marijuana and anxiety attacks

tina20 · Post by **tina20** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:54 pm

Ok so I've been smoking for 1 year straight. And I've been getting horrible anxiety. And I mean horrible. I'm terrified of everything. Taking pills, diseases, I have a hard time sleeping when my boyfriend isn't home. I want to quit but I just feel like I have even more anxiety when I'm not smoking. What should I do? Just always scared, I feel like I have a bunch of dieases the doctors haven't discovered yet. I get cold and hot feely. Makes me nauseous. Please help. I'm 20.

Jennifier · Post by **Jennifier** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:14 pm

Smoking can actually cause your anxiety to be worse. I would replace this with something that you enjoy doing. With me I joined a prayer group and read my Bible more. I call people when I feel as though I can't take my anxiety anymore. You feeling like you have all these things wrong with you like diseases and ect. are a common symptom of anxiety. Your only 20 years old you shouldn't be worried about all the things that you think are wrong with you. Remember that they are all in your head and that you need to give yourself positive reinforcement. You need to tell yourself that it is all in your head and you need to do your breathing 2 and 4 so that you calm your stomach down. I know that it is easier said than done but trust me a few months ago I was at a all time panic all the time and I have came along way through the journey. I personally give all that glory to the Lord. If you have the program than getting the relaxation tapes going when you start to feel panicky will help. You just need to calm yourself down and get busy with something if you have to. I promise you can make yourself stop thinking that something bad is going to happen to you and then you will be able to move on from this so called anxiety. I say it like that because I will not say that I have anxiety I just have symptoms of it. You should get a big pillow or two so you can put them around you when you sleep and your boyfriend isn't around it will make you feel safer to have something around you. I hope that this helps you. Blessings to you!

Jennifier

tina20 · Post by **tina20** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:34 pm

thank you for the reply. I just always feel like crap when I'm alone. I'm too lazy to do stuff . No matter what ... I can't do things, my anxiety is so bad. My boyfriend has to to everything for me. I mean I'm trying to quit smoking but its so hard . I smoke over 3 times a day . Now I'm laying in bed but can't sleep and I have hot sweaty feelings that won't go away.. I just don't know what to do

rascal14u · Post by **rascal14u** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm

Hey there,for someone who has anxiety smoking is your worst enemy trust me.My advice is to give it up right away,you'll notice the difference as soon as you stop.For people who suffer from anxitey like us,thats the worst thing you could be doing.It makes you paranoid no matter what,then you add anxiety on top of it.Your defeating yourself before you have a chance for the program to work.Hang in there and think about whats really important to you...

tina20 · Post by **tina20** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:51 pm

I totally understand that its bad for my anxiety, but I just miss that feeling once I quit. Its just a vicious cycle. It always seems like my anxiety is worse when I'm alone.

pohgum · Post by **pohgum** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:12 am

I did the same thing, I smoked it for many yrs, I used it to ease the stress, I thought it was helping, better than taking pills, and could not drink alcohol because it was an aquired taste. I have sine quit smoking weed since January, having to face life without it is real hard, I still have a hard time resisting it. But I know realize that believe it or not it contributed to the anxiety, and depression. I would get up and take a few hits off my bowl, just to face the day, and the bad thing is I have 3 children, and trying to preach to them dont smoke weed, dont do drugs, ha and here mom is messing up. I had to find streangth inside myself and I have faith that u will to. Please remember this U are who u are, and that is not a bad thing, that is a good thing. God made u, He made everything the way He thinks U should b. U r special as am I. And if u do try to quit smoking marijane it is like smoking cigerettes, it is hard, but with enough will power U can do it. I have been clean for 4 months, I am proud of myself, but I still hang on to my bowl, it reminds me I am weak, it calls to me to smoke. I am strong and so r u.

tina20 · Post by **tina20** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:23 am

Did you have any withdrawl symptoms when you first quit? Because I don't know, I haven't gone a couple days without smoking in over a year. So I'm not sure what to expect.

Dodger · Post by **Dodger** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:01 am

tina it might be time to enlist the help of a drug rehab or therapist. What your feeling sounds to me like addiction and you are going to need tons of support to turn this around.

Your so young. 20 you have your whole life (the good part) to live dont throw it away on drugs. Many people turn to drugs/alcohol to fix anxiety but it only helps for a bit its false hope actually you initially feel disconnected from the reality of life and so you say hey thats not so scary then you begin to turn to that way of self medicating more often but as time goes by your body begins to react to the drugs in your system and you start to feel worse than before.

Be strong for you and contact your local hospital and get yourself some professional help. You can do this and once you do rid your need of drugs you will then be able to seriously take on your anxiety and control it.

I hope you choose YOU and say NO to the drugs.
God be with you.
Dodger

Britt55 · Post by **Britt55** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:09 am

Tina,
I smoked more than several times a day for about 8 years! I quit when I stopped hanging around people who were smoking all the time and left a bad relationship. My boyfriend now, who I live with does NOT smoke and hates it. That made it easier to quit when he wasn't doing it too (although I still smoke cigs. and he doesn't do that either and hates that as well...). Anyhow, if I smoke now I HATE IT!!!! It makes me feel sick and I'll pass right out! I thought I'd never quit smoking but I did and I don't miss it one bit now! You can do it. It really wasn't all that hard once I removed myself from places where it was always around. Good luck.

tina20 · Post by **tina20** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:24 am

Dodger. I have already talked to my family doctor, and she said if I can't ween myself off then she will take me to a counsler. But I don't like counslers. I just want to be happy! And britt, thanks for giving me hope. It seems really hard for me because all my friends really do smoke. So yeah, wish me luck. Today will be my first day not smoking marijuana . I hope I don't give in. I smoke cigerettes [ which I hate even more then the pot]