Marijuana.com

LilDiniG

Hello all. This is my first post in this forum. I'm a forum virgin if you will, so please be gentle. My question to you all is this: Has anybody here been diagnosed with panic disorder? And if you have been have you ever used marijuana to help with the symptoms? At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with this. I was given medication like Xanax, Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac. The Xanax and the Prozac did help a little, but it wasn't until 98', when I began smoking marijuana, that I found my panic attacks were less frequent and less severe. I continued to smoke and now I'm happy to say I haven't had a panic attack in over two and a half years. If anybody out there has had a similar experience, I'd be very interested in hearing about it.

 

rbded

First thing,I am not a doctor.I can't give solid scientific facts about your medications,and I won't try to.But here is my personal experience.....
I have taken these drugs in the past and have actually been made to feel worse instead of better.Smoking herb has always increased my mental state of well being 100 times better than anything I have ever used.I can't ever remember having a panic attack until I was on the so called "good drugs"that the government says we can have.
Bottom line;when it stops working for me then I'll try something else.

0x000001A4

I used to take anti-depressants namely Zoloft and Paxil, both of which I didnt like and discontinued within 2 weeks due to side effects.

In studies done trying to prove marijuana's anti-anxiety/depressant qualities, about 50% of them say one thing, 50% say another. Chemically, I dont believe they've found anthing IN the marijuana that should cause an anxiety sufferer to be more or less prone to having panic attacks. Much less any chemicals that act as having anti-depressant/anxiety qualities. In my experience it would tend to vary on a strain to strain basis. In that some strains of weed would make me more anxious, and others totally pacifying.

Ultimately, you're in control of when you worry and when you dont. It takes alot of patience to rid yourself of anxiety without the aid of pharmaceuticals...but I can bet that it would be worth the effort. Destroy the root of the problem, which is often times emotional, but deep rooted. I used to suffer from anxiety, I would have a small panic attack normally every/every other day, and a pretty bad one once a week. With the aid of a little marijuana and some meditation (mind control) I've rid myself of my anxiety problem.

Its a vicious cycle. Your body reacts to thoughts and your thoughts react to your body...you have to break the chain somewhere.

To answer your question (finally)........
In my experience the combination of marijuana and meditation rid me of my panic disorder (not at all saying one helped more than another). As far as pharmaceuticals go...like Xanax, Paxil, Zoloft and such....listen to what your body is telling you. If the drugs make you feel worse....its probably not a good thing.

Slightly Stoopid

Marijuana is definatly not a anti-depressent, not in no way does it rid of panic attacks. In fact it is the complete opposite, in my case.

I am totally normal (most of the time) when i don't smoke, but man when i get blown, i get this terribal anxiety. It sucks, and i hate it, and it has destroyed my life in many ways. If you get these attacks, stop smoking immediatly around freinds, and peers, in general public, period.

I still do smoke week, almost daily, but i do it in the comfort of my own home, with maybe a freind or 2 around, but i know them well and they know me, they also know i get like that so we don't talk and stuff cause it makes me feel uncomfortable.

There is also another thread out there named "What is wrong with me".. That thread has helped me out so much, and i have gotten some invaluable advice from people just like me, so go there if you want the full scoop

However, i still can't go to my family doctor and talk to him about it. Because i will need to ask my mom to get the docotors number, then i will need to talk to him about this and he is a freind of my dad's, but i don't know him. And to me this is a touchy situation, and with me turning 18 in less than a month, i would rather keep it out of the family.

The other solution someone said was to go to a clinic, but i don't know where they are, and how you set up an appointment. Nor do i know how i qualify, because clinics are for people that can't afford going to a everyday doctor, and me being a "West County" kid(West County is the "richy" part of st. louis), i don't think that would work.

Also another concern is that, these drugs seem to be abused by many kids my age, and people say i look like a druggy. Because of this, i don't want them to think i am just doing this to get my hands on another drug. I have a MAJOR, HUGE problem, and i think the only way of fixing it is with a anti-depressent or anti-anxiety attack medicine... I guess what i need is a good site, where i can get some un-biased info about all of this stuff, where and how i can get this cure. Any help would be very much appreciated, cause i can't live konwing that whenever i get drunk or stoned in public, i am totaly anti-social, expecially with college comming up.

0x000001A4,

You mentioned side effects, like what kind of side effects??

__________________
Slightly Stoopid
"Before you knock it, try it first. You will learn that it is a blessing and not a curse"
-Ben Harper

0x000001A4

Zoloft in particular yielded some very unpleasant side effects. They were most intense during the first week, since anti-depressants take 1-2 weeks to take full effect. I would wake up feeling literally like a zombie...no thoughts entering the head sort of blank feeling. Dizziness, lightheadedness and just a general sort of "under the weather" feeling with more headaches than are normal for me. Paxil yielded generally the same side effects, but to a lesser degree.
If you only experience anxiety when you're stoned, then most likely you dont have an anxiety disorder, thus probably do not need the medications. Marijuana DOES cause pretty bad anxiety in some people. It never did in my case.

 

Slightly Stoopid

Marijuana causes anxiety in people, this is heredity.. Some people are lucky and others aren't.

Also, it isn't only when i smoke, i said for the most part i am ok, but under certain conditions and circumstances it just gets crazy. i.e, meeting a new girl, taking a girl on a date, opening up to someone i don't know, and not to mention those EXTREMELY uncofortable moments of silence, that happens to me way to often.

Trust me it isn't only when i am stoned.

LilDiniG

Thanks for all the feedback. It was really interesting to read other people's experiences and I can relate to what Slightly Stoopid said, about feeling anti-social and having anxiety. However, in my case smoking marijuana rid me of those feelings intead of bringing them on. I'm not saying weed is an anti-depressent at all, which is why I was so curious to find out if anybody else had a similar experience to mine.

Slightly Stoopid:
Believe me I know what you are going through. I can recall at one point not even being able to go to the store because I'd have panic attacks just being around people. My question to you is, do you only have anxiety when your high? Or do you have these feelings all the time and marijuana makes it worse?

Crow

maybe you have social anxiety disorder slightly stoopid...

i actually know absolutly nothing about this but i once i saw a commercial for some medication and they described the exact symptoms you described...

however, when i was about 7 i saw a commercial for medication for genital herpes, and they described the symptoms, and me, not knowing what the heck genital herpes is, was thoroughly convinced that i had genital herpes...

Craxx

Marijuana has different effects for different people and the state of mind your in while taking it. It may help control someone experiencing panic attacks or it might not the only way to be sure is to find out how it works with your mind and body. Personally, it puts me in a calm state and hopefully would do the same for you. Another good thing is that marijuana is less toxic than those drugs doctors prescribe for your problem. I have heard from several people that they use marijuana as an anti depressant. If it works for you why not use it and its makes you feel much better than anti depressants that doctors prescribe. Examples like this is why I don't understand why it is still illegal.

Slightly Stoopid

It happens occasionly when not stoned, but a whole lot while stoned. It isn't quite as bad as going to the store, but close to it.