Guide to Dealing with Anxiety/Panic Attacks, and Paranoia

weedidas · Feb 25, 2009

Put together some info that will be useful to people with anxiety or paranoia. I used to suffer from regular anxiety and panic attacks years ago, and completely overcame them. These articles are more geared towards smoking and and panic attacks. Also check out the helpful links at the bottom of the post.

ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS

Stop! If you are reading this thread, you probably have some questions and a unique story that you need answers to. I will try to help you out as best I can from what I have read on here regarding panic attacks and the types of users that have had them and what they did to get through it. Please read through this entire article before posting, as it is full of useful information on the varying types of panic attacks and what kind of symptoms to look for that scream panic attack.
Panic Attack. Noun.

The sudden onset of intense anxiety characterized by feelings of intense fear and apprehension and accompanied by palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, and trembling. Also called anxiety attack.
It appears that the majority of users who experience a panic attack fit into a certain category. Victims of the panic attack tend to be younger, either in high school or in college. Their inexperience in the use of cannabis is a contributing factor to their perceived fears, which result in the classical panic attack. Often times consuming more cannabis than usual, or a more potent form than usual, can trigger a panic attack. This could mean smoking out of a device or form of cannabis that is new to you: a gravity bong, kif, hash, or a blunt to name just a few. The setting is also a huge psychological factor and depending on where you are, it can allow your mind-in combination with your personality-to distort what you see. Users typically think the cannabis is to blame, yet people often forget the power of their own mind to distort reality and make a fuss out of something that is just a perception. At the end of the day though, it is all in your mind.

A panic attack as a result of cannabis use has some unique symptoms to it that you should be aware of. A racing heartbeat, or the feeling that you are going to have a heart attack, is one of the most commonly reported effects. Another heart related symptom is being able to feel your heart beat throughout your entire body, like a pounding almost. Palpitations might accompany this feeling too, as your anxiety might focus on your heart skipping beats. Hot and cold flashes as well as sweating have been reported. Another common symptom is tingling in the body and numbness of the limbs. Trembling or uncontrollable shaking has been reported, especially if you go from one altitude to another, smoke cigarettes, consume lots of caffeine, or take medications like Ritalin. Some users report visual and auditory hallucinations, but these are often confused with the effects of cannabis to increase the vividness of colors and sounds. Just remember, this is a psychoactive drug, but it is also a drug that has been used for thousands of years and no one has ever died from it nor has anyone developed a mental disorder because of their use, unless of course you are predisposed to one.

Most studies contribute a panic attack to THC, the psychoactive part of the plant. Strains that are higher in cannabidiol (CBD) tend to counter THC. This would mean medical strains or an indica, which has a higher ratio of cannabidiol to THC than a sativa, which is mainly THC. Cannabidiol has anti-anxiety properties that counter the effect of THC. This is probably because it decreases the rate of THC to clear from the body, perhaps by interfering with the metabolism of THC in the liver. It is also responsible for a majority of the medicinal properties of cannabis and relieves things like convulsions, inflammation, anxiety, and nausea.

Users also confuse a panic attack with the notion that their bud is laced. Honestly, 99.999% of the time your bud is not going to be laced unless you specifically ask for it that way. It is not economically sound for a dealer to distort cannabis by pumping more money into it. Remember, some drugs cannot even be smoked, like LSD. Something like cocaine would be easy to recognize, and PCP has a very distinct odor that is nothing like the smell of cannabis. If you really do fear getting laced bud though, just do not smoke at a party or with someone you do not know. Make sure you roll or pack up your own bud if it is a big concern for you.

If you do experience a panic attack, there are a couple of things you can do to help cope with it. First off, relax! Try to lie or sit down and just close your eyes. While you are doing this, take a big, deep breath through your nose and hold it for a couple of seconds. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. Do this for a good minute. Keep reminding yourself that this â€œfeelingâ€ is all in your mind, that you are not smoking something that is laced, that it is just cannabis, and that no one has ever died from this. Breathing is the most important part of this, it really helps calm you down. Try stepping outside to get a breath of fresh air, and do it away from people. Often times being surrounded by a large group of loud people and music can further increase your panic attack, so just get away. Find an escape somewhere and just breathe! Get a glass of cold water and maybe some bread or crackers. Try to divert your attention away from your panic attack by watching the television, taking a cold shower, or even masturbation-as odd as that sounds. Anything that can take your mind away from what is going on is going to help, which is another reason why breathing is very important.

You can avoid future panic attacks by following a couple of guidelines. One, stick to smoking with close friends in a place that you are familiar and comfortable with. Turn the lights down a little bit, put some music on at a low level, maybe light a couple candles or some incense. When you do smoke, stick to what you know. You do not need to smoke out of a gravity bong or a five-gram blunt. You do not need to hold your hits in for as long as you can either. Also, next time you smoke just take one hit and nothing more. Wait for fifteen minutes and if you are not high, take another one. Eating a solid meal at least thirty minutes before smoking can also help. Moreover, if you are really new to smoking, stay away from other substances while you are smoking, such as alcohol. This will only increase your chances of you experiencing a panic attack. Meditation can drastically reduce your chances of having a panic attack, try doing it a couple times a week.

