Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 64082

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by Hopeful on May 24, 2001, at 6:11:49

I did a search on Anxiety Disorder and an interesting site came up based out of I believe it was Australia. They are making an intersting link between Marijuana use and the onset of Anxiety Disorder/Panic Attack. Anyone else out there fit this category of sufferers ??

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by CraigF on May 24, 2001, at 7:34:00

In reply to Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Hopeful on May 24, 2001, at 6:11:49

Definitely. Occasional pot and acid use during college had me ready to commit myself by Junior year.

I'm not sure the anxiety would have stayed at bay if I hadn't indulged, but both certainly triggered my anxiety in a way I had never experienced before.

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by Jeff on May 24, 2001, at 11:47:06

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by CraigF on May 24, 2001, at 7:34:00

All my anxiety, depression, bipolar, etc. all started with MJ even after I had smoked for years. I had a few isolated panic attacks after smoking a few times and then wham. The next time it stuck. GAD/depression 24/7. Doing well now on Lithium, Neurontin, a little valium and a little luvox. Later, Jeff


> Definitely. Occasional pot and acid use during college had me ready to commit myself by Junior year.
>
> I'm not sure the anxiety would have stayed at bay if I hadn't indulged, but both certainly triggered my anxiety in a way I had never experienced before.

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by geekUK on May 24, 2001, at 18:36:10

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Jeff on May 24, 2001, at 11:47:06

I used pot (2 years) before I started to have big anxiety, but I dont think there linked. It did always and still does make my aniety worse. However, I think I tryed pot at a Coming of age time, and it was the big grown up world that scared the hell out of me 2 years later.
later.
M

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ?? » Hopeful

Posted by Cam W. on May 24, 2001, at 21:56:12

In reply to Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Hopeful on May 24, 2001, at 6:11:49

Hopeful - Just wondering out loud, but does marijuana cause anxiety or is marijuana used to decrease subthreshold anxiety (ie. before one develops full blown anxiety)? - Cam

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by Hopeful on May 25, 2001, at 7:09:41

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ?? » Hopeful, posted by Cam W. on May 24, 2001, at 21:56:12

> Hopeful - Just wondering out loud, but does marijuana cause anxiety or is marijuana used to decrease subthreshold anxiety (ie. before one develops full blown anxiety)? - Cam

Check this website for their professional opinion as I am not a professional.
http://www.panicattacks.com.au/

Wishing you the best. Take care.

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ?? » Hopeful

Posted by Cam W. on May 25, 2001, at 10:18:21

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Hopeful on May 25, 2001, at 7:09:41

http://www.panicattacks.com.au/

Hopeful - The people who run that site are not professionals, but informed consumers (it does seem to be a good site). What they are saying about marijuana (and LSD) is that they have been the trigger to set off panic attacks in those who are previously genetically predisposed. This theory has been around for quite a while, but, to my knowledge, has never been proven. I have seen cases of cannabis psychosis probably trigger an initial bipolar manic episode and perhaps be involved in first-break schizophrenia, but this is one factor (or stressor) of many and if there wasn't a genetic predisposition, I doubt that smoking marijuana would trigger anxiety or panic disorders with no predisposing factors (unless of course one was susceptible to the rare cannabis psychosis, of which I have only heard of a handful of cases).

Therefore, the marijuana doesn't cause the anxiety/panic, but is a trigger to bring out subthreshold cases of the disorders into full blown cases. Even if the marijuana didn't trigger the panic/anxiety, some other stressor in the future may. Those with a family history of anxiety/panic would be advised to avoid cannabis and LSD.

Hope this is of some help - Cam

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by Mr.Scott on May 25, 2001, at 15:20:29

In reply to Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Hopeful on May 24, 2001, at 6:11:49

No question about it.. Pot and Acid brought out Anxiety disorder from hell.

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by willow on May 25, 2001, at 21:21:04

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Mr.Scott on May 25, 2001, at 15:20:29

> No question about it.. Pot and Acid brought out Anxiety disorder from hell.

My father says that his illness, schizophrenia, was brought on by bad drugs. Another person with a family member who has this illness claims the same thing. I know my father was using pot and hashish. Needless to say I haven't used it much recreationally.

After reading this thread, I realized that I did have a severe generalized anxiety attack shortly after using pot as a teenager. But then some ADs have done the same thing, if not worse. I guess a drugs a drug even if it is herbal!

Willow

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??

Posted by NikkiT2 on May 26, 2001, at 18:13:07

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by willow on May 25, 2001, at 21:21:04

I have suffered from anxiety all my life that I can remember in my opinion, and thus it was before I smoked pot. But, contrary to alot of peoples experiences i find it really calms my anxiety... It slows my brain down and allows the racing and numerous thoughts to slow down to only a few at a time so I can think again...

nikki

 

Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ?? » Hopeful

Posted by Elizabeth on May 27, 2001, at 14:57:26

In reply to Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ??, posted by Hopeful on May 24, 2001, at 6:11:49

> I did a search on Anxiety Disorder and an interesting site came up based out of I believe it was Australia. They are making an intersting link between Marijuana use and the onset of Anxiety Disorder/Panic Attack. Anyone else out there fit this category of sufferers ??

Not I, but as you can see from some of the other responses, a lot of people's anxiety -- especially, panic attacks -- was originally triggered by marijuana. Marijuana seems to be benign or even helpful for most people, but a few have bad reactions which can be the genesis of a prolonged anxiety disorder. As Cam says, marijuana in these cases is a *trigger* -- not the cause -- of the disorder. People who have "marijuana-induced" anxiety disorders are thought to be predisposed to anxiety or panic. Many, perhaps most, of these people would have developed anxiety disorders at some point anyway.

Taking psychedelics when you are in a bad frame of mind (when you are feeling sad, worried, angry, etc.) may increase the risk of a bad reaction.

Also, there are plenty of people who have serious anxiety and mood disorders but are able to smoke marijuana without any problems arising.

-elizabeth

 

Re: Smoked pot and got anxious for ritz crackers

Posted by gilbert on May 29, 2001, at 17:05:49

In reply to Re: Anxiety Sufferers, Smoked Pot Before ?? » Hopeful, posted by Elizabeth on May 27, 2001, at 14:57:26

I smoked a fair amount of pot and it could kick off a panic attack but I had panics before I ever picked up my first joint. I have been clean and sober for 15 years now and my panics got worse after coming off all the booze and drugs....I was self medicating. I know coke really kicked off panics for me......pot mostly made me eat ritz crackers with peanut butter and fall asleep witha smile on my face.

Gil


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