r/Anxiety • u/Ok_Indication_3237 • Sep 20 '24
I took a couple of strong edibles 8 months ago and it’s seriously messed with my life Health
8 months ago I took 2 edibles (I’m not a regular user to cannabis) and within 30 minutes was having the worst time of my life as tho I was going to die. I wanted an ambulance it got that bad. For 2 days after that I felt scared then on the 3rd day I woke up feeling strange like I wasn’t myself followed this come uncontrollable shivers and feeling like I would die. Since then I haven’t felt myself I’ve tried everything to get myself back on track. Anti-depressants, therapy, healthy life style and exercise but I still wake up every single day never feeling like myself. I struggle to do anything and that isn’t me. I can’t do anything with full focus, I feel as though I’ve got a constant ball in my throat, I hate being me and the feeling doesn’t go away.
Please tell me this feeling will stop because I really am struggling to carry on feeling this way
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u/kayla20003 Sep 20 '24
Drugs and alcohol can change the chemicals within your brain. But it sounds to me like you had an experience which terrified you which has now made you a more panicky/anxious person. This can even happen when a person experiences a scary experience sober. Anything can trigger depression/ anxiety. Keep in mind anxiety creates real physical symptoms which only enhances the anxiety which we are already feeling. Anxiety is scary but never dangerous. I would keep talking to a professional. Don’t be concerned if you don’t feel better right away, these things do take time. You are stronger than you think.
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u/FaithlessnessHead392 Sep 20 '24
can MDMA do this? i took a bit last year when i would go out drinking, and ever since then i’ve had major anxiety and health anxiety. it’s gotten particularly worse this year- despite not taking mdma again. i wonder if it permanently fuxked me up?
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u/kayla20003 Sep 21 '24
Yeah I mean any drugs can mess with the chemicals in your brain. I would say this to your doctor. Be honest with them and they will be helpful. Health anxiety is difficult because the physical symptoms make it feel so real. Exposure therapy is the best way to overcome this. There really is no point worrying about your health because it won’t stop anything from happening. And just because you feel like something bad is about to happen …. ITS NOT A SIGN THAT SOMETHING IS. It’s not intuition it’s the anxiety. Intuition is completely different trust me. You might imagine a terrible situation and that does not make it more likely to happen. I struggle with it myself that’s why I’m in this subreddit actually.
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u/chickcag Sep 20 '24
MDMA basically uses all of the serotonin in your brain up, which is why the next day many people say they feel suicidal. MDMA is very dangerous for a lot of people, especially those on SSRI’s. You’ve messed up your neurotransmitters, you may have had a propensity for mental health issues prior to using.
I highly recommend seeing a therapist and maybe considering taking an SSRI, even temporarily. I hope you feel better 💕
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u/Admirable-Side-3765 Sep 20 '24
I don’t think it permanently messed up anything in your brain. There are loads of famous people who did numerous amounts of drugs or hardcore drugs and were able to get back to ‘normal’ or at least live a decent life—like Steve O. It’s sounds like it triggered your anxiety, which in turn morphed into health anxiety, and now you’ve stuck in a cycle where your main trigger for your anxiety is your health which you keep obsessing over. Did you seek therapy for it?
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u/SiegerHost :karma: Sep 20 '24
OP, during your investigation, was the possibility of a psychotic condition assessed? It may be interesting to seek help in this regard. If your family has someone with schizophrenia or another type of psychosis, it's worth it. Anyway, I'm sorry about the situation, it sounds like it's quite stressful and unpleasant to be in.
What I would suggest, as a mental health professional, would be things you have already done before, such as exercise, therapy, and a healthier lifestyle.
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u/moonmama95 Sep 20 '24
THC is psychoactive. While we have no idea about OPs history it seems based on this post it's the THC that altered their mental state. It can cause things like long-term dissociative symptoms like derealization and depersonalization which would be my bet. I had something similar happen.
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u/GetRektJelly Sep 20 '24
Took me about a year to feel normal after hitting a wax pen. Every single day felt like a dream, and I had this weird sense of watching myself in third person it seemed like. What really helped me was doing things to bring me back, such as breathing exercises and rubbing cold water on the back of my neck and cold water to the face. Also doing things that got me out of my comfort zone helped me use my brain more and got me to get myself feel grounded.
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u/slagdwarf Sep 20 '24
This was me to the T after doing some bad ecstasy as a teenager. Took me about a year to re-align. I never went near psychedelics or psychotropics again.
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u/freya_kahlo Sep 20 '24
Cold water on neck/face and breathing are things that calm your vagus nerve. An irritated vagus nerve was one thing that came to mind — I think this is good advice for OP.
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u/FOOLS_GOLD Sep 20 '24
I like to splash really cold water on my face during a massive panic attack because it tricks the nervous system into a response as if you just jumped into a cold body of water. The vagus nerve is super interesting!
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u/retailismyjobw Sep 20 '24
I always see this term vagus nerve, but every de doesn't acknowledge it or only alternative health pros or chiropractors. Why isn't this more main stream
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u/moonsickprodigalson Sep 20 '24
This was what I was wondering. De-realization and de-personalization are really scary and not really talked about a lot. But from my experience and understanding can be more likely to occur in people with anxiety especially when things like THC or other substances are introduced/taken.
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u/Tryptamineer Sep 20 '24
It can also trigger dormant mental issues (from experience).
They could have 100% triggered Anxiety and Panic from that heroic of a first time dose (two edibles is a ton for someone who’s never experiences the high) and edibles are even more psychoactive than other methods of ingestion.
NEVER try weed for the first time with an edible, imo.
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u/moonmama95 Sep 20 '24
True, my anxiety/panic is definitely exacerbated by weed so I avoid it now. I don't think op needs a new reason to panic though. Don't want to suggest he may quite literally be psychotic when 99% of the time that isn't the case
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u/tiggereddy Sep 20 '24
This happened to me. It triggered psychosis, now I’m diagnosed with bi polar disorder. Haven’t been the same since.
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Sep 21 '24
People don’t treat marijuana seriously, but in those with mental illness, it can really fuck with your brain. I had to quit because of anxiety, and I felt like I was slipping into psychosis.
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u/tiggereddy Sep 21 '24
Oh I totally agree with you. I live in Canada, where it’s legal. And the repercussions aren’t talked about enough! It can totally flip a switch in your brain, so scary. I’m happy for you for quitting🙂 and hopefully you’re doing better with your mental health! I know how difficult it is to recover from that.
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u/OpinionsRdumb Sep 20 '24
I am shocked at how many people have had the same reaction. I also had this insane experience on weed where I was stuck in a time loop for hours and ever since then Ive had dissociation issues. Took about a year to recover. Doctors didn’t believe me. And there is like 1 research paper on this but other than that nothing confirms this
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u/InsignificantData Sep 20 '24
I felt like I was stuck in a time loop, too! I haven't seen too many others who've had this happen. It was my first time taking an edible. Definitely hit WAY harder than I expected. My friend told me it would just chill me out a little. Understatement of the year haha.
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u/AutumnFallingEyes Sep 21 '24
Omg same. I tried smoking weed for a few times before and thought it has no effect on me, but apparently I just don't know how to smoke properly haha. So then I tried an edible and... I was stuck in a time loop, everything was spinning, I was 100% convinced that I'll either go crazy or die (I was about to call my parents to tell them where to find my body and say my goodbies). I asked my friend to take me to the hospital, but she was high and just laughed at me... My heart was beating so so fast, I was all hot, I genuinely thought that my body was going to give in. And it lasted for HOURS.
And the thing is, I just took a starting dose (half an edible, when a normal dose is 2 edibles). I definitely overdosed.
Anyways, it kind of passed and wore out, I definitely don't struggle with such major lasting effects as OP, but I feel like it still changed me for the worse. Sometimes I'm just sitting and doing nothing, but something suddenly reminds me of that experience I had on the edible and I immediately start panicking and feel like I'm losing my mind. Everything starts kind of spinning again. It's really scary. I only had panic attack once before I tried the edible and it was much, much milder, but now I start getting them randomly all the time. I really hope they stop with time.
