I'm sure it's a dumb question, but I really must know. I'm hoping to find out if anybody has ever smoked, eaten, or vaped MMJ during a panic attack. I've shoved handfulls of pills down my throat during them, so I know it can be done - I've just never done it. Since I've started smoking MMJ (19 months now) I have had 0 panic attacks, but my attacks come on suddenly and very sporatically (every 2-3 years I'll have an outbreak). I'm hoping that next time, I can just reach for my MJ, and not the pills. Have any of you actually done this? Did it snap you out of it? Also, have you tried it before the attack got out of control, when it started coming on?

[whiterhinox]

I have never tried to smoke during a panic attack actually. But, there is one strain out there that has brought on a panic attack for me. STRAWBERRY COUGH. I hate hearing how great it is as I never get to enjoy it

I really hope someone has found a strain that could bring me out of a panic attack though. That would be great as they come kinda often since I'm always under alot of stress (not so much wen im medicated ).

[blunderson]

Originally Posted by senorlou

I'm sure it's a dumb question, but I really must know. I'm hoping to find out if anybody has every smoked, eaten, or vaped MMJ during a panic attack. I've shoved handfulls of pills down my throat during them, so I know it can be done - I've just never done it. Since I've started smoking MMJ (19 months now) I have had 0 panic attacks, but my attacks come on suddenly and very sporatically (every 2-3 years I'll have an outbreak). I'm hoping that next time, I can just reach for my MJ, and not the pills. Have any of you actually done this? Did it snap you out of it? Also, have you tried it before the attack got out of control, when it started coming on?

I have smoked during onset of anxiety but not really a panic attack. I think it can help resolve or it can make worse depending on the strain, your state at the moment, and whether or not you have other "skills" to deal with the attack such as the use of breathing, meditation, exercise, etc...

I would stay away from strains that elevate the heart rate (as well as coffee) and also use acupressure to lower heart rate during the attack. It is hard for panic and anxiety to last when you have the heart rate of a corpse (well, not that low).

I know you hate to hear it, but I love Strawberry Cough. Bought it twice. You might have had a bad batch. Perhaps smoke it in smaller amounts, or only at night. Only strain that ever brought me anxiety - and only a small amounts - is Trainwreck, which is probably my favorite strain. Most likely, I smoked too much of it. It hits quickly, and I still don't always like the come up, but the euphoria that follows is worth it every time. Keep posting, folks. This is helpful.

[tokermom]

I have family members who had to quit smoking because it brought on panic attacks. I have had 1 full blown panic attack & medicating was far from my mind at that point. It was such a horrible feeling(hope never to have again) The people I know who had problems with mj & panic attacks, did resume using it but both waited years to try it again. I do know that niether one would have tried to while they were experiencing the attack. Good Luck to you & I hope your attacks go away.

[poly]

Originally Posted by tokermom

I have family members who had to quit smoking because it brought on panic attacks. I have had 1 full blown panic attack & medicating was far from my mind at that point. It was such a horrible feeling(hope never to have again) The people I know who had problems with mj & panic attacks, did resume using it but both waited years to try it again. I do know that niether one would have tried to while they were experiencing the attack. Good Luck to you & I hope your attacks go away.

panic attacks are one of myI have about one a day if it's a good day.and yes I have

[poly]

Originally Posted by tokermom

I have family members who had to quit smoking because it brought on panic attacks. I have had 1 full blown panic attack & medicating was far from my mind at that point. It was such a horrible feeling(hope never to have again) The people I know who had problems with mj & panic attacks, did resume using it but both waited years to try it again. I do know that niether one would have tried to while they were experiencing the attack. Good Luck to you & I hope your attacks go away.

10 years I waited

[The Urban Spaceman]

if i smoke really strong sativas they can cause a panic attack. so i just stay away from em... there are a few "milder" ones that i can tolerate small amounts of but i tend to avoid those too - just in case!

if i was HAVING a panic or anxiety attack. sometimes a good strong indica will calm me down but sometimes the best thing for ME is to ride the attack out and then medicate with an indica.

everyone is different tho so what works for me could be awful for you...

