Guide to Dealing with Anxiety/Panic Attacks, and Paranoia

It's all in your head don't think about it and you will never have it. I too struggle from time to time with paranoia but as long as you keep a positive mind it's all good.

 

With all due respect, that isn't true. I spent years studying (and eventually writing about) the reasons for paranoia and weed taking and found it's nothing about positivity, but everything about having your first of the day at the right time and with the right foods in you stomach. The reason for most instances of white-outs is a blood-sugar crash.

Sorry about the cut and paste, it's easier than writing it again:

Diabetes, Cannabis and Anxiety

The following excerpts were written to clarify the situation regarding cannabis use, diabetes, and the causes of anxiety that some users may experience:

"...The causes of cannabis anxiety and paranoia are both mental and chemical. Although some episodes of anxiety can be created by your expectations and fears about having a bad high, or just simply taking cannabis, 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 cannabis in your life, it'll be useful if you can read through the following just in case it should ever happen – and just to check that you really are avoiding these pitfalls.

Changes in blood sugar levels can be responsible for pretty extreme effects (both good and bad) when you're high, 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 cannabis high and the sugar high combine – but the sugar high is short-lived, and will make you want to fall asleep as soon 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 high, your metabolism may hike up a notch and cause 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.

In terms of the things that make you feel mentally and physically good or bad, blood sugar is way up there with the best of them. As the effects of even slightly low blood sugar can be so extreme as to literally stop us thinking clearly and sanely, it has to be something to consider all the time you're high.

4.20, And Why It May Be Bad For Us

There are good reasons why the traditional idea of starting toking at 4.20pm may not be the good idea we all tend to think it is. Many regular cannabis users begin their day's session in the late afternoon as work is winding down, and maybe an hour or two before their evening meal – 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 cannabis user, even without food binges, the increase in metabolism that cannabis can create 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 it is not attended to, it can lead to unconsciousness.

Adrenaline & Cannabis

A second cause of dope-anxiety is something I term here the 'Adrenaline Cascade'; really a mild form of 'shock'. After any event that has made you anxious, the 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, especially 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.)

Excerpted from 'Cannabis & Meditation – An Explorer's Guide', by Simon Jackson. Headstuff Books 2007. www.headstuffbooks.com

MelT

 

Straight up, I dunno how people get anxiety and panic attacks smoking weed.
Yall are fucked in the head probably smoking crack, not weed. Weed to me, is like coffee in the morning. Maybe you all are actually smoking crack instead. ahahah

Im just playin.

But really I dont get how one can feel paranoid.

 

Read my article above. In the right circumstances, some people have a blood sugar crash on taking weed. The effects of this, whether it's due to weed or just being very hungry, is paranoia and anxiety. Low blood-sugar symptoms are unavoidable once they start, and aren't anything you can work through or ignore.

MelT

 

Probably the most important thread I've read on GC so far, if not the most practically informative and useful.

Occasionally I get a "bad" high. What you might call paranoia, being scared, fearful, or humorously 'anxiety'. I get this under abnormal circumstances that are typically situational. (I expected to stay in with a friend and watch movies and instead I have leave right away to handle an emergency... the panic hits!)

For a more general example.. If I'm high in a comfortable place enjoying recreational time, doing an activity that interests me, or just found out some good news, etc. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it's like to feel anxiety.

I don't consider myself a seasoned toker.. I don't even smoke that much, but I'm very happy with myself and with life! So, I tend to think I'm not as prone to such psychological issues. Still! I get a good spook now and then of irrational thoughts, worry, etc when very very high. Even though I don't smoke much, considering how (generally) happy and carefree I am, it makes me think that others simply don't admit to being similar thoughts/feelings when baked. After all, you can't blame them! Even if I smoked daily, which I haven't done for years, I doubt I'd be perfectly immune to the intensifying affects of a 'bad' high. I'll take any info I can on how to cope and deal with it. Many thanks, again great post.

 

MelT are you fat? Just curious

 

weak minded people get paranoid it's all in your head...

 

Yeah. I definitely didnt think i would ever need this about a two weeks ago. I smoked near daily and never had a problem..

Then my brother had a terrible high and panic attacks about thinking he was dead and stuff. I had to take care of him and I was super stoned at the time too. I got pretty freaked out but didnt panic. But the thought of it and seeing my brother in that situation scared me. Then i moved in to college and went to a party the first weekend and smoked like 5 hits off a joint my friend had after getting a fat buzz from some alchy. I was still thinkin about my bro panicking and such. That combined i guess with being stressed about school and not knowing anyone and just bein generally uncomfortable made me have a bad high. Not to mention, I dont eat much when I am uncomfortable. I didnt have a panic attack or anything, but i did get really paranoid and a little scared about stupid shit. I kept thinking I was gonna have a panic attack and I think that is what freaked me out a little. I was super blazed and i sat down for a second then stood up real quick and everything went black and i turned white as a sheet. Everything started coming back into focus in a literal purple haze about 20 seconds later. That was actually kinda cool but really scary at the time. Anyway, now i worry about having that next time i smoke. I wanna put the thoughts to rest. Does anyone know any techniques or wanna give any advice? Should I wait until I am comfortable here? I miss smoking the herb but I'm worried.

 

Weak minded people don't understand that every single person is different, coming from different experiences with a different chemical breakdown. Even though it is in your head, it does not make you weak minded to be paranoid. Knowing yourself and how you react in different situations or on different drugs is key in avoiding paranoia. Find out what helps you relax and dissolve the tension that's causing it and remember everyone is different so just because you may not have a problem in that area doesn't mean someone else shouldn't. Most things in life are 80% in your head people train their minds for a lifetime and still cannot have complete control over situations that are merely "in your head." your mind is a very powerful thing.

