Is marijuana a good way to control panic attacks?
I personally don’t want to be doped up on prescription medications… Those are chemically altered drugs and are far more dangerous than marijuana… So i must ask… Is marijuana a legitimate way to calm down a person’s mind when they are having a panic episode in which they are having trouble staying still, having thousands of thoughts rushing through their head at one time, and having trouble maintaining a stable breathing pattern? It seems that since i started smoking weed when it happens, i’m much calmer… of course a big hit will make me hardly able to stand but it does relieve my stress… and don’t get onto me with this "drugs are bad" routine… marijuana is a plant, not a drug… unlike some prescriptions… and i live in a med-weed state… so is it an approved method to treat high spectrum autistic panic attacks with weed?
it stops my hyper-ventilating, shakes and twitches, and the flood of thoughts… it puts me in the here and now…. i don’t do it to get high… i do it to calm my mind….
cathy… it CAN… does not mean it WILL… besides it actually stops the stuff… and it’s actually calming down… i don’t even smoke to get high… of course i do anyways XD but still… it stops my panic… and i am starting to panic less and less… in fact i only smoke about a bowl or two a month… tops…
choco… you obviously don’t understand asperger’s syndrome…
DAMN IT!! sheesh… please at least talk from a standpoint at which you look at my case to see what i’m trying to get at? i just want to know if from what you see, is this helpful… i’ve done all the meditation and i’ve done prescriptions… none of it works… but this does….
star… how can you say it didn’t TRIGGER it? some people have the issue underlying until it’s brought to the surface somehow… that’s what happened to my ex… she had the makings for schizophrenia and didn’t show symptoms till she was 10… and that’s when something traumatic happened… it triggered her schizophrenia… so maybe marijuana can trigger underlying issues… and treat ones on the surface…
For some people yes. But it also triggers panic attacks in many people. Usually I’m the one to argue for the benefits of pot. If somebody were to say it kills brain cells or causes lung cancer, I’m the first one to post links to Harvard and UCLA research that states it doesn’t. I can’t stand how people demonize it and use weak sources to back up their facts. But I have to admit that it does trigger panic attacks in many people who are already suffering from anxiety. I myself suffer from anxiety, and use both marijuana and xanax to treat it. But I can’t ignore the other half of the room who come on here all the time asking people if their weed was laced (when in reality, the weed just triggered their anxiety). It’s like how some people can eat sweets and not have any reaction, while others gain weight easily. Or how some people can’t have caffeine or they start bouncing off the walls. Marijuana is good for some people, bad for others. It’s not for everyone.
Some people only see the other half though. They will state that it triggers panic attacks, and fail to mention that it only happens with some people. They act like those side effects happen to everyone.
Comments
Comment from Cathy C
Time February 14, 2010 at 12:31 am
No, no and no again!
Marijuana can cause panic attacks and depression, so if you are already in a bad place, stay away from weed.
Thanks
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Comment from chocolahoma
Time February 14, 2010 at 12:40 am
sounds like you have found an effective way to rationalize your desire to get high.
You don’t need marijuana or prescription meds. You need to learn deep breathing, or meditation or just learn to live with stress.
Everybody has stress. Most don’t allow it to control them.
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Comment from stargirl
Time February 14, 2010 at 1:26 am
I’m not sure because although it could help at the time marijuana can have very serious long-term side effects. This includes things like skitzophrenia and paranoia (not something you want to have when you are experiences frequent panic attacks!)
I’ve tried so many different ways to beat them as I also refuse to go on medication. I even tried hypnotherapy which didn’t really work for me. I read loads a books about panic attacks but none really seemed to help either, but "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund J Bourne was really helpful. It has loads of simple ways to cope with panic attacks as they’re happening and also ways to improve your life so you don’t feel as stressed!
I would recommend having a look at this before you start smoking loads of marijuana as the side effects can spur on further panic attacks later
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Comment from Wish I was boredDude
Time February 14, 2010 at 2:12 am
For some people yes. But it also triggers panic attacks in many people. Usually I’m the one to argue for the benefits of pot. If somebody were to say it kills brain cells or causes lung cancer, I’m the first one to post links to Harvard and UCLA research that states it doesn’t. I can’t stand how people demonize it and use weak sources to back up their facts. But I have to admit that it does trigger panic attacks in many people who are already suffering from anxiety. I myself suffer from anxiety, and use both marijuana and xanax to treat it. But I can’t ignore the other half of the room who come on here all the time asking people if their weed was laced (when in reality, the weed just triggered their anxiety). It’s like how some people can eat sweets and not have any reaction, while others gain weight easily. Or how some people can’t have caffeine or they start bouncing off the walls. Marijuana is good for some people, bad for others. It’s not for everyone.