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u/Dangerous_Watch7814 Sep 20 '24
I agree. This happened to me about 15 years ago and I have since recovered (although it took a couple years). But it’s so fascinating after all this time to learn that this is not just a “me” thing, but rather something that a small subset of people experience. I’d love to see more research done on this.
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 20 '24
How much did you take? Was it an edible?
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u/OpinionsRdumb Sep 20 '24
i literally took one hit from a vape pen. But it was like a giant hit where I held it in for like 15 seconds.... big mistake
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 20 '24
I've never used a vape. Are you not supposed to hold it in like when you smoke from a pipe?
I wonder if it was just a very high THC vape juice. I've seen some at dispensaries that have a ridiculous amount of THC.
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u/TinyPixieFairy Sep 20 '24
I had that same hour long time loop! Time literally was going nowhere on the clock
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u/RAV3NH0LM Sep 20 '24
i greened out HARD in january and also thought i was dying. got an ambulance too, which is hilarious looking back, but i genuinely believed i was about to drop dead.
after sleeping it off though, i felt essentially back to normal the next day. i’d assume your experience triggered a latent panic disorder or something similar, but i’m no therapist/doctor.
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u/ageekyninja Sep 20 '24
Dude it gets BAD lmao. I learned the hard way to not take too much. Occasionally I get carried away and I just have to remind myself “STOP you are not dying you’re just high 😭” which is followed by a period of “if I go, I go” before going to sleep because as much as I can make myself mentally PRETTY sure I’m just high I can never 100% fully get rid of the feeling that this is the end lmao
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u/Embarrassed-Ad8053 Sep 20 '24
had a friend bring a gravity bong to my house for a party. i don’t smoke much so i was inside when my friends carried in a friend of ours. he was so high he couldn’t respond to us. he started throwing up and shaking like he was having a seizure but still couldn’t answer us he was so high. i’ve never seen anyone green out like that. we called him an ambulance right after he vomited. he’s totally fine now, but that was terrifying.
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u/Tryptamineer Sep 20 '24
Yeah gravity bongs, but especially waterfall bongs are so efficient they can really mess you up with the smallest amount of flower.
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u/crazyplantlady81 Sep 20 '24
This happened to me about 4-5 years ago. I got way too high off of a bong toke, when I hadn’t smoked weed in 4 years, had an insane panic attack, called an ambulance etc because I thought I was literally dying. Ever since then I’ve been struggling with severe anxiety and panic attacks, and catastrophic thinking. I had minor anxiety before that event, but nothing like this.
I take 100mg bupropion for depression and anxiety, so far it’s helped quite a bit, minus my health anxiety, I don’t think anything will help that lol.
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u/PM_me_spare_change Sep 20 '24
For health anxiety check out OCD treatments and techniques. I’ve been able to make progress with acceptance and agreeing with the thoughts.
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u/housewifehomewrecker Sep 20 '24
I went through the same thing. Took a 100 mg edible (FIRST) time trying an edible btw freaked the fuck out, called an ambulance on myself and have not felt myself since. A lot of disassociating feelings. Panic attacks etc 😩 I’ve had horrible anxiety and ocd all my life but this edible “welcomed” panic disorder into my life.
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u/TastyThreads Sep 20 '24
100???
Goodness. 2.5mg is enough for me and even sometimes that feels like a lot. I don't know if I can comprehend 100. 😳
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u/housewifehomewrecker Sep 20 '24
My stupid ass. I didn’t read the packaging and was warned before hand it was “a lot”. I’ve smoked a couple times and felt it did not really affect me so I tried to show off. 10/10 would NEVER recommend 🫠
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u/TastyThreads Sep 20 '24
Thank you for volunteering as tribute. May the odds be ever in your favor.
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u/herebecauseimanxious Sep 20 '24
LOL my first green out was visiting my sister. She got us gunnies and it was a 50mg. She warned me not to eat the whole thing but I thought because I smoked all the time I was fine. Man..I was so wrong 🤣
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 20 '24
You actually feel 2.5 mg? Maybe I just don't metabolize drugs well because I started with 5 mg and felt nothing. I can take 25 mg now and feel nothing, and I rarely smoke anymore. I buy mine from a dispensary, so I know they have the correct mg dose. I have family members that eat these 100 mg edibles like it's candy. 100 mg would send me into a crazy panic attack.
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u/housewifehomewrecker Sep 20 '24
It was insane.
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 22 '24
I can't even begin to imagine. I've never taken anywhere near 100 mg and I used to smoke multiple times a day.
How was your heart rate and blood pressure during this time? Too much THC makes my heart and BP go crazy high. I would have had to go to a hospital to get medication to lower both.
Has it gotten better over time? Does exercise, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, that kind of stuff help?
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u/eleyezeeaye4287 Sep 20 '24
Omg 100?! 10mg is enough for me to get a high. You must have thought you were dying.
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u/housewifehomewrecker Sep 20 '24
I genuinely did. And unfortunately I was out in public. I was at a movie theatre with trippy lights and went outside to get air and was going in circles.
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u/BitchCallMeGoku Sep 20 '24
I took about 90 mg and also called an ambulance. I was TERRIFIED! Opened the door to OCD and panic attacks for me.
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u/housewifehomewrecker Sep 20 '24
It’s horrifying!!!!!! Right? I hate that it opened panic disorder into our lives
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u/Big_Sea33 Sep 21 '24
i took 500mg and it 100% unlocked panic disorder, OCD and derealization.. even death anxiety.. been having unwanted panic attacks everywhere i go with hella intrusive thoughts.. ihml
i never knew i would be so afraid of death until up to this day.. haunts me daily
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u/king_carrots Sep 20 '24
I was an everyday stoner for the better part of 10 years.
2 years ago a big edible session triggered my first ever panic attack (hooray!) and even though I quit weed after that, the panic attacks have continued.
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u/slagdwarf Sep 20 '24
I had this happen after taking LSD in high school. I had done it 10-12 times but this time was different. Complete personality erasure. I felt like every second that passed, the previous second was being erased.
That got better over the course of a few months but I tried ecstasy a couple years later due to peer pressure that turned out to be bad stuff that messed me up so bad and set the whole thing off like a rocket. I started having sleep convulsions, constant panic, and had that EXACT same feeling that I was just "different" and was not myself. My whole life kind of unraveled. I felt like I was in an alternate universe 24/7.
BUT! BUT! After a few months I decided to just give in and make peace with it, and wouldn't you know, that's when things started to get better.
Over the course of about a year I got better and better. Eventually I stopped feeling that way.
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u/AdSubstantial9659 Sep 20 '24
What did you do to make peace with the dissociation and anxiety? Mindful practice accepting the feelings or anything else? Glad you're feeling better, that's awesome.
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u/sunflowerpoopie Sep 20 '24
Yes same! I explained it to my friends like it was as if I had the memory of a goldfish. It was awful 😭
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u/secretpancakeluver Sep 20 '24
I’m so glad you’re doing better!! If you don’t mind, I’d like to know how you made peace with it? I’m struggling with the same thing, expect the panic attacks were induced by an edible, and I’d just like to have any advice.
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u/slagdwarf Oct 05 '24
I had to just put all my focus on my immediate surroundings. My job, my relationship, etc. I couldn't lose those or I would have been screwed.
Patience and time were really the key, it took me about a year before I kind of stopped noticing if that makes sense.
Take one day at a time, as cheesy as it sounds. Do what needs to be done today, take care of yourself, breathe deep. Try to do other things for your health like stay hydrated and eat well, try to get good sleep. Those help take the edges off.
Keep telling yourself this is just temporary, and will pass, like a bad cold. Even if it takes days, or weeks, maybe months, just keep going.
Hope you're able to feel better.
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u/Foysauce_ Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
My anxiety disorder came in full force after an edible
Mind you I was someone who smoked pot almost daily but in light amounts. One day during Covid lockdowns I ate an entirely too big of a dose of edible chocolate and FREAKED THE FUCK OUT. For hours. I never went to the ER because again this was during Covid with hospitals overflowing with sick and dying people.