Cannabis may produce directly an acute panic reaction, a toxic delirium, an acute paranoid state, or acute mania. Whether it can directly evoke depressive or schizophrenic states, or whether it can lead to sociopathy or even to "amotivational syndrome" is much less certain. The existence of specific cannabis psychosis, postulated for many years, is still not established. The fact that users of cannabis may have higher levels of various types of psychopathology does not infer a casual relationship. Indeed, the evidence rather suggests that virtually every diagnosable psychiatric illness among cannabis users began before the first use of the drug. Use of alcohol and tobacco, as well as sexual experience and "acting-out" behavior, usually antedated the use of cannabis. When the contributions of childhood misbehavior, school behavioral problems, and associated use of other illicit drugs were taken into account, it was difficult to make a case for a deleterious effect of regular cannabis use. Thus, it seems likely that psychopathology may predispose to cannabis use rather than the other way around.

1. ACUTE PANIC REACTION

This adverse psychological consequence of cannabis use is probably the most frequent. About one in three users in high school reported having anxiety, confusion, or other unpleasant effects from cannabis use. These unpleasant experiences were not always associated with unfamiliarity with the drug; some subjects experienced these adverse reactions after repeated use. The conventional wisdom, however, is that such acute panic reactions occur more commonly in relatively inexperienced users of cannabis, more commonly when the dose is larger than that to which users may have become accustomed, and more commonly in older users who may enter the drug state with a higher level of initial apprehension.

The acute panic reactions associated with cannabis are similar to those previously reported to be caused by hallucinogens. The subject is most concerned about losing control or even of losing his or her mind. Reactions are usually self-limited and may respond to reassurance or "talking down"; in the case of cannabis use, sedatives are rarely required as the inherent sedative effect of the drug, following initial stimulation, often is adequate. Occasionally one may see a dissociative reaction, but this complication is readily reversible. Depersonalization may be more long lasting and recurrent, somewhat akin to "flashbacks" reported following hallucinogens; the electroencephalogram shows no abnormality.

2. TOXIC DELIRIUM

Very high doses of cannabis may evoke a toxic delirium, manifested by marked memory impairment, confusion, and disorientation. This nonspecific adverse psychological effect is seen with many drugs, but the exact mechanism is not clear in the case of cannabis as it is in the case of datura stramonium smoking, for instance, which produces potent anti-cholinergic actions. As high doses of any drug tend to prolong its action, delirium is self-limited and requires no specific treatment. Highly potent preparations of cannabis are not as readily available in North America as in other parts of the world, so these reactions are less commonly observed in the United States and Canada.

3. ACUTE PARANOID STATES

It is difficult to gauge the frequency of these reactions. In a laboratory setting, they are frequently encountered. Quite possibly the experimental setting creates a paranoid frame of reference to begin with. That this reaction is not peculiar to the laboratory is evident from reports in which it has been experienced in social settings. The illegal status of the drug might contribute in such instances, for while intoxicated, one might be more fearful of the consequences of being caught. Undoubtedly, the degree of paranoia of the individual is also an important determinant, so that this reaction may represent interplay between the setting in which the drug is taken as well as the personality traits of the user.

4. PSYCHOSES

A variety of psychotic reactions has been ascribed to cannabis use. Many are difficult to fit into the usual diagnostic classifications. Two cases of manic reaction were reported in children who were repeatedly exposed to cannabis by elders. Both required treatment with antipsychotic drugs but ultimately showed a full recovery. Hypomania, with persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations, withdrawal, and thought disorder, was observed in four Jamaican subjects who had increased their use of cannabis. Twenty psychotic patients admitted to a mental hospital with high urinary cannabinoid levels were compared with twenty such patients with no evidence of exposure to cannabis. The former group was more agitated and hypomanic but showed less affective flattening, auditory hallucinations, incoherence of speech, and hysteria than the twenty matched control patients. The cannabis patients improved considerably after a week, while the control patients were essentially unchanged. Thus, a self-limiting hypomanic-schizophrenic-like psychoses following cannabis has been documented.

5. FLASHBACKS

This curious phenomenon, in which events associated with drug use are suddenly thrust into consciousness in the non-drugged state, has never been satisfactorily explained. It is most common with LSD and other similar hallucinogens but has been reported fairly often with cannabis use. At first, it was thought that the phenomenon occurred only in subjects who had used LSD as well as cannabis, but recent experience indicates that it occurs in those whose sole drug use is cannabis. One possibility is that flashbacks represent a kind of dÃ©jÃ vu phenomenon. Another is that they are associated with recurrent paroxysmal seizure-like activity in the brain. The most unlikely possibility is that they are related to a persistent drug effect. They may occur many months removed from the last use of either LSD or cannabis, so that it is highly unlikely that any active drug could still be present in the body. Further, the interval between last drug use and the flashback is one in which the subject is perfectly lucid. For the most part, the reactions are mild and require no specific treatment.
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- http://www.marijuana.com/medicinal-marijuana/19551-panic-anxiety-attacks.html

Watch these
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdLnh-Za-34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVaypd4sR3c

Blood Sugar and Anxiety

4:20 And Why It's Not A Good Idea For Some
The causes of dope anxiety and paranoia are both mental and chemical. Although some episodes can be created by your expectations and fears about having a bad high, it's more likely that much of your discomfort is being created by the things I talk about below. Even if you've never had a moment's anxiety with weed in your life, it'll be useful if you can read through the following just in case it should ever happen â€“ and just to check that you really are avoiding these pitfalls.

Blood Sugar & Mood
Changes in blood sugar levels can be responsible for pretty extreme effects when you're high, both good and bad, so you have to pay real attention to it if you want to get, and keep, a good high.

Too much blood sugar, from eating a lot of candy, for example, and you get a rush as the dope high and the sugar high combine â€“ but the sugar high is short-lived, and will make you want to fall asleep as your system burns off the excess insulin that all the sugar has forced the release of. Too little blood sugar, and things go from uncomfortable to extremely unpleasant very quickly.

