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I've been smoking weed for the last two and a half years (European way - mixed with tobacco).
Everything was fantastic at the beginning...so relaxing, I have many, many great memories from dancing with friends to creating music, from watching concerts to having sex. Mary Jane was really a plus, also considering I started quite old (at 25, precisely).
However, I don't know what happened lately...last month the highs have been getting worse. I get overfocused on my heartbeat and I begin to feel things that are definitely non there. Small pain in the chest? heart attack. One second of dizziness? I'm going to pass out and choke. Pulse in my head? A vein is going to explode.
As you can imagine, noone would smoke in order to feel bad. By talking to other smokers/ex-smokers, this seem the main reason why people quit weed. I really don't know what triggered it - surely this last period is terrible and I have many, many worries but honestly I believe that in two years and a half I must have passed other terrible periods. So why is it happening now?
It's kinda ridicolous - I used to run 12 km up the hills in one hour and now I am worried that my heart is gonna give up for two hits on a small sized joint. Meh.
Maybe in the future I will try again. I am quite confident that in a nice life environment I could enjoy it again (for example, having a job, my own apartment, a girlfriend...)
I really don't know why I became so self aware when I smoke. F***
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I developed anxiety after about 2 years of smoking it as well. It's no fun when suddenly you feel like everything is wrong and you're going to die.
I hope you can pick it back up and enjoy it again in the future, but for me, 10 years later, I still get anxiety attacks on the rare occasions I light up.
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On January 07 2017 08:02 OveRtheStarS wrote:
I developed anxiety after about 2 years of smoking it as well. It's no fun when suddenly you feel like everything is wrong and you're going to die.
I hope you can pick it back up and enjoy it again in the future, but for me, 10 years later, I still get anxiety attacks on the rare occasions I light up.
We're similar then. Do you have any clues about what could have triggered your change?
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I think that it was a predisposition to anxiety that the weed eventually triggered, as well as difficulties in my personal life at the time. What I found was that when I would smoke, I would begin to obsess over anything that was mildly bothering me at the time. Not feeling well? Impending heart attack. Rough week with the girlfriend? Definitely cheating on me.
Even now, when my life is great, weed will induce similar responses... and I believe it's because my brain previously became wired to respond to weed in that way.
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Very interesting, thanks for your insight. I think I will try to smoke again if I get something big (i.e a good job) and report back...but that is unlikely the case for now.
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I usually get a lot more trippy from weed these days since i've smoked so long, the hype and giggles is gone. I kind of take it like a challenge though. I only smoke occasionally now, i treat it like a mild LSD trip now. I expect to think some nice and some not so nice thoughts. I don't smoke to relax any more.
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smokers have come up with all kinds of quantum death explanations for why you think you're gonna die or be arrested when you're high.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_suicide_and_immortality
my roommate was a recovering smoker and introduced me to a lot of these concepts 20 years ago. i think it's possible weed could be detrimental to you so kudos on giving it up
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Canada11355 Posts
I've smoked for about 6 years now. probably 3 or 4 of those years was every day or almost every day.
While I've never once felt anxious, paranoid, or uncomfortable while high, I can say I've developed a dependence. When I do take a break the first few days are rough. I can't sleep well, I feel incredibly bored even when doing things I enjoy, and when I am able to sleep I have vivid dreams which usually cause a little derealization after I awake.
My own experiences aside, it can only be a net positive to your health to no longer be inhaling burning plant matter. Unless you exclusively vape/low temp dab you are doing damage to your lungs by inhaling any kind of hot smoke.
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i smoked almost daily for the past 6-7 years and 3-4 years into smoking ive felt that exact feeling you described, shortness of breath, dizziness and kind of like an anxiety feeling it almost felt like i was dying, it was horrible tbh and only happened when i took large hits, it would affect me for 30 minutes - an hour then gradually wear off. i then bought a volcano (vaporizer) and i never seemed to get this awful feeling again, but now i am trying to stop or at least significantly reduce the amount i smoke. i don't like the vice it has on me as well as the money i spend on it
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If you care about your health at all, don't smoke ANYTHING. Weed tobacco, etc. You WILL pay for it later in life.
