Quit smoking marijuana and anxiety got worse?

[Jake8888]

Iv had anxiety since I was about 13 I'm twenty now buy I started smoking pot at the age of 15 it started occassionaly but then after a year it was an everyday thing. For a while I didn't have anxiety attacks for a while but bout two months ago I finally grew up and quit smoking and my anxiety has gotten so much worse has anyone experienced this or have any ideas on why this is happening input is appreciated

Jake

"today is the tommorrow that we worried about yesterday"

[Robbed]

There are a couple of possibilities here. One is withdrawal. Now I know what some people say: marijuana is not addictive. Then again, the doctors say that SSRIs are not addictive, either. And we all know that this is NOT true. I think that the case of marijuana is probably similar to SSRIs in the sense that you have a group of people who are overly enthusiastic about the drug, and think that it can do no wrong. But I personally know at least a few people who NEED to smoke daily. So withdrawal is certainly not out of the question.

The second possibility is that marijuana might actually be helping you somewhat with anxiety. Just as marijuana is certainly NOT a drug that can do no wrong, it is certainly not as bad as detractors say it is. It is also a VERY complex drug (both in terms of chemistry and activity), and can have widely differing effects on different people. So you can't make blanket statements like 'it's bad for EVERYONE with anxiety disorder'.

So what to do? Try staying off of it. If things get better with time, then withdrawal is to blame. Otherwise, maybe pot is not such a bad thing for your anxiety disorder.

[Belle]

I smoke pot as a teenager and it started giving me anxiety, so I stopped. I can't say I had withdrawel and I smoke alot but it is a good thing you've quit. The only thing to do now is tackle your anxiety head on, it could of been caused by the pot, or not? It doesn't really matter now.
As for it's medical properties, I can understand it's use in cancer patience and what not as it can be relaxing, but it can also cause the opposite effect, there's alot of strong stuff out there and mixed with other things isn't uncommon, so unless you grow it yourself and know the plant well, I wouldn't start again now that you have anxiety. Personally I don't think any drug mixed with an anxiety disorder is something to experiment with.

[1970]

It may have been helping with it some what

or it may just have been masking the anxiety and now that you have given up it has surfaced,

Its like a lot of the medications we see for anxiety, if you read some of the possible side effects are the feelings we get daily with anxiety anyway without even being on medication, bit like a double edged sword

[dimspace]

well im on the cutting down smoking, aiming to quit phase..

and im stuck in a kind of no mans land at the moment.. was down to 3 or 4 a day up to last week, and had got to the point where smoking 5 times out of 10 made me feel crap, anxious, and worse (which is kinda where i want to be with it, i want smoking to make me feel bad so i can stop, ive smoked for 20 years btw)...

then flu came along which cut my smoking back to virtually nothing for the last week..

now im in that no-mans land.. need a cigarrette desperately, but know it will spin me out when i have one (i had one this morning and it played havoc on me, and one drag on one this evening which span me out as well)...

ive got nicotine patches ready but im not convinced on them.. wont the steady supply of nicotine via the patch just spin me out anyway??

aagh.. what to do :/

oh just tobacco btw, not marujana, i just didnt feel the need to start a fresh thread..

[Belle]

Keep going Dimspace, you'll crave everyday, everyhour, but just remember how it will make you feel and hold off. It gets easier with time, I think it took me 3 months to stop craving everyday and at 6 months or in stressful situations was the hardest, after a year I barely craved and other people smoking started to really bother me. You'll also start to notice changes in your body and things you never knew were caused by smoking, like for me it made me regular, less stomach aches, less acid and gerd, no sore throats, never caught a cold and it became alot easier to breath and I felt my head clear up like no headaches etc.
I still get the occasional craving and it's been 3 years, I don't think that will ever pass, but the cravings will never be enough to actually have one. And remember once you have 1, you'll be roped back in, like I could never be a casual smoker it's all or nothing with me.
It's hard quitting, epsecially after 20 years, it'll always be with you, so you'll have to fight every one of those cravings, but the fight gets much much easier and you'll feel so much better...

[Shuswapgal]

I smoke pot, to curve my anxiety and nerves. It helps me to relax and be more calm and nicer to be around. I personally believe if I did not smoke pot that I would be on medication, it helps me to deal with every day life. I call it my natural prozak.

[JA]

I used to smoke weed for all of highschool. I had anxiety since grade 9, but didn't think it was cause of the weed. I've been outta highschool 3 years now and I'm still suffering anxiety. I once had to go emergency and the doctor there told me that weed increases ur chance of having anxiety attacks..you might have always had anxiety for a while...now that you've quit, keep at it. dont drink too much alchohol,caffine, or smoke cigs/weed. be as healthy as you can be - every little bit helps!