As you first start to get stoned, your metabolism hikes up a notch and causes a sudden dip in blood sugar. That's no problem if you've just eaten, but if you're already on the edge of being hungry without realising it, that first toke can make you feel pretty nasty in less than ten minutes. Never take the chance of getting high when you're somewhere without access to the right kinds of food and drink, just in case. If you have the added 'pleasure' of being a borderline diabetic and you don't know it, you could get into quite a state from just that one first high, if you're not careful.

The problem for we tokers is that many regular users begin their day's session in the late afternoon at 4:20, as work is winding down, and maybe an hour or two before their evening meal â€“ just at the very time when their blood sugar is already on the wane. If this is you, you'll more than likely feel a lot of the symptoms below within ten minutes or so of getting high. Eat! Better still, make sure that you've eaten well in advance of getting high.

For any weed user, even without food binges, the increase in metabolism that dope creates burns off blood sugar very quickly, so you're much more likely to have the symptoms listed below. Look out for any of the following as indicators of low blood sugar:

Sweating, shaking, anxiety, hunger, dizziness, faintness, pounding heart, personality changes, confused thinking, impatience, numbness of lips and tongue, headache, nausea, blurred vision, slurred or slow speech, convulsions, coldness, white hands and face. Eventually, if not attended to, can lead to unconsciousness.

If all of that's not bad enough, you can also have low blood sugar at night when you're asleep, and you may wake up with some of these same symptoms. As I said earlier, the rhythm of your high could mean that you get your best highs when you're asleep at night, so the weed is still working away on your metabolism into the early hours of the morning.

There's no getting away from the fact that too much weed can make getting out of bed the following day a bit of a struggle, but if you get headaches, muscle aches and a grogginess that you can't seem to shake and that seems disproportionate to your weed intake, then low blood sugar could be the cause. If you're already prone to night time dips in blood sugar (as many people are), then the dope will exacerbate that and make you feel much worse when you wake up. Check out your diet.

What foods then?
When you appreciate that not eating properly is going to reduce the amount of pleasure you can get from your weed a lot, then things have become truly serious. To overcome this, eat foods that release sugars slowly, if they contain them. 'Slow-release' sugars, such as fructose â€“ as opposed to fast-release, quick up, quick down, glucose sugars - are poorly absorbed (hence why they're referred to as 'slow'). Potatoes and bananas are slow-release, for example; bread is possibly the fastest release of all. At the very least, have toast and a good bowl of cereal an hour or two before you start getting high; that way, you're sure to begin with a steady glucose supply to keep you, and your brain, stable.

If you're high and going through a sugar crash, and are in need of quick relief (without the downside of see-sawing blood sugar levels that you'll get from things like chocolate), bread, figs and especially dates, are very good for getting you rapidly back to normal.

Adrenaline & Cannabis
A second cause of dope-anxiety is something I term here the 'Adrenaline Cascade'; really a mild form of 'shock'. After any stressful event, anxiety causes your system to dump adrenaline (also called epinephrine) into your blood-stream, creating a rapid heart-beat, a growing demand on your BSL, and thus deeper and deeper feelings of anxiety as your BSL levels drop. Of course, you'll usually find these effects uncomfortable or worrying, thus causing the release of even more adrenaline and a worsening of symptoms. This vicious circle of adrenaline release will be increasingly hard to overcome, and the deeper it gets the more likely it is to lead to a 'white-out' due to its depressive effects on your blood sugar.

Many things trigger the release of adrenaline:

Apprehension about potentially bad highs

Stress

Anxiety

Fatigue

Stimulants, such as alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, and heroin.

Bright lights

Loud noises

Exercise

Sugar sensitivity

Abnormal glucose metabolism

Again, do not underestimate the mental effects that adrenaline can cause by itself - irregular heart-beat, palpitations, abnormal behaviour, anxiety and headaches - even before it starts reducing our BSL to a point where it can no longer support full brain function (about 60% of our blood sugar is used by our brains).

Unfortunately, there's very little you can do to remove excess adrenaline from your system once it's in there, and it can only really be counteracted by 'nor-adrenaline', something that usually only our bodies can provide. It can be burned off by exercise, but if adrenaline has caused a very deep dip in your BSL then that may not be a viable option. The only things you can truly do are: eat to get rid of some of the more unpleasant symptoms; or, simply wait it out, knowing that it is a brief physiological effect.

I've seen a number of people offering advice to 'just suck it up and it'll go away' on this particular kind of anxiety and, to some extent that is helpful, as relaxing and trying to be calm will help break the cycle of adrenaline release. On the other hand, if someone is having an intense version of this then relaxing is far easier said than done and, if you should experience the above yourself, then you need to treat yourself as you would for low BSL and the effects of a grade 4 high (see later), removing yourself from any strong stimuli - lights, noises, etc. - that might help promote the effects of the high and further adrenaline release.

It's interesting to consider all of the effects that adrenaline has on our systems, especially when we're high, in light of the small amount of research that's been done into cannabis and the control of BSL in diabetics. Cannabis works for some diabetics in this respect, but not all. Some have found that it lowers BSL and helps control the illness, others that it has no effect at all, which may simply be down to the amount of adrenaline they might or might not produce when they're high. Many have rigorously self-tested their BSL and found that cannabis causes an initial rise in blood sugar (caused by increased hydrolysis of glycogen to glucose), followed by a low period where they're unable to return their background sugar levels to a normal level.

