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Avatar universal

i desperatly need helppp

im only 15 and have been having severe anxiety for the past 4 months.i constantly have symptoms and im worried that it might be something more.i have been a user of marijuana for about a year and in the months before my anxiety started i would smoke just about everyday.i would occasionaly have panic attacks when smoking but my anxiety started one day when i had one of the worst panic attacks yet after smoking.i was barely able to stand and thought for sure i was dying.i could not sleep for nights after that and was constantly shaking uncontrollably.i continued to have panic attacks everyday for the next week and was unable to even get out of bed.i finally went to the hospital and was told that it was just anxiety.my dad does not know that ive ever smoked and so i did not mention it to the doctor.ever since that time i have not felt right.i often get panic attacks and have many symptoms at all times.some of those are shaking,migraines,muscle twitching,all over body pains, trouble sleeping,shortness of breathe,pounding heart,tingling skin and feeling my pulse all over,depression,feeling like im about to pass out,anger,eye pressure and the feeling that my heads going to explode,and many vision problems such as sensitivy to light(halos around lights and rays that come off from them),after images,and double vision of bright objects.(i had my eyes checked in the past week but was told they are perfectly fine)i also very often feel like im in a dream and nothing is real.i am at a point in my life where im terrified of dying although i never was before and at times im worried that im going crazy even though i know im not.i currently go to counseling but my anxiety has been so bad that its gotten to the point where i can barely make it through a day of school without laying in the nurses for about an hour.i also have been getting frequent nightmares about my father dying and they actually cause me to wake up.i really cannot stand feeling like this anymore and am worried that its something severe.is this really all just anxiety and if it is what can i do about it?
8 Responses
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358304 tn?1409709492
Glad you are not taking the Lexapro given to you by your friend. That is not a good idea. The Dr. must prescribe it to you.

Why wouldnt the Dr. give you any? Because of your age?

Get to feeling better bud. I know you will.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ive noticed that too,that i get panic attacks when smelling it or even discussing it at times.I sometimes cant even talk about my anxiety without having a panic attack.
my doctors wont give me any medications but i was given about 3 months worth of lexapro pills by a friend,i just havent taken any yet because im worried about having an allergic reaction and i dont want to get the person who gave them to me in trouble.Ive heard a lot of good stuff about them though and im really considering taking them soon.well thank you for your help.
Helpful - 0
358304 tn?1409709492
First of all, Silverberg is being pretty harsh.

Marijuana does NOT cause panic attacks!
You were probably bound to have a panic attack in your life one time or another, even if you never smoked pot.... BUT, the effect of smoking pot can send you into panic mode... causing a panic attack... but the weed itself does not cause this...

The 1st panic attack I have EVER had was when I was 16 or 17 years old... I got stung by a bee near my crotch... lol... sounds silly I know... but it freaked me out... and then I started having a "panic attack" and didnt know why I was feeling the way I was feeling... I thought it was a reaction to the bee sting... and I told my mother.. and she said "honey, it's okay, youre just having a little panic attack, just breath..." .. And the panic attack left pretty quickly... Never had one again... until this...

I used to smoke pot with my brother when I was 18... I loved it! I was comfortable around him and we would laugh so hard etc... then one time I smoked pot with some guys at a party I really didn't know that well, and wasn't that comfortable around them... after smoking the weed, and feeling the buzz... my heart started pounding... and I got SUPER scared... and thought I was having a BAD HIGH... in fact... I was having a panic attack... was it the weed? Not completely... it was that I was in a different environment... and I wasn't that comfortable... so I had a panic attack when I should have been having a good high...

Now, when Silverberg made the comment about how marijuana can stay in your body that long... NOT TRUE... marijuana particles can stay in your hair for a long time... but not in your system... and therefore its not the marijuana in your system causing your panic attacks/anxiety... It's just the way you are wired.

Your brain is wired the way it is... period.
So regardless if you think the weed started your panic issues...
It was probably just a matter of time before you had a panic attack in your life.
Does that make sense?

I haven't smoke weed in 8 or 9 years... and I still have panic attacks and general anxiety... the weed DID NOT START THIS!

So, Silverberg needs to do his or her research before slamming you.

Yes, I wouldnt smoke pot again if I were you... b/c when I'm even around marijuana... the smell of it makes me go into a panic attack... why? b/c it reminds me of the time I had a panic attack when I smoked weed with those guys... It's all in the head!

Here's what you need to do... it's okay to tell your dad about how you used to smoke weed... and thats when your panic attacks started happening... and the Dr... but the Dr. is going to tell you the same thing I told you... "reguardless if you smoked pot or not.. it was probably just a matter of time for you to have a panic attack/anxiety in your life".

But you do need to see a Dr., and tell your dad you want to... b/c there is medication out there that CAN help with your anxiety...

You don't need to be afraid of the medication... you don't need to be scared of side effects... b/c it's there to make you feel NORMAL. And feel like yourself once again. =)

Seeing a councelor is SUPERB! I would continue that, even if you start medication.

Lexapro is what I took... and I only took a small amount! and that's all I needed for a while to get me through the fear... and now I learn to deal with panic/anxiety... I ride the wave... and they arent as severe as they used to be! =)

I have STRONG CONFIDENCE that you will be back to feeling normal again!

Keep in touch with me if you have any questions! =)

I have a cousin who is 16 and started having panic attacks/anxiety a year ago... his started too with smoking weed... but I also told him what I told you... he probably had a little bad high... and it caused a panic attack.