[Repsol720]

I smoke everytime I get a panic attack but you still have to take some work and pull yourself out of the panic still. Its just a ton easier. Like Spacey said those sativas do sometimes make it worse but for some reason OGs mostly work. But bubbas are the best for that for myself. Good luck to all with this ailment.

[Sharkey]

Originally Posted by The Urban Spaceman

sometimes a good strong indica will calm me down but sometimes the best thing for ME is to ride the attack out and then medicate with an indica.

I'm with you. I usually forget to take anything or medicate at all during an attack.
If I do, I wait until I'm starting to come down and use a little bit of indica to take the edge off and relax and come the rest of the way down. Medicating alot during a panic attack can occasionally make it worse.

It's a great thread question and thanks for posting it, Senorlou. As you know from another thread we are chatting in sort of, I am currently off Klonopin and taking an antihistamine per my doctor's comfort zone for PA. She's no longer prescribes "controlled substances". I told her last visit I had taken marinol as a sleep aid to let her know I have that available to me, substituting the real herb in reality though. She seemed fine with it. Bizarre.

Perhaps she would be FOR pot, against klonopin. In reality, that's exactly what is happening and it's INDICA for me all the way if I can find it. Only the slightest bit of SATIVA, unless it's good organically grown HEADBAND. I fear that was a once-in-a-lifetime good batch though never to be found again :(

To answer the thread's specific question: YES, I have smoked during an actual panic attack or high HIGH anxiety moment. SEVERAL TIMES. IT helps. IF nothing else, the smoking ritual provides a distraction and focuses the mind elsewhere. I do notice the ritual sometimes more than the actual enjoyment of the smoke? ?? depends on mood but an observation.

DURING THE PAST EARTHQUAKE, I went straight to the pipe to calm myself. Only two hits, and then turned on the news and felt that SURREAL feeling. NExt day, read of my local dispensary being closed. NOW that was surreal and and not in a good way.

I just ate two homemade cookies and feel a great calming taking effect ... I cannot wait to get more of this butter. It's my new anxiety relief! No smell either from the smoke, and living in close proximity to several neighbors here, I don't wanna stink anyone out. That fear alone brings out anxiety/panic in me sometimes.

[HHCFairfax]

I never have but I had a major panic attack last week. My best friend & hubby knew what it was, but I didn't! I just assumed that I was dying!! LOL. We were out at a club and to distract me, they actually ordered me a margarita. After a few sips ( I am not much of a drinker), I felt just fine and ended up having a wonderful night. I had never used anything before to help me calm down..normally I do deep breathing, acknowledge the attack etc. and just deal with it on my own. I am normally too freaked out to even think about taking anything, lol. I was shocked that the margarita helped.

HHC, I'm sorry you had a panic attack. At least you had your hubby and best friend there to help. I've had panic attacks around strangers, at work, and around hostile people who were royally pissed off at me for having panic attacks (that always helps). Figure out what the trigger was - what made you flip out. Usually, high levels of stress trigger my attacks. So, for the first time in my life, the past 2 years, I have kept my stress level low and have had 0 panic attacks. I'm going to step up a little in life - going back to school (again) - just a few classes for my work. I'll see if I flip out then. Change makes me flip out too. It's good to know what triggers your panic attacks. That's the only way that I know, aside from drugs, that works for stopping them. If you only take the drugs without knowing what caused your attack, and why you had it, then I can almost guarantee that you'll have more. I hope you don't. Good luck.

[stanley]

.... I am almost afraid to post this..... <grin> dont want to jinx myself.


I have not had a panic attack in more than a year.

I suffered with severe attacks for nearly ten years, I ended up agoraphobic, and didnt leave the house for almost three years.... trying desparately to avoid triggers....

As a VA patient, I was BOMBED with pills, and tried them all. The full gamut of SSRI's, and tricylics, lithium, Neurontin(ptui!) half a dozen anti-psychotics, and of course our friends the benzo's....

I actually ended up using ativan most often for acute attacks, if (IF) I saw it coming, I could occasionally head it off with a big dose of ativan.

