with anxiety can leave a lasting effect. I want you to understand this because you might feel a bit more relaxed to the idea of using it to treat your anxiety. If you keep thinking weed is the reason you have an anxiety disorder is will be far more likely that you could trigger panic attack in the future with smoking.

I have heard people tell me that there are two different kinds of marijuana: Indica and Sativa. From what I have been told Indica would be a good candidate for anxiety but I am not sure as I have no first hand experience. I guess I would just really like to hear experiences and or advise from people who are knowledgable on this subject as I would REALLY prefer using an all natural medicine vs a Big Pharma endorsed addiction.

Thank You,
IA

Okay my main thing i need to ask you is way the pot you smoked before just street weed? Do you know the quality? Was it midgrade or high grade?

This is very important. Becuase yes your friends are right the two main types of pot have very diff effects, and many people indica is great for anxiety. But medical MJ is known for being as strong as it gets. And I'm talking wayyyy stronger than any mids you can buy from a dealer on the streets. I have heard people who have anxiety or issues with weed complain of how strong medical cannabis is, and that they get too high when they smoke it. This is not the same for everyone keep in mind. Theres no way to know for sure till you try, but i almost dont recommend it for you.

But! I do recommend you try out some Medical grade edibles! I think they are much safer for you case, the high is much more subtle, you get laughy and relax, but it doesnt hit you all at once like when you smoke. I'm not sure if you live in a medical state, if you dont you can make your own edible, they are easy and i really think the more subtle effect they have, while still getting you baked, would be a lot more relaxing for you and your anxiety.

I hope you do take what i said about your condition to heart. I dont argue that pot aggrivatted it by causing a panic attack, I just want to to feel more comfortable about using somehting before you try to treat the issue you think it caused.

-neko

 

[ErgicMergic]

As neko suggested, try low doses of cannabis edibles made with indica weed/hash oil, or try taking a hit or two of a pure indica strain. Edibles are especially anxiolytic for myself, but smoked indica is a close runnerup. If it is still making you anxious, just stop smoking, man. Cannabis isn't for everybody, and when used in ridiculously excessive amounts, it can definitely cause plenty of (usually) temporary mental problems, such as anxiety, panic, derealization, dissociative depression, etc.

Last edited by nekointheclouds; Today at 19:25. Reason: guess who took her adderall today, lol

I was just going to say... :D

 

[Chainer]

if you want off the benzos, taper.

why are you trying to self medicate with cannabis. This does not seem to be an issue that cannabis should even be used to treat, especially as it seems to be an aggregation to your conditions.

Also stating that cannabis *caused* your panic attacks, or started their development - why evidence do you have to this claim? They may be exaggerated by cannabis use, sure, but then why the fuck would you consider using this drug anyway?

 

[Izzeriane]

There is actually a few free apps you can get that has names, pictures and medical uses under the description. I've found it very helpful with my anxiety to know what might be a good idea and what might be a bad idea for me to smoke. Grape Kush is used for social anxiety. Haze Mist for depression. Island Sweet Skunk is used for lack of appetite, anxiety, stress, pain, and migraines. Mango is for anxiety and depression. It all just depends on what is available to you. I would just say to do some research online and with apps to see what is out there. Like I said, it was a big help for me. :] Of course they don't have every single strain, but it is still helpful.

 

[Jibult]

There is actually a few free apps you can get that has names, pictures and medical uses under the description. I've found it very helpful with my anxiety to know what might be a good idea and what might be a bad idea for me to smoke. Grape Kush is used for social anxiety. Haze Mist for depression. Island Sweet Skunk is used for lack of appetite, anxiety, stress, pain, and migraines. Mango is for anxiety and depression. It all just depends on what is available to you. I would just say to do some research online and with apps to see what is out there. Like I said, it was a big help for me. :] Of course they don't have every single strain, but it is still helpful.

Are Greenlighters still unable to use private messaging? Because I would really like to get a PM with a link and/or list of these apps. Living in a non-medical state, I feel like this information just isn't readily available for me and my fellow Marylanders....