If we look at the actions of adrenaline in this respect then the mechanism that prevents this rise becomes obvious (remember that this same effect will be present in anyone who has a burst of adrenaline in their systems, not just diabetics): adrenaline prepares the body for 'fight or flight' in an emergency by increasing the supply of glucose and oxygen to the brain and muscles, whilst at the same time suppressing other less-important processes, digestion in particular. This means that the initial elevation in blood-sugar (through increased catabolism) may be short-lived, and whether it then leads to a later dip and anxiety is dependent on the amount of adrenaline present in the blood at the time. Not only does it reduce the bodies ability to take in new blood sugar to redress the balance, but it increases speedier depletion of stored blood sugar, preventing restoration.

Some people, particularly those with bad diets or who are subjected regularly to stress, may have semi-permanent hypoglycemia (a deficiency of glucose in the blood), resulting in adverse reactions to cannabis through their bodies inability to control adrenaline and/or cortisol through 'adrenal fatigue'.

The Answer
In light of the above, those who know they're already at risk from fluctuating BSL will find that their symptoms of anxiety during cannabis use will be significantly reduced if they can pay full attention not only to those levels before use, but also setting and mood before use, as recommended in other chapters here.

Testing for Hypoglycemia
'Many more people believe they have hypoglycemia than actually test positive when given blood-sugar tests...
Dr. Callaway suspects that people can experience pharmacological effects from sugar, even if blood-sugar levels remain within the normal range. People's responses to fluctuating blood-sugar levels vary greatly. Some people experience symptoms when blood-sugar levels are well within the normal range, while others report no symptoms even when blood-sugar levels have dropped substantially. It is likely that each person has a unique blood-sugar range, with fatigue or mood changes occurring when levels fluctuate above or below these levels. (Pages 109, 112)'
'Food & Mood' Somer, Elizabeth, M.A., R.D. (Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 1999.)

From 'Cannabis & Meditation â€“ An Explorer's Guide'

MelT
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PARANOIA
The stoners guide to Paranoia.

Fist a little introduction to who I am. I am the most Paranoid person you know. But at looking at me you would never know it. I am cool and level headed, the whole of my being projects confidence. I am not better or superior to any of you. I just had different circumstances in my life than most of you.

I own several businesses and travel more time a year than I live in the USA. I am comfortable in any environment or situation. If hell is breaking out all around you...I am the one you want on your team.

I cant tell you of all that I have seen and done but all I ask you to do is read this with an open mind and ask yourself...Does this make sense? Is this logical? Do I feel based on this information that it can work for me? Only you can answer these questions.

When I say I am a Professional Paranoid I am not bragging but simply stating the facts. Most people would not want to know what I know or see what I have seen. But the beauty of it is what I know can help you when you are high as hell or even in regular life.

Okay first concept:

Paranoia is total awareness!

How is that for a thought? Paranoia is being totally aware of the dangers of a situation. It is looking at the root of your fear. By examining your fears you can overcome them.

There is no way I can finish all this information in one post. I have a life. It will take more than one post to clear this up and many people will have questions as it goes along. That is fine just be patent.

You can control any stoned fear you have. Identify the problem and that look at it.

Stoned out in public.

Lots of stoners have this problem.

First stoners often have red eyes. Eye drops will solve this problem.

Second stoners can have weed breath- breath mints gum or will solve this.

Third stoners smell like weed. There are many body sprays, perfumes or colognes that can cover this. Wash your hands completely before you go outside to the world. That roach makes your hands smell.

Fourth stoners have a look. Do not play the part. Shirts with pot leaves when you are stoned is like having the words "Come fuck with me Pig!" on them. If you look like a gangsta the world will treat you like one. In public look like a "nice young person", not a thug.

Fifth stoners have a talk. Save you "Like wow! Dude, I am blazed" talk for when you are with your buds at a safe indoor environment. In public speak at a normal pace.

Sixth stoners avoid eye contact when they are talking to people who are not stoned. If you always look nervously away when you talk to others they begin to know you are hiding something. Look in their eyes then glance at their nose and then back at their eyes.

Seventh stoners often carry weed in public when they have no need to. If you don't have it on you...they cant bust you for carrying weed.

Eighth stoners have a walk and body language.. Walk around straight with your head held high. Slumping and looking down sends a message. You do not want to send that message. Have the confidence of the person who owns the mall/ business or just pretend that you do. So make all your actions cautious and deliberate. Avoid making fast gestures. Make your movements with purpose.

Ninth stoners think that the world cares they are stoned. Bullshit! Most of the world is so busy struggling to make ends meet, they hardly know or care about you. They have their own life to think about. You are not a big factor in their life.

Tenth stoners sometimes hang with and smoke with some real dumb-fucks. You are judged by the company you keep. If the people you smoke with are sketchy you pick up that energy. You can get busted because of the stupid actions of people around you. Let the dumb fucks be dumb fucks somewhere else and not around you.
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Is it any wonder stoners are paranoid?

Is it any wonder stoners are paranoid? We have been force fed incorrect proiganda about Marijuana all of our lives. Media, school teachers. parents and more rattle off the same incorrect propaganda that they were told. It is on TV so it must be true, right? Wrong!

The fact is people buy into the things they have been told over and over for years. Does anyone actually check what they are being told? No, they are to busy trying to make a life for themselves.

If you actually check you will find the vast majority of stuff you have been told about weed is bullshit!

The facts are no one has died from smoking marijuana. Okay, I suppose there have been dumb fucks that have choked to death trying to swallow a half ounce after seeing the cop car turn its lights on for a traffic stop. But regular people do not die from smoking to much weed.

