Marijuana for Anxiety

[smokeypanda]

G'day everyone,

 

I've done a bit of searching around the internet and on these forums regarding marijuana use for anxiety..

 

I personally suffer from anxiety, (to the point that standing in line at a supermarket is very hard for me to do as I begin to panic etc) and find that depending on the amount I smoke it really helps me feel a lot calmer and not so worried about everything. Obviously one needs to take into consideration the strain etc..

 

From what I've read the Sativa's are better for anxiety rather than the Indica's since the Indica's are more of a body high. I've also read somewhere that Strawberry Cough is a good Sativa which is sometimes used medically for anxiety which is why I would really like to try it.

 

I've heard a few people claim that marijuana causes panic but I don't really believe that to be true, (not in my case anyway as I've had anxiety long before I started smoking bud), I think that a large part of it is that people are worried about getting caught smoking since it is illegal here.

 

I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experience in this area and whether they've found it helps and so forth..

 

Thanks for your time.

[revpix]

Hi, first post here.

I have found this (and others) discussion very interesting. I enjoy the serious and friendly banter about the topics on the forum.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth.

Years ago I was smoking way too much... morning, lunch and dinner for about a year and half; and the weed did play a part in me having a nervous break down of soughts. However I have always (and still do) suffered from mild to strong anxiety (depending on what is happening in my life - and of course extremely bad when I was at my worst).

At the time I just freaked out big time as my life went quite up the creek and the weed pushed me over the edge. Ever since then I suffered quite alot of depressive episodes and anxiety and the couple of times I tried to smoke my mind raced and every single insecurity I had would explode into my mind; and it was rather hellish.

HOWEVER, last year I travelled overseas and went to Morocco and visited a place called Chefchaouen where you can pick up hash like it is falling from the trees. In fact the same guy who showed me a place to stay sold some to me (I had been there 5 mins).

Anyway I rediscovered the joy of weed and while I had moments of being paranoid and feared losing it again, I realised that accepting that fear and getting past it enabled the cannabis to help with my anxiety (plus I enjoy being stoned). The key for me was to have small doses and not blow my mind. When I was young I always wanted to get completely trashed, but by not going too far I was able to explore the mind freeing/probing possibilities of the weed.

Also what seems clear is that you have to have a certain acceptance of yourself and not be on the edge of a nervous breakdown to enjoy the benefits of cannabis! By not going too far I am able to use weed to investigate my issues and relax without becoming a paranoid android.

Cheers for all the info on the site. I don't really get into some of the BS that goes with "drug" cultures so am really thinking of growing my own so the info is very useful. The bloody laws are ridiculous I tell ya!

Cheers.

[mistyville]

G'day Cactus. Very interesting thread. I too, enjoy my weed and sitting back and zoning out. What's wrong with that? I'm a criminal...fair dinkum', I got busted last year and went to Court. I live in a small town and everyone knows me. It was so humiliating.

[crazytownqueen]

**sorry long post, getting on my soapbox**

 

Heya, Just wanted to put my two cents in by sharing my story with you about this issue and because I feel very strongly about the benefits on Marijuana as an amazing medicine. Ive suffered with varying degrees of mental illness for 14 years now after a sexual assault triggered what was already a genetic predisposition to mental unstability. Like many people who suffer Ive been through all sorts of therapies and taken all sorts of prescription drugs in that time.

 

After having my second child 4 years ago I started to have pretty extreme anxiety attacks which would happen a few times daily and left me pretty much unable to move. For the first time in my life I was not depressed, I was extremely happy with my life and had no other issues which could explain why these attacks were happening to me. I trusted my doctor and we just continued with the trialling of various pharmaceuticals and doses.

 

Anyway two years ago after a car accident I started to smoke 1-2 small cones every evening to help with pain, muscle relaxation and the nausea that came with the high doses of painkillers I was taking. within a week I noticed that my anxiety attacks had started to dramatically lessen. Whenever I was without the herb the attacks would start to be become more frequent again which incidentally doesn't help someone who is trying to not let their neck and shoulder muscles from getting too tense! I was amazed, I really had started to accept that the attacks were something that were not going to go away so for this to happen was just fantastic.

 

I can now say I rarely get anxiety attacks and they are not debilitating like they were before. I have been getting some lately but that's only because I'm without herb again- thankfully only shorterm. I know some people might say the anxiety is because of withdrawals, maybe it is but I had the anxiety before I started to use the marijuana. I can safely say that the marijuana cures my anxiety when I do take it, and with very minimal side effects unlike all the other prescription drugs I had taken/was taking. And I can tell you that its much better and probably less addictive than the vallium that my doctor persuaded me into taking.

 

My husband who works in a high up job and frequently works with the police had always been very antidrug also agrees with me on this. He has seen what I have been through and the effects all this has had on me.