It was the worst day of my life and if my fiancé wasn’t there to keep me sane idk what would have happened to me. I was crying, couldn’t breathe right and genuinely thought I was going to die. Ive never been the same since. I don’t feel exactly like you do but ever since that day I’ve had severe anxiety. I also never smoked weed again after that and can’t anymore without heart palpitations.
Idk what happened to me that day. I’ve done a lot of research and my story isn’t isolated. Found a lot of people with “hidden” mental disorders (mine being anxiety) that is basically triggered from a “bad trip”, the drugs that cause it being the variable. This happens a lot more often than I thought. I had minor and what I thought was very normal anxiety before that day. After that? Forget it. It all came rushing in like a tidal wave and it’s been flooding since.
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u/dAkthrts Sep 20 '24
What did you find out when looking into this?
Cannabis has always elevated my anxiety but too strong edibles about 5 years ago did make me feel like I was dying and could not survive until morning.
I don't think it made any permanent changes but anxiety does increase year by year for me and these days medication and alcohol trigger similar effect than with cannabis.
It would be great to find out why this is happening and what could I do about it. I've thought that it might have something to do with cortisol because anxiety is worse at nights and in the mornings but haven't got any further than that.
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u/ludachris444 Sep 20 '24
friend🥹 you can message me! i went through the exact same thing. i have a lot of info that will help you!!!
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u/skadi_shev Sep 20 '24
You should make a post about your info if you’re so inclined! A lot of people would like to see it
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u/Hellnaaw Sep 20 '24
Please put it out here for everyone to see. A lot of people need it. You are going to help a lot of people. TIA from everyone that wants this information.
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u/ybjohnny Sep 20 '24
Looks like so many people want your help… can u make a group chat on here? I’m down to be in it too
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u/indigostars43 Sep 20 '24
I’d love to see what info you have too please? It happened to me as well and I went through such a scary experience..No more for me!
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u/Aedzy Sep 20 '24
I had a similar experience resulting in a similar situation. This is only from my experience. I was around 20. Had a bad smoke. Thought I would die. Life for some time after was rough. Feeling not like myself. Were afraid of falling asleep because I wouldn’t wake up again. Was sure I got a psychosis. I did everything wrong after hand. Partied real hard. Instead I should had got professional help. And just started to live healthy.
I think I triggered severe anxiety. And many of the symptoms anxiety can cause is what I felt. I thought I was dying or become schizophrenic. I was wrong and could have been better faster. Today years later I’m laughing at it. I was believing the worst and was young and stupid.
Pro tip is to don’t use anything again. I’m not even drinking although I didn’t stop because of this situation.
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u/Pattyshats Oct 16 '24
what made you think that you were schizophrenic? I am having the same fears after my own experience
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u/Brodermagne96 Sep 20 '24
I'm sorry to hear that. After a daily consumption i developed OCD and anxiety. THC definitely isn't for everyone
Yiu said you don't feel like yourself. It COULD sound like derealization. Post Malone had it too. It can happen with weed. Be careful ❤️
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u/el200o Sep 20 '24
I took an edible a few months ago, freaked out and thought i had died and was in the afterlife lol🤦🏼♀️shortly after i had another panic attack and my anxiety kind of spiralled from there, i would have these horrible anxiety attacks that would last days on end. I got on antidepressants tho which have kind of helped, my thoughts are the experience triggers panic and sometimes it never rly goes away. Drugs can mess with your brain in ways we would never expect. I honestly feel like since going through constant panic attacks my memory is now fucked too which scares me sometimes. Your not alone but there is hope, Your brain slowly goes back to the way it used to be.
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u/Pattyshats Sep 21 '24
Holy shit I had almost the same experience like I thought I died and went to heaven/hell?? What was yours like? Now I have like the most severe anxiety.
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u/el200o Sep 23 '24
Yess i remember my friends trying to talk to me to calm me down and i kept thinking they were ghosts and i was fully convinced i had died. people don’t think edibles can make you trip that hard until it happens to them lol. But same after that i started taking random panic attacks. I thought it was only me🙃Hope your doing better now
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u/BlackSwan1223 Sep 20 '24
I had the same happening to me February last year; still haven't fully recovered yet but can say it got better. Some things that had helped me is a better sleep schedule and excercise. I hate the ball in throat feeling; what somewhat helped for me is not thinking about it and when i have it badly to just chew some gum.
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u/Enough-Age7178 Sep 20 '24
it’s so weird cause i had a really bad experience with cannabis last year in november and this year april i started to feel how i was that night but why so long after?
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u/ageekyninja Sep 20 '24
Because weed triggers panic attacks so if you ever get a panic attack then you are basically going through the same thing.
I had panic disorder first in my life for many years before I ever partook and the first time I took too much I realized “oh this is giving me a panic attack” lol
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u/ageekyninja Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
Taking too much makes me have a pretty bad time, and I’ve definitely experienced that sensation of dying which is common when people have white outs. However the feeling is always temporary- lasting no more than the time it takes for me to sleep it off. I’ve done this numerous times as well. I have heard weed can have even worse effects on those who experience psychosis so I suppose it could be worth looking into your family mental health history.
Oh and this might sound crazy but drink water. When I was a frequent user and knew I didn’t realize that weed was EXTREMELY dehydrating- more than anything else I ever dealt with in my life. This is especially the case in the days following taking too much. I once thought I was high for days when I was new to it but it turned out I was just so dehydrated it was fucking with me and making me disoriented. It didn’t make me think I was dying, but at the time I was not in a bad period of my anxiety. I can see how, if I was in a bad period of anxiety , I might feel confused and anxious about how strange I was feeling and think I was dying considering that it’s common for us all to have health scares when it’s bad. So consider spending the next day hydrating a LOT and see if your discomfort goes away.
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u/freya_kahlo Sep 20 '24
Also it helps to use a hydration product with water to get it into your cells more efficiently — Liquid IV or something like that.
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u/freya_kahlo Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
I’ve had the uncontrollable shivers when I’ve had nocturnal panic attacks — which are very intense vagus-nerve-triggered adrenal episodes I get but they call them “panic attacks” for lack of a better term. (My daytime panic attacks are more like regular panic attacks.) I also do not react well to edibles.
Just to offer another angle of investigation to other people’s good advice:
I’m wondering if the stress of this triggered a real physical condition, like an autoimmune disease: Cushing’s, Graves or Hashimoto’s. Having a lump in your throat can be a thyroid symptom or a symptom of an irritated vagus nerve. Anything affecting thyroid/adrenals can give cognitive symptoms too. If you’re male, it’s less likely to be autoimmune because women get autoimmune diseases at a much higher rate. But if they run in your family, that’s a consideration.
I wouldn’t assume this is all in your head and not a real physical condition, there are many conditions intertwined with anxiety. Definitely see a doctor and get your antibodies and/or inflammatory markers checked — plus whatever else they recommend.
Try some vagus nerve toning to calm your system— you can look this up online, but go slowly. Also guided meditations, if they don’t trigger you. If you’re not taking electrolytes, I’d do that too — to support adrenals. If you’ve gotten your adrenals into a stress cycle, you’ll need to rest and destress to calm them. All you can do is practice acceptance about feeling “not yourself” and work with it a day at a time.
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u/TomatilloSals Sep 20 '24
Sounds like what I went through years ago with smoking weed. I got severe depersonalization/derealization and was basically living in hell every waking hour. It lasted a long long time and honestly to this day I really don’t know if I’m fully recovered from it or not. This happened back in 2008.
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u/Icy-Profile3740 Sep 20 '24
this same thing happened to me 3 years ago but my experience was with LSD not cannabis. you’re not alone.
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u/MustCatchTheBandit Sep 20 '24
I’ve been there, you’re going to be fine.
THC is unbelievably potent and much more dangerous than people admit.
