ComaDivine34
Peer Supporter
I've been a daily user for more than 10 years (17 years old to now 29). In between I have taken some 3-6 month breaks maybe a few times. When Medical Marijuana became legal I got my card and used it as an excuse to smoke and take edibles more. It helps back pain right? Unfortunately it didn't do much for pain. It really never did. I noticed it made pain worse because it heightened my already sensitive nervous system. I noticed this years before I had a medical excuse to use it. But it was a habit and I did enjoy it. Within the past five years, however, it started to give me anxiety at high doses and sometimes even at low doses. But I kept using it because that is all I knew. I would take a couple weeks off and then go right back to it.
Finally I decided to quit for good after I had two very severe panic attacks where I thought about going to the hospital, even though I knew it would go away in an hour or so. After these attacks for days, my body was extremely tense and my brain was on high alert. I finally realized that this cannot be good for me, my anxiety and my pain. I also have never been able to get a hold of my anxiety even with medication. I decided to quit for good. It has been about a week, and while the withdrawal is uncomfortable (nightmares, night sweats, sweaty feet and hands, anxiety, tension and some GI upset) I am starting to feel a bit better. I believe the cannabis was causing me to repress my emotions while awake and asleep (due to lack of REM sleep and dreaming). I also would dread doing most anything and would fear the worst when I was high since I didn't feel fit to handle emergencies or life in general. I know quitting weed may not fix everything, but I am hopeful it will allow me to do the difficult emotional work I have been putting off. I wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and just discuss the topic with others.
Finally I decided to quit for good after I had two very severe panic attacks where I thought about going to the hospital, even though I knew it would go away in an hour or so. After these attacks for days, my body was extremely tense and my brain was on high alert. I finally realized that this cannot be good for me, my anxiety and my pain. I also have never been able to get a hold of my anxiety even with medication. I decided to quit for good. It has been about a week, and while the withdrawal is uncomfortable (nightmares, night sweats, sweaty feet and hands, anxiety, tension and some GI upset) I am starting to feel a bit better. I believe the cannabis was causing me to repress my emotions while awake and asleep (due to lack of REM sleep and dreaming). I also would dread doing most anything and would fear the worst when I was high since I didn't feel fit to handle emergencies or life in general. I know quitting weed may not fix everything, but I am hopeful it will allow me to do the difficult emotional work I have been putting off. I wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and just discuss the topic with others.
). I took initial steps toward trying them, but I don't rememebr why I stopped. I have so much work to do on TMS - I am currently working with the 3rd fear; being afraid that I am too weak or broken to make progress (comes from unresloved trauma). I am wondering, though, if it made my pain worse (and, so being so afraid, would have stopped). It sounds like you have a lot of anxiety too, so how do you deal with the dynamic of unpleasant or even just unusual sensations setting off the fear cycle when you take your cold showers? Is this something you experience when taking them? If not, do you have ideas on why not? I think it's awesome that you are doing this and, apparently, it eventually become enjoyable (or fun?). Best,