Hey! (Delrealization/Depersonalization help)

[JoeK1]

First post! (Hope you all are nice!)

So I'm a senior in High School and developed DR/DP after, yes, smoking the herb. I have been going through it, for what seams like, 24/7 for 2 months now.

I read another board and it said something about people lasting 50 years with this suffering!!! God help me! hah.

So anyway, Ive decided to stop smoke, duh! but now everytime someone smokes near me, I see weed, or I think about it, I get REALLY tired and my Anxiety freaks on me! Why? (stupid question?)
Also, with graduation coming up, is it prolly not a good idea to drink at all? (Mind that, if I did drink, it would be the first time ever. Im a pretty good kid, see? )

I just want to know more in general about my anxiety and what I can do for it (will it last 50 years on me??)
I do see a doc but Id love to hear from you all haha.

Thanks guys and Ill update you all when more happens!
Joe
(Oh and I dont want to take meds! Call me crazy? haha)

[Lilith1980]

Hey Joe, welcome to NMP

Its good that you stopped smoking weed, especially if its making your anxiety worse.

I think the reason you might be getting anxious if someone smokes it near you is because you have associated anxious feelings with weed and therefore if you are faced with it, it provokes these feelings.

As for drinking, alcohol is a depressant and most people on here will tell you that the morning after, when suffering with a hangover, their anxiety is worse. So while drinking isnt a no-no, its best to be mindful of how much you drink

Jo xxxxx

[JoeK1]

Its good that you stopped smoking weed, especially if its making your anxiety worse.

I think the reason you might be getting anxious if someone smokes it near you is because you have associated anxious feelings with weed and therefore if you are faced with it, it provokes these feelings.

Alright, we'll let's talk about a few things now.

Firstly, I really don't know what happened, but one random time I smoked (I dont know what I smoked, I didn't smoke often enough to think about it) I just had a panic attack and all of this 'stayed' with me. I guess, with time, it's gotten a little better. Some weeks worse than others though.

Also, my therapist says to go out! To do the things you regularly do and NOT be scared of them. Im sure he doesnt mean go out and SMOKE again. That wouldn't be smart, hehe. But more of a 'go to a place that you smoked' or a 'be around the drug' to help your brain rethink- Wait a second, this isn't scary...

IDK, I still havent gotten the confidence to do anything of the sort yet, haha. Maybe I'm misinterpreting?

Help?
:P

Oh and I am also 18 and smoke cigars with my dad every now and then. I think that it almost wakes me up a little (because the DR/DP seams to tire me out ALOT). But Ive also heard that nicotine is very bad and can cause panic attacks in people with anxiety?

[Lilith1980]

I cant speak for your therapist but I think by going out he means to face the things you fear as they will not harm you. The more you face the things you are frightened of, the quicker you will realise that they are not worth worrying about.

If you havent got the confidence yet then try doing one thing you fear each week or each fortnight. If you push yourself too hard, you will stress yourself even more.

Yes, nicotine isnt good for you, but you know that anyway! But it doesnt actually relax you, it makes your nerves worse. I think nicotine is a very psychological drug - its more addictive than heroin. You think you enjoy it but you dont, you think it relaxes you but it makes your nerves worse. My Dad was a heavy smoker and his hands would shake like he was coming off the booze!

I think the over all message is to look after your body, eat nutritious food, try not to drink too much, and try not to smoke.

All the fun things eh?!

Jo

xxxxx

[JoeK1]

Haha, rightttt.

Yeah, I deff need to clean myself up a little. But 2 quickies:

1- How long does DP/DR usually last with a physically healthy person?

2- What can I do to help get by?

*Again, I see my doc with this new term (Derealization/Pepersonalization) in a few days... Just want to bring some stuff up!

Thanks!