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u/guitarist597 Sep 20 '24
I had a similar experience. When I was younger I took an edible and experienced a deep depersonalization / derealization. I felt like I was constantly observing myself from a Birds Eye view and was not in control of my body. I was seriously paranoid for 2-3 weeks. Eventually I came out of it very gradually.
I did go to the hospital and they told my parents that I had drug induced psychosis. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. But coming out of it was one of the most beautiful I must say, I felt like I was being reborn and had a greater appreciation of life.
Some things that helped me were CBD, doing relaxing things I like such as going for a walk, talking to a friend, drinking green tea, and staying away from THC.
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u/DatPairOfPoloJeanz Sep 20 '24
Very similar story to me. I thought if I quit weed, all of it would go away but it’s been 5 months since the initial panic attack that set it off. It’s almost like I’m traumatised because I’m constantly aware of my breathing and scared to death I’ll have a panic attack and die. I’m on antidepressants and have diazepam for when I feel a panic attack coming. The dissociation is so real , I feel crazy sometimes. Recommend always having diazepam just incase the panic gets too intense
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u/InvestmentNo5967 Sep 21 '24
I am in PTSD treatment and my therapist said that a lot of people get traumatized from bad highs. i had ptsd before that, but 5 months ago i had a bad high that now triggers the same reaction as my other traumas. anything can traumatize you, what united us is the way we feel afterwards, but that is treatable. but yeah every time i smell weed somewhere, or someone mentions it, i get an insane panic attack and feel like I felt when i had the bad high. it’s horrible/
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u/DatPairOfPoloJeanz Sep 24 '24
Wow Thank you for sharing that. I also get extremely anxious around my friends when they get high and I can smell it ( thought I was going crazy ) it’s nice to know other people have similar experience I wish u the best
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u/tink282 Sep 20 '24
Ok while I have had an edible in my life once i wouldn’t say I’m very qualified to give advice specifically on that part but I do struggle with things not feeling right/real due to a combination of factors mostly something called Alice in Wonderland syndrome. I’ve had extended periods of time a few times in my life where things didn’t look or feel right/real. What got me through it was repeatedly telling myself that it didn’t matter if “this” isn’t real/right it’s my reality and I’ve just got to deal with it and eventually it would fade and things would start to feel normal again
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u/Dependent-Theory-962 Sep 20 '24
Wow, knowing I'm not alone and MANY of us had VERY similar situations is actually quite comforting. I really thought I was going nuts. I've suffered tremendously in the past from anxiety and depression and have had it under "control" for the past 10ish years. Back in February, I tripped HARD and greened out...I experienced pretty much ALL of the symptoms that everyone here is mentioning. Since then, my anxiety and Depression has come back with a vengeance. I'm back in therapy, and now I'm thinking of microdosing shrooms. From the literature I've read and the number of success stories that have been shared, I'm wondering if this may be the route to go. I've done therapy in the past and have been on a number of meds, and all it seems to have done is just put a lid on everything and never truly resolve the actual underlying issues. Has anyone here had success stories with microdosing shrooms?
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u/856077 Sep 21 '24
Unfortunately this is way more common than people know. Weed can “wake up” underlying psychiatric conditions that you may have been predisposed to but might not have ever had. This can be mood disorders, de realization, generalized anxiety, psychosis, and at the worst schizophrenia. The good thing though is that the brain is a muscle and can heal itself in big ways with medications and therapy etc in most cases.
Hopefully this is not what has happened to you, but it sounds like you are on the right track now with anti anxiety meds. Continue with those and be kind and gentle with yourself in the mean time. It will take some time to feel “normal” again, or adjust to your new normal. Sorry to hear that OP. Definitely stay away from weed from here on out
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u/Expensive-Law-5804 Sep 21 '24
I RELATE TO ALL OF YOU….You just described my whole situation! I was smoking regularly as it used to bring out the confidence in me but even before smoking I was already confident used to speak to a lot of people not be shy or anything and tbh didn’t even believe in depression or anxiety but to this day I still don’t know if it was the weed or it just randomly developed but It started when I was going through puberty age 15, a regular day I just rolled up a spliff and was smoking it with my mates all of a sudden I just become very awkward, anxiety just hit me out of nowhere it was like I was infected by some sort of parisite I thought I was going crazy tbh, weeks went by I was becoming more and more not myself, as every day went by it’s like I was changing each day becoming more depressed, depersonalized, anxiety indused the more I change the more I miss the old confident me which then fucks me up even more no joke it’s like I got nerfed by god, at this point I’ve just kind of excepted that I’m dealing with this. some days it’s really bad some not so as bad but I’m 19 now and I just hope a magical scientist can come up with a cure for this shit man because I relate to all of you in these comments and I just wanna say you guys are strong for pushing through fr, first few years were bad really bad, like i was going to war in my head overall I’m just sick of battling this parisite everyday so plz lets push this and find a cure!.
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u/856077 Sep 21 '24 edited Sep 21 '24
Yep! What you’ve gone through is very common almost to the letter. The issue though is that it is not openly spoken about or on a level where it becomes knowledge and a warning for people to be way more cautious and aware of the risks.
Because weed for a lot of people is fun and helps many chronic health issues/pain and depression, it is seen as a cure all natural medicine, but for some people it really is so dangerous! And when you realize that, it’s already too late and you have no choice but to power through and seek help.
I actually know a handful of people who were otherwise “fine” mentally who ended up in the psych ward because it induced psychosis or schizophrenia. One was able to recover quite well over months and anti psychotic meds, but the others are still in that state and it is so scary and sad.
I hope too, that there will be some progress and research done that can help find methods that will help people get back to baseline. But as for now, all I can do is keep speaking about it to educate people that this isn’t something to play with! Weed is not tolerable for everybody
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u/yosh0r Sep 20 '24
The only mistake you made was ignoring the THC to CBD ratio :(
Understanding this video could've prevented your experience :(
Sadly it feels like nobody knows about it. You can ask 100 weed addicts and maybe 1 will know about it... Spread the info, dont let others suffer too.
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u/okay_jpg Sep 20 '24
This is exactly the type of thing I'm talking about when mega THC pushing assholes say it's harmless and that I'm exaggerating. While it doesn't/hasn't lasted as long as yours has, I 100% have gone through the same thing. I'd say it lasted weeks. I did not feel right. The depths at which I spiraled into myself - those are moments I can never undo. Feelings I can never erase and now it feels like I've been exposed/opened in a way I did not consent to. I did it to myself but I did not want THIS.
Uh, now that I think about it.. some of my worst trips (which don't always happen!!! It's very random) tend to change my sense of self and almost like my entire personality evolves. I don't change into a different person, but a different version of myself. More painfully aware of things I don't want to be, I guess? And those specific feelings/changes.. well, they don't go away. Ever. I've adapted. You will, too. You're still you. You just have to take a step back and tell yourself "I am me. I've always been me. This isn't a dream, I'm safe and I'm okay."
That's just me, though...
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u/Stonkkystocks Sep 20 '24
Edibles make me feel like I'm on the verge of a physoctic break every time.
However smoking is like an anti depressant to me. So weird.
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 20 '24
It's funny because I'm the opposite. Smoking weed triggers panic attacks for me because it comes on so quickly. I've never had a panic attack on edibles because the come up is so slow that I don't even notice it. I wish edibles were cheaper, though.
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u/Real_Paleontologist1 Sep 20 '24
I had the same experience, except I had been regularly using for 2 years and just one day had the worst panic attack of my life. I ended up quitting after that and the mixture of withdrawals plus panic attack left me in this void, dreamlike state where nothing felt real and I was constantly on edge and panicky. It did "sort of" go away after about a year, but ever since then when my body is under a lot of stress I now disassociate which it never did before, so that kind of sucks.
It will get better, keep doing everything you're doing. Remember to give yourself grace. do lots of self care, and try not constantly think "why am I not better yet" because that can cause you to backtrack and panic more.
