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Edibles Gummies and Anxiety

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flipflopper

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Joined
Aug 16, 2023
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So I am a person who has had a lifelong struggle with anxiety. (I am unmedicated at present).

When I was younger, i.e, in high school, whenever I would smoke pot with friends I would never get high. It was weird. They'd all be completely wasted, laughing their ass off and I'd have no reaction whatsoever.

Then later, around college age, I would tend to get very anxious and paranoid when sharing a joint with people. So I pretty much quit.

A few years ago it was suggested to me to try medical marijuana for intense post-surgical axillary nerve pain I was having, and so I started taking the medical gummies (they were either sativa, or indica, or a blend).

I noticed that the gummies were helping me with creativity (I am a writer), so I kept taking them about once a week recreationally—either the medical grade or the OTC (I think those are Delta 9?). I am, however, noticing that I am getting anxious again when I take one (never more than 5 mg dose). I will always pair it with a beer (just one) to calm the buzz, and have taken to adding a bit of CBD too, but I am still getting anxious.

I really like the creative aspect that comes with the THC gummy, but I would like to know how I can do so and tamp down the anxiety.
 
Hey @flipflopper - I've always found weed to open the door to thinking about everyday phenomenon on levels that I rarely go to, when either I haven't used for a while or I use more than I normally do. Or simply during a big life change of sorts.

Sometimes I will uncover thoughts and feelings that have not been addressed before.

It personally thrusts me into a mindset where I begin to think less analytically, and more synthetically - the bringing together of seemingly unrelated ideas into a bigger picture.

This can be overwhelming. Sometimes I am following such a complex idea that I lose my train of thought, which leaves me with the uneasy emotion but no answer.

Anxiety / excitement are hard for me to differentiate, and after researching these two emotions Ive come to realize they are actually more closely related than we make it seem.

Which is why I enjoy it ;)
 
As described above, the two are linked unfortunately.

One couldn't benefit from the creativity promoting effects without also being at some risk for the anxiety inducing effects. Anxiety from THC can be entirely negated by anxiolytics (such as benzodiazepines), but they'll also rob you of any creativity gain that you might have experienced.
 
Madness said:
Hey @flipflopper - I've always found weed to open the door to thinking about everyday phenomenon on levels that I rarely go to, when either I haven't used for a while or I use more than I normally do. Or simply during a big life change of sorts.

Sometimes I will uncover thoughts and feelings that have not been addressed before.

It personally thrusts me into a mindset where I begin to think less analytically, and more synthetically - the bringing together of seemingly unrelated ideas into a bigger picture.

This can be overwhelming. Sometimes I am following such a complex idea that I lose my train of thought, which leaves me with the uneasy emotion but no answer.

Anxiety / excitement are hard for me to differentiate, and after researching these two emotions Ive come to realize they are actually more closely related than we make it seem.

Which is why I enjoy it ;)
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Yes, I get that 100%, and it seems that just after I uncover something completely mindblowing, some great truth, etc, that very discovery will cause me to be anxious. I assume that those who don't have anxiety would be able to just go with the flow and enjoy the discovery, but for me I tend to overthink it and then I get uneasy.
 
negrogesic said:
As described above, the two are linked unfortunately.

One couldn't benefit from the creativity promoting effects without also being at some risk for the anxiety inducing effects. Anxiety from THC can be entirely negated by anxiolytics (such as benzodiazepines), but they'll also rob you of any creativity gain that you might have experienced.
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Meaning anxiety and THC are linked, or anxiety and excitement over discovery are linked?

Yes, perhaps I will try a small dose of valium, however the idea of mixing also freaks me out a bit.
 
flipflopper said:
Yes, I get that 100%, and it seems that just after I uncover something completely mindblowing, some great truth, etc, that very discovery will cause me to be anxious. I assume that those who don't have anxiety would be able to just go with the flow and enjoy the discovery, but for me I tend to overthink it and then I get uneasy.
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I've always had "overthinking" be an issue.

But I am realizing that all the mental gymnastics I've done is actually making life easier to navigate.

If you can compartmentalize things well, remember where you left off in a thought, look at things objectively, and do your best to not let an emotion guide you / reactive, if you can get into that headspace sort of like a 3rd person view, then that is a headspace that for me personally allows me to examine ideas without feeling too mixed up about it
 
Personally i feel that any anxiety provoked by THC is also an invitation to solving some underlying issue in one's cognitive structures. It is a tool for reflection, and it will sort of force you into that. You can't control the high unless you work with it. It's a different perspective on your own mind, not a free ride.

I think Madness made some good points.

