Weed withdrawal or mental issues?

[genosse]

Hi guys, long time lurker first time poster here.

I try to get straight to the point: I am a daily smoker of weed for a little over 20 years now (I am 39) and for most of that time I had zero problems with abstinence or taking a tolerance break every now and then. I got a little grumpy and had those really strange dreams returning to me after a few days but nothing out of the ordinary.

More recently (maybe the last 5 years), whenever I try to stop smoking cold turkey I am getting really serious anxiety, depression and panic attacks maybe 2 days after quitting which last for about 3 weeks until I finally level out again. During this time I can hardly sleep at all, lose all my appetite and have a really nasty diarrhea.

I am wondering what is causing this and if anyone has similar problems. Is this perhaps some kind of kindling effect?

A bit of additional info: 10 years ago I suffered from a sudden and totally unexpected massive episode of anxiety and panic attacks and I am taking 20 mg Citalopram (Celexa) per day since then. Other than that I smoke cigarettes (unfortunately), drink a few cups of coffee a day and get a bit drunk with my mates every second weekend. That's the full extent of my substance use. My weed is organically grown, so free from adulterants, my living situation is good, social life too, but I still suffer from irregular episodes of depression and anxiety maybe two times a year, seemingly unrelated to my cannabis use which always stays the same (one bowl of herb vaped with a Mighty after work and another bowl an hour or so before going to bed).

Do you think what I am experiencing when trying to take a T-break is really weed withdrawal or more related to my other mental issues? The strange thing is, when I am in "withdrawal" I can't stop it by smoking/vaping again and I have to wait out the full three weeks once it started. This makes me believe it's mostly my other mental problems causing this, but then again I meet all the symptoms and match the timeline that's commonly displayed by health professionals when talking about cannabis withdrawal.

What do you think?

 

[Darksidesam]

just sounds like when you are breaking your habitual (although not excessive) use you are possibly facing realities and its overwhelming you, thus triggering panic attacks and anxiety. This is very common too many of us have this route of escape be it through drinking, other drugs or even gaming and its a very difficult but not impossible cycle to break. I am not a mental health professional though so this is merely a suggestion and actually something i encounter too but unlike you i do not consume cigarettes or coffee or stimulants nor am i on any medication and has happened during breaks of weeks or months in duration, so it kind of proves your point that it can be brought on with or without weed anyway.

 

[genosse]

just sounds like when you are breaking your habitual (although not excessive) use your are possibly facing realities and its overwhelming you, thus triggering panic attacks and anxiety. This is very common too many of us have this route of escape be it through drinking, other drugs or even gaming and its a very difficult but not impossible cycle to break. I am not a mental health professional though so this is merely a suggestion and actually something i encounter too but unlike you i do not consume cigarettes or coffee or stimulants nor am i on any medication and has happened during breaks of weeks or months in duration, so it kind of proves your point that it can be brought on with or without weed anyway.

Thank you for your repsonse. For some reason I never thought about the break lowering my shields, metaphorically speaking, so my other issues can get to me more easily. Makes perfect sense to me.

Since I am in a good state of mental health right now I wanted to get some suggestions and advice for when I possibly have to experience this again. That anxious thought loop I get stuck in where I am contemplating if it's the weed causing this or my regular tendency for depression and anxiety is quite excruciating, so I try to solve this when I am more clear-headed.

Also, since I am posting here for once let me say how much I appreciate this community and all the work that goes into it from all those nice and helpful people. Bluelight ist great and I recommend it whenever I am discussing drug use and harm reduction.

 

[Jibult]

Thank you for your repsonse. For some reason I never thought about the break lowering my shields, metaphorically speaking, so my other issues can get to me more easily. Makes perfect sense to me.

Since I am in a good state of mental health right now I wanted to get some suggestions and advice for when I possibly have to experience this again. That anxious thought loop I get stuck in where I am contemplating if it's the weed causing this or my regular tendency for depression and anxiety is quite excruciating, so I try to solve this when I am more clear-headed.

Also, since I am posting here for once let me say how much I appreciate this community and all the work that goes into it from all those nice and helpful people. Bluelight ist great and I recommend it whenever I am discussing drug use and harm reduction.

Thought loop? Good fuckin' luck. Been 25 years now and I still can't stop my thoughts from looping and rattling. Swear to God, if they're not loop-de-looping like Hot Wheels on a sick racetrack then it feels like my thoughts are just rattling across my mind-- which, sidenote, when I picture as I try to go to sleep looks like little white Tron balls bouncing across a huge, completely dark chasm.

Never really gave it much thought before but why do I visualize my own mind as a blacked out void? There can't be a good answer to that...

I guess the only real response to that is how SHOULD a mind be visualized? In which case I'd like to think that most people would have a super abstract, surreal kind of representation of their minds... Unique to every individual, no two looking the same...

Or idk, just a fucking black void.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

@genosse I agree with much of what @Darksidesam had to say. I think two specific things can be done to decrease your anxiety.

The first should be cutting out the coffee and cigs. I know it's easier said than done and they carry their own set of withdrawal symptoms as well as breaking the habits and routine. I completely quit coffee more than a decade ago and it worked wonders for my metabolism and sleep cycles. Don't forget citalopram is an anti-depressant, so adding that to coffee and cigarettes is like a trifecta for causing anxiety.

Second should be tapering the weed instead of cold turkey. Rather than suddenly quitting for your T break, lower the amount a little every day or so and within maybe a week you should be able to step completely off. Still might experience some irritability and trouble sleeping but I don't think it would be as intense as cold turkey.

with all that said, I think having weed around will help you with quitting coffee and nicotine. I would attempt to quit that first then once over that hump, begin working toward your weed T break.

I'm not a medical professional, just some dude who has been through it and found what works for me. May not work for you but it never hurts to try.

 

[Sadus]

Sounds very much like what I know weed withdrawal to be, especially if you're a long term smoker. I used to do cold turkeys when I was younger but eventually stopped as the GI symptoms became too intense, my stomach would grumble like a fucking engine at work and it just felt like totally unnecessary anguish. I've been mentally stable most of my life but when withdrawing on weed I have some serious apathy, lack of motivation, purpose and general lust for anything at all. I just want to lie in bed until it passes. Once withdrawal has started smoking to alleviate it doesn't really work for me either, I just have to champion it out, and it sucks So do a taper next time! It's way easier on the body even if it takes slightly longer.

 

[SpiralusSancti]

Last time I checked WD is mental issue