 

Very helpful thread I know some people who get paranoid while high but I have never experienced it and hopefully never will.

 

Hi all and sorry for my English, it's not my mother language.

I have not read all the thread yet but I will. In the meanwhile I'd like to ask something as I've just got paranoid... I'll explain:
I have a weed plant in my garden and time ago I cleaned it removing all the yellow leaves. I've put the leaves away and they got dry. So, one week ago I saw them and I've thought: "the plant is not ready yet so it cannot be so strong" and I made a little pure joint, without tobacco. Well, I felt really bad thinking to have a heart attack. I usually smoke one very light joint every evening just to feel relaxed and I never get paranoid.

Now the problem is that, after one week, I'm still paranoid especially in the morning.

I went to the doctor and he gave something that is benzo<...> (I don't remember) but I will not take it, I read that it's really dangerous if taken together with alcohol (I have to stop smoking weed, I cannot also remove the beer ).

So, I ask: will it end soon or am I sick for ever ?

Thanks

 

I use to get crazy panic attacks even when i wasn't smoking, ruined about 3 good months of my life tweakin 24/7 about heart rate, death, chest pain, random stuff, etc.. I even got prescribed Xanax which I only took once at the doctors, and realized it worked amazing, but knew I couldn't rely medicine my whole life so i never took it again. You can't live like that, you just have to stop yourself. I just always kept reminding my self how damn stupid anxiety was and how it is ALL in your head. Just stop it, simple as that, it might just be me it was easy for, but you need to have self control and strong willpower and you can do ANYTHING.

 

3 months ?!?

I'm strong enough during the day and I can control my self pretty well, but in the morning I have big problems... driving the car from home to work (luckily only 3 km) is terrible! I don't know why but in the car everything just gets bad and not only in the morning! Today I managed somehow to get to the office but as soon as I got inside I fell on the floor. I can't believe this is caused by a f... little joint!
(well, it's one little joint after some years of others smaller joints, indeed).
My nightmare now is not to be able to drive any more... I get paranoid especially with the sitting belt that touches my breast. But I will NOT fall into the medicine tunnel!

Thanks Piney420, I'll fight it

 

i have read every single post on this thread.

if you have gotten anxiety at any point in your life, it has always been there. smoking weed can simply mask the effects of it.

it is too easy for someone smoking weed to simply say just stop thinking because when you smoke, thats the mindset you should be in, and when you stop smoking, anxiety may kick in.

im not too keen on taking pills because i only have bad negative thoughts, no more panic attacks anymore...hopefully. i am going to a therapist tomorrow and i PRAY to god it helps me out!!

our civilization is still all too young to grasp the knowledge of everything. its only a matter of time before theres a 100% answer to this with no side effects.

 

Can I ask you how you got out of that ? I mean the panic attacks.

I'm forcing myself to think positive, to make exercises to help the building of the serotonin, but it's hard... the attacks are really strong, stronger than me.

I've also bought this today, hope it will come soon:

CELEXIL® 495mg 120 Kapseln von Newton-Everett Biotech® - BIOVEA DEUTSCHLAND

During the day no problem, but in the morning I'm really really out of control!

 

[quote name='"gotparanoid"']
Can I ask you how you got out of that ? I mean the panic attacks.

I'm forcing myself to think positive, to make exercises to help the building of the serotonin, but it's hard... the attacks are really strong, stronger than me.

I've also bought this today, hope it will come soon:

CELEXIL® 495mg 120 Kapseln von Newton-Everett Biotech® - BIOVEA DEUTSCHLAND

During the day no problem, but in the morning I'm really really out of control![/quote]

the only thing i could tell you is my panic attacks came on when i stopped smoking ganja. that being said im pretty sure they were masking them. if yours happen multipule times a day and theyre severe i would say talk to a behavioral therapist to find out the ballpark chemical imbalance/life anxiety balance that would be causing them. you may either want to go on medication or try certain meditations. however i still feel the panic attacks there, they come on so so so minor i dont walk around pacing i just get really negative and hate life. theres a fine line between my panic and my negative behavior. im not too sure on how to stop them other than medication and therapy...excersize helped me eat/sleep but when i get in a good mindset for the day, and then i run, it clears my perfectly good mindset that i built up.

i would say eat healthier, multivamins, see a therapist and build up a good days mind set after a good nights rest. also smoking probably wont help at all!

 

Well, thanks for the suggestions but I really don't hate life! I have a good job that I appreciate, a wonderful family with 2 awesome daughters and a nice wife, a house I'm renewing by myself, I write music in the evening... I mean, I cannot die now, I have a lot to do first

Seriously, I'm not stressed at all and I love my life, that's why I cannot understand my panic attacks. But I think that I've smoked something bad and I've been shocked by the fake heart attack... even though in the morning it seems so chemical, it cannot come only from bad thoughts.

btw: I've stopped smoking weed, actually my drug now is chamomile... I smoke it

Sorry for my curiosity, but how does it come that you hate life ? Does it happen that you have something to do while living ? I mean projects, not watching the TV or chatting on internet. Projects are great, they give you a reason to live.

 

Different strains make me paranoid, not weed in General but usually Sativa dominant strains.

 

whats wrong with being paranoid? its part of the high sometimes, certain strains will cause paranoia especially at high doses.

i also think part of the paranoia you get is because its still not legal, i used to freak out when i was a kid everytime i heard cop sirens i thought they were coming for me, now its watever lol learn to cope.