Is my anxiety caused by drug use?

[jess046]

Ok I'll start with a small background. Been using drugs on and off for awhile, had some heavy periods last year where I used BK MDMA every week or sometimes pills and sometimes meth.

I didn't really starting taking breaks until maybe 2-3 months ago, in which I would go one or two weeks without using anything and if I did use, I would use half a pill or a small line of mephedrone (100mg).

This was because I became very frightened of over-dosing after experiencing a hellish panic attack on meth and a bad experience with 2cb. Since then I have had zero panic attacks on drugs (including meth). However, I've had panic attacks during the week consistently. After the initial panic attack I was pretty ok for about a month (and I was still heavily using drugs), but in the last few weeks anxiety has been dominating my life every day and I have had panic attacks every week (despite reducing my drug intake considerably).

I can't figure out what I need to do to cure this. It feels like a disease; like something I can't control because it is triggered for no apparent reason. I could be having a fine day, relaxing at home and then all of a sudden- panic attack. On the days after using drugs I feel hungover, but not as anxiety-dominated as I am during the week.

To give you some perspective all my panic attacks have occurred in the middle of the night, when I'm at home doing nothing important.

I've developed an intense fear of medication and getting ill as well. If I take a tablet or medication I go into instant panic mode and believe I will have an allergic reaction (because this happened one time and I had a panic attack).

Most of the time I'm anxious that I'm getting sick and will need medication, but a lot of the time I'm anxious for no reason. I just feel uncomfortable and I'm in that rigid 'fight or flight' state.

Also, I sometimes have intense sleep paralysis after using drugs. Not always, but sometimes. I get it off and on during the week if I'm feeling particularly anxious.

So my question is- do you think this was all caused by drugs or simply drugs acted as a trigger? Will stopping drugs cold turkey help me recover from anxiety, or is it not that simple?

I'm worried about quitting drugs because I find it a very valuable part of my life and believe I would turn to alcohol, quite heavily, in the absence of drugs.

But I cannot continue to live my life so frightened of everything and if eliminating drugs means I will be better soon, then that's what I'll have to do.

On the other-hand, are their any recreational drugs that don't add to anxiety?

The only other important detail I can think of is that I stopped piracetam because I thought it was causing the anxiety....but maybe it helps, which could explain why I'm worse now? I don't know. I'm not educated enough about piracetam to make a judgment, so I guess that's why I'm here. I use to use piracetam during the week, after using drugs, but I stopped when I started taking breaks and using less. I just wanted to have less 'stuff' in my body.

 

[Pagey]

Meth could definitely do this to you. I really think the best thing for you to do right now would be to take a good long break from all drugs. I know that's easier said than done but it's unlikely this anxiety is gonna get worse if you continue like this.
When you have your panic attacks, what are they about? Ie. what's the source of the panic? I get that they start for no apparent reason, but while you're in it there must be something scaring you or whatever.
As for the sleep paralysis, I dunno...I don't have much experience when it comes to the drugs you described but I get it sometimes after taking large doses of opiates so you're certainly not the first to experience that from drugs.
Honestly, all recreational drugs have the potential to increase anxiety - even those you wouldn't think of, like opiates, often get people really nervous and freaked out about random things. I sincerely think you just need a sober break.

 

[jess046]

I know that stopping drugs would help, but if I continue to use drugs more responsibility (with breaks and small doses) will it still augment my anxiety? I obviously really don't want to stop, but if it going cold turkey is the only solution than I will do it.
But only if it really well help. I guess my question is to people who Know what I'm talking about- am I digging myself into a bigger hole by continuing to use small amounts (although I have quit meth 100%). Does alcohol cause anxiety too? Because I drink a lot more now that I don't use drugs as much.

The panic attacks are sometimes medically related. Like I said, I get a panic attack any time I take medication because I think I'll have an allergic reaction and I have a phobia of hospitals. If I feel sick or dizzy I think there's something wrong with me and I have to see a Dr straight away. Other times, it's just a general feeling of unease that creeps over me and then I start to think, 'oh shit, panic attack is coming'. I tell myself there's nothing wrong with me and it's all in my head, but not matter what a panic attack usually follows or I just remain on edge for the whole day, waiting for something to trigger it. I'm pretty much on edge all the time, always worried something will trigger a panic attack. I find it difficult to relax in one spot as this is when my panic attacks occur.

