Dr. Aditya Gupta
Psychiatry
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
About a month and a half ago I was smoking marijuana with some of my friends for probably the third time ever I had a severe panic attack. For the last two times when this happened to me, I just went to my room to wait it out and it eventually ended and I went back to normal. However, this time I went to my room to lie down and wait it out but the panic attack stayed. This worried me and likely exemplified my issue, and for the rest of the night I was in a constant state of anxiety. When I woke up the next morning, I still had this lingering feeling of anxiety. The rest of the week I was in a constant state of panic wondering whether this feeling would ever go away or not. In the following weeks, the anxiety slowly subsided a little as I acclimated to the feeling but my progress seems to have stagnated after the second week. I still feel things are not right and a pit in my stomach with accompanying anxiety. These problems seem to be worse at night and usually do not pop up when I am actively doing something such as being in class or hanging out with friends, etc. but it has happened before. It has been about a month and a half since I last smoked marijuana and I just want these feelings to end. I come back from classes and things just do not feel the same as they did before that day. I beg you for advice and help me figure out what is happening. Have I triggered an anxiety disorder and will this be permanent? Please help.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I can understand your concern. As more than a month has passed since you last smoked marijuana, it is unlikely to be substance-induced, though it could have been precipitated by it. I suggest you to take the following steps:
1 Screen yourself for clinical depression and anxiety disorder.
2 Do a self-rating test like Zung's self-rating depression scale and Zung's self-rating anxiety scale which you can easily find online and if it is indicative of depression or anxiety disorder consult a psychiatrist either on this platform or nearby.
3 This is not permanent and a cure is possible.
Besides medicines I suggest you take certain nonpharmacological measures that can be helpful like:
Meditation daily for at least half an hour in the morning helps.
Relaxation techniques like PMR (progressive muscle relaxation) help you to relax.
A good night's sleep is important, so practice steps of sleep hygiene like sleeping and waking up at the regular time, avoiding caffeinated drinks and substance abuse at least eight hrs before sleep, avoiding the use of TV, mobile laptop, etc. half an hour before sleep, instead do relaxing activities like taking a hot shower, etc.
Whenever anxiety strikes just breathe deeply from your diaphragm for say five minutes and log down your thoughts which will help release the anxiety.
Remember every problem has a solution. You just need to try solving it and help is just a step away. Feel free to ask if you have any further queries.
I suggest you get some investigations done like Zung's self-rating depression scale and Zung's self-rating anxiety scale.
Investigations to be done
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Psychiatry
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