Live and eat/drink healthy. There are better highs in life than drugs.
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On January 07 2017 11:33 Fecalfeast wrote:
I've smoked for about 6 years now. probably 3 or 4 of those years was every day or almost every day.
While I've never once felt anxious, paranoid, or uncomfortable while high, I can say I've developed a dependence. When I do take a break the first few days are rough. I can't sleep well, I feel incredibly bored even when doing things I enjoy, and when I am able to sleep I have vivid dreams which usually cause a little derealization after I awake.
My own experiences aside, it can only be a net positive to your health to no longer be inhaling burning plant matter. Unless you exclusively vape/low temp dab you are doing damage to your lungs by inhaling any kind of hot smoke.
Actually weed does "more" damage to the brain than the lungs, if I may put it this way.
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If you already have a form of anxiety drugs will only make it worse. I have a mild form of social anxiety and every time I take xtc the social anxiety gets way worse during the dip afterwards. Mindset is quite important when you do drugs.
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On January 07 2017 19:46 noname_ wrote:Show nested quote +On January 07 2017 11:33 Fecalfeast wrote:
I've smoked for about 6 years now. probably 3 or 4 of those years was every day or almost every day.
While I've never once felt anxious, paranoid, or uncomfortable while high, I can say I've developed a dependence. When I do take a break the first few days are rough. I can't sleep well, I feel incredibly bored even when doing things I enjoy, and when I am able to sleep I have vivid dreams which usually cause a little derealization after I awake.
My own experiences aside, it can only be a net positive to your health to no longer be inhaling burning plant matter. Unless you exclusively vape/low temp dab you are doing damage to your lungs by inhaling any kind of hot smoke.
Actually weed does "more" damage to the brain than the lungs, if I may put it this way.
The only studies that seem to show any "damage" is chronic daily use for extended periods of time.
What happens it that your brain adjusts to functioning on weed, and therefor in some ways reduces its functions, in others it increases.
They also seem to show that the brain adapts back to normal if use of cannabis is stopped for a longer period of time
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My thought is that people smoke because life can be difficult and smoking can provide some relief in harder times. If you have some good experiences with it, then people tend to use it to enhance already good times as well.
It is a coping strategy and form of experience enhancement, different from drinking in how socially acceptable it is deemed and the actual effect it has on the person. In its use, it is functionally the same as alcohol.
Messing with the body's chemistry has many unintentional effects. The system of the mind is infinitely complex and we certainly do not understand the effects of messing with human chemistry has on the mind.
Having said that, it is a great human history to mess with this chemistry. Hell even exercise is just you messing with your internal chemistry, same with falling in love.
If you used daily, I think that is when adverse affects might show up. Most things in moderation don't cause harm, for example, having a drink with friends on the weekend. But if you drink every day it isn't a sustainable way of life, you have adverse effects, you throw your body chemistry out of balance. Smoking one joint on the weekend with friends socially is much different than smoking daily.
If you find you have to smoke daily, then I would definitely consider your motivations for doing it. Daily use could be more for relief of stresses than just to enjoy smoking and an already good life.
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On January 07 2017 14:04 MilkDud wrote:
If you care about your health at all, don't smoke ANYTHING. Weed tobacco, etc. You WILL pay for it later in life.
Live and eat/drink healthy. There are better highs in life than drugs.
I just saw this, and whole heartedly agree 
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They also seem to show that the brain adapts back to normal if use of cannabis is stopped for a longer period of time
On the contrary. Prolonged use of cannabis leads to permanent memory and cognitive impairment (not even mentioning the psychological and motivational facets). This was the consensus a few years ago, and I don`t think researchers came up with the exact opposite of this ever since.