After having a panic attack for the 1st time, you seem to have them alot... b/c just thinking of the next one will give you another one! It's crazy... and it's a vicious cycle, but you will learn to overcome them. =)
Helpful - 0
807951 tn?1295417988
heyy hun
I honestly DO KNOW WHAT YOUR GOING THROUGH!.
Trust me drugs and the lifestyle your living can have alot to do with how your anxiety problems started.
1st of all. let me give you a little preview of how I used to live my life before my anxiety issues started.
Im 18 by the way.
my panic attacks started 2 days after my 18 bday when I was at a party.
well b4 I started having anxiety/panic attacks I would constantly party
go to raves, night clubs get drunk all the time smoke pot do noz. sleep around with who ever. you name it. I dident really care. Im just very lucky that I dident get stds or anything. anyhow I went to this rave in san bernandino around christmas time, thats where i took extacy for the first time. AND LAST TIME. it was one of the stupidest decisions that i have ever made in my life. who ever else has done extacy and has had panic attacks can tell you that they pretty much feel like the same thing. that night that i did extacy pretty much felt like i was gunna lose my mind. buht dident cuz i obviously felt good after lol.
the point im trying to make here is that i was never really the same after that day.
I noticed that i would start shaking every now and then
i dident know what it was little did i know that it was the anxiety slowly adding up.
i was fine tho for atleast 2 monthes after that.
until one night january 30 this year i was at a party celebrating my 18th bday
when outta nowhere i get this overwhelming sensation(felt like i took extacy)
of DOOM etc. i dident know what it was
everybody thought sumbody spiked my drink. it was so bad my mom had to come get me and take me to the emergency room.
i surely thought i was going to die. i had all the anxiety panic symptoms
fast heartrate, sweating, choking feeling, fear of dieing fear of losing my mind, you name it.
the docters did a ekg on my heart and also drug screened me to make sure i wasent on any type of drugs (they thought i was on speed) the tests came back fine
im perfectly healthy.
i still dident know that it was anxiety. so i assumed I was spiked.
anyhow 2 weeks went by i was still traumatized but back to my normal self
anuther week went by i went to the movies with my friend
as soon as the 3-d went on anuther panic attack hit me,  i surely though sumthing was wrong with my heart at this point cuz obviously i wasent at a party so there was no way my drink coulda been spiked so at this point i dident know what to do
i thought i was going to die. luckily this panic attack wasent as bad as my first one
and it went away in about 15 minutes. i still felt sick to my stomach and depressed now. later that night i was determind to figure out what it was so i went online to research my symptoms and surely i came across this site and found out that it was anxiety/panic attacks. i was relieved that it was nothing life threatning buht at the same time devastated because i knew it wasent going to be an easy battle.
ever since then i havent gone out with friends until yesterday which wasent all that bad except for dealing with the de-realization symptom which kinda freaked me out
cuz it hasent been this bad buht yea basically
im starting to get back my life now i changed my diet i eat alot healther now i take vitamin b complex everyday along with my bayers multivitamin
also i take a vitamin c 3 omega fish oil vitamins and the recent supplement that i bought for anxiety/depressionetc
its called amoryn. maybe you should look into it. its all natural since i dont like prescription drugs. i barely started taking it a few days ago and already i can tell that its calmed my anxiety down alot i feel more calm now.
i also bought seredyn. its also a natural supplement for anxiety and panic attacks.
other than my diet change i also changed my lifestyle. i no longer sleep around
i ve been faithful to my gf and it feels great=)
i also excercise everyday for atleast 30 min
it helps relax my mind aswell as my body. so my suggestion to you is to
1. change your eating habits. eat more fruits vegies drink more water.
2. go out for sum fresh air try walking.
3. read books if not the bible that relaxes me.
4, try your best to go out everynow and then. friends really do help.
5. talk to somebody who makes you smile maybe ur gf/bf etc
6. just know that your going to overcome this. its not going to kill you nor harm you
its mind over matter.
your not alone. im still batteling anxiety myself
buht i know im goig to overcome it!
you will too
goodluck i hope i helped
<3
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
alriight well ill be sure to tell my counselor about it
thanks for your help
Helpful - 0
672514 tn?1265655141
it takes time, pot takes time to completely get out of your system, (what people tell you is not always true). Like I said above you do not be honest with your doctor he can NOT HELP YOU. if you go to a Doctor for a broken arm do you tell him it's your LEG?

not trying to be smart, you just need to talk to your DOctor at your next appt. then get back and tell us how your doing! wish you luck. but it's up to you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
thats the thing though,i have stopped.
i havent smoked since that episode which was about 4 months ago and if anything my anxiety has just gotten worse not better
Helpful - 0
672514 tn?1265655141
One stop the pot, It does not work for everyone!
(I really don't want to get on the Legal or not legal point as that is not your question),

AGAIN POT DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE. you are 15 A MINOR! tell your dad , tell your doctor, tell your school nurse, (I am amazed your school nurse, does not know).

ok listen and listen good. you smoke POT >>> YOU STAY SICK, YOUR PANIC/ANXIETY ATTACKS WIL GET WORSE PERIOD. believe me, you have NOT seen nothing yet of a panic attack if you keep smoking, THIS IS NOT A SCARE STATEMENT. THIS IS FACT.

you stop the POT and work on your issues, YOU GET BETTER PERIOD!

YOU DECIDE , THIS IS A NO BRAINER MAN!

please understand I do have better things to do right now (like watch my hockey) but when I hear someone (especially a MINOR) say I am sick because of this , what can I do! well I am going to tell you straight up, no games, no BS, this choice is yours.
Helpful - 0
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