Some people only see the other half though. They will state that it triggers panic attacks, and fail to mention that it only happens with some people. They act like those side effects happen to everyone.
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Comment from Blackbird
Time February 14, 2010 at 2:25 am
No. I really don’t think it is. I smoked a lot of pot in my younger days..and i don’t think i benefited from it at all. I have no objection to anyone smoking weed at all, but it is not really a long term solution to panic attacks, perhaps looking at the trigger for these episodes, and then trying to find a way to avoid this trigger? There must be a reason somewhere for the attacks, far better to address this than float about half cut. Have you tried any type of breathing techniques as an alternative? and it is correct that the paper bag trick works. I have had panic attacks in the past myself, and i know it is very frightening.If you see a doctor i don’t think they will just give you meds either by the way. However, if you think the attacks are linked to another condition..then i guess your doctor is the safest bet.
Edit. You have added that you have aspergers syndrome? unless someone answering also has the condition it is not really possible for them to understand it from your veiwpoint, i am really sorry you are going through this, and hope you find a solution soon, but i cannot recomend the use of recreational drugs from my own point of view as i simply think the risks outweigh the benefits, sorry.
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Comment from still trippin b
Time February 14, 2010 at 2:40 am
It depends on how it affects you as your own unique person.
I would say that it is a very safe drug, and you would have nothing to worry about as long as it did not cause you to focus on the more negative aspects of the things going on with your body when having an anxiety attack.
Maybe try it out, and see for yourself if it works. Be sure to have some kind of bezotropine, Ativan, Valium, Xanax, K-Pins, Thorazine* or something that would help work as a tranquilizer / good chill area with good people to be around that understand your illnesses and anxiety issues. Maybe it will work good for you. I wish you luck however!
I used to smoke it often, almost 1/2 an ounce a day, back in my teen years.
I did enjoy the disconnection it gave me from having to deal with the millions of thoughts I had going through my head, but on a bad note though some days it would raise my paranoia and bring on panic attacks.
I have never tried to smoke it while having an anxiety attack and don’t believe I could, as I can barely even smoke a regular cigarette while having an episode.
Sadly, about ten years ago I could not smoke it what so ever with out having an anxiety attack / panic attack even when around the smoke it would cause problems.
I quit smoking marijuana in 2002, due to its being a thing that helped bring on anxiety attacks in me, but in the last few months I started smoking it slowly again "Like one hit then give it a few hours" and I have only had one anxiety attack while on it.
Sadly this is sort of off topic on if it helps while having panic attacks or to control them. I would say in my own personal experience it was not a good way to control mine.;
To control mine I take Benzotropines *Ativan, Valium, Xanax, K-Pins, Thorazine* which work after about 20 minutes, and calm me down a lot. The only draw back with those is that they are addictive and marijuana is not, unless done over a long period of time and I know there are people that refute that as being not true, but it is.. I have seen it with my own eyes.
I have no ill feelings towards marijuana, but I do think that it should be done with responsibility and moderation. But it is your own body and you should be able to also do whatever youd like to do with it. They are starting to legalize at least in the US "Medical Marijuana" But that is more for people that have serious issues at the moment or are dealing with terminal illnesses, though I think that will change over time too.
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I have a lot of experience in using substances, excluding cocaine / heroin / and meth.
Ive used LSD, Mushrooms, DMT, Ecstasy, Opium, and many other drugs.
I also suffer from Anxiety / Panic attacks, and have been diagnosed as having Schizo-Affective Disorder, a sub genre of Schizophrenia. Though I was also diagnosed as having all three, but I believe that you can only have one type of Schizophrenia, though maybe I do have all three lol.
I have smoked marijuana since I was about 8 years old, until I turned 20 in 2002. I am 28 years old now.
Comment from corels
Time February 14, 2010 at 2:56 am
I did not even read threw.and want to tell you to leave the marijauna because dr’s said it was the main cause for my bipollar.bipollar is not fun,trust me.
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Comment from michael w
Time February 14, 2010 at 3:01 am
Hi
There are many effective drugs that can help eleviate symptoms of panic disorder. Try the National Institute for Clinical Effectiveness (type it into google) which is a UK government body developed to provide impartial, objective and evidence based advice and recommended treatments for panic disorder or any other mental or physical health problem. This includes advice based on randomised controlled trials on certain drugs and other interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy.
I am not convinced that taking maijuana is the best thing to do if trying to cope with panic but then we are all different and what works for one may not for another? Everything in moderation perhaps?
There is a relatively new appraoch to panic which may help http:www.mindfulmind.net/
Alternatively, I would suggest you consult you GP for a thorough assessment of your needs and any appropriate and suitable (for you) treatment.
Hope you can overcome the panic soon as it is debilitating isn’t it?
Michael
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Comment from Stephen
Time February 13, 2010 at 11:50 pm
No No No
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