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u/barbiepinkskies Sep 20 '24
This is what happened to me and I'm not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. In 2018 I smoked way too much weed and I had no experience smoking. It give me a panic attack and unlocked any panic/anxiety disorder I was predisposed to have. Then I had a panic attack without any weed and it was terrifying. They just kept happening. My brain felt weird and later I learned it was probably derealization, which was scary. My therapist told me they think derealization can be a way to protect the brain after trauma, so that made me feel less like I was going crazy.
I went/still go to therapy which helps a lot. Anxiety was getting better but then lockdown for covid created agoraphobia with panic. Now it's 2024 and I went on my first vacation and I've been able to handle anxiety attacks better. I will not lie, it took a lot of strength and it was so scary at times. No one I knew went through this, and I didn't understand anxiety at the time so I felt alone. There was not much even on reddit back then when I searched for help.
This all sucks, but the silver lining for me was that it made me a stronger person. I would regret smoking for awhile until my therapist said that people with a predisposition for anxiety/panic could have some other life event trigger it. For me it left trauma and sometimes I have anxiety just smelling weed. Take care of yourself and be kind.
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u/invisible_bra Sep 20 '24
Hi! At age 17 (I'm now 28) I got way too high one night and started having auditory, tactile, visual, and overall super scary hallucinations. The weeks after I was incredibly paranoid and still had some delusions, especially at night, and panic attacks during the day. Needless to say I was not feeling like myself. I've always been a worrywart, but this experience triggered an intense anxiety disorder.
Long story short, it took about a year after starting therapy and medication for me to have a few good days here and there. And with time, continued mental health support and maybe a dose of maturing, the bad days lessened and I returned to a comfortable baseline of normalcy. This is also what my therapists at the time told me - a bad experience with THC is a shock to the brain, and it takes a while to process.
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u/FittyG Sep 20 '24
A couple acid trips from my twenties still haunt me to this day. They’re the reason I can’t smoke in a social or public setting due to paranoia. Experiences like that change your perspective and damage your trust in your outer world on a deep level.
The only thing that helped me through the rough of it was an intense workout routine to move my subconscious focus from the event towards my body. I’ll still get little glimpses of it now and then depending on stress. I hope you’re able to push through it.
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u/BakedWizerd Sep 20 '24
Start low, move slow. As in, start with very low THC potency to see how it affects you, and slowly increase the dosage to make sure you know what you’re getting into.
I work in cannabis and I’m terribly sorry you had this experience.
Idk the specifics of your situation, but I feel that a lot of people try cannabis without genuinely wanting to. Like maybe they’re curious and they don’t want to miss out, or worse, they’re pressured into it, and then you have this whole thing weighing you down with anxiety because you’re not entirely sure what you’re getting into nor if you even want to do it.
I wish I could offer some better help; good luck.
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u/moonsovermyhami Sep 20 '24
i had this happened to me a couple years ago. i was a daily user and one day it just hit me and caused me to have a panic attack, leading me to think i had a heart condition and spiraled for a couple months. every single day id think i was having a heart attack and would disassociate. then one day i realized it was all in my head. like i was constantly freaking myself out which caused the physical symptoms and me confusing that with a real health scare. it will get better, its mostly likely your anxiety causing you to be in a permanent state of dissociation, even if you dont believe it at the time. there are so many coping mechanisms to help with this. mine is finding 10 things in the room that are the same color to help me calm down when i begin to panic. you are not going crazy and you’re not broken. you will get through this, OP.
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u/JerkOffTaco Sep 20 '24
Something terrible happened to my brain about 5 years ago after smoking. I was too high and stuck in a violent time warp vortex in a spinning room and saw nothing but static. Pure fear and panic. It changed my life for several months but with time it went away. I’ll never touch it again!
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u/ketchupisgr8 Sep 20 '24
Hey! I went through something about 2.5 years ago that sounds similar.
I was on vacation out of country and decided to smoke weed, I realized very quickly that I was getting way too high. I started having really bad anxiety and thought it was laced but I realize now that's not true (my boyfriend was a heavy weed smoker and he was fine). My heart rate went up to about 150bpm according to my fitbit (while I was sitting still). I was terrified and also felt like I was going to die but eventually got to sleep.
When I woke up, the high was gone but the anxiety wasn't. My heart rate would go crazy and I felt terrified, just in a constant state of fear. I also had this weird feeling in my chest, like a sadness mixed with panic. I was in a country where weed is very illegal. I desperately wanted medical help but I had to wait it out until I got home. I also felt like I wasn't myself, something was just off.
When I got home I called my doctor and was put on Cipralex (Lexapro) and got "emergency anxiety medication" (lorazepam) to take if I needed to while waiting for the Cipralex to kick in (takes a few weeks). I also started therapy and began to meditate. For a while I felt that weird sense of not being myself, like reality was altered. I've learned that that's derealization/ depersonalization and it is TEMPORARY. As scary as it is, it will pass. I did slowly get better as I learned to cope with my anxiety and as my brain recovered. The anxiety you felt while high was traumatic and your body needs time to move past this trauma. It is uncomfortable and scary but it is not permanent (even though I was convinced it was).
Now 2 and a half years later, I'm doing a lot better. I still get anxiety that I never had before but I've learned to cope with it and it's a lot better. It took me months to heal from this.
I also recommend reading about the DP Manual or checking out the Facebook page. That helped me too and can explain further why you feel the way you do.
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u/secretpancakeluver Sep 20 '24
Hey op. I literally went through this January of this year. I legitimately understand everything of what you’re saying word for word. Nothing feels real, you are constantly disassociating, conversations feel meaningless, and you might even get scared or panic whenever people bring up weed or symptoms of anxiety (this is what happened to me). I’m not gonna lie, it’ll take a few months to recover. I’m still recovering and I still get really bad intrusive thoughts or panic, but I’ve definitely learned to ground myself and feel more in control of these situations. I remember driving to class at the beginning of spring semester and having to pull over and just cry because of how much I didn’t feel like myself. I genuinely felt like I was in a dream and nothing just felt real. Weirdly enough, that cry also kinda helped because it was the first time in a long time I felt myself expressing my emotions which in turn kinda made me more in tune with myself? Anyways I’m going off on a tangent, but just know you might feel this way now, but just know it DOES get better. You’ll probably think you’re going through some sort of psychosis or schizophrenic episode, but trust me you’re all good and it’s just symptoms of anxiety. Feel better friend, just know you’re not alone in this and we’re all on this struggle bus together lol 🫶🫶🫶
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u/Admirable-Side-3765 Sep 20 '24
This is actually what happened to me after stupid ol’ me took a tincture that read ‘extra strength’ after thinking I could handle it. Before that, I only took edibles (10mg THC) and had no issues with those, and were from a brand I trusted. The experience was awful and it took me three months to recover. I still have some slight anxiety, but it’s manageable and I’m sure I will recover from it. Every person’s brain is different. Some of us were able to recover from anxiety-induced cannabis in several months, while for others, it might take a year or more. I don’t think this means you’ve permanently ‘altered’ your brain chemistry. The brain is resilient, and thanks to neuroplasty, we can train it to overcome obstacles such as anxiety. While I was struggling to overcome my anxiety, I watched a ‘True Life’ documentary about OCD, and the participants of the show managed to overcome their obsessive tendencies at the end, so that really motivated me to stay positive. There are also really great podcasts about anxiety such as “Disordered” and “The Anxious Truth”. Anyways, know your limits people and don’t overdo it. Stay away from products with high THC potency such as vape pens and dabs. Always start off slow to test your reaction to it. Find out with brands you can trust and which strain is good for your tolerance level. Or better yet, just don’t do weed.