 

[Izzeriane]

Are Greenlighters still unable to use private messaging? Because I would really like to get a PM with a link and/or list of these apps. Living in a non-medical state, I feel like this information just isn't readily available for me and my fellow Marylanders....

I would assume so... I use one called frweed on my iPod. It's great. It doesn't have nearly all the different kinds but it has the ones they use medicinally right now. I wish you the best though. :] Their is one called Weed Strains 3D as well. I don't thin that one shows you the medical uses but it has a side effects list for each. :]

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

If you want info about strains or types of herb just look them up online. I'm not in a med state but I have looked up the strain names that I've had before like when I smoked trainwreck at a friend's Halloween party.

If you're having really bad anxiety/panic and depersonalization/derealization I would not smoke pot or use any illegal drugs.

Now with the anxiety and panic I also get it, and I've gotten DP/DR as well but I get it when I'm sober and it does not last long at all but it only lasts a few mins for me.

I've used Cannabis on and off for about 15 years. I don't smoke it anymore. Now I just vaporize it or I would eat some very weak edibles or even use the vaped plant material to cook with since I've heard that if you do this you'll get CBD/CBN and then if you vape you'll get only THC and it will be like a longer lasting high from smoking but more psychedelic since you're getting more THC than you do from smoking.

My anxiety, panic, and DP/DR did not come about from smoking herb or using drugs. I don't think that smoking herb or using drugs was good to do but when I was having really bad anxiety and daily panic attacks in my early 20s I stopped using all drugs both legal and illegal and that includes caffeine and alcohol.

I have never taken any benzos for anxiety/panic even though when I was younger I did try to get them from a doctor but they refused to give them to me. I'm sure you have talked to therapists and shrinks what did they say about stopping benzos? If I were you I would not use illegal drugs or smoke herb if you're getting very bad anxiety/panic or DP/DR. If you're addicted to benzos don't quit them cold turkey and talk to the doctor who prescribed them to you and tell him/her you want to quit since you're addicted and don't like the medication.

I've found that for me that taking a low dose of an SSRI can help with panic/anxiety, exercising frequently (cardio 3-5X a week for at least 20-30 mins), eating right, getting enough sleep and not staying up all night or going without sleep, and it sounds corny but doing meditation helps a lot with anxiety/panic.

Also if you go to the section of bluelight called "The Dark Side" there are a lot of threads about anxiety/panic and DP/DR.

 

[Darksidesam]

I recommend only smoking a high CBD strain such as Harlequin or something.

Literally 'medical marijuana'
not street cannabis.

Dont think that indicas are safer either, they just give you couchlock because of the oils not the extra CBD.

 

[burn out]

this is a stupid idea. weed aggravates anxiety for some people. it doesnt matter what strain it is.

 

[ineffableahimsa]

Sorry my post was a lot longer than this, explaining more but my boyfriend just finished it for me. Before I smoked weed for the first time I had anxiety but nothing that debilitated my life at all. I do agree that it was not the weed that caused my anxiety but it made it blow up into something huge.

The first time I smoked I smoked with random people, I smoked ALOT for it being my first time, I didn't know better and was wondering why I couldn't feel anything then finally when it hit me it was like BAM I was in a different world and my whole body felt weird, it was not what I was expecting and it was such a strong fast come up that it caused my adrenaline to kick in hardcore which therefore caused major panic attack symptoms and since derealization is a symptom of both panic attacks and smoking weed, I think that it why that happened. At the time I didn't know derealization was a symptom of panic/anxiety though, I just thought it was something that happens when you get high because I calmed down after a while and felt calm the rest of the time and when I woke up in the morning, everything was normal in my life.