Also some of the statistics are not accurate about car accidents. The vast majority of car accidents that have marijuana statistics on them usually involved significant amounts of alcohol. Do they tell you this? No they don't.

Do they tell you that millions of dumb fucks die in accidents in which weed was not involved in any way? No.

Do they tell you it is major pharmaceutical companies that do not want weed legal? No, they don't want something completely natural that has healing properties widely available. You can't patent and control the market for a plant that is easily grown.

They say weed makes you a looser. If you believe you are a looser, you will be one. It is not like the highly successful people who smoke are going to go on television and admit they do something illegal.

What the hell does this have to do with Paranoia?

Everything! When you are doing something that you have been brainwashed to think is bad and evil, of course you are going to be nervous when you smoke it. Paranoia comes naturally when you have been fed lies all of your life. You need to learn the truth. Just because you have been told something all of your life does not make it true.

Take nothing for truth until you have really investigated it. That includes everything I say.

Tips for coping in public.

You hopefully have read my first post and are practicing the steps. But what if you still have a hard time dealing with the public?

When walking somewhere in public. As you walk in public in the center of your mind have your destination in mind. Focus on were you are going. Even if you are just walking to the coffee shop or a restroom. By focusing on where you are going you are concentrating of your goal of getting to the place and not all the people in public.

Most people will not give you more than a passing look if your eyes do not meet. Once the eyes meet they have to notice you.

If you cant stop looking into someones eyes when you pass them in public, do what I do...give them a controlled smile and a slight nod of the head and continue on to your destination. Smiling and the quick nod give other people and immediate positive impression of you. Life is tough and a smile brightens someones day.

If you happen onto a conversation or a friend comes up and talks to you remember what is posted in my first post.

Always have excuses for everything. Prepare your stories before hand.

If you are twitchy and a authority figure asks you about it tell them you drank 3 Red Bulls for breakfast and you are not feeling very well right now. Have excuses for any situation.

If you look tired and have a hard time following or making conversations and you are asked about it, tell them that your girlfriend dumped you and you are really depressed, Then state that you really don't feel like talking about it and you need some time alone.

Get thinking before hand of what you might say if someone asks you why you are acting strange. Preparation is key and easier than trying to come up with an excuse when their question threw you off balance.

Some people are really concerned of what other people think of them. You have read the first post and in no way come across as a stoner. But what if I still care of what others think?

I am going to solve this problem for you right hear and now.

WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!

There I just saved you major frustration in your life. Anyone who has accomplished anything major in life has been seen by others as a total nut job. Learn the lives of successful people you will see they all had people who scoffed and laughed at them.

This is the end of the second post. I love comments and suggestions and do read them. However from this point on I will defer from commenting on them as I have to get the major part of this work done. I will respond to questions and comments after the remaining posts have been finished.

It is not that I do not love you. I do! But I need to focus on finishing the bulk of this work and then I will address all comments and questions. If need be I will ad additional sections.

I now must go and continue my battle against evil. I am outnumbered and surrounded. It should be a fun night!
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Sometimes paranoia is telling you something...

Sometimes paranoia is telling you something...

Trust your feelings, Luke.

The people and the environment are an important factor in being comfortable.

If the people and place are not right, paranoia can kick in.

Are the people grounded and generally positive? If not being around them is going to effect you. Like it or not we pick up energy from the people we are around. Hang with positive stoners.

Is the environment safe? Or are you creating unnecessary risks by smoking there? These things need to be on your mind when you get stoned.

If you are getting others stoned it is your job to create of positive safe environment. If people are self conscious or do not feel safe they will not enjoy their smoking experience. Have DVDs and games ready. If that award silence starts coming on suggest and activity.

"Oh, My god I am freaking out, I am going to die!"...You.

No you are not!

Okay calm down and realize no one has ever died from smoking some weed. If you are standing, sit down. Now you need to breath in deeply through your nose, hold it for a second then exhale through your mouth. When you breath out expel all of your breath. Then repeat the process. Do this several times or until you calm yourself.

Now ask yourself what is wrong. When we figure out what we are paranoid about we can do something about it. Once you have identified the fear ask yourself what you can do about it.

Sometimes we are paranoid for good reasons. Leaving the situation might not only help the paranoia it will save your ass.

Are the people freaking you out? Maybe there is a reason. If you have decided it is the people, leave the situation immediately. Make an excuse and go.

If it is the environment that is freaking you out. Leave the environment.

When we breath in and out to calm down and ask our self what we are freaked about, we will get an answer. When you have a reason figured out as to why you are freaking out, act on it.

If you are in public and start to freak grab anything handy to read and sit down and stare at it. It could be a newspaper, book, brochure, sales paper or recept. Put it in front of your face and stare at it. To the outside world you are reading a sales paper or trying to figure out if the store clerk overcharged you on your receipt. Nothing unusual there. Then do the breathing and asking yourself what is wrong. Sit there as long as you need.

If at home alone. Do the deep breathing and asking what you are freaking out about. Perhaps spray some air freshener, put your smoke safely away and brush your teeth/ wash hands. I cant tell you how many times this has saved my ass. People can show up unexpectedly.

If you take the immediate steps for what is freaking you out, you can then rest assured that if someone shows up your area is clean of any contraband and you can relax knowing that you are in a safe environment.

Then find a safe activity. Watch a DVD. Reading a book stoned is a great way to distract yourself and many people find reading high an extreamly enjoyable experience. Try it! You are focusing on the book so distracting thoughts won't bother you enjoyment. When you read others will not wounder why you are so quiet.

