PANIC ATTACK AFTER CANNABIS

i smoked weed yesterday and at first i was happy and laughing etc, then 5 minutes later i began to a severe tight chest and rapid pulse, i began to freak out thinking i was having a heart attack, now today i still have a slight tightness in my chest and feel a liittle bit anxious but dont know why, however it is only about one tenth of the way i was feeling yesterday, how long should the tightness last? i acknowledge that this was probably a panic attack ...

[M4Y0U]

Hello there,

Yes indeed cannabis can induce panic attack in people who are prone to have anxiety and or panic attack.

I studied both GABA ( and cannabinoid receptors and i found a strong link between cannabis and anxiety.

Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB 1) receptors are thought to be the most widely  expressed  G­ protein coupled receptors in the brain. This is due to endocannabinoid ­mediated  depolarization ­ induced suppression of inhibition , a very common form of short ­term  plasticity  in which the  depolarization of a single neuron induces a reduction in GABA ­mediated neurotransmission. Endocannabinoids released from the depolarized neuron bind to CB 1 receptors in the pre ­synaptic neuron and cause a reduction in GABA release.

And if for example you are taking an anti-anxiety med like those in the family of the benzodiazepines like Bromazepam, Xanax, Ativan etc. They are acting by affecting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. The anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) their effects are produced by the allosteric modification of a specific kind of neurotransmitter receptor, the GABAA receptor, which INCREASES the conductance of this inhibitory.

So basically cannabis decreases and anti-anxiety meds increases. And i beleive this is why weed can cause you to have panic attack and anxiety if you are prone to anxiety.

Best regards
M4

[newzor]

M4Y0U is probably right,
but he forgot to mention that people with tendency for anxiety or panic attack
can reverse their anxiety or panic into tranquility and bliss with the power of the mind.

So if you decide to continue to experiment with cannabis,
you don't necessarily need to continue to feel anxious or panick on it...

I'm not sure if meditation rewires the way the brain works but i would not be surprised.
If chemicals are the reason why people feel anxious or depressed, it is because of the law of "the way of least resistance".

If you believe chemicals are the reason for anxiety or depression,
you might forget that your willpower is stronger than the chemicals...

and when times get tough in your life you might actually get fooled into believing
that a chemical imbalance is responsible for most people's anxiety and depression.. and that you are probably one of them - thus they need some pharma drug to restore that balance.



i'm sure there are some people's whose anxiety and depression can not be conquered by willpower alone,
so i guess in their case you can say they truely have a "chemical imbalance"...

but the percentage of all people with anxiety and depression who truely cant conquer their problem because of a "chemical imbalance" is probably very very low.

the far majority of people who are anxious/depressed probably have a certain configuration in their brainchemicals that is characteristic for anxiety/depression..
but when they change their way of thought and being into a calm/happy one the brainchemicals will probably be characteristic for tranquility/happiness.

[nursegirl6572]

The best advice to someone who is prone to anxiety and panic is to STAY away from weed.  That applies to alcohol as well.  In moderation, neither should be too much of a problem...just realize that you're taking a chance of having a panic attack/increasing your anxiety if you choose to use these substances.