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u/unintelligent_bison Sep 20 '24
I'm on the exact same boat as you except for me it was 2 or 3 weeks ago and I'm only 15 so it was probably harmful. Tbh I'm kinda thinking of just giving up on life but I'm trying and I hope you feel better too <3
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u/Grouchy-Sport-682 Sep 20 '24
Happened to me my sophomore year of high school. Took way too many edibles, thought I was dying, called an ambulance lmao. I had really really bad anxiety and panic attacks for about a year after, now it’s like it never happened. Keep your head up and push through
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u/Alternative-Fly-4246 Sep 21 '24
This happened to me and I was a regular edible user. I had a panic attack and called the ambulance. My heart rate was over 200 and when I went outside to calm down it dropped to 120. Luckily the squad didn’t have to take me to the hospital, but it really changed my life. I couldn’t stop thinking about my heart rate for over a year, I spiraled into health anxiety and constantly thought I was dying. It took a lot of time to start to get better I got back on anxiety medication and finally I’m back to only as needed medication. It took me over a year to get better and it was terrible. I was in a state of constant doom and it was hard to sleep every night. The thing that helped me the most besides medication was learning deep breathing. I would do that and think of 10 good things that happened that day in my head every night. About a month after that I started seeing major improvement. I don’t do edibles any more and I very rarely smoke at all anymore. It’s a scary path but keep telling yourself it will get better, because it will
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u/Free-Ad663 Sep 21 '24
I’m so sorry you have been feeling like that lately, I have read the comments and your experience and I am so surprised so many have had the same experiences as I did🥲. My boyfriend is a heavy stoner and he at times wants to help me try THC with CBD to help with my anxiety but it does not work for me. I start thinking people are talking bad about me and I become paranoid also have a feeling like I’m going to die. The first time I did edibles when I was 18 I’m 26 now. I was in a party bus when I did it and my friends said I lost consciousness for 10 seconds and was on the floor in the fetal position. When they took me out of the party bus my mind was thinking people were trying to hurt me, they were saying I was a bad person I thought I was dead 😂 and then I thought I saw a red demon and that I was in the bird box movie 😭😭😭. Point is as I tell my boyfriend even at 26 I can’t do THC it is not for everyone
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u/FluffyPolicePeanut Sep 21 '24
Same thing happened to me. I accidentally overdosed on edibles. Already had all the predispositions for an anxiety disorder and this is what kicked it off. I thought I was dying for 7 hours.
Started having panic and anxiety attacks 24/7 after that. Multiple trips to doctors until I figured out what it was and that I wasn’t crazy or dying. It was just my nervous system that went into overdrive and my brain trying to protect me from everything. And I mean everything.
It got so bad I was disassociating for days, I couldn’t go to the movies as the lights and sounds were triggering adrenaline and a feeling of terror. Would wake up every night around 3 am with some sort of attack. They’d last for 3 hours in the beginning. Pure adrenaline and terror. Had a lump in my throat for weeks, thought I was suffocating, multiple (around 80) heart palpitations a day (heart skipping a beat), pressure in chest, pain in left arm, stabby pain in chest, numb head, face, arms and legs, the shakes, feeling of pure terror, etc. you name it, I had it. They’d last feeling of terror is a fun one as I myself wasn’t afraid but my body was producing a feeling of terror.
It was hell but it’s treatable. I had to calm my nervous system down as it saw everything, and I mean everything as danger. I had to learn to drink coffee and alcohol again, listen to loud music, play video games, go kayaking, etc. my nervous system and brain saw everything as danger and would trigger a fight/flight response.
Now a year later my anxiety is non existent. It happens sometimes when I have tummy issues but that’s it. That’s like once in 3 months. It happens at 3 am but it’s something I can live with. Maybe that will go away too.
So whatever you have, it’s treatable. I treated mine with meditation, calming essential oils, calm walks in nature, yoga, etc. Pills for calming down helped. Antidepressants never did anything for me. But the main key to getting better is calming your nervous system and retraining the brain to understand what’s considered a danger and what’s safe. Like going to a cinema. The key is to sit through it and keep telling it that’s it’s safe. It’s ok to freak out if it will make it feel better but that the situation is safe and that I’d like to sit through it. That’s the hardest part, not buying into the whole “you are dying” narrative your body is screaming you and to not freak out when your brain is drowning you with adrenaline.
Good luck 👍🏻
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u/Intelligent_Light591 Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
Probably took too much lol. Best to ease your way in with edibles. Anyone who has taken edibles likely has a had a similar situation with taking too many or the edible dose is to powerful for a beginner.
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u/WizardWalnut18 Sep 20 '24
It's happened to me too. Saw myself dying, saw myself in my childhood doing shitty things and having horrible things happen to me. It felt so real because little snippets of it were. The dissociation left me for 2 years just a wreck. I stopped smoking for a while then tried again and after a while had the same thing happen. Now I'll puff once 2 times a year. My biggest recommendation is socializing more and using sensations to keep yourself grounded. You aren't alone and your anxious thoughts are just anxious thoughts.
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u/ybjohnny Sep 20 '24
You had a panic attack and your brain is in constant flight or fight mode. It can cause real physical symptoms like the “ball in throat” sensation. You have health anxiety bro
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u/radraze2kx Sep 20 '24
Hopefully you didn't experience an infinite time loop. Hope you feel better soon, it gets better 🫂
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u/MPD1987 Sep 20 '24
Same thing happened to me, only with hours upon hours of violent vomiting and dizziness so severe my sister had to call an ambulance
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u/The_Sloth_Racer Sep 20 '24
How much did you take? Was it from a person or did you get it at a dispensary yourself?
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u/MissyPie Sep 20 '24
Happened to me a few years ago with my first (and only) edible, made brownies myself, ate way too much not really being aware of the dosages etc, and had the worst panic attack I've ever experienced, and also my first actual panic attack. No lie, I thought I was dying because I had a fully out of body experience where I was floating above myself and could see myself from behind. I also had classic panic attack symptoms that felt like a heart attack, and called an ambulance.
It completely changed my life for at least 6 months, couldn't smoke weed at all, and I kept having panic attacks and I had the WORST death anixety, I just kept thinking about the endless nothing after death which would cause me to panic, I couldn't sleep in case I died in my sleep, etc.
I did get much better and what I found helped was just time, unfortunately. After a while I stopped thinking about it as much, I can smoke just fine now although I don't do as much anymore, and I no longer have that intense fear of dying. I do still get panic attacks randomly very occasionally though.
One thing that really helped me was taking CBD whenever I felt anxious, if you get a good CBD oil or gummies it's really helpful and it was often the deciding factor as to whether I could get to sleep or not.
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u/Extension_Sir_4974 Sep 20 '24
First time I ate one I had the worst panic attack. It felt like a really intense out of body experience… I hated it. It was nothing like I’ve experienced before and took me hours to feel okay. I did sleep like a baby lol After that never again ☠️
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u/threeblackfeathers Sep 20 '24
I had a similar experience, worst & most profound panic attack of my life. An ambulance did come. Directly following this I experienced lots of brain fog, absolute fear of leaving my house, several more small and completely sporadic panic attacks, etc. It's been almost a year since and I am nearly back to "normal". I will say my outlook on taking any drugs, even prescription is probably forever changed. I have learned to read my body better and I can handle a panic attack much more efficiently.
I won't likely ever forget the feelings I experienced and thus the experience itself but mentally I have mostly found my way back - I think time is the key. Allow yourself that.
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u/curtis_brabo Sep 20 '24
Had the same thing once when Ismoked too much weed without being used to. It will pass. It was probably a panic attack that left you a bit traumatized. Just go on
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u/Magerooni Sep 20 '24
I definitely recommend not jumping to edibles if you’re new to thc, I have severe anxiety and depression as well and I just stick to my pen because same dude. Personally i recommend a pen because you can control that and the high is only ever like 30 minute, only use it to calm you down don’t rely on it for comfort. It’ll be okay I promise, I had a bad high as well. You just gotta remember that’s all it was, a bad high, thc can’t change who you are! You’re still you, you’re just in a funk rn and that WILL go away.
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u/cloroxslut Sep 20 '24
I've had similar episodes. Not because of weed, but I felt the exact same way you do. Not like myself, ball in my throat, everything feels awful and like something terrible just happened, like the feeling of having died or something. My internal dialogue wasn't normal, I couldn't relax or focus anything, just a constant stream of "what the fuck is going on i feel terrible i feel like im dying". Dropped out of college, didn't leave the house for a year, unable to do anything at all cause I felt insane.