Then like a couple months later I smoked again with some weird dude, it was after new years and so I had been up all night drinking alcohol and caffeine the night before. We also had just gotten inside from running around in the snow and I said I should wait to smoke because I need to calm down first before smoking or it could cause another reaction like the other one but he kept pressuring me so I just smoked, it was resin he had scraped off of a whole bunch of stuff his parents had because he didn't have any weed (idk if that makes it any different because I don't smoke weed that often, just thought I would put it in there). He also kept pressuring me after I said I had smoked enough, so I kept smoking and like before think I smoked too much. This was worse than the other time, I was pacing the whole time saying I needed to go to a hospital. I felt like everything was so slow but in reality I was doing everything so fast, I was numb, I felt like I was in a dream, like a nightmare that would never end. Someone had to hold me down to make me go to sleep. I woke up though and everything was fine, so again I thought just the weed.

It was after that time that a couple days later I was at home, I was having anxiety about something else entirely, (ok I was having anxiety because some guy had cooked mushrooms and I thought that "what if they got mixed up with the ones that make you high and I go crazy because look what happened when I was on weed") I couldn't stop thinking about it even though that is stupid, and then I got derealization while I was sober for the first time. I freaked out majorly because I didn't know that was a panic symptom, I thought I had been drugged. Even when I did find out like weeks later that it was indeed a panic symptom, I couldn't get over how awful it felt. Hence all the bad things that happened after that.

I started feeling normal again and able to do things a year later or so and I started smoking small amounts with my close friend (like literally I would just shotgun it from her, that's how little it took and I would get a good subtle happy high). She would get her weed from random people on the street though so I think once we got some bad weed, I wasn't feeling anything, I started feeling shitty and depressed actually so I kept smoking more to try to get it to kick in and make me happy but it didn't, I just got anxiety and then the derealization and the whole shit started over even though I knew this time it was just anxiety.

After I started feeling better from that episode I decided to never smoke weed again. I started drinking a lot a couple years later though, and I was going through a very very stressful time in my life as well. I started feeling weird one night after drinking and the weird feeling kept getting worse and worse until I had the derealization again and was put on Clonazepam. Life really hasn't been the same since then, life has gone to hell and I've had major problems since.

So as you can see the weed didn't cause the anxiety since it was caused by other things too but that is just the first time I had that sort of anxiety and had it mostly every time I smoked so I correlate it to that.

Basically what I am asking with this question is do you think that the way that I smoked it (atmoshpere, amount, etc) or the type caused the attacks? Because I did have some good experiences. Or should I abstain altogether from it? I haven't done it in 5 years and haven't drank in a year but I am getting pressure from my boyfriend to try weed for my anxiety.

 

[ugly]

Everything Neko wrote.

Read it again.

 

[Jibult]

If you want info about strains or types of herb just look them up online. I'm not in a med state but I have looked up the strain names that I've had before like when I smoked trainwreck at a friend's Halloween party.

I wasn't looking for info on certain strains, I was hoping for a database that gave me symptoms-treated with a list of strains that might help.


Granted, strain research would come up with the same info but I was looking for a kind of wholesale on knowledge, if you will. I apologize for preferring my information in pretty little packages with a scarlet ribbon on top.

I would assume so... I use one called frweed on my iPod. It's great. It doesn't have nearly all the different kinds but it has the ones they use medicinally right now. I wish you the best though. :] Their is one called Weed Strains 3D as well. I don't thin that one shows you the medical uses but it has a side effects list for each. :]

You, sir or madame, just became my friend. Thank you.

 

[Brandasaur]

I am prescribed 2mg of clonazepam a day for anxiety disorders. I used to be on 4mg of Cesamet THC pills before and it worked wonders for me compared to clonazepam. However my doctor did not feel comfortable prescribing me that for anxiey since its main use is an anti-emetic for cancer patients. Heres the weird part, my doctor said since weed works for me he would write something saying i use it medically if i were to get busted. Anyways I find a nice kush gives good anxiety relief, anything high CBD and low THC should.

 

[ParappaTheRapper]

I only read the title, but I tend to have anxiety, and when I smoke pot it helps because it gives a source. Since being high is fun, if you feel anxious for no reason, you can say, oh I am high. Instead of, hhm I am crazy.

