Are my symptoms stress related or the result of quitting skunk?

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

I am a 27 year old female and have smoked since i was 15. I quit for several years when pregnant and whilst babies were young and in recent years smoked the strong skunk for 3 years. I didnt notice any negative effects until november last year, when the skunk began triggering panic attacks. This caused me to cut down and throughout december i had the occasional dizzy spell and panic attack after smoking which forced me to stop. I lost my nan on xmas day which came as a huge shock and my mum was rushed into hospital on boxing day so as you can imagine i was pretty stressed at this point. The week between xmas and new year i had a bit of solids to keep me calm. After this the sleepless nights and terrible dreams began and the night before the funeral 3 weeks into january i took a few tokes on a skunk joint to help me sleep. Never again! I shook in bed uncontrollably for 3 hours and my mind and heart was racing. The following day i woke up full of adrenaleine still and shook throughout the whole funeral. My emotions felt blocked and numb, The anxiety was immense and became constant everyday after that. I was prescribed sleeping tablets for a week which helped at night time but the anxiety throughout the day has ruined my life. I have had to stop seeing my family as they have all been ill or depressed and the worrying made me worse. I had a constant headache for 4 weeks and a migraine that lasted 3 days. My visions been worse and blurred at times. I have had all the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety and a friend of mine said 'the anxiety is a slow come down off the skunk!' I must admit im starting to feel a lot better, my heads no longer fuzzy and i ve come to terms with the fact that im suffering anxiety and the physical symptoms will not kill me!!! The chest pains were so bad i had my heart checked by e c g. I ve also had my pupils dilated and my eyes thoroughly checked so no longer feel anxious about these things! But still feel very restless and evening times are the worst, i can hardly sit still! I have been a complete chatterbox and people struggle to keep up with me, could ths be the fact that i was stoned or all them years and now my brains starting to work again?!
Thanks in advance for any response to this post, im not able to speak to many peple as my habbit was something i kept from most as being a mother its not something im proud of.
Sally

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

Skunk Weed

Hi Sally welcome to the forum.

It could be the skunk, the stress or a combination of the two. Although the drug has caused you to have panic attacks in the past, when you wasn’t under such intense stress, so in your case the skunk the drug has got form. the drug can cause anxiety either from taking it or withdrawing from it, I got to the stage where it was causing me so much anxiety that I just couldn’t smoke cannabis anymore, not even the smallest amount. I felt anxiety for a good while after I stopped too. Anyway the longer you go without smoking it the better I am sure you will feel. It sounds that you like me just can’t really smoke it anymore, it’s a bit gutting at first, especially when you have learnt to rely on it. But things do get better and you do learn to live without it and realise there’s more to life than getting stoned.

I am very sorry to hear what you are going through and wish you the very best.

Anytime you want to get something off your chest we are here to listen, take care and please keep us posted on how it goes.

[kim]

Yeah it sounds like it’s just not good for you girl, best to give it up.

Good luck!

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

Thanks. Ive accepted its no good and am glad i stopped. The panic attacks in november were a blessing in disguise as i wouldnt have stopped unless it was making me ill! I know i m strong enough to do this as i have been around people who smoke and have no interest in it anymore. Apart from thinking it stinks lol i never want to feel that way again. I am shocked how long the anxiety is lasting. I gave up for 12 weeks last year and only experienced sleepless nights but stupidly went on to smoke a lot of hydroponically grown skunk with high thc and think this is why its so much worse this time (+ the other stresses in my life) I ve read some info regarding the hydroponically grown the drug in this country that has high thc and low cbd and can now see how much more harmful it is. Scary stuff, think i quit at the right time. If you dont mind me asking Cannabis Rehab Admin , how long did your anxiety last after quitting? Thanks again for support,
Sally

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

did u enjoy it before it gave u anxiety would u still smoke it if if didnt. i get anxious if i havent got any does everyone eventually get anxious smoking it

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

High THC low CBD the drug (most skunk/chronic), does seem to have allot more side effects, especially when it comes to your mental health, it just such a shame that that’s how so much of today’s the drug is. My anxiety lasted probably for about a month or two after I quit.

I used to get anxious when I never had any too, it can make you anxious when either you are withdrawing from it or craving it, or when you are actually on it. I am not saying that everybody who smokes skunk will experience this, but there are allot of people who do experience some degree of anxiety or paranoia.

[i_wanna_be_normal]

good luck sally

hi sally,
ive given up for about three months now and still feel anxious,especially when i aint got nothing to do,it is getting better(slightly)i never smoked skunk.only when i couldnt get the normal stuff.
just like you i got panic attacks last nov,and got so scared of the drug that i gave it up(best thing i ever did) i would have never given it up other wise use to love it so much,i smell it sometimes when im walking down the street and it STINKS!!!!,my friend wanted to smoke it in my car whilst i was driving,but i couldnt let him.
i admire you for your strenght considering what you've been through,i dont think i could be that strong and go through giving up the drug and death all at the same time....GOOD ON YOU GIRL!!!!!...things do get better,you sound very positive and strong ,so good luck to you!!!!


i_wanna_be_normal