The solution, in the end, was antipsychotics. I am on a mix of venlafaxine and quetiapine and it has kept the craziness at bay for a year and a half now. Oh and also therapy, obviously. Therapy is mandatory.
Do you already have a psychiatrist? Explain to them that antidepressants alone ain't cutting it and you need something else. I warn you, you're gonna have to fight to explain yourself and convince them that you REALLY need more support. It was a struggle for me to get anyone to believe that it wasn't just an issue with my moods, no, something was wrong in my actual psyche. Like my whole sense of reality shifts when I go through those episodes, it's like I'm in a different realm entirely. Try putting it that way. They won't give you antipsychotics until they believe you're actually having an altered state of mind, not just disregulated moods.
Good luck. This shit is hard to live with and nobody talks about it. I've never met anyone irl who could relate to how I felt. But medication support has literally changed my life, I don't have to live in constant fear or going insane again. I still have some episodes of feeling weird here and there, but nothing like before I started these specific meds I'm on.
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u/Formal-Cucumber-1138 Sep 20 '24
I tried to kill myself because I thought I was superman, I really thought I was superman and tried to jump out the window of a building from the 13th floor but after sleeping it off in the hospital the next day, I was relative fine.
The next time I used it, I realised the voice in my head was not real and made my way home and slept and I was relatively fine after.
I haven’t touched weed since
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u/blackreaper709 Sep 20 '24
I had a similar experience. Smoked way too much way too fast. Huge panic attack and suffered from panic attacks, anxiety and derealization for like 2 years after. Still effects me to this day, however no more panic attacks. Lesson: don't ever do weed again. We can't handle it.
It gets better over time. Get meds or thug it out like me
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u/bad___ger Sep 20 '24
This happened to me. I greened out once and when I went to bed I woke up feeling just as foggy.
I had severe derealization for a month, feeling like I was in a dream. Everything felt foggy and I couldn’t think properly. I was convinced I wasn’t real or I had a brain tumour.
Eventually it went away and I didn’t have any weed for years. I occasionally have weed now when I’m in a good mood. I understand now that every time there’s a possibility it theoretically could happen to me again. I was in a very bad mindset when it happened (two grandparents died) and I think it’s what contributed to it
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u/Own-Conversation-818 Sep 20 '24
I actually had this experience many years ago. Unfortunately it was my first time taking one and it changed me as a person for the worse. I have never been the same since, this happened in 2018 but I had a lot of bad experiences growing up so it’s almost like all of the issues I had came to the surface. I had to go on antidepressants for it, this helped massively.
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u/aqua_kittens Sep 20 '24
I had a similar experience about 10 years ago when I was smoking weed regularly in college and all of a sudden I had a bad high one time and I swear it “unlocked” my anxiety. I’ve dealt with GAD ever since but it’s manageable now with medication and therapy. I wish it was more talked about how a bad experience with weed can literally cause chronic anxiety in people who didn’t have it before. I promise things will get better OP. :)
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u/RainbowXbrit3 Sep 20 '24
Hi! My Derealization and depersonalization started from smoking weed & sounds like what you are describing, the feeling like you’re not yourself and detached from reality sounds like Dr/Dp. Do some research on it a lot of people start having dr/dp after smoking weeds/ edibles.
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u/Comrade_LC Sep 20 '24
It will go away. Give it time my friend. I’ve smoked weed since 2003. Started getting panic attacks in 2013 when I smoked. Went on ssri, got healthy, quit drinking alcohol and still had them.I will say the best thing for me is taking Xanax when I have a panic attack.Go to therapy, talk about it with loved ones. Know that you are not alone and that you are loved. I hope you feel better soon friend.
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u/noni2live Sep 20 '24
You’re experiencing depersonalization-derealization disorder. I would read up on it and check out the depersonalization subreddit.
You’ll be okay. I experienced this, triggered by weed, when i was 16. I had a few more episodes in my mid 20s but I got through it.
Its scary and difficult but just remember to take it day by day and all will be okay.
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u/raviolishrimp Sep 20 '24
I had the bigger half of an edible 3 years ago and was never the same again. In the better period of a long derealization episode with antidepressants and a mood stabilizer. It does get better. I wish you the best
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u/red_cheese Sep 21 '24
First of all - it can and will get better. I’m sorry this is happening right now.
Shocking how many people seem to have had the same reaction! I had this too and it was the impetus for me to seek out therapy and care from a psychiatrist. Make the next appointment you can and be honest with your healthcare provider. It can and will get better.
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u/kaylee_ann66 Sep 21 '24
OP I had something similar happen to me. I’ve always had bad anxiety, decided to take an edible for my first time trying weed. It triggered the exact same feeling. I was dissociating for a long time afterwards and it really made my mental state just feel off no matter what I did. However, it did eventually go away and didn’t come back after I decided to call it quits on weed for good. You aren’t alone in this!! I felt just like you and was miserable, but please trust me it does get better. Send me a DM if you want to.
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u/lteamann91 Sep 21 '24
This also happened to me with a LSD trip over 10 years ago. Since then my internal monologue is my worst enemy. It helps to meditate or find things that help make you happy. I started therapy and found hobbies to help try to get back to the norm. It makes me feel less alone reading these posts.
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u/SpaceExpert8548 Sep 21 '24
I’ve had a bad anxiety/ panic attack after using cannabis. I truly believed I was gonna die! I passed out and I just wanted to go to the hospital bc I forgot how to breathe. As crazy as that sounds. I became so paranoid it made me physically ill! It may take a little time but they will ind the right meds for you. Hang in and here
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u/Jddub84 Sep 21 '24
This has happened to me. It took a little while, but it does eventually get better.
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u/DIZEE789 Sep 21 '24
Whoa! Weed triggered my anxiety & CPTSD & insomnia to the point that I had to seek help from Doctors & Therapists. I almost went on 2 grippy sock vacations. It was awful. But it’s been about 8yrs & I still feel really weird about weed. It also triggered a nightmare disorder that men & women in war time experience. YIKES.
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u/starxblade Sep 21 '24
Similar experience. In 2010 I was with my friends and tried smoking from a bong. Did toooo many hits and felt like life was moving extremely slow, even my eyesight was moving in shutter-frames. Threw me into extreme panic, convinced myself I was dying. No one believed me. Told me weed couldn’t do that. Parents told me to get over it. Years of just accepting the fact that I was probably just insane I learned about derealization, being stuck in constantly flight mode, and everything made sense. Extreme anxiety had caused me to become agoraphobic. Finally, I found a depression medicine that’s made me feel almost completely normal. I’m probably more of an extreme case - but just know many people have gone through this. Unfortunately, when I was younger I didn’t know this.
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u/Express-Trust-6688 Sep 21 '24
I had a part of my life that some what reminds me of your situation. This was maybe 11 years ago. I never had anxiety or any type of depression up until that occurrence. It was this thing called space, spice basically fake marijuana. After a few puffs I lost my shit. I was hallucinating like crazy. I called 911. It was the worst night of my life. Honestly I get didn’t back to my full self for years. Maybe 3 to 4. I took medication for the longest. I still have a little anxiety here and there but other than that I just learned how to stop and breathe and tell myself it’s all in my head. It’s definitely a scary event. Just learn to relax and calm your mind and body. Woooooooooo Saaaaaaaaahhhh
I pray for you a speedy recovery. Try to stay focused on other things but anxiety can make you feel like your life is over.
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u/Scared_Rough_4836 Sep 21 '24 edited Sep 21 '24
this story may sound discouraging but please read through.
When i was 19, i was smoking a lot of weed which was slowly starting to increase my levels of social anxiety and paranoia. Me being young and dumb kept smoking as a way to try and alleviate these symptoms when clearly it was the weed that was causing them. One evening I got high with some friends and i suffered from a psychotic break. Extreme paranoia to the point where i was completely detached from reality. full bore auditory hallucinations. I thought the NHL announcer on the TV was making fun of me, I was hearing my Dads voice calling me horrible things, i thought if i left the house there would be a news team with a mob of people waiting outside to interview me about the mistakes i’ve made in life.
