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Alsenmo

Hey all
So I've been smoking for many years now, and at a certain point (a year ago or so) I got my first panic attack.

Long story short; I got a full-blown panic attack, with de-realization, loss of free will, almost loss of vision, confusion, racing pulse, difficulity breathing, choking sensations, fear of death, etc.

I didnt smoke for like 3 weeks, but finally I tried to just light a little piece of hash, and I got a panic attack just of the smell of the hash vapour (lol), which made me realize that it was a total illusion, and it went away.

Then I gradually went up in dose, and could smoke again, sometimes with paranoia, but not panic attacks.

So now I got a panic attack again, around a year after. Yes, I know, theres 10000 threads about it, but theres no real solution, other then of course "neck a valium". No thanks to that.

I just want to hear if anyone with any first hand experiences of weed panic attacks has any real advice about it? Anything? Tell me!

Alsenmo

 

sterbo

Aside from things like,
watching your dosage, smoking only where you are safe and feel entirely comfortable and possibly (though it seems different for everyone) limiting your smoking when under stressful situations then you might want to try 'vaping'.

The effects vis a vie a vaporizer are markedly different: one of them being much less tendency towards so called 'paranoia'.

Slow and easy friend...

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IGemini

Are you getting these panic attacks just when smoking? Is it after smoking a lot or does it matter? It sounds a lot closer to random onset panic disorder, but pot may be a trigger since it does increase heart rate.

Best thing to do: see a clinical psychologist.

Alsenmo

Only when I smoke.
I doubt a clinical psychologist can help me. They say 'confront your triggers' about Panic Attacks, but when the trigger is MJ, I'll prolly just be told 'Stop smoking cannabis, you lazy pothead".

I dont think it matters how much. Except, I was smoking out of a bong, and not a joint. And I got a head rush, then a panic attack.

Bl4ck3n3D

Just remind yourself - it's only weed, it can't kill me, I'm just a little high.

 

Feorge Gorman

...have experienced MANY of what you have described! The can be quite frightening, and leave your chest in pain from the episode.

Unfortunately, my doctor thinks it best to include a pharmaceutical twice a day to keep me in check.

I found that weed has never played a primary role in the attacks. In each episode there was always some other issue that set them off.

<< pot may be a trigger >>

For a REAL bad one, I think the trigger would be something with more of an underlying reason...for example, grief from a personal issue would be more to blame as the trigger. Hell, I've had weed help me relax through a major attack.

Although it raises the blood pressure slightly initially, I think a cup of coffee would help to increase your anxiety a lot more than weed. Watch your caffeine intake!


That's just me though...everybody's different.

Good luck man!

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feorge

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macphearsome

well this probably sounds like the stupidest, simplest response, but what about breathing?

I had a buddy who had panic attacks, and I'd just help him pay attention to his breathing and he'd come back to the calm side.


I don't know if the panic attacks he experienced are necessarily the same thing you are experiencing - I've heard so many descriptions of panic attacks that it's just too obscured by seperate notions of what it is.

__________________
"the only way to achieve certainty is to amputate inquiry" - Marvin Minsky

Feorge Gorman

...lasted about 8 hours, and left my chest SO sore! My heart literally rocked in my chest so fast, I thought it was a heart attack! Unfortunately, with my heart racing so fast, I also dehydrated myself to almost the point of death! If you start sweating badly, better replenish some fluids even if you're not thirsty at the time!

Breathing right can sometimes keep one from happening if you really concentrate...long slow breaths in through the mouth and out the nose. However, that's never made a panic attack go away for me.

Noeone

One thing you might want to try is biofeedback training.
I'd like to say right now I express no guarantee that
anything listed here actually works unless otherwise stated

********************
A few things you can try*
********************

_-_ the OpenEEG project _-_
A homebrew EEG machine costing >=$200 to build or buy.
Welcome to the OpenEEG project
_-_emWave Biofeedback Stress Reliever_-_
Nice and portable heart rate monitor, could help in case of a panic attack.
thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/904d/

_-_The Journey to Wild Divine_-_
So expensive it's painful but I've been told the thing works well. In fact I'd
appreciate a review if anyone gets or has one.
wilddivine.com/Home

_-_Your Fingers_-_
It's the revolutionary new biofeedback system, and it's easy. Just attach "Your
Fingers" to "Your Jugular" (Your Jugular sold separately) and begin monitoring
your heart rate.
Taking a pulse (heart rate) - Heart & Vascular Health on Yahoo! Health

__________________
In any case civilization has made mankind if not more bloodthirsty, at least more vilely, more loathsomely bloodthirsty. In old days he saw justice in bloodshed and with his conscience at peace exterminated those he thought proper. Now we do think bloodshed abominable and yet we engage in this abomination, and with more energy than ever. Which is worse? -Fyodor Dostoevsky

titty

I've only had one panic attack, just hit me a little while after smoking while me and my friend were walking in the forest. It was yosemite so there were other people walking around us, since I was sweating bullets and my chest was hurting a lot I decided to relax for a while and ride it out under a tree a short distance from the path, after about a 10-15 minutes I was still sweating, which was kinda good cause I knew that I wasn't dehydrated yet, but I decided that I should make my way to get some water before I did dehydrate, so I went to a store, bought some munchies and a pack of vitamins (bunch of different pills like vitamin D and stuff, I figured it couldn't hurt) then I walked outside, sat down and ate everything, drank some Oj and water and then started feeling better a little after that. I don't know how long all your guys' lasted for but my whole experience was about 45 min. to an hour. hasn't happened to me since then, but I think if it does I'll just get some water and food then rest for a bit, it seemed to help for me that time