High all!

I wasn't really sure where to post this, not sure if it's really relevant but I don't really have a clue where else I could ask.

Lately I have been experiencing something very odd. It's like one minute I'm completely normal and the next I feel like I'm 'tripping'. It's very hard to explain, like a flurry of shadowy mental images which I find I forget very quickly and leave me going "what the.....shit?". Like I've slipped into a separate reality or something. These 'moments' are very quick, from 1-20 seconds long. I have only ever tripped on salvia and my research on sally flashbacks etc... makes me think maybe it isn't the cause. I mean I don't really mind, but if it could possibly be an indication of something more serious...

Now, I find when I'm stoned I don't get this at all, it's only after a a day or two of not having a smoke it can creep back in. From a few google's I've found something called 'disrealization' and is often discussed in relation to anxiety problems, however peoples accounts of suffering from this are a lot more extreme, but on paper it sounds quite similar. I don't really know if I suffer from anxiety, but I find I often get extremely tired, nervous in social situations, self conscious/paranoid of things going on around me (not too badly) and constantly analysing things. I have lots of pressure on me at the moment from uni work and don't really know if by using cannabis I have been self-medicating myself all this time or it's just my mental psyche developing itself.

Does anyone have experience with something similar or ideas as to what's going on?

Voyage

yeah mate it does sound like its most probobly linked to anxiety, can be a complete bugger...from being really ill > depression, i didnt even know like you that i was particulary anxious...and it can do funny things i got really bad stomach cramps and was tensing up even though i didnt realise i was doing it..

its a bit of a catch 22 because if you rely on blazing to relax / de stress whatever all the time then it will bite you twice as hard on your ass when you stop, same thing with any medication the gp is likely to prescribe, so its usually better to get to the root of the problem(s).

sorry cant comment much on ya illness but if it helps i used to be stoned more then stright and it messed me up a treat. Parra, fuck all social skills , i was right messy constantly analysing things.. but cut out the weed for a while and jitters left me.
OH. I still constantly OVER analysing things, but that just me !!!! !!!!

What i really wanted to say was great taste in m8, i've that alban and i love it.

Any way, good luck with every thing and remember. "fuck em" they just anit worth it, if ur having fun keep doing it..... if not well........

I trip the fuck out all the time, similar to the things you mention, shadowy images sort of like flashbacks, electric shocks, loads of stuff. Have you done any other drugs than cannabis and if so was it regularly, did you do it with anyone who is having similar symptoms? The reason i ask is because me and a couple of other m8's for years and years went out raving, munching sheets of acid and prolly a hundred beans between the three of us, every weekend of the summers for like, fuck man, now i think of it, best part of 10 years.

After the pills started getting really shit and cheap, we decided to knock it all on the head (except weed). about a month or so after not tripping and pilling all 3 of us started getting these weird nervous system shocks! It was like someone shoving electricity through your nervous system and brain, with a qick jolt and a kind of bang. Not painful just very very shocking and sudden. I was at one point getting these shocks when i was simply walking along and everytime i took a step when my heel hit the ground id get one of these shocks but not as intense as the surprise ones. I would have put it down to just a trapped nerve or something more physical but both my m8's were getting the same shocks so it must have been something else.

Anyhoo we've talked about it loads over the last few years, now we are all to old and frail to go ravin' anymore, and put it down to (possibly) a few things; withdrawal, bad batches of the last few years pills or just that we were weird and going to die cos we had abused our bodies so much!

The shocks went away after a year or two and i've not had one since, thank fuck. (least it rules out the dying thing tho). What i now put it down to is the withdrawal of caning it for so long and being heightened sensitvley so often, (we hardly came down during the week and by friday it was playtime again) that when you stop, your mind still has a kind of haunting, kind of like ghost memories or something and it plays tricks on you. This could be your brains method of mental withdrawal, ghost memories or visions/flashbacks, as you say that you only experience when taking a break from smoking. Drugs are a powerful thing and some people have a very vivid imagination. It may just be a case that you are one of them and while your brain chemistry is putting itself right again it may be doing things to your sub conciousness and imagination bit making you "trip out."