 

[Pagey]

Well limiting your use and taking more breaks is definitely worth a shot, but I truly have no idea whether or not it'll be sufficient. I know it can take quite a long time to recover from drug-induced anxiety, and that's once you're not even using the drug anymore.
Alcohol does increse anxiety in some people. As I said, virtually any drug has the potential to do that with the 'right' person.
If you're gonna quit drugs though, do a taper rather than CT, as the latter would probably only serve to reinforce all the negative effects you're experiencing now.

Okay...and so you didn't use to have these panic attacks?

Oh yeah and I forgot to answer about the piracetam - you may definitely be experiencing rebound anxiety from getting off that, since IIRC in some ways it acts similarly to benzos. But if quitting the piracetam is indeed the cause for all this, there unfortunately isn't much you can do other than just wait for it to pass :/

 

[thesameoldfears]

In my experience, I've always been an anxious person, so after I discovered the quiet mind opiates gave me I never looked back. When I went on suboxone to get clean, my anxiety was threw the roof for months. So it wasn't drugs causing the anxiety, but my brain adjusting to not having drugs in it. I would cry for no fucking reason almost every night. Stuff like doing the dishes gave me anxiety attacks. Stupid stuff that was no big deal. When I was actively using, I also had a ton of anxiety the days I couldn't score or at night several hours after a dose, and the fact that I was hiding my drug use made it escalate. So I am by no means telling you ton continue using drugs just because you might feel better on them...the longer you use the worse the anxiety is going to get. You just need to take a couple months off and focus on your wellness and mental health. Then if you decide to start using again you'll be in a better place.

Good luck, anxiety is miserable.

 

[jess046]

Well limiting your use and taking more breaks is definitely worth a shot, but I truly have no idea whether or not it'll be sufficient. I know it can take quite a long time to recover from drug-induced anxiety, and that's once you're not even using the drug anymore.
Alcohol does increse anxiety in some people. As I said, virtually any drug has the potential to do that with the 'right' person.
If you're gonna quit drugs though, do a taper rather than CT, as the latter would probably only serve to reinforce all the negative effects you're experiencing now.

Okay...and so you didn't use to have these panic attacks?

Oh yeah and I forgot to answer about the piracetam - you may definitely be experiencing rebound anxiety from getting off that, since IIRC in some ways it acts similarly to benzos. But if quitting the piracetam is indeed the cause for all this, there unfortunately isn't much you can do other than just wait for it to pass :/

See that's what I thought too, that if I just limited everything the anxiety would go away or at least get better, but it seems to have gotten horrifically worse lately (although the health stuff is bad at the moment too because of some infections I've acquired so maybe that's more of the cause). I can see myself trying; last weekend I did a meager line of mephedrone, which is pretty good for me for a three night bender. I don't set out to use drugs all the time, I just have a very good supply and I'm vulnerable when I'm drunk :/
I live a bit of a party lifestyle so I guess that's part of it. I date a DJ/musician, so our weekends are always pretty packed and drugs just make it a lot more fun...I could see myself trying to quit, but then I think I would probably drink way too much. I'm going to try this weekend, but I know it's a huge weekend and the opportunity will certainly poke it's little head up. It doesn't help that my boyfriend is psychologically addicted to using 'party' drugs every weekend (no thanks to me, I unfortunately have to admit). I don't mind a little rebound anxiety on the comedown, but I'm a student so I want a clear head during the working week.

No, never had a panic attack in my life until I took too much meth one night and experienced something completely hellish (worse than anything since). I used to believe it was serotonin syndrome, but I'm not sure. I was just certain I was going to die, was dizzy, nauseous, seeing hallucinations, sweating like a pig, which are all symptoms of a panic attack and serotonin syndrome...for a week after I was completely bed-ridden with brain fog and could barely eat, having constant panic attacks, seeing meth-spiders and shit like that, it was very traumatic. And that was on what would have only been about 300-400mg of ICE at the most!

But then I seemed to get better until suddenly everyday I started to feel the prick of anxiety.

I just don't know what to think. I've only used proper MDMA about 5-10 times (maybe more, but it's hard to tell I usually did very small doses), I used BK-MDMA a lot, but I was under the impression it wasn't that neurotoxic. I also only used meth about 10 times at the most (probably less), so I'm really not a huge drug abuser in the grand sense. So I don't know if the drug use is keeping the anxiety going, or if my traumatic experience simply triggered a disorder I have to live with forever...and if I have to live this miserable life I might as well have some fun on the weekend!

Would it be beneficial to start using piracatem again? (but not regularly- maybe a couple of days a week?) I stopped awhile ago so any rebound anxiety is probably gone by now.

