Anxiety brought on by a drug or medication

[Twinhere]

Mine was brought on from trying weed...
Have had all sorts of horrible symptoms, especially head pain and breathing problems.

Did anyone elses start from a drug or medication? How bad was it, and did it get better?
I never had anxiety or a panic attack before this..

5 months of suffering so far.

[howifeel]

Cocaine kicked mine into high gear. I ended up in the hospital from a bad reaction to the cut years ago. Free based after that, but it just made the anxiety worse. I always had anxiety, but cocaine/meth really lit it up. Anxiety attacks create their own trauma that you never really forget. Once you feel a hint of it coming on, you start tripping on it coming back. I haven't used for several years, and had a great run anxiety free for about 10 years. The economy lit it up again, but have been handling it better. Funny thing is that drugs (prescription) were a part of me getting better (ativan). I rarely use ativan now. I hate weed. Makes me paranoid. It's garbage in my opinion. I used to love it, but then this "one hitter quitter" stuff came out (we are talking years ago). Weed went from a motivating experience to a paralyzing experience. That was 28 years ago. Yes, I am older.

[Twinhere]

I was thinking the weed messed up the chemicals in my brain, but maybe I'm just traumatized from all the anxiety bs and can't just let it go? I mean my childhood was bad, but i kinda just brushed it off.. This anxiety is just... Makes you not want to live anymore bad.Maybe ifi had money for bills and help this wouldn't be so bad, but to lose it all and be do paralyzed..

[howifeel]

I feel you on the money thing. There is no anxiety as powerful as financial stress. That is for me anyway. A bad childhood can develop some unhealthy thought processes. Everyone born has a purpose and a talent to be shared. Anyone who tries to instill that they are worthless, is sadly mistaken. I don't know what to say about the anxiety related to money. It seems bullet proof to me. If I think about it, I spin into a panic, and actually live like in a fog. Not wanting to live comes up majorly. Anytime economies turn sour, males tend to take their own life. it was offered to me to look at my expectations and demands, and assess what they are. Try to decrease as many as possible. A quick visit to a medical hospital in the area (kind of like a visit to a museum) (I know it's sick!) but for me (others react differently) I leave understanding that i have much to be thankful for. I also try to look at where I am financially. Better to know how broke you are than to suspect that you may be broke and worry. Anyway.

[e77]

I was a frequent user of marijuana/hashish/alcohol in late teens and early 20s.  Definitely made my anxiety disorder worse.  I also had a difficult childhood and childhood trauma was a contributing factor to my struggle.  Overwhelming anxiety/panic attacks when I used, probably triggered what was already going on in my brain.  Once I got sensitized to panic and anxiety it became chronic for me.  I ran from the drug and friends who used.  If the drug reacts that way when you use it I would not take it.  Somewhere I read that studies were done that pointed out that some people may be prone to high anxiety/psychosis triggered by pot, especially if the disorders run in the family.  Take care

[LindaRK]

I smoked pot probably less than a dozen times when I was in college.  The last time I smoked I'm pretty sure it was laced with something else, but who knows.  That was 35 years or so ago.  My anxiety started around that time, but it could have been brought on by other things that were going on, too, so who really knows.

My youngest son smokes pot.  One would think that by having a mom with an anxiety disorder, he would have never touched the stuff ..... he has anxiety now as well and I attribute it from the pot.

Instead of trying to figure out where it came from, best to address how to learn to manage it.  Lots of posts around the forum with good advice on that topic.

[Evap]

One thing to consider: not all marijuana is the same. There are different types of strains that can produce different feelings, so while one strain may make you feel anxious, others would help relieve anxiety. I'm a medical patient and I have to choose strains wisely or it can send me into an anxious tailspin.

[GabbyMomof3]

I don't know if it brought it on or just kicked it up, but right before I was fully diagnosed, I ate a marijuana treat. I got a BAD panic attack and thought I was going to die. After, I noticed my anxiety got worst. I use to smoke a lot of weed when I was a teenager, 16 - 19, and I'm beginning to think that it can be linked, but I'm no expert, so.

I agree with what LindaRK said:"Instead of trying to figure out where it came from, best to address how to learn to manage it".

Best of luck.