But I always felt I was better off if I could just do some sort of daily meds that would keep me on an even keel as opposed to trying to battle the symptoms with benzo's.... problem was, I never found a pharmaceutical that worked.

About this time in my history I was diagnosed with cancer.... when I started treatment, my oncologist suggested MMJ for the treatment side effects....

After a while, I realized I was not having the issues with panic. At first I put it off to the fact I was bombed on morphine, and I am sure that did have some impact... hell I was in pain and I was trying for NUMB....

But, I have since learned that my MMJ , appropriately dosed, works wonders.

I use edibles as daily maintenance meds.... I eat one in the morning and two at night... They are my own home mades, and I make them strong enough for my needs...

I have still got PTSD, I dont want to make MMJ sound like it cured my issues, it didnt. But the edibles have given me better control of panic than ANY pharmaceutical medicine I have tried to date.

It took some experimentation to figure out the right dosing, too much and I was too sedated to accomplish anything during the day, too little and I would struggle with the agoraphobia, and found it really hard to leave home....

But (knock on wood) so far so good.

My last attack came after a stay in the hospital, I wasnt able to use my MMJ for a couple weeks, and I payed a price....

As a direct answer to your question: Yes I have smoked during a panic attack. A good friend who is also a patient recognized what was happening, and sat me down... I think the "Ritual" of cleaning and rolling a joint gave me something familiar to hold on to, and a heavy indica seemed to calm me down. My only problem with smoking to relieve a panic attack is that my attacks almost ALWAYS come in public places where I cant just smoke a joint.....

[HHCFairfax]

Originally Posted by senorlou

HHC, I'm sorry you had a panic attack. At least you had your hubby and best friend there to help. I've had panic attacks around strangers, at work, and around hostile people who were royally pissed off at me for having panic attacks (that always helps). Figure out what the trigger was - what made you flip out. Usually, high levels of stress trigger my attacks. So, for the first time in my life, the past 2 years, I have kept my stress level low and have had 0 panic attacks. I'm going to step up a little in life - going back to school (again) - just a few classes for my work. I'll see if I flip out then. Change makes me flip out too. It's good to know what triggers your panic attacks. That's the only way that I know, aside from drugs, that works for stopping them. If you only take the drugs without knowing what caused your attack, and why you had it, then I can almost guarantee that you'll have more. I hope you don't. Good luck.

Great advice!!!

Change definitely triggers for me as well. In fact, just reading that you were going back to school made me anxious! lol!

Thank you so much and good luck with school!

[whiterhinox]

I forgot to mention that ever since I started taking fish oil (1000ms omega-3 fish oil) that the panic attacks dont come as often. I also noticed after I started taking fish oil, that I wake up better in the morning (not as much nausea, but I still vomit sometimes) So maybe supplement with fish oil? I swear its almost like a miracle pill, but not really. And also I agree with Spacey, bad sativas cause panic attack.

[codeman420]

i found during a panic attack, its all about your breathing and mentality. When you toke you take a slow long controlled breath, hold it for about 3 seconds and blow it out. Thats whats really going to help, i do this 3 or 4 times and it stops. Just walk away from the environment your in go outside, or inside whatever be the case. Ive tried weed and breathing witout weed with the same effects for me. I rarely have them now, a few years i had them a few times a week... take care

[Bogart McKilo]

I'm sitting here kind of unbelieving that so many people here on WT suffer from the pitfall of panic attacks. For me it's the feeling of being at the top of a rollercoaster just ready to go over the top...except I fear heigtht.
I try to stop and evaluate why I feel the way I do, if it's justified, and stop the advance of the attack. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.
Best wishes and much respect to all you who have to face this fear everyday.

[highsierra]

I had one of the worst attacks last night that i have had in a while. I thought about taking a puff of some indica but i am pretty much in a full blown attack when I wake up ( if i get them its in the middle of the night, i wake up with an attack : (

I am also heartened to see so many people suffering from the same horrible condition that I am ( that might sound bad but its nice to know your not alone) I agree that a breathing exercise/meditating is the best when you are in an attack. I breath in through my nose for 5 seconds, hold it in for 4, then slowly release out the mouth for 7-8 seconds, counting every second. It really helps getting your mind away from the fact that I think im going to die of some made up problem in my mind. I am going to try taking a puff of Mango ( a nice indica) and see how I feel.

