1 Year Weed Free

[Dbanfiel]

Do you think it's paws then? How long did you smoke weed and how long have you quit for? Did u ever take anti depressants?

[Blazedout420]

I'm pretty sure it's paws. I myself felt the exact same as you. I doubted that weed could have this effect. I smoked daily for about 10 years, i only started noticing problems when I was smoking high grade regularly for the last two of them years though. I never took anti depressants, I knew there was something wrong i knew I didn't feel myself, I knew I had no reason to be unhappy so I was just determined to ride it out, I didn't want to replace one drug with another because it could just cause more problems. I also knew that before I stopped smoking I didn't have any issues is not dealt with I wasn't smoking to mask some sort of depression, I just liked smoking, that was my thing. The weed was defiantly a trigger for my anxieties. I think the paws symptoms are all caused by anxiety and depersonalisation, it's almost like my brain was in reset mode and whilst in that state I was overly sensitive to any kind of stress on my mind or body, I mean to the point where if I walked up the stairs fast I would get a pounding heart and anxious feelings, I'm not unhealthy but this would make me think I had some sort of heart problems or something. I can't guarantee you anything but if this has got worse since you stopped smoking I would suggest it's paws. Hang in mate you'll be ok, you've made so far haven't you and nothing bad has happened? It's just some dumb feeling.

[Blazedout420]

Sorry mate forget to mention, I quit smoking at the end of February last year after a panic attack, I stopped through March by the start of April I felt OK to try smoke again, first couple of times were ok but then that's when sh** hit the fan. As soon as I was high my already high anxiety would go through the roof I would get DPDR thought I was losing my mind and that's when I got stuck in the cycle. I then quit again for good probably some time in May. I really struggled for the rest of the year but around Christmas time is when I started noticing improvements and since then I have found things alot easier. In my opinion paws is the result of high anxiety caused from either too much smoking and getting a growing anxiety over time like myself or for some the anxiety caused from the shock to the brain because of the initial withdrawal. In some cases a mixture of both. I think the people who only experience anxiety after they quit may recover faster than those who developed anxiety whilst smoking and ultimately its down to how the individual deals with that anxiety. Once you decide to just carry on with your life and try and make positive improvements rather than dwelling on the symptoms caused by anxiety you will start to notice improvements.

[Dbanfiel]

I quit smoking back on august 30th so its been over 5 months now. I had a panic attack a week later, and then for four weeks I was just fine. It wasn't until about 5 weeks after quit that the anxiety became strong and perpetual. Insomnia was bad and my feeling about not sleeping made me more anxious.

Im in a weird phase right now and for the last week or so where I don't get too anxious but just feel a bit off. When i am busy, I tend not to focus on the way i feel at all, but as soon as I have a moment to think, that's when I don't feel great.

I think this is a sign the feelings are going away.

[Blazedout420]

That sounds very similar to me, the anxiety hitting after a few weeks of feeling ok from the initial quit and escalating from there. Checking every thought or feeling and obsessing over it. Like you mention I started to notice small changes around the 5-6 month Mark this is when I realised I was making small improvements. I've had a couple of not so great days this week after feeling fine for a couple of weeks but nothing like it was before, it's much more manageable and I don't feel the need to obsess over it now it's more of an annoyance. I know the feeling you mean when you say you sort of just feel off line somethings not quite right that's how I feel when I catch myself thinking about it. i read somewhere paws seems to come with the moon phases it's almost a full moon again and I'm starting to feel a low anxiety again maybe it's just a coincidence but you never know. Nice to hear you are feeling improvements nevertheless keep up the good work and more will come in time.

[Dbanfiel]

Last few days have been rough. 6.5 months into my quit. I still think i am losing my mind at times and struggle with whether or not this is PAWS of an anxiety disorder. i feel uncomfortable in my body and i am desperate for peace.

[NoProblem]

Dbanfiel,

I'm exactly 1 month away from my 1 year (11 months). I'm also still struggling with anxiety and a lot of it has to do with irrational fears that I developed throughout withdrawals as a result of anxiety attacks. I almost felt agoraphobic at one point not wanting to leave the city I was in because of anxiety and mild panic attacks. My issue is that my irrational fear of panic attacks triggers an intense reaction of anxiety for me and for some reason, ever since the withdrawals, my body can't seem to calm down for a while after that. The surge of anxiety is too intense and it's stopping me from travelling, flying, and doing a whole boat load of other stuff. I'm currently seeking therapy and things are gradually getting better, albeit VERY slowly. But I constantly get bogged down and borderline depressed because of these feelings.