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honestly i rethought my reply to this and i think you should smoke more since this just coming on the heels of your last blog where you got turned down for a philosophy PhD
if you don't crash and burn you'll be giving them what they want
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Are you eating well and sleeping well? 10+ years daily user here, but exercising a lot and eating super healthy, no problem to report.
Though I do agree that mixing with tobacco is bad on the long run. Maybe you should invest in a Volcano vaporizer, you can still get high without filling your lungs with tar.
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definitely don't use the volcano vape with tobacco
i have tried this and felt like i was damaging my kidneys / liver smoking roughly 3oz / day
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On January 09 2017 11:27 YokoKano wrote:
definitely don't use the volcano vape with tobacco
i have tried this and felt like i was damaging my kidneys / liver smoking roughly 3oz / day
uh... the purpose of the volcano is that you don't need to roll joints anymore, why would you put tobacco in the vaporizer?
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On January 10 2017 04:50 endy wrote:Show nested quote +On January 09 2017 11:27 YokoKano wrote:
definitely don't use the volcano vape with tobacco
i have tried this and felt like i was damaging my kidneys / liver smoking roughly 3oz / day uh... the purpose of the volcano is that you don't need to roll joints anymore, why would you put tobacco in the vaporizer?
basically i was working on programming in the sc2 editor.... and....
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8sRnium.jpg)
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It's funny when I randomly run into these threads here and there. Yes, no matter what many will tell you, weed is not for everyone. My take on it is the more cognitively active you are, the more damaging could smoking become.
Same exact thing happened to me, and I am still feeling the effects, albeit a lot less. It wore off over the years. Just like another poster told you, it triggered anxiety for years to come. I stopped smoking in 2005. I wasn't able to do sports without feeling being on the brink of death for many years after that. Prior to that, I was very active - played soccer, ran cross-country and went out clubbing a lot. No social anxiety whatsoever - I was a normal teenager with many friends.
On the bright side, that made me seriously invest time into broodwar, and many unforgettable years followed. I wouldn't consciously make that trade though
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On January 07 2017 12:03 castleeMg wrote:
i smoked almost daily for the past 6-7 years and 3-4 years into smoking ive felt that exact feeling you described, shortness of breath, dizziness and kind of like an anxiety feeling it almost felt like i was dying, it was horrible tbh and only happened when i took large hits, it would affect me for 30 minutes - an hour then gradually wear off. i then bought a volcano (vaporizer) and i never seemed to get this awful feeling again, but now i am trying to stop or at least significantly reduce the amount i smoke. i don't like the vice it has on me as well as the money i spend on it
I never knew you were this gangster but now I know.
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hi .. hope you feel better than when you wrote the original post
There happens to be quantifiable/non subjective stuff that happens when you consume thc*
(thc* : tetrahydrocanabinol, the molecule that gets you “high”).
Our body naturally produces hormones that accompany/generate/follow these episodes of "feeling good", these are called endorphins. The different triggers or levels are irrelevant, people are unique and suffice to say that we all react very differently to everything life has to offer (our own genetic design and what we are "confronted" within the course of our lives, in this case the thc molecule inhaled).
When you consume thc there is a production/release of endorphin in the body that accompanies it (the effect starts 7 to 30 seconds after inhaling it through the lungs (fastest drug to have an effect on the brain, by the way)) , so one could say that from a purely chemical point of view, inhaling thc is a "release endorphin on demand" button: you smoke and it makes your body produce/release endorphins that makes your body/self "feel good"...
“Many to most” people screw up their own ability to generate this endorphin "on their own" (without the thc catalyst) from prolonged use (all day/for years).. the more you use the more you screw up your body chemistry/ability to "self regulate hormonal functions".
The second quantifiable that "scientists" have measured/observed is that your brain creates neuro receptors/transmitters that sample everything you experience, and then those act “on their own”, in very different/varied ways depending on the product that it is related to / created from AND the person’s personal genetic make up.
