Pot=flashbacks

[Smile]

Lately I’ve been smoking marijuana for physical and mental pain. I seem to have flashbacks almost every time, so much so that I dread smoking up but I do it because even though they’re terrible the next day, while I’m having the flashbacks I’m high so even the scariest thing is not really scary.

Does this happen to anyone else? How do you deal with it?

 

[Skywatcher]

I tend to have more flashbacks when I’m in a bad anxiety state. I could only assume that if you are smoking certain strains—it could increase anxiety. I’ve had different reactions to different strains. Another thing to consider is that marijuana can cause me to feel like I have less control. Another great flashback trigger.

 

[arfie]

i've smoked a bowl a day for allot of years. for me, it only takes the cutting edge off the anxiety.

 

[Dynamic]

I used to smoke. Indica strains avoid anxiety uptick. Also how much your using. I personal have since switched to strains cbd that have no thc. Bc one time I thought it was indica and it was sativa and I spiraled.

 

[Freddyt]

The problem with cannabis is - there are lots of generalizations and not much specific.

Here is what I know.
-Full plant can be best.
-If you use THC you should use CBD as well**. CBD is the anti-psychotic part of the plant and it can modify THC function. (mellow)
-Less is better. Go low and work up to find a dosage that works.
-Switch strains every couple weeks.
-Try concentrates or other consumption methods.
-Ritualize preparation . Make it a thing. Use it to relax.
-It's about using the least you can. ALWAYS.

The not optional part is - Track usage. Fanatically. Brand, strain, how much, when, affects etc. It will help you find what works best. It will also help you in presenting to your medical team when you have appointments. Besides "we need to get you off thc" from my GP I never hear much from them. They know how much I use, when, why, what products and I have my notebook to back me up.

**Most natural "landrace" strains have a nearly balanced CBD to THC balance. CBD has been bred out for two reasons - it allows the plant to make more THC, and it reduces your "high" feeling. Start at 1-1 and go from there. CBD should take away the paranoid flashback thing. You may not get totally blasted on the THC but it may help fix what you have.
Right now I am doing 3 ml 0-30 (0% THC, 30% CBD) a day morning afternoon and bedtime. Then in the evening after supper, thc. 1 dose 30-0 (THC-CBD) oil. Then about 7 pm thc. From here its like drinking. Some days I want to get bombed -ok good. Most days it's get a buzz and just like drinking - hold it there with a little blast every half hour. Same as having a couple shots and beers and then having a beer or two an hour just to keep your buzz. Either way track it, track it, track it. Things go far better when my T asks and I can look and tell her my usage. Same for the other boatload of healthcare pros I see. As soon as they know you are tracking usage, you are usually golden.

 

[Smile]

Another thing to consider is that marijuana can cause me to feel like I have less control. Another great flashback trigger.

Good point!

i've smoked a bowl a day for allot of years. for me, it only takes the cutting edge off the anxiety.

Do you smoke a certain strain?

The problem with cannabis is - there are lots of generalizations and not much specific.

Here is what I know.
-Full plant can be best.
-If you use THC you should use CBD as well**. CBD is the anti-psychotic part of the plant and it can modify THC function. (mellow)
-Less is better. Go low and work up to find a dosage that works.
-Switch strains every couple weeks.
-Try concentrates or other consumption methods.
-Ritualize preparation . Make it a thing. Use it to relax.
-It's about using the least you can. ALWAYS.

The not optional part is - Track usage. Fanatically. Brand, strain, how much, when, affects etc. It will help you find what works best. It will also help you in presenting to your medical team when you have appointments. Besides "we need to get you off thc" from my GP I never hear much from them. They know how much I use, when, why, what products and I have my notebook to back me up.

**Most natural "landrace" strains have a nearly balanced CBD to THC balance. CBD has been bred out for two reasons - it allows the plant to make more THC, and it reduces your "high" feeling. Start at 1-1 and go from there. CBD should take away the paranoid flashback thing. You may not get totally blasted on the THC but it may help fix what you have.
Right now I am doing 3 ml 0-30 (0% THC, 30% CBD) a day morning afternoon and bedtime. Then in the evening after supper, thc. 1 dose 30-0 (THC-CBD) oil. Then about 7 pm thc. From here its like drinking. Some days I want to get bombed -ok good. Most days it's get a buzz and just like drinking - hold it there with a little blast every half hour. Same as having a couple shots and beers and then having a beer or two an hour just to keep your buzz. Either way track it, track it, track it. Things go far better when my T asks and I can look and tell her my usage. Same for the other boatload of healthcare pros I see. As soon as they know you are tracking usage, you are usually golden.

Love love love this! Thank you so much. There’s so much info here that I’m going to have to look back on it every so often :) will copy this into my phone. Golden

 

[Freddyt]

Love love love this! Thank you so much.

Perfect. It really changes what people think when you are on it and know what and how much and are a responsible patient.
Especially doctors. They don't know a blind thing about what you are talking about but still, you know what you use. That's where tracking is really good. Averages. Means if you had a crappy day and were up till 4 and got blasted just to pass out, the other 4 nights where you had a blast or two and passed out averages out. That's what to watch. If it creeps up, you want to know.
There is a lot to learn if you want it to work like medicine, if you have questions I would be glad to help - for what I can.

 

[fern]

I personally don't smoke anymore as it became consistently really triggering. Like someone mentioned, the feeling out of control feeds in to flashbacks, and that's my experience.

If it offers you more beneficial effects than negative, I am hoping you will find your balance.

 

[Rose Garden]

I do have flashbacks when I’m high as well.

I was abused as a child for years and after my abuser died I forgot (the memories were repressed). The knowledge and memories resurfaced a few years later as I was high and holding my childhood comforter. One could argue that the comforter triggered those memories, but I’d taken it out of storage weeks prior and nothing like that had happened before. I believe it was both in conjunction that caused it.

I find that when I’m high I can remember things from my childhood that normally I wouldn’t be able to. I’m able to remember the detailed layout of every room in my childhood house at will. I’m also able to recall experiences, phrases, and objects (related to the trauma) I’d completely forgotten.

It can sometimes be heavy though. Even when I wouldn’t have the intention of remembering things or exploring that trauma, upsetting memories and scenes would pop up against my will. So presently, I only smoke if want better access to my memories and if I’m generally in a good head space.

 

[Freddyt]

One of the primary ways cannabis is said to help is by reducing the effects of "reptilian memory" (threat response memory, ie: This is where trauma happened - be afraid here) as it was once called.

Primarily it reduced threat related amygdala response. In other words it lets you access some memories that usually take you to the top of the SUDS scale where you shut down and can't access them.

 

[Crisky]

I tend to have more flashbacks when I’m in a bad anxiety state. I could only assume that if you are smoking certain strains—it could increase anxiety. I’ve had different reactions to different strains. Another thing to consider is that marijuana can cause me to feel like I have less control. Another great flashback trigger.

Try new strains For sure, took me a year or two to find a few that were less anxiety producing.
grape ape is pretty giggly and less overwhelming for the newbies plus it’s mosltnan one a which can lead to some nice couchlock without losing too much brain focus .

 

[Smile]

grape ape is pretty giggly

Thanks! Is that a universal name? Like, is it from the legal stores or the street?