can some one please explain?

[Don333]

hello.
I am not a weed smoker, not anymore. my last time ws about 9 years ago. where i used to be a daily smoker, and i had a bad trip, where i got depressed after that night, i got panic attack, and the 2nd day i felt depressed and it went on for the about 6 months, as i used to get the feeling that i have a heavy cloud in my head, feeling it in my forehead and something pressing at the back of my head...i started getting into the awareness of what my subconsioness do...as is how am i breathing, how am i talking, how am i understanding what i am being told...how words connect, how this and how that...and all this, and it is really bothering and annoying...and since then i stopped smoking weed...
till about a week ago...i smoked a joint, and all went well, nothing of the sort...i am in a situation now that is very stressful, and have a lot of problems and unemployed for the last 6 months practically, as everything seems to go the opposite way in my life...anyway. i smoked weed, i didnt even finish 1 full weed cigarette...but the very 2nd say those ugly feelings, and restlessness, and thoughts and tight cloudy brain came again, something that i dont need now...
in front of people i am totally normal, talk normally joke, but deep within i feel this tight thing in my head, and it is annoying..
i feel like i am getting nuts sometimes...and scared of the thought
i know it is my fault for smoking again, even if it is for once....but could this be a heavy stress i am passing in, or depressions, or weed effect...or all?
these feelings dont take grip of me all the time, but certain times during the day...
i was advised to take xanax (anti depressant), it is helping me sleep...but i am sick and tired of this thing in my head, and this tight feelings...
i have been reading a lot about schizophrenia and anxiety, it is obvious that i ain't schizo...but this worry i am having is very annoying.

[sara12345]

Don,
Thanks for responding back.  Glad that your doctor put your mind to rest some.  You didn't indicate how many days you have taken the xanax or what the dose was.  Hopefully your doctor was aware that stopping abruptly after being on it for awhile can cause serious health consequences.

According to the manufacturer, Pfizer, "Certain adverse clinical events, some life-threatening, are a direct consequence of physical dependence to XANAX. These include a spectrum of withdrawal symptoms; the most important is seizure.  Even after relatively shortterm use at the doses recommended for the treatment of transient anxiety and anxiety disorder (ie, 0.75 to 4.0 mg per day), there is some risk of dependence."  

If you have any problems getting off of it, then you need to go off of it more gradually.

Nursegirl also suggests the same thing that I recommended, that you see a psychiatrist and that you might be helped by anti-depressants.  Plus she gives you a whole lot of other useful help.

There are people on here that understand and want to help you.  Good luck.
Sara

  

[nursegirl6572]

Hi Don, welcome!

We hear this same tale over and over on the anxiety forum.  You need to do some research on the following terms..."derealization" and "depersonalization".  They are very common side effects of severe or chronic anxiety, specifically panic.  Often times it is triggered by drug use.  Search the anxiety forum, you will find countless threads where people started with these exact same symptoms after smoking weed, or doing acid, ecstacy.  Weed is a biggie for sure.

I also agree that you haven't damaged yourself, you're not going to become crazy, schizophrenic, or anything like that.  You don't have a brain tumor, or anything scary.  Going to the doctor was a good move, your doc sounds like he's knowledgeable about anxiety, thank GOD.  Not a lot of docs are.  

You have anxiety, and you need to address it.  Once you get the anxiety to a manageable level, these symptoms will start improving.  

Ask your doc for a referral to a psychiatrist, who can best assess you, offer you an official diagnosis (there are many different anxiety disorders), and start discussing treatment options with you.  Antidepressants (ie Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro) may be very helpful for you, and also therapy.  Therapy will help you learn coping mechanisms to help you deal with the anxiety.  Stay away from any and all substances, including alcohol.  They will all trigger anxiety.  How long have you been taking the Xanax?  You may need to be tapered off that if you have been taking it every day for more than a few months.  That's another thing a psychiatrist will be better equipped to handle.

Please browse the site for those two terms, I think you will be pleasantly surprised to find that what you've been going through is actually a REAL symptom with a name.  It's harmless, too, btw, what it is is a change in our perception either of our surrpunding environment (derealization), or of ourselves (depersonalization).  If you click on my username, you will find a journal I've written about it also, with many comments from fellow members who have lived with it.

You can and will feel better, once you start addressing the anxiety.  Best of luck to you...please also check out our anxiety forum, where I am also a community leader.  be sure to update us!

[Don333]

i went to see the doctor today, he explained to me that smoking weed for once, after 9 years, it is considered to be my first time, can do no damage at all, and it is all accumulated stress, that lead to first level of depression, and what i had was sense of guilt and fear that triggered this panic attach and anxiety, he advised me to meditate, do sports, and take some vitamins mainly B, and Magnesium supplements...as chemicals in the brain could be imbalanced due to stress and or to the weed...and for me to avoid xanax as it is addictive, and if i dont feel well, it is then i can go for anti depressants, but i have to be my own doctor and no one else...
i just want to keep you posted, and if anything new comes up i will tell you...
he said it is a worry and fear...
thank you for your time replying me and reading my post.

Ali

[Don333]

i went to see the doctor today, he explained to me that smoking weed for once, after 9 years, it is considered to be my first time, can do no damage at all, and it is all accumulated stress, that lead to first level of depression, and what i had was sense of guilt and fear that triggered this panic attach and anxiety, he advised me to meditate, do sports, and take some vitamins mainly B, and Magnesium supplements...as chemicals in the brain could be imbalanced due to stress and or to the weed...and for me to avoid xanax as it is addictive, and if i dont feel well, it is then i can go for anti depressants, but i have to be my own doctor and no one else...
i just want to keep you posted, and if anything new comes up i will tell you...
he said it is a worry and fear...
thank you for your time replying me and reading my post.

Ali

[sara12345]

Sorry to hear about all of your struggles.  For one thing, xanax is NOT an anti-depressant.  It is for anxiety which it sounds like can definately help you.  An anti-depressant added to it may well help you.  You should see a psychiatrist who could really evaluate exactly what would be helpful to you.  It sounds like you are going through some great difficulties--mentally and physically.  So good luck to you and keep me posted.