The main downside of THC is its REM suppression effect, leading to a decline in spontaneous consolidation of memories during sleep and a paradoxical grip for control over experience and thought behind the veneer of passive harmonic reflection - a narrowing of mental scope behind the ostensible open-mindedness. Becoming sort of a stagnant shell of a person, albeit a very good one. This comes with chronic use. However, it is also chronic use that is the easiest way to get acquainted and work with the substance and the anxiety. But i believe even casual users may successfully benefit from applying the perspective outlined above. Chronic use is really not recommended at all. It is a clearly defined addiction, despite being a peculiar one compared to many addictive substances which are more overtly destructive and fiendish.
 
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Madness said:
Hey @flipflopper - I've always found weed to open the door to thinking about everyday phenomenon on levels that I rarely go to, when either I haven't used for a while or I use more than I normally do. Or simply during a big life change of sorts.

Sometimes I will uncover thoughts and feelings that have not been addressed before.

It personally thrusts me into a mindset where I begin to think less analytically, and more synthetically - the bringing together of seemingly unrelated ideas into a bigger picture.

This can be overwhelming. Sometimes I am following such a complex idea that I lose my train of thought, which leaves me with the uneasy emotion but no answer.

Anxiety / excitement are hard for me to differentiate, and after researching these two emotions Ive come to realize they are actually more closely related than we make it seem.

Which is why I enjoy it ;)
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Stoned thoughts are rarely deep and usually funny or annoying to sober people. Debates on who was a better piece of ass on Gilligan's Island either Ginger or Mary Ann, are not deep.
Just messing with you, I read a horrible post, took a bunch of pills( prescription and legal) have kicked in and I am calm now, and haven't said anything to you lately.
I tend to over due the gummies big time.
So in your opinion what would be a decent non- zombie like dose of gummies, because they had a sale on them at the local pot shop and I blacked out for a few days, seriously what is a reasonably good dose?
 
He means speak in plain English, **mod edit - unnecessary personal comment**
 
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Jnowhere said:
So in your opinion what would be a decent non- zombie like dose of gummies
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I've never tried store edibles I've only made my own or been given some that were made. Once I took too much, a guy who was moving my stuff asked me very basic questions and I was so high that I couldn't talk. I was just unresponsive lol but looking at him. Probably insanely creepy. So my friend had to tell him what to move and where.

To answer you question, I believe there are websites that break it down, something like 10mg for a starter but I'd do research on this.

The thing to remember is it can take up to an hour to hit you. So if you think "this isn't working" at 45 minutes and take more, you could be zonked out all day.

And to touch on your comment that stoned thoughts being funny and not deep, yeah I get that too, basically I just put pieces together that I otherwise wouldn't. Like have you ever realized that the name of the cereal cocoa puffs could be interpreted as "cocoa plant puff", or "cocaine puff", or "cocaine smoke" or "crack"?

I used to be coo coo for cocoa puffs.

And a sort of extension on one of @Mjäll points, drugs in general can offer unique perspective, but weed is one of the less destructive. And personally, way more eye opening. Possibly aside from a nice psychedelic trip. But those are difficult to control
 
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At lower doses, edibles definitely give me less anxiety than smoking. Probably due to being much more sedating, and not having a rush when ingesting it.

But at higher doses, edibles can certainly give you the same amount or even more anxiety than smoking.
 
And another thing, why does it raise my heart rate? How can I prevent that? This really adds to the anxiety. Actually it precipitates the anxiety.
 
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flipflopper said:
And another thing, why does it raise my heart rate? How can I prevent that? This really adds to the anxiety. Actually it precipitates the anxiety.
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After doing some research it could be directly related to the chemistry of the edibles.

That said, trying to counteract it could be dangerous as it may mask the effects on your heart / blood flow without completely addressing the issue.

This is above my head though, hopefully someone else has a more insightful answer.
 
flipflopper said:
And another thing, why does it raise my heart rate? How can I prevent that? This really adds to the anxiety. Actually it precipitates the anxiety.
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I did a little research on this recently and I think that its due to increased excitability of some neurons in the locus ceruleus which are noradrenergic (norepinephrine). Many of these neurons are responsible for controlling the sympathetic nervous system which is involved in the fight or flight response, increases in NE release cause an increase in heart rate. The LC does this by its projections to the intermediolateral nucleus in the spinal cord which contain some autonomic motor neurons. The circuitry after this point is partially unknown still but some of the postganglionic neurons projecting from the intermediolateral nucleus will either innervate heart tissue themselves or synapse onto other neurons that do. This pathway increases heart rate.

If I remember correctly, that pathway requires slightly higher doses of THC to activate but at lower doses THC can activate the parasympathetic system which is responsible for relaxation and digestion, mediated mostly by the vagus nerve

Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these mechanisms, I am by no means an expert on this
 
Eating Marijuana has given me anxiety / panic attacks , or can be a Great time !

Usually eat 10-30mg . ( Live Rosin is much much better IMO )

So now adays , not to chance it , I take a klonopin prior ( my doctor has told me I have adverse reactions to THC , hence attacks.)
 
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