Lasting problems after hallucinogenics

[jrussell94]

Hey there I really need some advice/help..

Just over a year ago I smoked what I was told was Artemisia Absinthium. This is what I was told was in the mix  - Artemisia Absinthium or wormwood, Leonurus Sibiricus, Althaea Officinalis, Passiflora and Mint. This way my first experience with drugs or smoking anything. I had no idea wormwood has hallucinogen properties. I did this with a friend who was fine after it. I had an extremely bad experience! The first smoke I was fine didn't think anything was happening but i decided to take more. The second time I inhaled as much as I could and preceded to hold my breath for as long as possible to get a good hit. When I exhaled nothing came out. I lay down and felt fine, then I got up. When I stood up my vision when  white, I couldn't see anything or remember anything for a while. I didn't know where I was. I didn't even know I was alive. Eventually when I could see again time seemed warped, everything was blurry and moving. I though I was trapped in a time loop the same thing kept happening over and over again. I thought I was in hell, everything was moving so slowly but I was trying to speed it up by trying to move faster. I was extremely tense, my temperature was extremely high and I was sweating profusely. My heart was beating very fast. I immediately thought "I have done something to my brain". I even looked for a knife to stab myself I felt so bad I just wanted it to end. It nearly felt like an out of body experience. The most intense bit lasted for an hour then It started to ware off but even then I still felt spaced out as if everything was still moving. The whole next day I felt the same, like everything was surreal and dream like. I had a very sore head and just felt spaced out
It got a bit bitter after that but felt the same symptoms on and off the couple days after .

Ever since that night I just haven't felt quite right. I get dizziness ( kind of spinning its a strange dizziness not really like being drunk ) and headaches. I have Foggy headspace. I can't concentrate on things for anything length of time. I feel discontented from my body and reality like I'm not really here. Disorganisation of thoughts. Disorientation of time and space. I get confused very easy and can't remember things. It's a real struggle at times and gets me down. It come and goes sometimes I feel ok and other times terrible. I like going to sleep when I feel like this because I can escape it . When I have to address things or think about stuff I get sore heads - On my temples just up in front of my ears , on the back and top of my head.. Generally all over. I just feel very surreal like this is all fake and I'm not really here .

It scared me that I'm still feeling like this over a year after smoking it. I don't know if it's just the experience itself has scare me or there is a medial reason to why I am feeling like this . I know it could be paranoia and anxiety but I've never felt like this before I took this stuff . Could it be a chemical imbalance in my brain? I really need advice and help on what to do

Thanks Jamie

[jrussell94]

Hey !

Thanks very much for the Reply I really appreciate it . We'll Im 21 ! When had had this bad expirence I was away traveling but fortunately some of my family where with me, then I left them weeks after and went off on my own - that was mean to be for a year -  I actually came home early because I felt dizzy and weird . When I was home I felt a bit better but still would get dizzy spells and feel aileen . I dont really have any responsibilities and I work at home as a beach lifeguard so that's not an issue I like it. Good overall health I find that expeise helps me sometimes even though I don't really do enought of it . I am away traveling again at the moment with a friend which can be stressful at times but I am in regular contact with my family and they know about my issues and experience and are very emotionally supportive . I went to the doctor before I left and they said it was probably stress to be honest they weren't much help . My mother sufferered from anxitey when she was younger quite badly but I just know what I was like before I took that stuff and I don't feel the same - I wouldn't get worried about things and I still don't really or we'll try not to think or worry . That's why I fear it's something else espicslly with the dizziness .

Really appreciate the help thanks you! Hugs!

[spider6]

Jamie, that's quite an experience.  I'm sorry you've gone through this. I don't know what this stuff is that you took.  So I can't say what you may or may not have done to your brain.  On a very basic level, I think you may have triggered an anxiety disorder.  I'm guessing you haven't spoke to a doctor about this......I would though, this sounds serious enough to let go of any false pride that may have you reluctant to come clean to loved ones or peeps that can be of help.  

I am someone who has lived (if you can call it that) with anxiety and unwarranted panic my whole effin life.  I understand about triggers, so I get it that even thinking about what happened can set off the panic button.

Although you gave a pretty good description of your incident, you haven't told us much else about your environment, which can play a huge role on your "head space".   How old are you, what do you do for a living? Do you have responsibilities to others? Are you able bodied? Overall health? Do you have emotional support system?  All things that influence daily existence.

There's a lot of really special, intelligent, informative, supportive peeps here. Hopefully someone else will know what this stuff is.  Much prayers of peace and hope friend, (Jamie doesn't tell me if you're male or female)....hugs