To be honest if you are doing a uni course then you must be under some degree of stress and that as well will do really weird things to your mind. I personally wouldnt worry about it being a serious issue it will probably pass in time. Unlike like the life ending acid flash im gonna have at some point in the future, (im so sure of it).

I cant offer any guesses other than those, thought i'd reply as it sounds like a similar thing to some of my coming off drug weird outs. Maybe a little less extreme in your case though. Anything i have written is purley from my experience and ive never talked about it with a doc or anyone else except my mrs an m8's in question, so its all well scientific .

Good luck with your uni stuff and hope the trip outs dont trip you out too much.

Keep on tokin'

Voyage, Sounds like anxiety to me. It usually happens in certain social situations (meetings, shopping malls). I get muffled sounds, detached feeling of what is going on around you.....very uneasy feeling. The images in the room are viewed in a different light, almost from a different perspective than your own. I haven't had them for in years, but I remember them clearly. I had my first anxiety experiences years before I ever tripped so that can be ruled out. Hope this helps.
-bakelite

maybe its ptsd suffere with it myself another possible u could research maybe/

I would guess that you should observe those "flashes", not fight them or avoid them(it will produce only more), just face them every time they occur and you will most likely notice that they are fading away from your consciousness. As many "masters" have said, fear produces more fear, only observing the "unpleasant" things will make them fade away.
You can try it, it should work out your problem with some time... Good luck and take it easy.

I hope you are well mate.

If i can offer a tip.. Learn to do some breathing exercises (without the green ).
I'm quite prone to the odd anxiety attack and to alot of my mates find this hard to believe as i can switch from totaly chilled to raving looney at a flick of a switch... and i value humour so much more than anything. I even find myself a little emberassed about it now

I suppose my dad was a bit tough on me growing up.. new how to say the wrong things.. kinda made me into the back-chatter i am today.. though this still does sometimes get me into trouble.

Learning to drive was hard for me.. I've had friends die already in car crashes (i'm only 23yrs old) and i also suffer a bit from 'the fear of failure'. I was lucky though.. My driving instructor was a bit of a hippy and his wife taught yoga classes.. just whenever i get stressed out i just take deep breathes and count up to 3-5second and i find i can concentrate more.. lack of oxygen to the brain can cause you to make the wrong decisions.


To the trippy side though that you experience i can't make much comment mate
I haven't done any acid(LSD) or any hallucigenics for about 2 years now and i do find myself having less flash backs.. one time i found myself staring at a vibrating diesel engine

Wishing you well buddy

Hello mate....

I have to echo Boomshanka and a few others....when the heavy stuff starts to happen try and relax and take an obective view of what's really-real and what isn't. Remember, the way things look inside your head is VERY RARELY in any way connected to other people's reality or their perception of you. Not to get you at it but I used to suffer from kinda the same thing, almost to the word, in my early 20's. Turned out to be the onset of what was diagnosed at the time as schizophrenia & rediagnosed as anti-social personality disorder.....both surprisingly rare so probably no drama in your case, but if it continues you might be better either speaking to your doctor or, maybe more preferable, self-medicating. You may also find some kinds of weed do it to you....things have moved on since I was a youthful back garden grower in the cuntry-side - there seem to be all kinds of variants with differing active ingredients...might I suggest snuffling through the medical forums, there seems to be loads of really useful information from people who absolutely know what they're talking about. MOST of all....be a real-cool-fool about these things....your brain works hard, surely it can go a wee bit wonky every so often......?



On a final note....if you want someone to talk to, comiserate with or to share heavy stuff with just drop me a line....always happy to chat to someone in neeeeeeeed.



