Any of us out there with anxiety..? I used to smoke a lot of weed, until not too long ago, I had a bad experience where my heart started racing rapidly. I thought it was just my nerves for a while, but then it didn't stop and Ihad my first anxiety attack, it was a big one. I thought I was going to die, was holding on to my mother and we really don't get along, but this is how scared I was. My mind seemed out of control, I couldn't control my thoughts, I could feel things that I shouldn't have been able to, like the space between myself andy mother..I had her take me to the er. After that day I stopped smoking weed and haven't been on it, yet I have anxiety attacks almost every night including tonight, I just woke up at 3am with a surge of adrenaline and my mind is racing, trying to meditate to calm Down..do any of you guys experience this?

I don't have much experience to share, but its good you stopped before it was too late. But I guess effects don't wear off so fast, meditating sounds like a good thing to try out though.

Kokkuri-san, if you're saying it was good he stopped weed, that's not the issue. Yes, it's a good thing, but the anxiety attack was not caused by weed. (Technically, weed is about as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol, so it's not like heroine which very well could cause a sudden mental deterioration).

Mr_shanks, I'm so sorry to hear about your anxiety. Fact is, most anxiety cases are genetic; while it may just be withdrawal, it also might not. What you need now are coping mechanisms (if it is anxiety, try not to succumb to prescribed drugs, as your past unfortunately implies a likelihood for drug abuse/addiction). I'm depressed and most of my friends have anxiety, plus my mom is a counselor, so I know a few things that may help.

1. Breathe. This is a technique used for meditation (which is a good idea, but meditating takes a bit of learning, so this acts as a "baby step" that will help now rather than in the long run). Lie on your back, get comfy, and pay attention to your breathing. Just notice it; think of your stomach filling up as you breathe in, then collapsing as you breathe out. Put your hands on your stomach and just feel it; don't think about what's around you, don't think of what has happened or will happen, just breathe and pay attention to every physical sensation in your body.

2. Create a safety blanket (find something that calms you down). I found a rock that fits perfectly in the palm of my hand; it's just nice to have,the physical sensation is soothing. Get a stressball, silly putty, anything that you've found calms you down. Sounds stupid, but it might help.

3. Record a journal. Not as a daily chore but as something to calm you down while having an attack. Right down what your feeling, any possible causes. If you can pinpoint the things that scare you, you can try to avoid them; otherwise, if you can figure out how the panic attack works, you might be able to at least lessen the attack if not prevent it (i.e. if your attacks all include feelings of isolation, find a friend willing to help you irl or via phone or skype. Won't prevent a breakdown altogether, but may help you cope with them).

4. Music! Find something to quiet everything down. When I'm freaking out I want things to be quiet--so, naturally, I listen to punk rock (joking but true). On its own, the world is filled with so many different sounds: clocks ticking, people talking, wind blowing. They all add up to a jumbled mess. Music on the other hand (whether it's Beethoven or Blink 182), is a bunch of different sounds working to create one thing, so finding good music that works for you can help a ton.

5. Create something: Draw a picture. Write a short story. Compose a song. Theorize about how the effect of an event horizon on the perception of time could lead to time travel or the ability to rend subspace. Make macaroni art. Whatever floats your boat, just get a hobby that won't frustrate you too much while trying to calm down.

6. Be in the now. Just evaluate your current situation; not your current life, but what's going on around you at the moment. (i.e. "I'm in bed. I'm comfy. I'm not hungry.") Don't think about your life; whatever happened yesterday is done, tomorrow isn't here yet, just think about exactly what's happening at the moment. Often, whatever's wrong isn't wrong--like I said, yesterday is over with, so no worries there; tomorrow isn't here yet, so don't fret but prepare for what you can; at the moment you're probably fine (not internally, but externally), so just try to focus on that. Now, do not guilt trip yourself with this. People might have it worse than you, but your feelings and fears are valid. You are a human being, you exist, don't let ANYONE ever take that from you. You are allowed to struggle, because without strife we would never develop strength.

That's all I have at the moment, hope it makes sense and hope it helps.

Thanks kanra, Meditating does help to calm me down and lowers the chances of attacks happening so frequently. But I'm not sure if the weed is what caused it, or not. I have not ever had an anxiety attack since my last experience with weed. I literally took one giant hit.. Was thinking for a couple minutes, about the universe (as one may do while high) and for the first time ever I freaked out to a point where I thought I was going to die.. And then they happened every night for a few nights afterward. Now they happen only frequently (at least 4 attacks a week.) This is brand new for me and I'm trying not to believe weed was the cause, but its hard to not assume it is seeing as it happened while I was high. But your advice is absolutely solid and I appreciate it a lot; I get attacks out of nowhere, like tonight where I simply woke up having one, I still haven't been able to get back to sleep. I hope this is something that can be overcome, because overexerting myself (exersizing/running/anything that raises my heart rate) seems to trigger an attack as well which is really a bummer and could hold me back from enjoying my life to the fullest. Thank you guys, anyway. Speaking on the matter does help the issue.

I used to have terrible anxiety. Once I got on a bus and couldn't find a place to sit and I practically had an anxiety attack. (It's nowhere near as bad as that anymore.) I used to carry a small, smooth stone around so I could rub when I started to get nervous (I guess that would be more helpful if it's a recurring thing, I'm not sure if it is with you). Sometimes it helps to start playing a really good song in your head and focus on that instead of the anxiety invoking situation. Also, I think what Kanra said about evaluating your situation is very helpful.