"Oh, My God I am freaking out, I am going to die!"...Someone else.

No they are not!

Remind them no one has ever died from smoking some weed and repeat the steps above with having them breath deeply and relax and ask them what they are freaking about. Guide them through the steps.

The next post is going to be the most intense section . It is also going to be the longest post.

It deals with the "Man". Understanding the police and their game and how to cover your ass. The police are the most realistic people to be paranoid about.

But we are going to face that real threat head on.

You are not Paranoid, if people really are out to get you.
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The cops are not your friends when it comes to weed.

The cops are not your friends when it comes to weed. They want to take your weed away and also your freedom.

An arrest record can follow you around for the rest of your life. It can prevent you from getting jobs. It can get you kicked out of school and lose financial aid for college.

It is serious shit. The cop is your enemy! Sure some cops are cool but the majority are not.

Why are they out to get you and your weed? Because you are such an easy target! Stoners are easy to profile and they usually are not armed with guns. Meth dealers are often armed and will resist with every bit of effort they have.

So how do we avoid the very real fear of cops. Fly below their radar.

When driving in a car I do not recommend smoking weed. However I am a realist and know that a good portion of you will regardless. So with that in mind and understanding the real dangers of getting busted lets continue...

It is best to smoke joints only in a car. It is rather hard to swallow a pipe if you see the flashing lights behind you. A joint will not taste good but you can eat the evidence. I do not even want to think what a Blunt would taste like.

Roll just as many joints as you think you might need for a given outing before you leave. Stash the rest in a safe place.

You only need what you are going to smoke. Worst case scenario you might eat a joint or two if you get pulled over, but you still have your stash safely hidden at home. Plus this also prevents you from spilling weed in your car. (It is a sin to waste good weed)

Always make sure you tags and registration are up to date. Having expired tags is asking for a cop to pull you over.

You need to make sure both headlight work as well as your break lights and blinkers. If they don't work. Fix them immediately. Cops also look for things such as the light working above you licence plate at night. These little bulbs are usually less than a buck at an auto parts store. They are easy to replace.

What cops do is automatically assume anyone driving outside after 12:00am is up to no good, so they actively look for these little things as reasons to pull people over.

NEVER HAVE "DARE" or "SUPPORT YOUR POLICE" type of bumper stickers on your car! This is a cop magnet! You are not fooling anyone. Cops look for these.

It is better not to have a bumper sticker on your car at all. Bumper stickers draw attention to your car.

Anything can draw a cops attention to your car. Is it dirty outside, is it messy inside? Keep your car clean looking. Is your music blaring and shaking the windows of cars around you?

I am not going to give advice on what to say if you get pulled over. It is your job to learn your rights. The ACLU has a website. Make it your business to go there and learn.

If they do pull you over though, I suggest do some deep breathing and have an excuse as the where you are going and why. Remember always prepare excuses before you leave your house.

When talking to them it is "yes sir" and "no sir". Be polite and answer their questions but do not engage in a lot of conversation. If he gives you a ticket for something sign it and be polite and go on your way. After you are on your way you can talk about how he is an asshole.
Click to expand...

Smoking in Public.

Smoking in Public.

This is a high risk proposition. I advise you not to do it. But if you do, do not carry you whole stash with you. There are several stealth methods to smoking in public. It is up to you to do your research on this one. But if you take the risk realize there could be consequences.

Smoking in the Home.

Do not draw attention to yourself.

If the outside of your house or apartment looks like a Bee hive on acid, with people zipping in and out, you have a problem.

Constant traffic gets noticed by your nosy uptight neighbors. They have no life so they make it their business to snoop into yours. Watch out for these bothersome pests. Continuous people coming in and out will piss off you neighbors. They will call your landlord or the cops.

Control the weed smell. There are plenty of ways to eliminate the smell of weed. Learn them and use them.

Loud music is cool and fun to party with. However if you are in an apartment or in a neighborhood with working class people you might need to realize, there are people who do not want you to have fun. These bores will call the cops at a drop of the hat if they think someone is enjoying life. Keep the music at a reasonable level.

Always throw away seeds and stems away in an area that is away from your house. Cops do not need a search warrant to search your trash. Dump your seeds and stems in a trash can in a convenience store or public trash can somewhere.

Trespassing on someones property or being in an area that is closed to the public after dark and blazing at night is not a good idea. This is common sense, but you would be surprised how many people don't think before they smoke.

I can't talk of dealing paranoia here. That is a whole subject unto itself. But if I was dealing (I AM NOT!), I would only deal with friends that I knew well. I would also get a Radio Frequency detector (bug detector) you can buy these for $50 and up on known auction sites. The more expensive the better and learn to use it.

What will usually happen is they will bust one of your friends and offer them a deal. So if your friends behavior and patterns change I would discreetly scan them with the radio frequency detector. Better safe than sorry.

Paranoia is understanding the dangers of a situation. When You understand the dangers you can act!

I did not really deal with personal insecurities here. That is another subject in itself. I can talk or write for hours about building confidence but it is really beyond the scope of paranoia.

But if you are afraid someone is going to jump you when you are stoned, I advise you to take Martial Arts. You will learn how to fight but more importantly it will teach you to walk away form conflict.

Well this rambling is pretty much done. When we understand the risks we can take action and overcome the fear.

If you look at everything rationally and take the steps, there is no reason to be a paranoid stoner. Most of this is common sense.

About the author> I have been involved in more shit than most people can imagine. I have been a marijuana grower, dealer, smuggler, trafficker and general all around stoner.

