smoking induced panic attacks/anxiety

could it be becaus of the switch from low THC to high THC content?

  • yes

    Votes: 15 78.9%
  • nah

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • Total voters
    19

_MrBelvedere_

Well-Known Member
like someone else mentioned earlier, it could be strain dependent.. from the reading i've down, it seems that sativa, sativa dominant strains will tend to induce more anxiety than indica / indica dominant strains..
idk if you know what strain it was that you smoked, but if you do, maybe try switching it up for a more indica dom strain.. some strain in general are more well known to induce anxiety..
That is really good advice. Also, if you smoke more often with that strain you will build tolerance and you may stop having the attacks. But definitely try a indica dominant strain with very little sativa in it if possible... And smoke smaller bowls so you don't panic. Because good quality bud is a lot stronger than what you were smoking before! :) HTH.
 

warble

Well-Known Member
Just opinion. Different strains have different cannabinoid, terpene, and flavanoid profiles. Different people have different reactions. Most people react the same, but some will react different even when smoking the same strain. It has something to do w/ receptors in the brain. THC and CBD do degrade into CBN. CBN is what some think causes panic attack. There really isn't very much research on this. THC and CBD are supposed to counter those reactions or at least mitigate them to a manageable level. If the cannabis has degraded enough, those factors may be out of balance, or if the strain just grows w/ a high CBN content that could cause the panic attacks too.
In the eighties, there was some stuff they called Buddha Thai, and it was laced w/ PCP or opium. They called the joints sherms. That would cause people to have many different reactions, including panic attacks. It has always been better to grow your own, that way you know what you're getting each time.

I don't believe in tolerance being built. I have smoked some very nice strains and gotten pretty high, and have smoke some gnarly dirty ditch weed and still got high. I have been smoking since the early eighties. I have gone months smoking the same strain, w/ a few different strains thrown in once in a while at friends' places. The high is usually a little different, but I would not say the high was affected by tolerance. I would say that it is affected by the cannabinoid, terpene, and flavanoid profiles of the various strains and how they are grown and cured. I'm pretty sure the tolerance thing is just some other label for already too high, greed, desire, or some other mild form of self hate.
 

fatboyOGOF

Well-Known Member
i'm 60, a sativa lover and i've been toking most of my life. i never got panic attacks until i started eating it and i'd eat a bit too much, or i'd eat the right amount of pot but then start toking/vaping and getting too high.

for me an attack is just the heartbeat going crazy and a feeling of OH SHIT!!!!!! i don't get some of the more extreme conditions some of you get.

i make coconut cannabis capsules (3 oz of bud to 16 oz of oil. they are killer. :) ). i've been vaping and eating the same few genetics for 2 years or so. a few days ago, 3 hours after eating 2 capsules, i wasn't quite where i wanted to be so without thinking it through, i vaped a bag (1/10th of a gram).

after 10 minutes i was thinking - oh oh. i spent the next hour trying to dull the edge off the high. i'll grind and sniff pepper and eat some food/fruit to try to come down a bit. i have to remember to only take one hit when i'm eating capsules, not a whole bag full.

when i vape, i don't get to a point where i'll get panicky because i can feel it when i'm right on the edge of going one step too far and i stop. i've learned to stop and think before i fire up another joint or bag full. i often realize that i'm usually pretty high when i first think of vaping some more and that i don't really need another toke or 6.

sativa dominants are more likely to give someone a panic attack than indica dominants. i'm very happy that i don't typically get panicky when i toke. if i did, i'd have to stop. it's too uncomfortable a feeling.
 
Last edited:

Pauly420

Active Member
Find a mellower indica hybrid. I have the same issue regularly and can't really smoke higher than 70% sativa without getting a little anxious or parinoid. If its a higher hybrid or full sativa I stay away. 60/40s to heavy indica for me!
 

old shol4evr

Well-Known Member
in my opinion i would have to ask what lead up to these events ,just saying that it has never happen to me .i think sativa is best for PTSD during the day because it keeps you in that happy place.were as and normally you come across some ass hole that sends you back to the war ,some things that can't be prevented on your part ,if you react to the situation at hand sometimes it helps ,but other times when you set it in your mind fuck that bastard he aint going to steal my cool ,it builds up inside ya ,that when shit happens and mine aren't pretty for me or anyone else. indica on the other hand helps take the nightmares and sweats away but if your already pissed nothing is going to help .tv ,spouse ,neighbor ,music and all around life is triggers for these instances .but weed is not a cure all it just keep you happy or sleepy ,the rest is up to you. good luck bro life does go on and you will prevail
 
I don't think the weed is the problem. Probably something you are anxious about and you might not even know it. Bob marley is quoted as saying, "when you smoke the herb, it introduces you to yourself." With that quote in mind, how have you been feeling lately? What might be troubling you?
 

old shol4evr

Well-Known Member
I don't think the weed is the problem. Probably something you are anxious about and you might not even know it. Bob marley is quoted as saying, "when you smoke the herb, it introduces you to yourself." With that quote in mind, how have you been feeling lately? What might be troubling you?
i agree with snatch
 

resinousflowers420

Well-Known Member
some ppl cant handle the effects of certain strains,which makes them panic,and have an attack.if your heart is racing really fast,because its a strong sativa,that can scare ppl into a panic attack,which then makes things worse.
 

highland420

Member
I been smoking 5 years and still get panic attacks if I smoke alot unless I'm with close friends doing something. If it's seems bad but u still love to smoke weed like me just smoke a Lil bit. Sucks that some of us are like and others are just chill and cool after smoking 2 blunts lol. I usually smoke a bowl and I'm good. And I have it in my head anything more would be too much and I'll get a panic attack.with close friends just smoke and say fuk it it's just weed.
 
