Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Weed and panic, please help.

So over the past few days I've done weed (age 18 male) almost daily for a few hours at a time, and then a month or so back I done it a few times too. I had always gotten increased heart rate but minimal anxiety, but this time things have went south.

Last night from around 10:30PM all the way till 6AM I smoked 1 joint and a 2 bowls, I just "topped myself up" every hour or so when I felt my heart rate settle. I made sure to only take a hit or two at at time. Once it had worn off however, I was still somewhat high and I began to get a mildly panicky feeling in my chest, so I finally went to bed and slept it off. I woke up the next morning and I felt okay for a few hours, I showered etc. But after that the feeling returned stronger than ever, that was 2PM, over the course of the next 7 hours or so I started having something of a panic attack with a creeping feeling of fear in my chest. I've fought with it over those long hours by keeping distracted and focusing on breathing, but it's just past 9PM (UK time) and it's still there, ready to erupt again once I focus on it.

Don't have anti-anxiety meds so I took one 'Valerian root' that I sometimes use to sleep, which done little but contribute to my nauseousness. Just took my BPM and it's about 95, and it's been like that for this whole time, with moments when it increases. I don't get it, aren't attacks meant to last for no longer than an hour? It isn't a bad memory of weed either as I haven't had panic whilst actually *on* it.

Also, I'm not really an anxious person compared to most people, I've got generalized social phobia but that anxiety is different and more controllable, my heart beats hard and fast and my breathing gets shallow but that is //nothing// compared to this, I felt like I am gonna die for the past few hours it's been hell. Symptoms include: intense fear, dizziness, nauseousness, chills, lack of appetite, slightly wobbly legs, breathing issues etc.

For the record, I have using weed to assist my low grade-depression, and it was all fine until recently. It sounds bizarre but I think my mind had associated the weed with some never ending psychedelic trip, like I remember those stories about people having bad trips (on psychedelics) and my mind has linked it to that, producing a negative feedback loop of fear and panic symptoms. I like to think of it as "residual anxiety" from several hours of being high.

If it goes away by tomorrow I'll stay away from the weed for a week or something, then only take a few inhales from a joint, and only do it for an hour or so, and see how I feel the next day. If it doesn't subside by tomorrow, I'll let my parents know of the panic symptoms and ask them to call a paramedic to the house, then I'll tell the medic of what I wrote above, and hopefully he will have some anxiety meds (which I hope to god will stop this for good).

I don't even know how I'm gonna get to sleep tonight.
6 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
The memory people speak of isn't of the weed but of the anxiety caused by it, assuming that's what's going on with you.  It might not be, as you describe not being anxious while stoned, but let's be honest here -- nobody smokes that much to treat depression, and taking a downer drug isn't usually used for depression.  Some people think certain newly hybridized strains of marijuana are good for anxiety, but given that so many people go their first anxiety attacks while stoned I have my doubts.  The only anxiety disorder I've seen weed used for with evidence is PTSD.  As for weed not being a psychedelic, while that's technically true, the weed you're using today isn't really marijuana at all, it's a highly hybridized and engineered drug that's far stronger than the natural marijuana people smoked for most of history.  I know firsthand, because I'm old and remember when the new stuff started coming on the market from Northern California, and I didn't enjoy it -- it wasn't at all like smoking natural marijuana, it was far closer to taking far stronger drugs.  What that means besides the obvious, that it has a stronger attachment to brain neurotransmitters, is also that it's harder to come down from.  The high lasts longer.  There's a similar problem with LSD -- the first stuff was pure, and you could come down off it with a little help, but since then it's almost all been cut with other stuff, mostly speed, so it lasts longer and is hard to come down from when you're not having any fun.  The wonders of greed, you know?  Here's my own opinion, for what it's worth -- when weed turns bad on you, it's time to stop taking it.  And you should also know that an anti-anxiety medication doesn't solve any problems, it just gives you a temporary respite from your anxiety if it works.  Antidepressants can give you a longer relief, but then you're on an antidepressant for the long term.  If this sticks around, I'd say you need to get into therapy, as weed brings out of us what's inside us.  If it doesn't, it's just what we used to call a "weedover."  Hopefully, that's all it is.  Peace.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I should add, there's also a possibility the marijuana was cut with something else, such as PCP.  I had that once and only learned about it later.  Have no idea if this happened, but it does happen sometimes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for your response.

Well, I've been to the hospital earlier and I got a breathing test done, a ECG test done, a heart rate test done, and a blood test, the first two had no issues, the 3rd one read 90BPM resting heart rate and spike to 115 at one point, and the last one is still waiting.

The male nurse I was talking to said 90BPM resting heart rate is still normal because it falls between 60-100, but given that I used to have 60BPM before the weed, this isn't normal. I told the guy about doing weed, but not much came of that, and I'd guess it would show in the blood test, he'll ring me back if there's anything wrong.

I just dunno what to do, the constant high heart rate and breathlessness is causing me serious distress which often turns into anxiety, bordering on a panic, and slow breathing doesn't work either. I just can't go on like this. I know anti-anxiety meds are addictive, and honestly I'm sort of anti-medication myself, but I am desperate. Might attend therapy but I have other issues to address too. This really needs to go away in a few days tops, I wasn't like this before the weed, I just worry I've screwed myself up somehow, I never got this from the first few times I smoked :(

And I don't think it was cut with PCP, I've read about the effects and I never got that while high, I also ordered it from a well reviewed vendor on the deep web.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also, I've dealt with my issues alone up to this point, but I can't deal with the anxiety alone, I'm not even religious but I'll pray for it to go away because this is an awful problem.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'd consider therapy and soon, it it doesn't just dissipate on its own soon, because if it has triggered some anxiety from within you it's better to deal with it quickly then let it fester into a chronic problem.  For me, weed was fine until it wasn't, but I think the anxiety was in me, it just first came out while I was high.  But it didn't become chronic anxiety for me until later, so just because you're uncomfortable now doesn't mean it'll last.  Drugs are odd things, and the stronger they get the odder they get.  Hope this goes away soon.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also, there is no way to know who the hell is selling you stuff on the web, deep or not.  Buy from who you know, the web is the wild west.  Most of the reviews you read on the web are gamed.  Take care.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community

Top Anxiety Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?