Marijuana Panic Attack?

[WaitingForATrain]

Well, I for one give up on on our leafy green friend. My sister and I shared a joint Sunday night. About 3 minutes after we'd finished, my panic attack started (or at least I assume that's what it was). I could feel my heartbeat in every inch of my body. My vision fuzzed, pounded. I couldn't think, I ran on automatic, trying to stay calm ("you're just high, chill out."). Went downstairs for a glass of water. Stood in the kitchen for a minute freaking out and slowly walked upstairs again (sans water). My sister: "Are you alright?" Me: "I think I'm just having a panic attack." I sat on the couch. My vision was darkening. My heart pounded. I felt like my veins would burst from pressure, as if my blood was congealing throughout my body. My head pounded, my heart was being compressed by my rib cage. Then the real panic set in. That old, familiar hypochondriac thought: This is it. This is how I die. Oh god. This is how I die. I called for an ambulance, I threw up into a bucket provided by my mother (When did she show up on the scene?), I closed my eyes tight and tried to think of anything else. My veins were still bursting. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. In. Out. Felt a little better. Slowly, (about 20 minutes after the peak) I calmed down. My family put me to bed and I slept deeper than I've ever slept. I'm the laughing stock of the household now, of course.
Does anyone else feel like this when they have a toke? My sister was fine, so it wasn't the weed. I've had heart tests done, so I'm fine in that department. Cigarettes don't do this to me. I've had edibles many times before and haven't freaked like this. Even worse, throughout the whole week I've been having little aftershock symptoms. Back pain (or kidney pain?). Constant nausea. Little stabs of chest pain. Constipation (probably the real culprit of most of these). It's setting me off on a health anxiety trip. "Oh god it's liver cancer, isn't it. What's this? A chest pain? Heart attack! Lung cancer! No, by Jove, it's kidney failure!" I was feeling great before this, I thought I'd moved on. Does anyone have this kind of reaction, and the aforementioned "aftershocks"? I'd love not to feel like a freak on this.....

[Defeat Panic]

Hey man there are many reported cases of Marijuana doing this and other illict drugs causing this. That's actually how I had my first panic atack. From weed. Just because some people don't experience it doesn't mean anything Marijuana is really good at bringing out your behavioral problems and if you're someone that easily worries or gets paranoid or overthink too much it will bring it out of you. There are many cases of Marijuana induced psychosis. I' personally know some peope that have gotten somthing worse than just panic atacks. One kid I knew was going schitophernic for a period of time nthinking he was always getting foolwed. His doctor told him it was marijuana. He stopped for a year and felt better now he's smoking again. Some people just don't learn.
Stop smoking before it turns into a spiraling anxiety disorder. I'm not saying marijuana is bad but it's NOT meant for some people. Not everyone can take it, we are all made and think different and are brought up in different environmental factors.

[Randomize]

"Does anyone have this kind of reaction?" Yes, you're not alone! It's the THC. It affects people differently, it could exacerbate specific moods (fear, anxiety, depression, worry, etc.).

I experienced my first panic attack (last Summer) from weed and my second (more intense) panic attack from a THC jolly rancher. I experienced similar body sensations: heart pounding/racing, hyperventilation/can't breathe, chest felt like it was melting, intrusive thoughts, etc. Like you, I was fine before the panic attacks. I am healthy just like you. Ever since my panic attacks, I've been more aware of my body sensations which causes me to have anxiety and dwell on specific thoughts. My advice to you is to not smoke anymore. Secondly, please see a therapist for the anxiety/excessive worrying/body sensations. A therapist has helped me a lot [the meditation and Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)]. Just remember, you are not your thoughts/sensations! :o)

[Defeat Panic]

I must add another thing just to drive the point home. I have spoken to some more people after that...friends that I know smoke,used to smoke with,etc. They all admitted to having gone through panic attacks because of weed. You're NOT alone in this.

The reason SOME people don't develop anxiety disorders after a panic attack is because they no longer worry about it after its done. Some people on the other hand who have a tendency to get worried and get paranoid will start worrying more about panic attacks and obsess about that experience and do everything to avoid future events and start ruminating day in and day out causing an anxiety disorder. The way to PREVENT anxiety disorder or RECOVER is to NOT avoid them or limit your life because of anxiety. The problem is when you try to control anxiety . Controlling anxiety and fighting it is the problem NOT the solution.

[AliasEQ]

Hey man.

I went through the same thing as you the first time I smoked weed. A full-blown panic attack. I smoked alot though, I started getting hallucinations, seeing and hearing things. I legit thought I was having a heart attack and at the same time I was going crazy. One of the worst experience in my life. Mainly because of what I felt and because I had no knowledge or experience of what I was going through.

It leaves the body in shock. I could barely eat or sleep the first week. I was having more panic attacks, they were much milder though. What scared me the most was the derealization/depersonalization. I felt like I was in a dream and everything was foggy. Questioning my existence all the time. Seeing human beings as if they were some kind of different creatures. The hypochondria was through the roof. Scary stuff and I never want to go back to that time.

Go to your doc and get everything ruled out. For your own sake. If they tell you that everything is fine, believe that and move on. Accept that it's the anxiety and learn how to control it. There's many threads here on the forum, but I will give you some advice that helped me.

Easier said than done: but don't be scared from what you're feeling. It's not dangerous or harmful. And it's not permanent, it will go away. Live your life as if it never happend.

The hypochondria: learn to say f*ck it! If you never learn to say f*ck it, your brain will always find something new to worry about. Whenever your brain think you have this or that, say "f*ck it, I don't care, let me live my life". I learned that being scared of something, can be more harmful than what you're fearing.

I wish you luck man :)

[Defeat Panic]

AliasEQ Well put. It's the fear of the anxiety symptoms that keep them alive in the first place.