Quitting Cannabis/Anxiety: Hey, guys. A... - Anxiety Support

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Quitting Cannabis/Anxiety

thats_so_thall profile image
20 Replies

Hey, guys. A little backstory. I was emitted to the hospital about a year ago for my re-occurring panic attacks/heart palpitations. Got blood work done, and supposedly my body is healthy and all good. I just had bad anxiety. So during that time, i quit weed/caffeine and actually felt good after about a month or so of taking my new drug. But just recently, like around october/november? I picked up my caffeine/cannabis habits again and it actually didn't really affect me as much as i'd thought, so i continued to consume these substances on a regular basis, A LOT. almost, too much to the point where my body felt dependent on cannabis, not so much caffeine. So, about a week ago, i decided to quit cannabis cold turkey. And, let me tell you, this week has been a LIVING hell for me. As of now, i'm on a 10mg Celexa pill, that i've been taking for about a year now. It's been helping me immensely with my anxiety and panic attacks. With that being said, with quitting cannabis this past week, it's almost as if all of my anxiety symptoms are coming back, coincidentally. I've been waking up in the middle of the night with the sweats, and just light headedness. Stomaching food has been, very, very difficult. My heart palpitations are back, strong as ever and i feel weak. Going to work has been a TASK for me. I have to stand up the majority of the day, and my body does cannot deal with it. I was fine last week, but was smoking a lot of weed. So what a coincidence that i'm experiencing all of this the week i decide to quit it. Right? What else could it be? And i'm more worried about being emitted to the hospital again, so there's that factor of panic that comes into play whenever i'm freaking out about my anxiety. It's almost like i'm on a cruise ship, and i can't get off of it and it's just making my body sway back and forth. Now, i've been talking to so many people about it and one discussion stood out the most to me. Someone told me that I could be experiencing weed withdrawals. (And for the pot snobs that don't believe in that, yes it CAN happen to people. We all have different brain chemistry and I know for a fact someone can go through all of this just by cutting HEAVY smoking out, cold turkey) That my body is literally detoxing itself right now. Something about my brain being so used to THC doingg all of the work, and not allowing my brain to produce chemicals naturally? And that maybe the reason why i'm experiencing the light headedness. I'm honestly only worried about the light headedness and not being able to eat well, i've been managing small snacks that are very nutritious. Such as, grapes, carrots, sandwiches, cereal, bananas, crackers, smoothies, etc. You know, easy foods to stomach. But my body is still wanting more food, and i just can't get myself to eat a BIG meal right now. I don't know, it's gotten to the point where i'll just cry because it's so bothersome and so annoying. Do i just have to wait it out? I'm not really sure what to do at this point because it's kind of crippling for me..

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thats_so_thall
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20 Replies
suzanne1217 profile image
suzanne1217

It's not weed withdrawal, it's straight up anxiety. I felt like I was on a people mover for over a year. If i was shopping I held on to the cart bc I thought I'd fall. The sooner you just accept that anxiety can truly be this bad you will stop fearing it. The sooner you stop fearing it, slowly....very slowly you will feel better. I promise. Hang in there.

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to suzanne1217

it just sucks. like all i can do is cry now because it's so overwhelming for me.

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to thats_so_thall

I'm sorry...

noemikahle profile image
noemikahle

I have a couple of people I know who take medical pot to treat anxiety and they all say it works great maybe you were actually treating your anxiety with pot and now that you are not you are more anxious I much rather take pot to tell you the truth then all of these crappy antidepressants and benzos with side effects I guess you would be prescribed a certain amount in edible form I just can't find a doctor who will prescribe it for me It's supposed to be legal in my state but it's still not really available I also like that it helps with nausea which I am really struggling with at this time

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to noemikahle

yeah, but pot sometimes caused my anxiety if i took too much and that's what i don't need. i was fine without it, i guess that's what i was trying to say on this post. it's just difficult because my body is so used to all of that THC, and i was smoking way too much, recently, of course.

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to noemikahle

also i hope you get the help you need. i'm sorry you're struggling with that, it was easy for me to get my medical card because we have a ton of dispensaries here in california

Mia51 profile image
Mia51 in reply to noemikahle

Pot is not good for you,my son now suffers anxiety ,paranoia and schizophrenia,all because he smoked too much.At least antidepressants don't do that to your brain

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to Mia51

bengal2013, thank you for responding in regards to your son's issues because he smoked too much. I remember reading your past posts. It is heartbreaking. I'm trying to read up on the correlation between weed and anxiety issues can't seem to find anything conclusive.