I have never spend a day in jail or prison. My record is clean.

I have been constantly harassed by cops including two separate long DEA interrogations.

I am no longer involved in selling, growing or distributing drugs. I am just a stoner.

I am a businessman and a activist and the worst enemy of the New World Order and all others who want to take our freedom away.

I am ?? years old (but a sexy ??!!) and I US citizen, but most of my time is spent in Central and South America.

I will fight the forces of evil in this world until the day I die.

I am not in a relationship now, but I am looking.(did I mention I am hot?)

Thank you for honoring me by reading this. I hope if nothing else it allows us to laugh at ourselves as stoners. Admit it we are a hilarious group of people.

There is plenty to be paranoid about in this world. Weed should not be one of those things.

All of my Love forever.

Unknown American
Click to expand...

- http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=277219

Marijuana And Paranoia

Marijuana and Paranoia seems to go hand and hand for a lot of people. I would like to start out by saying that when I first started getting into weed I used to get panic attacks every time which was just about everyday for two months. I studied my parnoia and what triggered it. Below I will give some information about the parnoia and ways to help.

What is paranoia?
A psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution with or without grandeur, often strenuously defended with apparent logic and reason.
Basically just fear ranging from slight to imense ammounts.

Why is paranoia triggered by marijuana?
THC is a psychoactive compound and it should not be unexpected that some negative reactions or "side effects" could occur in a small number of individuals.

I believe that marijuana triggers panic attacks and anxiety attacks to the people who are susceptible to it. See a lot of people are susceptible to paranoia and panic attacks for a few reasons. One reason being strees. Stress has a dramatic effect on your health, not only marijuana related. It can cause serious health problems and weakens the immune system. Now why would stress cause me to have panic attacks? Simple, the stress puts a large burden on you whether you realize it or not. Now marijuana has been known to open up doors in your mind that you thought were closed for good. Another reason is simply people read/watch/listen to to much bullshit. A lot of people think marijuana causes heart attacks and increases your chance.. BS. The increase in heart rate from marijuana is a mild 10-15 BPM (Beats Per Minute). Only time that would cause a heart attack is when people have heart problems such as angina, heart disease, etc. Also the increase in heart rate lasts for around 15-60 minutes. So if you can walk non stop for 15-60 minutes without heart pain, you can smoke marijuana. A third reason is because people think they will get caught by police, parents, friends, teachers, etc.. Ok this is understandable. But if you smoke your shit right and take the proper precautions and do it respectably this should not happen. Here are some tips for dealing with the paranoia and panic attacks.

1) Breath. Breath deep in the nose hold for 3 seconds and exhale through the mouth.
2) Music. Play some laid back music, and sing with it. Singing to your favorite rap or rock song will make you think about it and pay attention to singing it thus getting your mind off the panic attack / paranoia attack.
3) Friends. Smoke with friends for a while, experienced ones also. They know the deal and if they are real friends they will aid you threw this.
4) Comfortability. Smoke when your comfortable. Dont force yourself to do it, wait till your read, it will happen if you follow my tips and do some of your own self-help.
5) Smoke during the day. A lot of people get afraid when walking threw the street at night high as fuck.
6) Keep active. Don't sit down and think about it and provoke it.
7) Talk to yourself. Reassure yourself that marijuana has never killed or caused any health problems to anyone. NO ONE HAS DIED FROM MJ. It's safer then cigs and alcky and pills.
8) TV/School/etc. = bullshit. If you are getting scared because of what you read, heard watched or saw on the tv, in school, on the PC, etc.. THEY WON. They want to scare you so you don't do it. Know don't let them keep you from enjoying this god created herb. Tell them to fuck off.
9) Do not lay down on your left side, this has been known to trigger panic attacks.
10) Stay active. If the panic/parnoia is racing threw your mind get yourself active until it simmers down a bit then do the self-talk. remember to do breathing excersises.
11) ELIMINATE THE BULLSHIT IN YOUR LIFE. If you are worried about stuff, stressing, scared, or have some negativities in your life, marijuana may trigger off paranoia / anxiety as a result.
12) Do not do anything that would make you paranoid or suffer anxiety attacks while sober.

Some facts:

Is it possible for people to really be allergic to marijuana:
Yes. But the chances are low and 90% of people who think they are, are just paranoid or unstable. I think around 1-3% of the world is alergic to marijuana, or hashish.

Does getting fucking blitzed out the ass increase chance of paranoia?
Yes. Take a simple bowl hit and wait 15 minutes. If no paranoia or anxiety comes foruth and you want to get a bit more enlightened, then take another bowl hit and wait 15 mins. With joints/blunts take around 2-3 hits clip and wait 15. Bongs, Vaps, etc.. Fuck you up a lot more, so don't try these until you get a grasp on your paranoia/anxiety.

Does marijuana pose a health risk:
Yes, but barely. Serious healthrisk include NOTHING
The worst thing you have to look forward to when smoking weed is eating to much, and memory problems.

Marijuana make you brain dead?:
Yes and No. Some people have the ability to be able to attend class/work while high and learn just as good or better then when they are sober. For some people it's quite the opposite. Try it on a boring day of school/work not a test day/study day/ etc..

Are there strains that contain no paranoia?
Yes, to the best of my knowledge G-13 is the only one I know of. I'm sure that if there are any others, people on the forums will post it and I shall add it.