I hope that one day, these irrational fears and surges will die down and I will return to my normal, non-panic'd and anxiety self. None of this existed before withdrawals. Just know that you're not alone.

Cheers.

[Blazedout420]

Hey, no problem

I can relate to you about the anxiety during withdrawal causing irrational, obsessional fears. I pretty much developed a fear of everything I always hated and then turned it into myself with a whole bunch or irritation all what if thinking, basically trying to find an answer for the way I was feeling. I was like you guys fearing I had lost my mind and that things would never be the same again for months and months.

Anyway, over time the anxiety has faded and the odd fears have slowly dissipated one by one and my thinking has returned to normal. I'm 10 months clean now and I can say the depersonalisation, anxiety and fears are almost completely gone!

For anyone worrying about this just accept its how you feel right now and work on finding positive ways to deal with the anxiety and over time everything will return to normal as your anxiety levels return to normal. I know it might not feel like it right now, I totally understand having been there, but I can honestly say I now feel like I'm almost back to feeling like my normal self again. I'm starting to reconnect with people, feel emotions and enjoy things again. 8 months ago this seemed like it would never be possible. I now feel like I will be able to deal with anything life throws at me after going through such a horrible experience.

On reflection over the last 10 months despite how I've felt I have actually achieved quite a lot of things, but it's only now that I can look back and realise this. I'm sure you guys will reach this point and be able to feel the same way I do now.

Hopefully from here things will keep on getting better, I already have alot to look forward to for the rest of this year and we are only 3 months in. Onwards and upwards as they say.

Stay strong.

[Dbanfiel]

Reading these posts makes me thing I developed Generalized Anxiety Disorder as a result of the way I reacted to Marijuana Withdraw. I haven't smoked in almost 7 months. I feel like i am starting to feel worse these days.

The anxiety makes me feel like I am trapped in my head with no escape. It hes ruined the way I live and the anxiety gets worse when I start to think about how I used to be.

I made an appointment with a psychiatrist next week and am pretty sure I will finally take anti-depressants to help as the way i am living now is no way to live. This breaks my heart and soul because i never wanted to take them but I've tried true acceptance and failed so many times.

[Blazedout420]

Hey man, sad to see you're struggling like this.

I felt exactly the same way as you are feeling right now, and thought the exact same. You have probably accumulated some form of general anxiety from the withdrawal being such a shock to your system but it's about how you manage it which will help you to overcome it.

The things that helped me most were first of all stop checking symptoms online. After this I tried not to keep checking in on how I felt all the time. I found by keep checking in on how I felt made me feel even worse, once you break this habit you will start to notice your anxiety problem improving. You can then learn to not react to your thoughts, as you start to do this your anxiety will continue to decrease to a level which is much more manageable and the strange thoughts become almost none existent. Don't get me wrong they will still pop up from time to time but you will be able to dismiss them much more easily.

I remember it was only a few months ago where I would wake first in the morning and think to myself do I feel ok today then bam that set the trend for the day. I'm now at a stage where I don't even think to myself how I feel I just feel it and get on with my day like I would do normally. I still have bouts of anxiety over my own thoughts but it goes as fast as it comes and I'm able to rationalise any odd thoughts much more easily now. I'm not quite where I want to be yet but im almost there and I'm starting to be able to enjoy things again.

For me it was only at around the 8 month mark I actually noticed how much the anxiety had decreased and after I had that realisation things got easier for me.

Obviously everybody is different with their abilities to cope so what helped me may not help you but from what I read you sound very similar to how I was. If you feel anti depressants is the way to go then it may be beneficial for you but I am glad I never had to go down that road and feel this how experience has been a learning curve for me and maybe life giving me a kick up the donkey to tell me I couldn't continue how I was.

Hopefully you'll start to feel better soon mate I know it felt like it would never end but trust me if I've made it you can too.

Take it easy bro

[Dbanfiel]

Its very kind of you to write such a thorough response. I am going to try an take your advice. I also want to stop listening to my anxiety audiobooks and just see if I can get through a week without them.

[Flucktoo]

Hey man great job in a year sober, I'm in my initial stages of recovery and am worried that I won't feel 100% again. What age were you when you started and do you feel your cognitive function is much better now? Many thanks for the post