Who diagnosed your son with these mental issues, a psychiatrist, neurologist?? Can it be reversed by medication or therapy? How long can it last?

bengal2013, I wish your son well. I hope that your posts and responses will be taken to heart and maybe save someone from starting to smoke or stop before these issues appear. Everyday there seems to be more and more people on the forum thinking back to "weed" being the start of their anxiety.

Take care of yourself too. My best to you and your son x

Mia51 profile image
Mia51 in reply to Agora1

Hi Agora,Sorry to repeat myself about my son,I don't want sympathy but just want people to be aware of how weed can effect a certain few.I have looked online and re-read the facts,seemingly you can be predisposed to psychosis with drugs,but other consultants say theres more problems with schizophrenia in teenagers than ever before because of easy availability to cannabis etc

My son was diagnosed with a psychiatrist years ago as he has tried to commit suicide several times.Medication controls his psychosis but hes never been able to work or lead a fulfilled life.Before he took drugs he was a very well balanced child,no problems at all.He excelled at school and sports.

My love to you Agora

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to Mia51

Thank you bengal2013 for taking the time to answer all my questions. Again I am so sorry for everything that has happened to your son. I have always wanted to clearly understand what's behind an health issue whether medical or mental. This makes me see that it is not just a coincidence but the fact that predisposition plays into it.

First of all, your son is fortunate to have a caring, loving mother behind him as well as sending out the message to other people in possible consequences of doing drugs.

It may not happen to all but when it happens to someone you love, I know it can be heartbreaking. My best to your son and please take care of yourself. Thank you bengal2013, not only are you an amazing mother but spreading the word about your son's life changing experience may help save others from the exact fate.

Love, Agora1 x

HopingCat profile image
HopingCat

Stay away from the pot and take some magnesium.

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to HopingCat

thank you. i'm not looking to use pot anytime soon. this is awful and i hope someone can learn from the post of heavy usage

HopingCat profile image
HopingCat in reply to thats_so_thall

I smoked pot when I was 18 for the first time and gave me depersonalization/derealization... you know what that is? You feel like your soul is leaving your body and you feel complete detach from your body. It's HELL! Took over a year to recover from that... now 18 years later (I'm 36 now) same thing happened WITHOUT the weed. Which is so damn weird but I'm not surprised because all these years I was traumatized over that one experience. Anyways, just stay away.I believe weed triggers anxiety and you don't want this HELL

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to HopingCat

Yeah, i'm familiar with that. I've dwelled in my fair share of drugs, so i know what it's like to experience anxiety through that. But i just find coincidentally that im experience all of this anxiousness after i stop smoking pot. I'm just upset that my medication isn't really helping as of now. And i'm a little worried i'll have to up the dosage if it gets too insane.

HopingCat profile image
HopingCat in reply to thats_so_thall

Maybe it's just your brain playing tricks on you. There's other things you can do to relax while your body gets use to no more pot. Like magnesium supplements, Theanine will relax you. To me it's like taking a Xanax. But always check with your doctor if you can drink these supplements since you are on medication.

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to HopingCat

Maybe! My brain is used to having THC in it, so maybe i'm just trying to cope without it? I'm not too sure, but i'm in the process of getting a psychiatrist so my only glimmer of hope is by talking to people

HopingCat profile image
HopingCat in reply to thats_so_thall

Just keep your mind entertained. You play video games? Play residence evil or something. I know it's hard trust me I been in this hell for 4 months but I force myself to do things so my brain would drop messing with me.

thats_so_thall profile image
thats_so_thall in reply to HopingCat

Haha omg! You read my mind! Right now i'm listening to some Chon, and playing Horizon Zero Dawn! This game is truly beautiful to me, and today i actually fell asleep just by looking at the scenery and listening to the nature that's in the world! I'm doing my best to combat it and i have so many loved ones that are there for me. But i'm sorry you're going through the same thing, it's truly awful and your mind can be one hell of a powerful thing.

annacorinne692 profile image
annacorinne692 in reply to HopingCat

MAGNESIUM! absolutely. and extremely vegetable and fruit gluten-free diet

noemikahle profile image
noemikahle

I meant medical pot where they give you a certain amount and you don't smoke it, you ingest it. I did smoke pot years ago and it totally calmed me down but I never overdid it. The medical pot worked wonders for a couple people I know with anxiety. Everybody is different I know. I also take magnesium which has done nothing for me and a bunch of vitamins which now are causing me stomach aches and nausea. I was never good with vitamins though. The celexa has helped me with anxiety but I think I may be getting the side effects, Some people ( like my mom) also drinks a couple glasses at night and it works great for anxiety. I am just nervous with my meds but of course I take Ativan which is supposed to have similar effects to drinking.

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