[annemary100]

thanks for postings :)

[Dataerror247]

i have been a avid smoker for over a year, i recently came down with strep and stopped smoking pot for a few days. i went back n took a few hits and now i get really bad anxiety when i smoke..i never had a problem with it even when i started smoking. i also cant even take a drag off of a ciggarette without getting almost the same feeling. i havent touched a smoke in over a week is this causing me to get anxiety from pot? or is it just from not smoking anything. I dont plan on quitting pot only cigs. just wondering after smoking all day every day 4 days later i cant tough the stuff.(its not laced) tried several different kinds.

[morf]

Smoked avidly for a couple of years.. never had any withdrawal or cravings after quitting.

Reason for quitting was that it caused me to get super paranoid, which led to my heartrate increased 100% or more.. have literally blacked out on 2 occasions. As much as I love it, I just don't feel like being that first one to go 6 feet under, so I've quit for the most part (maybe once or twice a year I'll smoke a light amount socially)

I haven't smoked since experiencing anxiety, that's for sure. I can't even imagine what would happen. I'd definitely go psychotic.

[Suicidal Depression]

I've been smoking weed for almost 5 years now. I've never been addicted and never felt any serious withdrawal effects.(I've quit multiple times) It definitely helped me out in social situations and made me more out-going. Before i wouldn't even talk to anybody.

[jamus75]

I use to smoke weed when I was 15 up till I was about 24. Never had any anxiety or panic attacks. I didn't smoke everyday but close to it. I always had fun and was sociable and drank on the weekends. I never had worries about my health or much of anything. I was going out with friends every weekend, taking road trips, hanging out and having fun. Then I quit smoking weed..... Anxiety and panic attacks started the same year. I've had them ever since off and on. On right now. Sometimes I wish I never quit but I know that I was probably just masking it all along but that's exactly what meds do so why is it any worse. Weed to me is less invasive and has less side effects. Although it is illegal to smoke and I cannot do so now with my job, I would much rather smoke a joint then take a pill. Not to mention thc is not physically addictive like most anxiety meds. It is only a psychological addiction. I'm not saying weed is the right answer but that's my thoughts on it.

[smoore]

Jamus do you take anything for your anxiety now?

[scared44]

Ive been smoking weed for 10yrs now (pain relief for me) as I have chronic pain!! Waiting on surgery atm. When I smoke which us only at bedtime my anxiety peaks most of the time? My pain specialist and my G.P know I smoke and they tell me to keep on smoking for pain relief. Im also using durogesic/fentanly patches and oxycodone to help with my pain! Anyway weed in moderation is better than popping pills! Take Care....Beverley 😉

[jamus75]

Jamus do you take anything for your anxiety now?

Yes. I take Ativan daily.

[Ahlstrom]

Sounds like you need to hit the bong bro!

[NixonRulz]

Sounds like you need to hit the bong bro!

As wrong as this is, it's pretty damn funny.

[kbuzz1]

I'm a daily smoker. If I don't smoke for a few days the only withdrawal effects are slight loss of appetite and trouble getting to sleep. The 'withdrawal' lasts for a few days at most. Try going a month without smoking and see how you feel. I actually vaporize now to avoid the carcinogens and it's a much more pleasant high. It definitely helps with my anxiety. I've never been a drinker because alcohol just makes me tired. So a pinch of herb is my glass of wine at the end of the day.

Drugs affect everybody in different ways. No two brains are the same. The best you can do is experiment with smoking and staying clean and see how you feel.

[Jay1985]

I smoke also but not marijuana, I might split opinion here but believe that stuff can affect your mental health

I'm looking to give up in a few weeks. As soon as I'm past this

[kbuzz1]

It can definitely affect your mental health. For some, a good way. For others, a bad way. Just depends on how your brain is wired.

I smoked cigarettes for a long time too. I actually quit smoking and Paxil cold turkey together. I don't recommend this :)

[Jay1985]

I believe all that weed smoking when I was younger fucked my head up a bit

Can't touch the stuff now without getting paranoia

[Lashes]

It's not that your anxiety got worse. What is happening is that because you quit smoking, your brain actually has to EXPERIENCE the anxiety that was avoided/rechaneled before.

It has nothing to do with the weed. People experience the same thing when they stop drinking, working out, or whatever other activity people do to get relief from stress or anxiety. After avoiding/rechanneling it for so long with substance, it all comes flooding back at once when you stop, thus seemingly worse that it used to be, but it's not. It's just all coming at once, whereas before you would experience it in smaller doses.

So even though I vape everyday, I try to take tolerance breaks every now and then. Not just so the highs are better, but also to remind myself that I need to experience anxiety as well. It's a normal emotion, and just because I have anxiety issues doesn't mean I should avoid being anxious ALL the time.