PLEASE help me! (Long-term anxiety from cannabis)

[DaftPunkFan]

Hey everyone,
let me start out by saying that I have read the entire mega-thread on anxiety/panic, so please don't tell me to use the search engine. I have been dealing with terrible anxiety for the past couple of years, and it all started after a terrible panic attack from smoking a lot of some very strong skunk. I've never quite been the same since.

A brief history: before this incident, I used to smoke all the time without any anxiety, and I didn't even know what a panic attack was until I had one. I've read several different posts from people asking the same question, but I'm still confused as to what I should do from here...

So far: I have taken a few VERY long breaks from smoking (6 months to a year), and it did absolutely nothing positive. I was having panic attacks several times a week and my anxiety was through the roof. After realizing that this clearly wasn't going to fix my problem, I've seen several psychologists and have been on Xanax, then klonopin for a while, which I'm still trying very hard to get off. I feel fine after taking a huge amount of benzos, but I realized that this obviously isn't solving anything, and if anything it's making my problem worse.

Now to the present: I've tried smoking several times, in VERY small amounts, and sometimes I'm fine. Actually I feel completely free of anxiety because I feel like I'm fine again. However, this mind-set doesn't last long, and the next day I'm back to where I've been. From the anxiety threads I've read, I've seen so many people post that a lot of people end up with anxiety problems after smoking everday for a long time and that it's just time for them to quit.

My question: what are people like me supposed to do once we have anxiety problems from smoking? Do I need to be comfortable with smoking again in order to feel normal again? Or do I need to wait a very long time and eventually I'll feel better? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm sorry for the long post, but I really need help. Thank you.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Hey everyone,
let me start out by saying that I have read the entire mega-thread on anxiety/panic, so please don't tell me to use the search engine. I have been dealing with terrible anxiety for the past couple of years, and it all started after a terrible panic attack from smoking a lot of some very strong skunk. I've never quite been the same since.

A brief history: before this incident, I used to smoke all the time without any anxiety, and I didn't even know what a panic attack was until I had one. I've read several different posts from people asking the same question, but I'm still confused as to what I should do from here...

So far: I have taken a few VERY long breaks from smoking (6 months to a year), and it did absolutely nothing positive. I was having panic attacks several times a week and my anxiety was through the roof. After realizing that this clearly wasn't going to fix my problem, I've seen several psychologists and have been on Xanax, then klonopin for a while, which I'm still trying very hard to get off. I feel fine after taking a huge amount of benzos, but I realized that this obviously isn't solving anything, and if anything it's making my problem worse.

Now to the present: I've tried smoking several times, in VERY small amounts, and sometimes I'm fine. Actually I feel completely free of anxiety because I feel like I'm fine again. However, this mind-set doesn't last long, and the next day I'm back to where I've been. From the anxiety threads I've read, I've seen so many people post that a lot of people end up with anxiety problems after smoking everday for a long time and that it's just time for them to quit.

My question: what are people like me supposed to do once we have anxiety problems from smoking? Do I need to be comfortable with smoking again in order to feel normal again? Or do I need to wait a very long time and eventually I'll feel better? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm sorry for the long post, but I really need help. Thank you.

I've had anxiety issues in the past with smoking/using Cannabis and in general like from an anxiety/panic disorder.

If you're having them daily while sober get help for them. Talk to a therapist or even a free counselor. I know it sounds corny but it can help.

If you're getting them only after you smoke you have other options. I've done all of these at various points in my life.

A-Stop smoking/using herb completely. Only do this if you get daily major anxiety/panic attacks and using drugs like herb is just going to make them worse. Or if you're one of those people who just don't like getting high anymore at all because of the anxiety or panic attacks.

B-Just accept that herb can make you paranoid, anxious, and gives you panic attacks at times when you smoke it. Try to talk yourself down from the anxiety or tell yourself when you get it that it will be over soon and that it's just something that happens when you get high. Pick and choose just when, where, and who you get high with. I know some people who get very anxious from herb when they smoke it with strangers at a party so they don't smoke at parties or with strangers. Some people I know just like to smoke or vaporize alone or with a few friends and only do it once a month or a few times a year, or just on weekends since this is what works for them.

C-Smoke more often until you get used to being high and eventually they anxiety will go away but you may become a total pothead or a daily smoker. Or you can just smoke more often like just on weekends only when you're relaxing.

If certain strains/types of herb tend to make you more anxious since some people get this way from Sativa strains or some don't like Indicas figure it out and don't smoke those strains/types. I know some people who wind up getting major anxiety from very high quality herb so they only smoke mids or schwag.

Building up a tolerance to THC and smoking or vaporizing can help too. Don't overdo it either, like if you know herb gives you anxiety just smoke a few hits and see how it is for you for a bit before you smoke more. Don't smoke 10-12 hits all at once when you have a low or no tolerance at all and when you're smoking with a friend that has a tolerance and has to smoke a lot just to get high.

Some people find that drinking a beer or a few, or some other type of booze or even wine or liquor can calm them down when they're having anxiety and stoned. I've found this helps me but don't rely on it as a crutch and don't do what I did and start binge drinking a lot of booze daily and being a total mess thinking it will help your issues with anxiety it winds up doing the complete opposite and you get more depressed/anxious and have the worst hangovers ever. I was having issues with anxiety/panic attacks daily and not from getting stoned. Actually I got back into smoking herb when I had made a decision to slowly cut back and stop abusing alcohol like this.

I've never used any type of benzo like Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, or valium but I've heard that they don't really help you with the anxiety, you can black out on them easily, you can easily become addicted to them, and my friends that do take them for issues with panic/anxiety or being bipolar only take the dose they're supposed to take when they are supposed to take it and they don't abuse them at all. When I was younger I wanted to get benzos just to use them to self medicate anxiety but I'm glad I never had a script for them or easy access to them.

