This is so new to me..

[CarolineStein 0]

Hello, my name is Caroline.

I'm new to both this website, and panic attacks. I haven't really been diagnosed or anything, but my father and mother have had panic attacks before, and my symptoms match up. I was even hospitalized not too long ago. (About a day or so ago. My days feel so mixed up now.) They prescribed me some medication for these panic attacks as well. I had my first one about a week ago, after smoking marijuana. After that terrible day, I have had non stop panic attacks.

 

It felt so weird..

I felt as though I could not control my body. I felt like I lost control. The first thing I said to my mother was I am dying, and that sensation of dying has left me completely terrified of when I actually am dying. I now have an intense fear of death. I couldn't breathe, I felt like I was being choked. I could feel my blood pumping through my body, as my arms and legs began to get numb. There is a strong pain in my chest, mixed with a burning. I start crying, hyperventilating.. but what I loathe even more than the actual panic attack itself, is thinking all day about when I am getting it again..    

 

It doesn't hinder me going outside and enjoying life, as of now. I am afraid that it might get worse later..

It does hinder my sleep though, I always wake up scared. Scared of what exactly? I honestly couldn't tell anyone. I don't have insomnia, but I might get it soon. I don't think I can sleep without my mother rubbing my back, telling me all will be alright. Today is one of those nights where she wasn't rubbing my back, which explains why I am still wide eyed at about 6 am. I always been a very stress filled person, and I suffered depression for quite some time now. I am going to go out on a limb and assume that maybe these all correlate with each other. I could be incorrect though. I may not be having a panic attack at this very moment, but I did just wake up from one of my night terrors again. I only managed to get only an hour of sleep.     I don't know if this is normal, if this is something anyone else feels. This inability to sleep. I guess someone could say I am slightly questioning my reality. All feels unreal. It feels like I am in a constant dream, and will wake up laughing at this whole thing. It's felt like this for years now..

 

It would be nice to associate with someone, anyone, singular or plural, who also deals with this. It would definitely calm my nerves, when no one else is around to help me. I don't have many friends anymore, so making some new ones who will help me with this new condition will surely make me a very happy girl. 

 

Bless you all so much, and thank you.   

 

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi Caroline. Welcome to the AC Forum. If you have seen your GP and are on medication then that can help. There is not much doubt that the marijuana has triggered your anxiety, which it so often does. I would suggest you keep well clear of it or any other non prescribed drugs. You may feel fine in the short term, but you are really storing up problems if you take any more. ALL the symptoms you describe can be attributed to anxiety; in fact, if you look at the '100 Symptoms of Anxiety' on the site you will see them all. It is not the actual attacks you fear so much as the feelings generated by the attacks. We seem to stand at the mercy of some 'thing' that is out to get us. But it is our own thoughts and feelings we are afraid of. Have you heard of the 'fight/flight syndrome'? It is a legacy from our ancient ancestors that when they were in danger they had a flood of adrenaline that prepared them to run hard to escape danger. To fight a Mammoth was not on so they ran. When we sense danger (in our minds; thoughts), we get a flood of adrenaline. This causes all the symptoms you describe because we can't run away as did our predecessors. We can't run off the fear as they did. If this happens over a period of time then it becomes a habit, and is easily triggered by some thought or event that we would otherwise ignore. Get it? The brain signals 'danger'. It then sends a message to the adrenal glands, Run, and your body reacts accordingly. Can you see the simple effect of fear? Understanding is an important tool in anxiety. To know what we are afraid of helps us face it rather than run from it. The folk on this site are all experienced in anxiety. We have all been where you are now so take heart. Good to have you with us. It does come right you know but give it time. Sleep comes right when the anxiety is tackled because that us the basic cause.  And bless you too.   Jon.

[KH84 42]

I have never heard of weed causing anxiety. In fact I thought it helped it. I smoked it for years thinking it helped my anxiety. Only when I stopped smoking it did my anxiety lessen. I thought I was crazy thinking it was the weed but I am seeing more and more that people get anxiety/panick attacks after smoking. In one aspect it helped calm me down but in another it also caused it. I'm so glad I finally quit. I tried a couple times after stopping and now I can't stand the stuff. I got anxiety everytime I tried which proved to me that it was in fact causing my anxiety.

Hopefully once it is out of your system your anxiety will calm down. Was this the first time you smoked? I hope you find relief soon.

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi. JH. Good for you. It takes courage to come off any drug, even prescribed ones, and it is a credit to anyone that does. With prescribed drugs it is possible to 'taper' the doses until free from them but NOT, of course, without your doctor's help. It is essential that medical advice should be sought before stopping any drug. But when it comes down to it we have to ask why we need non prescription drugs. This life can be full of beauty and Nature gives us all we need if we look for it. Why do we need to enhance something that is already beautiful. Peer pressure is usually the answer. To anyone contemplating drugs it would be well to look at the lives destroyed by this habit. It is a fact that Marijuana can lead to more dangerous drugs. I say can not will. But the danger and the risk is there.    Jon.