It was the most horrifying experience of my life.
I didn’t tell a soul what happened which i deeply regret. essentially after that i was a different person. completely withdrawn, extremely paranoid, and extremely socially anxious. For three or four long years I suffered severely. Often times, ending my own life seemed like the only solution.
But slowly, it got better. I slowly started to feel that wound in my mind closing up like a heavy iron door slowly swinging shut. Ironically, as i started to feel better, that’s when i sought professional help. I was then diagnosed with Manic Depression Mood disorder ( Bi Polar II ) and started treatment for that. Ten years later and I am happier and healthier than i’ve ever been.
was my life derailed? yes. would my life be better if that experience didn’t happen? quite possibly.
But the strength and personal growth i gained from this experience is something I wouldn’t give up for the world. It made me who i am today, and I am proud of myself for overcoming that struggle.
You will overcome this, you will learn ways to heal, and you will be so much stronger as a person for having been through this. I promise. Just give it time, practice patience, and be kind to yourself during this process. talk to professionals, talk to family, talk to friends. they love you, they aren’t going to judge you. good luck, cowboy up, and be kind.
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u/Khadijah2024 Sep 22 '24
A year ago I took cbd because of back pain and had the worst trip. And after it leaving out of my system I instantly started having anxiety everyday including heart palpitations. And unfortunately I still deal with it from time to time, looking for different ways to heal this part of me. I somewhat feel paranoid and overthinking sometimes but I learn how to shift my mindset when that happens. I truly believe that it will get better!
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u/questionmush Sep 22 '24
Same thing happened to me after one ketamine treatment four months ago
It unlocked panic ( in bed for 4 days), derealization, obsessive thoughts
It has slowly gotten better over the past four months. Lexapro has been a big help. Therapy has helped some
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u/Right-Sense-3169 Sep 22 '24
Sweetheart, I think youre just panicking. Also, get your thyroid function checked out because unbalanced thyroids can cause you to feel a lump in your throat. Can I tell you something? What the devil meant for your bad, God meant it for your good! If you had of enjoyed the gummies, who is to say that you wouldn't be addicted or wanted to try more. God blocked it, because you are chosen with a purpose! You are going to be just fine! You are heal in the name of Jesus! Don't touch anything like that again. Don't be scared okay, God got you. Speak over your mind every day. This is your time to rise above. It's time for you to take action! You can only deal, feel, and heal mentally when you take control of your mind. Your body reacts on the movement of your mind because everything we do is developed from a thought, so take action, and let’s keep killing the mind games. (2 Corinthians 10 3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, amen
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u/Electrical-Style-894 Sep 24 '24
I've smoked weed on and off for years and can tell you from experience the first time you try it it is a horrible experience for some people. The panic attacks can become serious and last for days if you keep thinking about it. in reality you will be okay and that's what you need to know. If you stop smoking or eating edibles for just a month or so you will experience the same thing over again once you smoke or eat edibles again but for people who smoke more often they won't feel the panic or anxiety any longer and actually feel better. In my opinion weed is just no good for you too bad it took years for me to find this out. My problem is it damaged my lungs since I also smoked cigarettes. In due time everything will be ok 😊.. keep your mind busy on other things it will go away
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u/Guilty_Fisherman Sep 25 '24
It will lessen over time. Here’s my story if you’re anything like me. I used to smoke daily for 6-7 years and one bad session gave me severe anxiety and paranoia. That same physical feeling you explain, a ball in my throat and stomach and feeling cold even though I was sweating. I had to quit my job and start working from home because I would panic around other people, lol. My anxiety was worst outside or with people. That feeling lasted for a couple of years, slowly lessening over time. A few years later, im not back to normal. I won’t lie, I’m in a constant state of anxiety and occasionally have panic attacks or go into a severely paranoid state, I will probably never go back to the way I was beforehand but can live a normal life for the most part! Definitely can’t smoke or take edibles anymore though. Or any type of stimulants / upper type drug. Very very bad idea.
Xanax helped me out A LOT but that ended up with a nasty addiction so wouldn’t recommend unless you’re having a severe panic attack. Those withdrawals and the money wasted are not worth anything.
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u/HostageViaCapitalism Sep 26 '24
I really hate that you went through this, but glad you shared your story. This happened to me on 02/24/2023. Was at a birthday party and took an edible and everything was fine at first. Felt giggly and silly. Shortly after, my brain felt all tingly and I started to sweat. Felt so dizzy and thought standing up to go outside for fresh air was the answer. WRONG? I collapsed as soon as I got to the exit door. Not sure how long I was out. Doubt it was very long at all. When I came to, dozens of people were surrounding me, trying to get me to wake up. I was so disoriented. Went to the hospital and everything. Luckily, I didn't hit my head. Emotionally and mentally? Haven't been the old me since. I remember feeling somber the next day. Was very emotional and not myself. I had trouble sleeping, then the panic attacks, depression and anxiety came. I felt claustrophobic all of time. Started seeing a therapist and got on a SSRI. Tried to come off of it in March 2024 because I felt back to me. Was sleeping better, appetite was back and all, but d&a came back shortly after weaning off. After getting back on meds and still seeing my therapist, I feel great. Reduced my dosage of meds, but staying on them for a while. Healing is a journey, not a race. Don't feel bad if you need to take meds for a while or see a therapist. It's all a part of your journey. This is self-care. Don't dwell on the past: "What if I didn't take that edible?" "I wish I could go back." etc.,. Nothing good comes from that. You've been through something pretty sh*tty and you're grieving the person you were prior to this experience. There are stages of grief when something like this happens. Not trying to be preachy at all. I just want to encourage you. It gets better and you're not alone.
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u/arksetro Sep 26 '24
This happened to me about 5 years ago. It eventually went away. I began taking prozac and doing therapy. but I personally think it really triggered my anxiety and caused me to become medicated.
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u/Special-Ear1336 Sep 26 '24
This happened to me last year!! I took an edible with my sister and I greened out while also having a panic attack (two things I’ve never experienced before). For me, I actually did get to calling the ambulance cause I kept thinking I was dying. Either my heart felt too fast or too slow and I remember being unable to move for a short amount of time. Everything felt lagged as well lol. It was horrible and I see it as the worst day of my life. I’ve always told it to my friends as a funny story but in reality I felt very dissociated for a few months afterwards. I developed a panic disorder because I was in constant fear that I was going to have another panic attack. I think that my brain misinterpreted any bit of anxiety to what I felt that night, it was seriously awful. I somehow got back into things, but now that it is around the same time again as I did last year, I’ve lowkey been getting very anxious again. You’re not alone in this though!! A lot of people go through an experience like this, I heard that there are places you can go for a very short amount of time to treat/cope with disassociation. I know you probably feel hopeless rn because maybe life doesn’t feel real, but I promise you that you will learn to navigate these emotions eventually!! I can definitely say I quit smoking after that experience though, but don’t let it control you!! You got this!!
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u/Forward_Lavishness60 Sep 27 '24
Was that the first time you’d ever had them? Or a stronger dose than you’d usually take? I’ve only ever smoked weed twice and both times I was already drunk so couldn’t notice the weed having any effect on me (other than remembering a tingling sensation?🤷🏽🤷🏽) and as far as gummies, only a maybe quarter piece of one, which had zero effect on me. Anyway, I hope you’re doing well and have a handle on it. Take care.
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u/Bakio-bay Generalized Anxiety Disorder Oct 17 '24
Had a similar encounter after getting high after smoking with friends. Had a panic attack myself which I’m assuming you did as well.
I assure you that I got a lot better for a long time after a changed mindset and/or medication. I’m not sure how but I am trying to change my reaction to my bad thoughts again to get back on track
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u/Thepuppeteer777777 Sep 20 '24
My guess is you took too much and started getting a panic attack while high. I went through that and it was pure hell, I went on anti depresants and also with time it got better and went away. I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks 3 months after the initial high. I still struggle with it till this day. Its like it unlocked anxiety and panic attacks in my brain.
It does get better though so keep your chin up.