D-Get a vaporizer and use it. Yes you will get very high but IME with vaporizing you can get only THC and you won't get the intense body load or negative effects from eating/smoking like anxiety/panic attacks. You'll also use less herb, save $, and stay high longer than if you only smoked. It's also easier on your lugs/respiratory system than smoking is but it's not like you're eating herb where you totally avoid putting hot smoke or vapor into your lungs/respiratory system and body.

Good luck! I hope my post helped. I'm not sure if you're getting anxiety or panic attacks in general or if you get them only after you've smoked. PM me if you want to.

 

[Chainer]

Hey everyone,
let me start out by saying that I have read the entire mega-thread on anxiety/panic

Lol, no you didn't or else you wouldn't be asking this:

1) My question: what are people like me supposed to do once we have anxiety problems from smoking?

2) Do I need to be comfortable with smoking again in order to feel normal again?

3) Or do I need to wait a very long time and eventually I'll feel better?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm sorry for the long post, but I really need help. Thank you.

1) Anxiety from smoking? Quit. Soul searching? Meditation? Benzos? Anxiety reducing strains (can't find them? grow them.).

2) Define normal? What does smoking have to do with you feeling normal - if anything, cannabis makes you intoxicated, not sober. If you're waking up with life impacting symptoms from getting high on cannabis - *quit* or *take a break*

3) Well this is just part of the last one. Quit or take a break. Go from there. Don't over smoke. One or two hits, see how you feel. Easy "drug to dose up on" so to speak.

 

[DaftPunkFan]

Priest - thanks for your input, that was very helpful. To clarify, Ive been dealing with anxiety all the time now, but it started a while back from smoking weed. And like you said, benzos definitely aren't making my problem any better, or anything else like alcohol.

And yes, I did read the anxiety thread. I just didn't see a clear answer to my question. A lot of people are saying to quit smoking once the anxiety becomes a problem, but I've done this. I stopped for a year at one point and felt the same as I was when I quit, maybe even worse. So at this point I'm thinking that just stopping isn't really going to do anything for me

My definition of normal would be returning to a reasonable amount of anxiety, like how most people posting on this issue say they felt before they experienced panic attacks from weed. Smoking in small amounts seems to be working for now, but its really been hit or miss for me. It's like it's hard to tell what's going to happen. And to think I used to smoke everday, any strain without any problems...

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[dankstersauce]

Good advice in the above posts. I've had real bad anxiety before, my main solution is to get baked in the comfort of my own home only by myself or with 2-3 close friends. I have my own place so I have nothing to worry about, maybe burn some incense, sit back relax, watch a movie.

Basically avoid the stuff that makes you anxious. My main anxiety has always been more social anxiety, so remove the social-ness and it's all good.

 

[DaftPunkFan]

Good advice in the above posts. I've had real bad anxiety before, my main solution is to get baked in the comfort of my own home only by myself or with 2-3 close friends. I have my own place so I have nothing to worry about, maybe burn some incense, sit back relax, watch a movie.

Basically avoid the stuff that makes you anxious. My main anxiety has always been more social anxiety, so remove the social-ness and it's all good.

Thanks for the advice! I have a feeling this is what I have to do. I think I just need to be comfortable with smoking again, and I think if I smoked in my own place and just chilled, I really don't have anything to worry about. I think I'm gonna give this a try tonight.

I need to figure out something because this anxiety is killing me. I had a terrible panic attack a few days ago, and I was just out doing normal things during the day. I start to feel REALLY out of touch with reality, can't focus on anything, dizzy, etc. And then I take a bunch of Xanax which temporarily makes me feel somewhat better, but obviously isn't doing a damn thing to solve my problem. I'm really looking to solve my problem for good, because I can't take it anymore.

Thanks everyone for the help

 

[wombus erectus]

Daft i suggest you go see a doctor and get some prescription meds. I suffered very bad anxiety. Nothing at all was helping me, smoking did not help either. It was so bad I could no longer do anything because everything I did caused me to be anxious. (other then exercise). I suggest the medication cymbalta. It changed my life an I was still able to smoke on it. I'm anxiety free now after taking them for 6 months.

When you get anxiety your brain gets into a routine and you get anxious at certain situations each and everytime. What this medication does is it breaks the routine by blocking a certain chemical which provokes anxiety.

Hope this helps

 

[dildonian jr.]

get some adderall!!!!!!!!!


will relieve your anxiety with the benzos too

 

[DaftPunkFan]

Daft i suggest you go see a doctor and get some prescription meds. I suffered very bad anxiety. Nothing at all was helping me, smoking did not help either. It was so bad I could no longer do anything because everything I did caused me to be anxious. (other then exercise). I suggest the medication cymbalta. It changed my life an I was still able to smoke on it. I'm anxiety free now after taking them for 6 months.

When you get anxiety your brain gets into a routine and you get anxious at certain situations each and everytime. What this medication does is it breaks the routine by blocking a certain chemical which provokes anxiety.

Hope this helps

Thanks for the suggestion! I've thought about trying an anti-depressant for anxiety, but I really just don't want to be taking any medication ideally. I am going to go see another psychiatrist soon, and maybe I'll end up trying one out if he thinks I really should.

At this point I'm going through hell because I'm also withdrawling from benzos too. So I'm hoping that I'll just be able to deal with the remaining anxiety once I'm finally off Xanax. From what i've seen it looks like switching to Valium to get off benzos is the way to go, so Im going to ask my doctor about maybe doing that at the same time.

And i don't know about the adderall suggestion, that kinda sounds like the complete opposite of what I want to do haha.
Thanks again for the help!