Those transmitters are active.. the “scientist pros" say that these are a unique place to study / understand what does make certain substances "addictive" to the point of making it a “problem”...
That your use brought on fear/feeling of illness incoming/whatever but bad, is quite common. It is not that you are more aware, it is that you are ALTERED (very few people are immune to thc)
Being in this altered state (that is usually agreeable to feel, or no one would do it) is the knot of the affair.
While repeatedly high, you realize what you are (meat with bones/a soul/heart/an ant on a rock etc), how enormous what surrounds you is and how what is in you is.. infinite, possibly frightening.. or awesome …
Obviously this also needs to be seen within a real life context/filter (how you are in your life besides that aspect: you "getting high”) and how it sets you within a particular social/political circles (for instance your consumption could stem from many different sources, your close friends could be for or against .. usually one has to hide/lie to survive as an addict so there is that too.. etc…).
You realize what you are, what you think everything is.. because you are more relaxed, more in tune with “life”, more whatever or even less whatever...
50+ years ago, people used thc to open up their consciousness, it was “still” considered semi religiously or more precisely "alchemistic"! The set up was that you would be looking for something "other" and you would do it (consume) in a ceremony of sorts (with people looking over you) .. the dose would get you over the edge and when you would be back the idea was that you wouldn't need it anymore.
Cut to now, consumption is like almost as bad as for sugar.. 2 or 3/5 teen has NOT tried it. Mostly it is a commerce, any "higher" level of awareness has been reduced to "first dose is free then you are hooked for good" sort of. This isn't what i'm typing about so i'll skip that issue but i hope you see where i was going, maybe?
About the "after" and your body's chemistry, it should be set back to normal in a few months after you stop completely, you should “feel” like you did before, if you don’t (AGAIN) do consult a doctor, angst/other shit is real and can possibly be “managed” easier if not ignored.. but that memory of the altered you might still be there to haunt you, possibly forever (and your liver and hair roots will still have thc in them when u die even if you never “indulge” ever again) .. this notwithstanding flashbacks  .
About on and off: that is perhaps the most awful part .. the most unfair bit, some people will drop it and/or pick it back up easily and in fact will not incur what some feel when they re start.
We are all surviving machines and we can go very far out of our "way" to fix ourselves a nest we think is “best” for ourselves, in the case of drugs it is a perhaps mostly a matter of biology/alchemy .. (“this strain of weed agrees with me" for instance or "about so and so grams a day and i wont forget to pick up the kids at school" .. as another less “fun” example).
Anyone "interested" should go online and type tetrahydrocanabinol, endorphin, addict or other words like that so you inform yourself on what i just vaguely outlined. Yes there are opposing camps on the issue, medical research has been going on for much longer than you would think and while you have to go through some really bad things, a lot that is out there is really eye opener!
#Nothing beats information/knowledge!
You said you "felt" sick, did you consult?
Drugs are very varied and different, most people will profess that thc (hash / weed inhaled) is a kid’s drug and that everyone is bound to be on top of it.. i came here to say that is wrong and that this uncaring/ignorant stance is a big chunk of the issue in fact (and yes most users think that way and are part of the problem!).
What imakes every drug appealing is the very thing that makes it hard to stop/control them. But whereas 50 years ago, people “knew” about said drugs and it was a “big” deal to use them, now millions of addicts are left by themselves with strong life changing chemicals available everywhere with no care/perspective on them and with a taboo/shame around it to boot .. that is the problem, not the drugs themselves.
i do hope you (anyone interested in the subject matter) go to find YOUR answer and not let it lie as an afterthought, one does not need to consume any drug to have an “addictive/excessive/compulsive” behavior, one does not need to be an addict to have a friend / relative concerned and looking into it FOR REAL is the only way to start / get anywhere.
good luck
edit? self preservation
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EPT