 

I really should point out though that anytime I may have smoked a bit too much I would start to freak out, this is bad. I believe its like any drug prescribed or not, its about getting the right amount that works for you. Too much of anything can sometimes cause more harm than good. I have some friends/family who feel that marijuana and the addiction to it has ruined their lives. We are all different and have different needs. Its just incredibly important to have a positive frame of mind and listen to your intuition, you know when things are wrong because it will feel not quite right. When things are right, you will surely feel it even more strongly. I believe us humans should listen to our hearts/bodies a lot more than we do.

 

My hope for the future is to see this natural plant become known for what it truly is, and most of us that appreciate it know how great it is for so many things. Its saddens me there is so much misinformation about it. But yeah we can only hope....

 

/gets off soapbox

 

[Al Fish]

Some months ago I had taken a couple of cones for supper and was looking into the night sky when out of nowhere I was assaulted by horrid thoughts! This was real bad stuff, full of spiteful self-hatred and bitter recrimination. And I took these thoughts to bed with me!

In the morning, as soon as I came to consciousness I recalled these wretched thoughts. After some very short remembrance I realized that these thoughts were groundless. I had not done anything wrong! At that moment I killed the phantoms which cannabis flushed out into the open. Without Marijuana those little unseen bastards would still be running around causing God knows what damage - hiding in my sub-conscious!

The first two times I got stoned I was waylaid by paranoia. But these intense and horrid episodes were a psychic shower for me and changed my life completely.

Sativa is my favourite but I reckon Indica for anxiety.

[420Gemmy]

Yeah I definitely find that sativa strains reduce my anxiety.

[shroomyshroom]

I have to honestly say it doesnt matter what type of MJ I smoke indica or sativa... if I smoke more than I should I get a one way ticket to paranoia town.... which is pretty hectick... not a place i like to go ever...

 

i have never really used mj for my anxiety i preffer GHB,GBL and 14-b as i find they relax me with out making me paranoid

[Guest niall]

For me the sativas cause paranoia and anxiety, and unfortunately I've discovered the Volcano vapes more of the THC than CBD and other cannabinoids - some apparently have a boiling point above combustion so you're just not getting the same thing by vaping. Which is unfortunate given the amount of money I've spent on vapes over the years ;-)

 

However smoking weed vaped at a low temp still has all of those cannabinoids in it, which produces very anti-anxiety effects in me as well as the best muscle relaxant I've experienced with no trippy head high with anxiety and paranoia. Also (think I've said this in another thread) but people have warned me not to use Haze strains as they can trigger anxiety - but I think it really does come down to the individual as we all seem to be on one side or the other of this coin.

[luciddreaming]

Hey Niall, sorry to put this here, but I was searched your name and just wondering whether you set up this site or not http://www.cannabisfacts.info/. I tried to sign up but it hasn't worked.

EDIT: Sorry that may sound dumb if it wasn't you, the site was set up by a 'Niall'.

 

Anyway, on topic, I suffer from OCD and Anxiety and weed definitely helps. I haven't had enough experience with different types (obviously coz I can't tell when I buy it what strain it is) but all I know is sometimes I get paranoid and sometimes I don't. I agree with some of the people here, just taking it slowly and only having a little bit would be the best option. But I also agree that if you can learn how to get rid of the things that are actually causing your anxiety it would be more beneficial to you then just avoiding it. Meditation before smoking is going to be my rule when I start again.

Edited February 11, 2009 by luciddreaming

[smokeypanda]

Wow, I'm overwhelmed with the number of responses on this thread. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and thoughts, I really do appreciate it. I didn't realize there are quite so many people with the same affliction.

 

From everything I've read it does seem to be a case of everyone is different and what works best for someone mightn't someone else. I am still smoking/vaporizing for anxiety (also because I enjoy it) and it does seem to help a great deal personally but as everyone seems to agree you probably shouldn't toke too much at once as it may have an opposite affect. As crazytownqueen put so well, getting the required dose does seem to be the most important part when using marijuana to counter anxiety.

 

Thanks again and I will continue searching and toying with what works best for myself. Toke on!

[pszarwufl]

Ok I have massive anxiety disorders (significant social anxiet disorder and generalized anxiety disorder)

 

I bought 2 overweight ounces of sativa bush once, as an experiment really to see if it would help me

 

I smoked a joint a night and no more - so that I would be OK the next day at work, maybe 3-4 on weekends

 

It worked, those 2-3 months were the best few months off my life, I got a MASSIVE promotion - from 55k/yr to 76k/yr, I was so easy going, I felt completely confident, I was more skilled and able

 

it FIXED me completely... prozac has done almost nothing to help, where weed made my life AMAZING... thats why im back here now pretty much