I started smoking in my early teens and never had a problem with paranoia. When I was around 20 tho, I started to have massive panic attacks from time to time when I got high. This led to me not smoking much and drinking way more. My drinking got out of control and led to my realization that I am an alcoholic who can not drink and live a productive life. I also have an anxiety disorder that no medication has been able to help without also causing unwanted side effects. My history of alcohol abuse is well noted on my medical charts so even if I wanted it, no doctor would prescribe me anything like Xanax to help with panic attacks. This has led to the occasional relapse back into alcohol when stress became to much. I finally reconnected with a friend of mine who is now the owner of a dispensary and also a recovering addict. He introduced me to the benefits of CBD and taught me how THC is what produces the anxious and paranoid feeling in people and that CBD counteracts that feeling. I was finally able to come across a high CBD strain in my town and it worked wonders for me. I do not live in a state where medical marijuana is legal so I have to take what I can get and that is usually a very high THC strain. So recently I've just been mixing legal hemp derived CBD wax with weed, it works pretty well for the most part but it's very expensive to keep up with the cost of weed and CBD to go with it but is the only thing I've found to help with my condition. My question is, do any of you know of any way to manage that anxious/paranoid feeling that sometimes comes along with high THC strains without the use of CBD? Any help would be much appreciated.
Much the same as psycadelics, set and setting are very important if you struggle with paranoia. Set means that you as a person should be In a good place with yourself and with your thoughts before you smoke. Being high increases your capacity for thought so if you are fixating on bad or paranoid thoughts before you smoke it will only be worse once you are high. Setting means that you need to be somewhere that you are very comfortable. My worst experiences with weed were when I was in a new place. It also seems that smoking in a new place can make you feel higher than normal. Aside from set and setting, it is helpful to have something to take your mind off of your own thoughts. This can be music, TV, food, a video game, art, a walk in the park, etc. Anything to change your state of mind or concentration. And lastly if you are overwhelmed with paranoia and feel as though you cannot beat it, just go to sleep. You will feel better when you wake up. Hope this helps.
I get this as well and have a pretty bad anxiety disorder as well as ptsd. I can mostly only use heavy indicas to keep that anxiousness at bay. What I find has also helped is start slowly. Start with a very small puff for the first smoke of they day. Wait until the effects have mostly worn off and take another slightly larger puff. Keep doing this until you have reached where you want to be. This helps prep my mind for the "high" so I don't scare the shit out of my brain all at once. The key is start small and slow.
I've dealt with the same exact issue many times before with cannabis, psychedelics, etc. From my personal experience and psychological/spiritual research I think that there are basically two ways of dealing with this... The first and most common is distraction/diffusion. When paranoia and anxiety come on strong, as they inevitably will from time to time, most often people want a quick solution so they can keep enjoying their high. Makes sense, right? Why waste a sesh grappling with negative thoughts and feelings when bud is supposed to give you the opposite of that experience? For this kind of quick fix there are dozens of options, you just have to find the ones that work best for you personally. My favorite remedy is a cold glass of water and a few deep, relaxing breaths. Try focusing on your body and physical surroundings if you find yourself getting stuck in your own head -- wiggle your toes, rub your hands together, give yourself a quick neck massage, whatever you gotta do. Maybe you need to talk a walk or lay down for a minute. Maybe turn off the TV or change the music. If you're with other people don't even worry about them, just do you. The second is much more difficult and sometimes will eat up an entire sesh but it is more focused on being a long-term solution. When bad vibes start creeping in and paranoid thoughts start cropping up I take that time to put down the piece, lower the music volume a bit, close my eyes and meditate for at least 5 minutes. Now when I say meditate I don't mean you have to sit lotus and start chanting Buddhist mantras. I mean take some time to look inward and confront whatever thoughts or feelings are creating disharmony. I am very aware this 100 times easier said than done. Trust me. I know. But it is so worth it. If you don't take charge of your mind your mind will take charge of you. It cannot be left unchecked to run rampant with senseless anxieties and irrelevant negativity. Yes, I know it's different if you have an anxiety disorder but that doesn't mean it's pointless to try. In fact I personally believe this is the best method for combating anxiety, not prescription drugs. Either way, all stoners, rookies and veterans alike, get moments like this and it really gets much easier with practice. Just don't expect it to disappear forever or go quietly every time. Cheers.
Like you I had issues with generalized anxiety and severe panic attacks. The first thing I would look at if I were you is your overall health, diet, and lifestyle. Try to limit as much as possible fast food, soda, sweets and junk food. Are you exercising regularly? - running, biking, weight training, yoga, stretching are all good tension relievers. Do you tend to stay out late at the expense of good quality sleep? Drinking tends to cause less restful sleep, plus you're out late and then maybe you feel the need to eat bad food afterwards. I tried high-CBD strains mixed with regular weed made into coconut oil caps and didn't really notice much difference from just THC caps. I keep the dose low, 20 - 30 mg, and only need to medicate once a day. Sometimes l will mix in ground turmeric, black peppercorns, honey and ginger with finely ground decarboxylated herb and make tea. Pour the hot tea & spices into a blender with a sunflower lecithin capsule and blend until there is thick head of foam. This tea will hit you within a matter of minutes if taken on an empty stomach because a lot of the THC will be absorbed through the mucous membranes on the way down and in the gut. It's less peaky than smoking or vaping. Turmeric, ginger and black peppercorns are full of medicinal terpenes that have been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat mental and physical conditions for thousands of years.
Usually i just suck on them for a little bit then bite them and wash them down with water Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