Panic attacks are no joke, you feel like you're dying. If you panic, just take a deep breath and remember that weed won't take you anywhere you won't be able to come back from. Just ride the wave and distract yourself from the panic. Sometimes easier said than done but its mind over matter. When worry leads to fear leads to adrenaline release you get palpitations that lead to more fear, adrenaline, ... its a vicious cycle. Smoke in moderation too that helps. So do friends. And monitor your frame of mind.
 

gb123

Well-Known Member
okay. so my current situation is slightly different then others on here, but please help me out. first things first, I have been smoking for 4 years, almost every day, usually multiple times a day. I've been used to smoking pot carrying very low THC content for the past month or so. then, I smoked very potent marijuana with a high THC content and experienced what I believe was a panic attack. heart beat was faster, dizziness, chest pains, feeling of unreality, etc. this occurred after taking a single hit from a bong. curious as to why this would happen, especially only from a single toke, I decided to take a single hit off a one hitter the following morning. I did not experience a panic attack, but I did experience significant anxiety. this all made no sense to me. pot used to lower my anxiety, now its doing the opposite? I thought the best idea was to put down the pipe for a while until I figure out why this happened. please let me know what you think. thanks.
For sure different types of herb hash ...what have you will and can do this to people. Once it happens, it occurs easier next time ONLY because you are thinking about it of course.
WHAT EVER YOU DO..... NEVER LET THEN GIVE YOU BENZOS!!!!!!!!!!! Learn how to control these feelings, you can learn to deal with them and they may just go away in time. Just as they started.
Stick with indica strains rather than sativa. Squirrely highs suck!!!
Hope this helps.

:)
 

JointOperation

Well-Known Member
lol tommy chong said it too.. if your getting anxiety from weed.. you have other stresses and issues going on that your worried about..

I get it sometimes here and there.. were I feel like I cant breathe.. and heart starts racing.. but if I just chill out.. and breathe.. ill calm right down..

usually from eating large amounts.. for some reason.. it doesn't seem to matter if its sativa or indica..

soometimmes from a few too many dabs.. but still have found that when im not stressed.. it doesn't happen nearly as often
 

Fease

Well-Known Member
Just opinion. ....THC and CBD do degrade into CBN. CBN is what some think causes panic attack. There really isn't very much research on this. THC and CBD are supposed to counter those reactions or at least mitigate them to a manageable level. If the cannabis has degraded enough, those factors may be out of balance, or if the strain just grows w/ a high CBN content that could cause the panic attacks too.....
CBN does not cause panic attacks. There's only one possibility that this happens and it is you get so couch locked from consuming very high CBN weed that you get freaked. Small doses of CBN create a sense of well being. SO does small doses of weed. Take a small hit, blow it out quick, wait 20minutes, see how ya feel. This is how you avoid panicky "greening out" or "throwing a Bobby" lol. I know from experience(after a stupid bad spice trip[don't do spice please! bad bad bad]) and a continued heightened sensitivity to weed that small doses and figuring out your perfect dose are the key here. Good luck all!
 

rob333

Well-Known Member
okay. so my current situation is slightly different then others on here, but please help me out. first things first, I have been smoking for 4 years, almost every day, usually multiple times a day. I've been used to smoking pot carrying very low THC content for the past month or so. then, I smoked very potent marijuana with a high THC content and experienced what I believe was a panic attack. heart beat was faster, dizziness, chest pains, feeling of unreality, etc. this occurred after taking a single hit from a bong. curious as to why this would happen, especially only from a single toke, I decided to take a single hit off a one hitter the following morning. I did not experience a panic attack, but I did experience significant anxiety. this all made no sense to me. pot used to lower my anxiety, now its doing the opposite? I thought the best idea was to put down the pipe for a while until I figure out why this happened. please let me know what you think. thanks.
funny every time i smoke a bong after wards my heart flutters like crazy i always thought it was the smack or fent i was on at the time but my doc rekons its the weed
 

wallflower2884

Active Member
I have this problem with some Sativa dominant strains. Once I realized the cause/trigger I could/can back it down. Once it completely passes....20 minutes or so I slide into a very nice mind/energetic state. I am careful to smoke or eat only Indica dominant strains when not home or in a "safe" place. Straight Indica at bedtime.
I've had panic attacks for 36 years. For newbies...you can and will be able to figure out your triggers and how to best back it down or wait it out. :)
 
Top