 

[pally pete]

When I was a frequent heavy weekend MDMA user I used to suffer sleep paralysis on the Monday/Tuesday, once I stopped using MDMA the sleep paralysis stopped.

 

[Spadez87]

Ok I'll start with a small background. Been using drugs on and off for awhile, had some heavy periods last year where I used BK MDMA every week or sometimes pills and sometimes meth.

I didn't really starting taking breaks until maybe 2-3 months ago, in which I would go one or two weeks without using anything and if I did use, I would use half a pill or a small line of mephedrone (100mg).

This was because I became very frightened of over-dosing after experiencing a hellish panic attack on meth and a bad experience with 2cb. Since then I have had zero panic attacks on drugs (including meth). However, I've had panic attacks during the week consistently. After the initial panic attack I was pretty ok for about a month (and I was still heavily using drugs), but in the last few weeks anxiety has been dominating my life every day and I have had panic attacks every week (despite reducing my drug intake considerably).

I can't figure out what I need to do to cure this. It feels like a disease; like something I can't control because it is triggered for no apparent reason. I could be having a fine day, relaxing at home and then all of a sudden- panic attack. On the days after using drugs I feel hungover, but not as anxiety-dominated as I am during the week.

To give you some perspective all my panic attacks have occurred in the middle of the night, when I'm at home doing nothing important.

I've developed an intense fear of medication and getting ill as well. If I take a tablet or medication I go into instant panic mode and believe I will have an allergic reaction (because this happened one time and I had a panic attack).

Most of the time I'm anxious that I'm getting sick and will need medication, but a lot of the time I'm anxious for no reason. I just feel uncomfortable and I'm in that rigid 'fight or flight' state.

Also, I sometimes have intense sleep paralysis after using drugs. Not always, but sometimes. I get it off and on during the week if I'm feeling particularly anxious.

So my question is- do you think this was all caused by drugs or simply drugs acted as a trigger? Will stopping drugs cold turkey help me recover from anxiety, or is it not that simple?

I'm worried about quitting drugs because I find it a very valuable part of my life and believe I would turn to alcohol, quite heavily, in the absence of drugs.

But I cannot continue to live my life so frightened of everything and if eliminating drugs means I will be better soon, then that's what I'll have to do.

On the other-hand, are their any recreational drugs that don't add to anxiety?

The only other important detail I can think of is that I stopped piracetam because I thought it was causing the anxiety....but maybe it helps, which could explain why I'm worse now? I don't know. I'm not educated enough about piracetam to make a judgment, so I guess that's why I'm here. I use to use piracetam during the week, after using drugs, but I stopped when I started taking breaks and using less. I just wanted to have less 'stuff' in my body.

Its the drugs. Stop taking them and im sure you will go back to how you were before them. It will take time though. I used MDMA 10 pills a week for 4 years straight. that was 5 years ago and im still a little fucked and im sure alot of my mental illnesses were made 1000 times worse from all the drug abuse even though i had them before.

 

[Jktm]

I'm not a doctor, but from your description, I would bet you have panic disorder w/o agoraphobia. Panic disorder is characterized by random panic attacks caused by unknown triggers (though sometimes they can be learned) and having a fear of future panic attacks. The sufferer dreads the idea of future panic attacks occurring, and they often become debilitated by this fear. They tend to avoid the things that they believe cause the panic attacks, which sometimes are necessary things to enjoy a full life. I can't answer whether or not it's your drug use that's setting you off or not, but it could definitely be a major factor. Only you can identify your triggers though, and only you can find the best way to deal with these triggers. It's your mind, not ours.

You need to psych yourself out of this fear of medication, as you will more than likely need some type of medication in the future for an illness, pain, or medical problem. Common treatment for this disorder involves CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy...aka talk therapy), and certain medications including benzodiazepines (though these carry a very strong dependence if taken continuously; it's worse than painkillers) such as Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin, and SSRI/SNRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor/Serotonin - Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor) antidepressants such as zoloft, effexor, and prozac.

And from doing some light digging, I've gathered that piracetam is believed to be better for decreasing levels of depression and anxiety than it is for memory.

I hope you can get your anxiety under control, because I know from personal experience just how much it can hold you back (I have to leave class often because of anxiety/panic attacks). Get yourself to a counselor at least, and possibly a psychiatrist if you're open to medication therapy. I hope this post helped you somewhat, and I wish you the best of luck.

Doug