-However I do not smoke marijuana.

 

[Stonedface]

My whole family has anxiety/panic and my life was very stressful growing up so you could say I was very predisposed to having panic and anxiety. Since I was little I've always had anxiety and panic attacks where I felt like I was having a heart attack/stroke, etc. But when I smoked weed for the first time (age 15) it brought out a whole new type of panic attack:derealization.

This is the most terrifying and life-ruining symptom to me. I ended up in psych wards, I would have attacks that lasted days where I couldn't sleep. And now I have agoraphobia and irrational fears like fears of driving on the freeway or fears of taking a shower just because for some reason it makes me feel like I am going to get into that derealization mode and that is my worst nightmare. Anyways, I have been taking Clonazepam for these attacks for 3-4 years now and I HATE it. I hate benzo's because they are so addicting and habit forming and they build up tolerance fast. I still have serious anxiety and I am take 2mg daily.

I want so badly to get off of Clonazepam but I am seriously addicted/dependent and afraid if I stop I will get so much anxiety I won't be able to function, like have a constant panic that won't stop. I have been looking into alternatives to taking Clonazepam while weaning off of it slowly and I keep hearing people telling me about how medical marijuana can help anxiety. I keep telling them it can't help mine because mine is different, mine was caused by weed. But the more I talk to people about it the more I think maybe just maybe it might help. Maybe the panic attack caused by the weed was caused by the type of weed and the amount I smoked. When I had the panic attacks from weed it was after After the incident with the panic attack I was able to smoke VERY small amounts and get a good laughy high. I don't like the kind of high's that take over your whole body, it gives me anxiety when I feel like I am stuck in some sort of trance or feel "too relaxed".

I have heard people tell me that there are two different kinds of marijuana: Indica and Sativa. From what I have been told Indica would be a good candidate for anxiety but I am not sure as I have no first hand experience. I guess I would just really like to hear experiences and or advise from people who are knowledgable on this subject as I would REALLY prefer using an all natural medicine vs a Big Pharma endorsed addiction.

Thank You,
IA

(sorry not a good speller please forgive) Anxioty stems from depression and im bringing this up becasue i want to ask you is there any activity that is fun and makes you happy? Playing video games, skateboarding(something that requiars concentration). The first time i got high on the good ol THC, immaditly i got hit by INTENCE UNEXPLAINABLE BEYOND COMPREHENSION derealization and disconnected from my actions and body...it was a whole diffrent world...It ws fucking scary becasue i sure as HELL did not expect it to be like that..and i started panicing, worrying about feeling disconnected and depersonilized FOREVER(keep i mind ihave never experianced a panic attack prevously and not until a year later didi relize it was a panic attack) anyways to sum up my little story before getting to you, what i think you should do, I started smoking weed daily a year later...but when i did i was VERY scared of doing to much. I literaly took a baby hit off a blunt and put the thing out and waited to see what it would do. It made me rlaxed and happy...exactly what i was aiming for =).

so anyways what i think you should do, getting back to my fun activity question, is what ever activity you like doing(mine is playing videos games) you should do what i did and smoke the tinyest amount to find your "sweet spot" and then do your activity that makes you happy. And weed will become GREAT and youll gain a tolerance and after a while youll be able to smoke any amount of it and notexperance those negative feelings. See the thing about teenagers and drugs is, its all about getting FUCKED UP and for some people weed is not the drug to do that...so remeber 1 BABY HIT and FEEL your way into it to achive the feeling yur aiming for.

 

[treezy z]

i would recommend neurontin or lyrica as a first shot, they don't provide the relief of benzos but don't have the hardcore addiction factor. i'd be wary of the medical weed but it fucks with your body and brain chemistry less than ssri's, benzos, or atypical antipsychotics.

 

[treezy z]

also if you're a male living a testosterone promoting lifestyle will help, such as lifting weights, playing sports and eating healthy.