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Is there any way to stop/prevent panic attacks?

Kaneh Bosm

Kaneh Bosm

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Aug 21, 2007
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I had a pretty bad panic attack last week after smoking cannabis. It was so bad that if it happened my first time smoking and I was ignorant to the facts about cannabis, then I believe I would have demanded my friends to drive me to the hospital. Yet since I am sort of a veteran toker, I knew it was all in my head and if I went to the hospital I would just become another drug warrior statistic since nothing physically would be wrong with me.

So I blame my low tolerance (over a year of abstinence) and I ended up smoking more than I would have if I had my old tolerance. I was also was with unfamiliar people who weren't toking, so maybe it was a bad environment thing as well. I ended up taking 2 shots of Green Dragon as I heard on this board that GABA release can thwart the panic attack. It did work, the panic attack did go away but I got really twisted and I am sure I was not very responsive or fun to be around after that though. :\

So I have not smoked since, and I am kinda worried if this kind of thing will happen again. So should I really take it slow next time and take one small hit and wait until I feel it before taking another one? Is there anyway to build up a tolerance without this event occurring again? Is there any other way to ease/prevent panic attacks without using alcohol (or other drugs)?

I am looking forward to your suggestions, I really hope I do not have to give up cannabis :(.
 
For the first few times I smoked i got TERRIBLE panic attacks.. this, in my theory, was two reasons.. One, it was REALLY good shit, and two, I was out in public under the influence of something i was unfamiliar with with unfamiliar people.. I stayed at home for the next few times and got used to the high, and now I can go out in public and somewhat keep my composure. I would ask your closest friend to go to your/their house, put on some enjoyable music, and just chill.. Being in public just freaked my out for a while. I thought that weed wasn't for me until I followed my buddy's advice and did the preceding. Hope this helps..

EDIT:
After rereading your post, you talked about toking until you feel good. That was another problem I had.. I had no patience for getting high, so I'd take like 6 or 7 good hits, and not feel shit, 5 minutes later I'm baked out of my mind and scared as shit.. Just take it slow;)
 
I think i answered my own question about low tolerance, only take one small hit wait ten minutes and try again if I feel nothing.

I still want to know if there is some truth to the GABA/alcohol panic treatment, anyone know more about this?
 
You didn't smoke for a year and you puffed a boat load and you got very high. Why would you smoke so much after a long break? Smoke less, especially after a long break, maybe have a beer or 2 before smoking and just take a few hits, see what happens and then decide for yourself.
 
Since the anxiety is just weed related you should really try to work on getting high without paranoia, i.e. building your tolerance up. Having a few drinks after you smoke will probably help relax you but do you really want to become an alcoholic just to smoke weed? Or a benzo addict for that matter? If you do drink, you want to drink after you smoke so you get less "twisted"

When I smoked two huge bowls after taking a break for over a month, I got VERY high and anxious.
The next time I smoked half a bowl and felt wonderful.
 
Kaneh Bosm said:
I think i answered my own question about low tolerance, only take one small hit wait ten minutes and try again if I feel nothing.

I still want to know if there is some truth to the GABA/alcohol panic treatment, anyone know more about this?
Click to expand...

Yes of course GABA agonists (benzos) or alcohol will help with panic, benzos are typically prescribed for those exact same reasons. It's not really a great idea to do this everytime you want to smoke, unless you only smoke once a week or something.

Also, I think that if you wanted to reduce anxiety you should drink a beer or two before smoking, that way you are already relaxed and don't have to drink while having an anxiety attack and wait for it to kick in.
 
Definitely smoke less bro, also smoke a bit, wait and chill, then smoke some more, chill out a little bit, then smoke some more... you know what I mean?? Instead of smoking a lot all at once space it out over the evening... Towards the end of the night you should be able to pull massive cones no problem
 
Its mostly set and setting for me.

If I'm out in public stoned I'm more likely to start panicking, if I'm somewhere where I feel totally comfortable then I won't.

If I'm with people I don't like/trust/know very well, more likely to get anxious etc

People forget weed is a mild psychedelic, they get freaked out when they start having a bad time for whatever reason :)

Don't rely on benzos or booze, work out why you're getting anxious in the first place.
 
for some reason weed mellows me out.... and helps me not freak... as if im to stoned to think or care about my anxious feelings...
 
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