And now the closing.
Marijuana is a wonderful herb put on this earth for man to enjoy. Being said, that doesn't mean you can abuse it. Treat the herb good and responsible and the rewards will be amazing. Don't stress shit. Keep your head clear and keep bullshit out. We spend such little time on this world, there is no time to stress the dumb shit. If your paranoid about smoking the jay you just rolled, try talking to yourself and changing the envitornment or adjust yours and get into a comfortable one. If your still worried, keep reading this and practicing the tips along with other guides found on the internet. The herb will always be there, and it will wait for you to ready yourself up for it. Time is all it takes and effort of course. I would like to wish all the smokers suffering from paranoia / anxiety the best of luck with overcoming this obstacle and I hope and pray that you over come this. And as for all the other smokers, happy toking.

P.S. - I was pretty high when I wrote this and i'm sure there is some information I forgot and i'll edit it as I remember.
Click to expand...

- http://forum.grasscity.com/recreational-marijuana-use/174860-marijuana-paranoia.html

Aditional Info / Links

- CurePanicAttacksAway site - These articles and techniques helped me more than anything else

- Short animated videos on anxiety, panic, and techniques to overcome them

- Forum post with alot of people talking about their marijuana related anxiety, you're not the only one

- Tips to avoid Bad Trips

Any questions, just ask!

Now for some comedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfL3qSjJriU"

Suggest *sticky*?
Edit, Made it readable with the forum update. Made text larger and darker for the new GC design, added more info and videos. I wasnt able to edit for the last few years on the old GC, so thank ganja for the new GC!!! YAY!

CjX · Feb 25, 2009

I love this crap

half these guys say weed cures anxiety, and the other half says it makes you parinoid

I used to have real bad anxiety attacks when i was younger and used to smoke weed

cool guide though, very helpful

electrikbroz425 · Feb 25, 2009

i have anxiety and panic attacks. i take xanax. i dont really like it (yea its fun) but it makes me have the worst hangover. thats why i smoke herb. it calms all my nerves down. allows me to stay calm and collected. i just notice though that when im not high i really see the affects of my anxiety and panic feelings.

GlitterPaws · Feb 25, 2009

Definitely worth a sticky. Good guide. +rep

l4m3.u53rn4me · Mar 8, 2009

thanks for posting this

themasochist · Mar 8, 2009

I have Agoraphobia and PTSD I was on 10 mg xanax, perscribed, for 3 yrs. It made me so forgetgul and out of it I quit cold turkey. Never had any seizures which I attribute to smoking. Now I use heavy indicas and some mental techniques learned from therapy. Life is as normal as my mind wants to let me make it.

THC-Vapour · Mar 8, 2009

amazing guide should have a sticky

+rep

MusicMaker · Mar 11, 2009

Awesome information thank you sir. I can relate to everything in your post, and im happy to say ive concored all my anxiety when smoking and in general using techniques suggested. Breathing ect work so so well

enorty · Mar 11, 2009

themasochist said:

I have Agoraphobia and PTSD I was on 10 mg xanax, perscribed, for 3 yrs. It made me so forgetgul and out of it I quit cold turkey. Never had any seizures which I attribute to smoking. Now I use heavy indicas and some mental techniques learned from therapy. Life is as normal as my mind wants to let me make it.
Click to expand...

yes, honestly just taking deep long breathes, and meditation is what turned my life around.

i quit all prescriptions i was taking because frankly they are all bullshit.

was on xanax, trazadone, remeron and some others....

jonkimchi · Mar 11, 2009

dam, more than half of this stuff is true.
ignoring the bad grammar and spelling here and there, this guide is really good.
Great job :blaze:

wenahaone · Mar 12, 2009

Just because you're paranoid
Don't mean they're not after you

yes, paranoia can be a wounder. It has wounded my self esteem and motivation. It even cut my leg once. a large gash....hell of a wound.

tokin86 · Mar 12, 2009

Admin, please stick this!

wenahaone · Mar 13, 2009

Alcohol and heroin aren't stimulants.

I'll edit your post for 20 bucks. Maybe it will be sticky-worthy once I am done with it.

secondarysmoke · Apr 30, 2009

This ^^

themasochist · Apr 30, 2009

pretty nice find

6ganjaprincess9 · Apr 30, 2009

maaan....this would have been a nice find back when i used to get these panic attacks. These things are really scary stuff, but I talk myself out of it now. I'm glad u posted this for the blades.

Roslin · May 22, 2009

electrikbroz425 said:

i have anxiety and panic attacks. i take xanax. i dont really like it (yea its fun) but it makes me have the worst hangover. thats why i smoke herb. it calms all my nerves down. allows me to stay calm and collected. i just notice though that when im not high i really see the affects of my anxiety and panic feelings.
Click to expand...

I also take Xanax for anxiety, lately I did about two weeks without pot - my anxeity increased so much, had panic attacks - ended up at the ER and signed myself in for 3 days in a crisis centre just to stay safe. There were other triggers, but having pot makes it easier to get through the day, to stay alive and to keep taking care of myself.

OP, thank you for posting.

Falcor · Jun 5, 2009

VN!

Going on my 16th year with diagnosed panic disorder - if anyone is still reading this thread I'd like to share the two most important things I've learned:

(1) Daily meditation changes everything.

(2) I've been on tons of meds and talk therapy regimes (Analytic, CBT, and "New_Agey") over the years, but the one thing that has helped me for the long haul is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Get a shrink that talks to you, not a guy that will just write you scripts.

AkDizz · Jun 20, 2009

Good Read. Should Be Stickied.

StoneColdChilla · Jun 21, 2009

People say weed causes paranoia. In a way it does. Its not the weed its all the hiding and shit. The stash boxes. the big bongs to hide, the visine...everything.

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