I hope everybody feels better after reading this thread, i know i did...were not alone and were gonna survive...yeaaaahh...Rastafari

[thesundontcome]

i don't really get panic attacks, but i get mild anxiety attacks, and i found that smoking light indicas helps me a lot. i don't get them very often, but they really shake me (literally, i shake, and it scares me) but medicating helps me calm down.

[Nepeta]

Usually I can't breathe during a panic attack, never mind trying to smoke... I medicate right after to calm down and think it through.

[pinkflamingos]

Originally Posted by senorlou

I'm sure it's a dumb question, but I really must know. I'm hoping to find out if anybody has ever smoked, eaten, or vaped MMJ during a panic attack. I've shoved handfulls of pills down my throat during them, so I know it can be done - I've just never done it. Since I've started smoking MMJ (19 months now) I have had 0 panic attacks, but my attacks come on suddenly and very sporatically (every 2-3 years I'll have an outbreak). I'm hoping that next time, I can just reach for my MJ, and not the pills. Have any of you actually done this? Did it snap you out of it? Also, have you tried it before the attack got out of control, when it started coming on?

I have the same problem and I wanted to ask the same question but I was a bit embarassed. I had been taking pills since I was 13 years old and I just recently became a patient. I hadn't had an anxiety attack in 3 years. And I was scared to medicate because I thought that it would aggravate the anxiety. But last week it happened again and I had some grape kush and like 5 minutes after I was completely relaxed, like nothing had happened. I think it's way better than taking xanax and it works faster than anything I've ever tried.

Absolutely, for years. Choosing the right strain is important, to say the least. Oddly enough, sativas have always worked well for me. A racy sativa catches up to a racing mind, and the outcome depends on the amount you smoke and the setting. Smoke too much and yes, usually your heart will race and you'll most likely get paranoid, which for me makes it a lot worse But if I smoke the right amount and go for a walk by myself, the effect of whatever sativa I'm smoking will catch up to my racing thoughts and, although it doesn't slow them down for me, it makes me comfortable with the panic, and able to channel all that negative energy in a positive direction. Usually 25 minutes or so after smoking I'll find myself laughing, just because of the complete 180 I've done!

Of course, this won't work for everyone, as we all experience feelings and emotions to our own degree. Make no mistake, I'm not recommending you go out and smoke a whole bunch of Kali Mist and expect to feel better immediately! It's all about where you go with that energy, channel it in a positive direction and it won't be painful anymore.

Certain strains can make things much worse for me. I'm not a fan of hybrids. Certain hybrids will bring me up a ways, and then just leave me feeling burnt out. Sour D is a good example. This is not good for me , cause it makes me bored/lazy.... but not to the point of going to sleep, like a really heavy indica. Just.... burnt out. This leads to boredom, which leads to depression, which ,, well you get it.

Heavy indicas are obviously a necessity if this is going on late at night. Anyone ever try to sleep while you're having a panic attack? It really doesn't matter how tired you are. While I don't like the burnout of a lot of hybrids, all out couchlock is just fine. The sense of well being that it brings me is very beneficial. I look for sleepy strains to begin with for this time of day. Hash too, after about 11. Even if things are bad to the point where it doesn't help to lighten your mood, it will put you to sleep, like it or not. Has to be the right strains though, and for me, hash.

I wish there were a strain that halted a panic attack, but there really isn't, with mental things like this we all kind of have to figure out our way to handle it. It certainly has helped me though, I don't take any pills anymore, no matter how bad it gets. Some days it's just like being really sick with the flu or something like that, you just have to drag yourself kicking and screaming through it. Find things in your life that make you happy, things that consistently lighten your mood. Then proceed to immerse yourself in these things. Music has helped me deal with a lot.

Great thread! Much love to all of you alls, know that you aren't alone!