[peach]

hi joe

i dont know how much help im gonna be, but i will say....i smokedthat stuff for years and quit 2 years ago, and am so glad i did, my only regret that i didnt quit sooner....it ended up really doing my head in....so im really glad you dont smoke now....youve made the right choice, also, for it to affect you so badly so quicky means its really not for you.

any type of cigarettes are whats called uppers...niccotine stimulates your heart and will totally make anxiety problems worse....amoungst all the other bad things it does to your body.....

i know it might be a bummer to miss out on all the fun at your age, but trust me, your not missing out at all...in fact your going to have good memories of being able to go to partyswithout the need for that stuff.

as for lengh of time to heal..i dont know, but your doctor might. good luck with it all.

[samtheman]

Alright, we'll let's talk about a few things now.

Firstly, I really don't know what happened, but one random time I smoked (I dont know what I smoked, I didn't smoke often enough to think about it) I just had a panic attack and all of this 'stayed' with me. I guess, with time, it's gotten a little better. Some weeks worse than others though.

Also, my therapist says to go out! To do the things you regularly do and NOT be scared of them. Im sure he doesnt mean go out and SMOKE again. That wouldn't be smart, hehe. But more of a 'go to a place that you smoked' or a 'be around the drug' to help your brain rethink- Wait a second, this isn't scary...

IDK, I still havent gotten the confidence to do anything of the sort yet, haha. Maybe I'm misinterpreting?

Help?
:P

Oh and I am also 18 and smoke cigars with my dad every now and then. I think that it almost wakes me up a little (because the DR/DP seams to tire me out ALOT). But Ive also heard that nicotine is very bad and can cause panic attacks in people with anxiety?

WOW This is exactly what happened me, I had smoked weed before and never had any problems, then one time after smoking some different type stuff BANG!! I had my first panic attack and I have never felt fear like it. That started my whole anxiety problem and 10 years later its still here. As for DR/DP I suffered this also 2 bursts last 6 months each and it was a nightmare. I had it 24/7 and it felt almost like being in a dream. It eventually went away on its own accord though.

Good luck mate

[JoeK1]

WOW This is exactly what happened me, I had smoked weed before and never had any problems, then one time after smoking some different type stuff BANG!! I had my first panic attack and I have never felt fear like it. That started my whole anxiety problem and 10 years later its still here. As for DR/DP I suffered this also 2 bursts last 6 months each and it was a nightmare. I had it 24/7 and it felt almost like being in a dream. It eventually went away on its own accord though.

Good luck mate

So your anxiety was 'triggered' by smoking weed and it's still pressent 10 years later??

Here's another Q. Once your anxiety is triggered or just shoots over the roof, is it EVER possible to get it back to normal and not get it back again? or is it always just beneith the skin ready to jump out again?

[samtheman]

So your anxiety was 'triggered' by smoking weed and it's still pressent 10 years later??

Here's another Q. Once your anxiety is triggered or just shoots over the roof, is it EVER possible to get it back to normal and not get it back again? or is it always just beneith the skin ready to jump out again?

It is possible to get it back to a normal level but a trigger such as say dope or a stressful event such as say a death will fire it off again.

Yes its still here, the dope was the trigger, dope itself didn't cause it, it just triggered it, which explains why some people can smoke there lungs out and have no side effects and others can smoke it once and have anxiety or even psychosis, it triggers it off if you are suseptable
and unfortunatley you don't know until its to late.

[JoeK1]

It is possible to get it back to a normal level but a trigger such as say dope or a stressful event such as say a death will fire it off again.

Yes its still here, the dope was the trigger, dope itself didn't cause it, it just triggered it, which explains why some people can smoke there lungs out and have no side effects and others can smoke it once and have anxiety or even psychosis, it triggers it off if you are suseptable
and unfortunatley you don't know until its to late.

Alright and I just want to get your thoughts on this (if Im ever stupid enough to do it again)...
If I did ever smoke again, for whatever reason, is it a sdafe bet that weed would pull the anxiety back at 100% force?

Im mad that there's not enough study on this drug to give me straight forward answers. The fact that it was a random time after a good 100 others just makes it so i cant stop thinking 'why'. And everyone tells me once you find the reason what's causing it, it will do away. I just cant think what it could be.
-Joe