Drugs & Anxiety

[MisterPayton]

Hello Doc, Im a 16 yr old constant Marijuana smoker. I know this isnt the greatest choice, but I have a question about my "being high" and anxiety together. Its a known fact that when your high off marijuana that paranoia will occur, but mine seems to be much worse then all my friends. I litterally have panic attacks. I was wondering, does thing have anything to do with my anxiety?

[daffysoundz]

first off let me start by saying im no doctor, but i used to smoke weed until my first panic attack caused by smoking it. after the attack im now suffering from anxiety and im so upset with myself for it, i was so paranoid, thinking that someone had spiked the weed and had me very ill, but reading alot of post and alot of differant web sites, i have learned that marijuana can cause panic attacks, which i think you have proved this for yourself, an if so why are you still smoking it. if you know of something that is causing you any harm, why dont you avoid it? it would do you some good.

[Mandapanda17]

I think it can worsen anxiety for some people. everyone is different, I'm pretty sure it increases my anxiety most of the time..yet I continue to smoke it..WTF? i'm not a doctor either, but have smoked on and off for about 13 years sadly! oh, and I don't think there is a doctor on this forum? Maybe in the mental health forum there is.

[birdstomach]

I'm in the same boat. I experienced my first panic attack while smoking weed; I had never had one before and have never been the same since.  Since that episode I have suffered from only occasional attacks, but constant anxiety that I am just starting to beat (it's been 5 years).

I would lay off the dope.

[daffysoundz]

bird what is your symptoms if you mind me asking?

[birdstomach]

I get the depersonalization/surreal feelings when I have an attack, fear of losing control, going crazy etc.  I've only had a few major attacks (probably 5 in the past 5 years total), however the intermittent anxiety is high coupled with avoidance of situations that I have had attacks in  (drinking coffee, being hungover). When I have an attack it feels 100% the same as the experience I had with the marijuana, when I had my first attack a couple of days after smoking the marijuana  I had no idea what it was, and thought somehow the drug had "re-entered" my system somehow.

I hate to think that because of one stupid mistake (smoking pot for the first time), I am stuck with dealing with this for the rest of my lfie.

[daffysoundz]

i feel the same way. i feel so stupid for smoking it in the first place. now  i have some bad anxiety problems that have my mind gonig all over the place, right now im even looking up some hiv symptoms, although i know its not, im just driving myself crazy.