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Smoking & Panic attacks... advice please? :(

Discussion in 'Apprentice Marijuana Consumption' started by naaaah, Jul 5, 2017.

  1. Panic attacks... I need some advice without judgment? Please don't respond if you are just going to say "stop smoking weed."


    So lately my social anxiety has gotten worse. I've been getting a lot of panic attacks in public, especially in crowds. The panic attacks are awful, feels like my heart is going to explode and I can't breathe and my chests hurts and I honestly feel like I'm having a heart attack and dying. The last few times I've smoked weed instead of helping to relax me like it used to, it's sending me into full blown panic attacks. Its making me scared to smoke weed but I'm also very sad to give it up because it used to make me feel amazing and very relaxed and for someone with lots of anxiety this is a wonderful feeling. I was lucky my sister was around and has a prescription for klonopin..she gave me half a tablet and it finally got me to calm down. It's not only smoking weed that's causing the panic attacks, they seem to start when I'm in public in a crowded area, especially when I'm left alone. But the weed lately is making this worse and I dont know what to do.

    Some background.. I'm 24, been suffering from anxiety for years, I've tried meds and most haven't worked. I've only been smoking weed for a little over a year, and I don't smoke often.. once a week maybe, sometimes not even. Weed used to give me only good experiences - complete relaxation, sleepiness, happiness and euphoria... lots of laughing. It was helping my anxiety and finally allowing me to relax and unwind. The last weed I smoked and had a panic attack was a hybrid, higher sativa content than indica though, which i thought might have been the problem. But I've gotten panic attacks from indica too. Could it be the weed strain? Or am I smoking too many hits because I'm still new to it?

    Has anyone else had a similar experience or can shed some light on this? Advice please? Strain suggestions? Anxiety is killing me and literally all I want is to be able to relax. Thank you!
     
  2. Weed affects your head, that said, anxiety is a mental condition, I too suffer from it and I fucking hate it with a passion. You need to accept in your head like properly realise and affect that weed isnt causing the panic attacks, YOU ARE. I cant really offer much advice as its up to YOU how to fix it. I know this is probably shitty advice but thought id say something.
     
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  3. Your next anxiety attack attach a heart rate monitor and stare at it as you try to will your heart rate down. It takes a bit of practice but when you get the hang of it you can control things without the monitor. Try it, what do you have to lose? It worked for me and now no more anxiety, when I feel it starting I can nip that shit in the bud. And only smoke small amounts until you can handle more.
     
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  4. I, too, suffer from panic attacks. I just had an AWFUL one this past weekend that left me feeling absolutely drained. I just recently got my recommendation so I can't speak too much on how weed is affecting you, BUT I will say I know my far share of anxiety and panic. Has there been some sort of dramatic change in your life at all? New experience? Sure, weed might be a catalyst for the panic, but it's usually something going on in your life that is eating away at you. Do you see a therapist? If not, I highly recommend it. I have been doing cognitive behavioral therapy the past 2 and a half years and I can honestly say its made a great difference. My suggestion at this point is to reflect a little bit on what is going on in your life currently. Maybe you can pin point the problem that is the source of these panic attacks.
     
  5. OP, before getting twisted over why the weed is giving you panic attacks, let's not overlook one simple fact: You had panic attacks for years before smoking weed. It seems logical that the current cause of your weed-triggered attacks is not rooted in the weed itself. Especially considering you are saying you still get panic attacks without the weed as well.

    You may want to look at alternative lifestyle changes to positively affect your anxiety. If weed and meds haven't worked maybe it's time to consider other steps, like changing your environment, and/or removing as much negative stimuli out of your life as you can.

    I don't get panic attacks, but I've certainly felt uneasy in some places when high. Other places, on the other hand, I am perfectly calm in. As any psychonaut would say, Set and Setting matter.
     
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  6. I had never had a panic attack before until the one night I had smoked White Widow, scariest shit I've ever experienced, I think what triggered it was definitely the setting, I was smoking around people I barely knew/didnt feel comfortable around, and I hadnt smoked in MONTHS, plus me already have a 0 tolerance for pot, it was a recipe for disaster. I felt like I was dying, and that everything just felt entirely evil, I started to experience depersonalization/derealization, I started hearing and seeing stuff that wasnt there, and no matter how hard I tried to force myself asleep I couldnt, nothing seemed real either, almost like I was trapped in hell and was stuck there forever. I almost called an ambulance, I was just completely losing my mind. This has almost happened to me two other times but I actually managed to talk myself out of it and convinced myself everything was okay. Obviously for someone who has anxiety, this probably wouldnt be very effective.

    How I semi-fixed this: Before smoking weed, I would drink a cup of green tea, and sip on green tea while smoking, green tea is effective because it has very calming and soothing qualities, if you absolutely cant stand the taste of green tea, try taking it in a supplement form instead. Another way is to try smoking weed strains where there is more CBD than THC, or almost equal CBD. CBD is the element in marijuana that is calming, thus why patients who experience seizures, parkinsons disease, ect use Cannabis Oil which typically has little to no THC and loads of CB
     
  7. I'm a strong believer in doing what works but for 99% of anxiety prone pot smokers I have no faith that drinking a cup of green tea will solve their problem. I'm not sure if you're saying smoking CBD helped your problem or if you're saying CBD would help if green tea hadn't already solved it for you.
     
  8. Caffeine can cause this when mixed with thc. Used to happen to me when I was young. Now I'm older and don't care. Also higher tolerance. Weed nowadays is much stronger too. Try just and take one puff and wait. First happened when I drank too much ice tea and smoked. Doesn't happen to me anymore even if I drink ton of coffee. Probably cause I'm old fuck now. Lol. Nothing can actually happen to you but your mind freaks itself out and spikes adrenaline. Some alcohol can sometimes take edge off if it's happening at the time.
     
  9. The green tea is a starter, to try and put your mind in an already calmer state, the CBD is to make sure the panic attacks dont occur, CBD is whats used in certain medical strains to treat anxiety. So no, green tea alone would in no way fix this completely for someone who has anxiety. Thanks for your opinion.
     
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