Hedgehog

Reminds me of when I was at Uni and caining it most weekends and occaisionally midweek too. I think on reflection it was the PCP that really did me in for a few weeks. At least I think now it was PCP (to be fair I was trying to buy ecstacy not angel dust) at the time I didn't know what it was. Anyhow I felt like the mechanism that corrects your vision so as to compensate for your gait as you move had permanently disentangled such that as when I walked around made me feel like I was in some kind of trippy fairground ride. What was worrying is though it must have taken 6 weeks or so to settle and I thought I had properly and permanently damaged my self through my excessive and indiscriminate drug use. Luckily all my worry, paranoia and promise to give up drugs for good was not in the end required and I have so far lived and used a variety of substances all through my adult life not without some occasional minor problems but on the whole thoroughly enjoyable and life affirming.

Personally I like to keep a couple of 5mg diazepam handy in case I get an anxiety attack. I must admit these for me are 9 times out 10 caused by coke and booze benders then having to use public transport, but I digress.

I can't remember where I was going with this but try not to worry about it too much and if you do get paranoid in public try not to smoke to much before you know you have to go out.

Peace

EDIT for sense and to make me sound like less of a wreckhead

i would like to start by saying dont immediately condemn yourself to having anxiety/depression or some sort of illness. i smoked some really good bud for a couple weeks then after that i kept seeing bugs or spiders whatever in the corner of my eye and i would hear noises and think there was someone in the house and i would be scared. you gotta remember weed is a mild form of acid and the stronger the shit you smoke the stronger the effects you will realise.

what to do.... chill down on the heavy smokin bro. its a marathon not a race.

much love youre eternal brother dazed

Thank you everyone for all the replies! This place is amazing. I don't have time to respond to everyone at the moment as I'm off to my practical music exam soon, and have my last one tomorrow. Once again, thanks everyone. I'll pop back soon and type a proper reply when I have more time.

Voyage

I don,t think what your experiencing are flashbacks from Salvia usage,having worked in various labs concerned with the manufacture of Lsd during the 80,s and 90,s i have been hit a couple of times with a massive dose through accidental skin absorbtion and also have been a regular user for 30 years,i think these so called flashbacks are a bit of an urban myth i myself have never experienced one and also my circle of friends have never told me about having a flashback,although im no psychologist my partner suffers from bipolar disorder and your symtoms sound very similar to experiences she has had,but when you open up the doors of perception some peoples don,t like what they see on the other side. Hope you feel better soon.

Not trying to diagnose you or anything, but that is a serious sign of severe depression/anxiety. Could it be a possibility? Think about it.
Hope all goes well.
spacewrangler420

Here is a some of some relatively easy exersizes which may help alleviate anxiety and other subconsious 'ticks'.

The first is actaully a set of exercizes which do work to an extent on their own but are a lot of more powerful when used together. This shoud ideally be done in morning before breakfast like when you are about to have a shower or bath:

1. Stand naked and have a good stretch then shake each leg, then arm in turn, then your face. Lift you shoulders to your ears until it starts to get a little painful then let them drop, do this a couple of times.

2. This next step should only be done on an empty stomach, otherwise you may be sick. Stretch your facial muscles by making grimaces, exagerated smiles and other facial 'looks' you put on during the day, opening your mouth as far as it will go, moving your jaw forward and to each side. Hold each position until it becomes unbearable while tapping your forehead and if you can in the position, stick your tongue out and say Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh. I know it sounds quite funny, god help if the wind was to change but trust me it has quite profound effects.

3. After all that, have a good wee laugh to yourself, then when finished expel all your breath then inhale while counting to 3 or 5 in your head, hold the breath for 3/5, then exhale counting to 3/5, then hold for 3/5. 5 is better but it is easier to start with 3 until you get used it. Repeat this until you are relaxed and have a clear, silent(ie no inner speech/thoughts) head.

4. This next final bit is optional as it can be quite difficult, but it is fun to try. While doing the breathing exersize, stand facing the shower/bath and imagine/visualise the water as white light. Note you do not literally have to see the water as white, but in your minds eye it is. When you get in the shower/bath imagine this white light entering you and cleansing you inside as well as out while you wash. It does take a stretch of the imagination, but with practice you will be able to do it and benefit from the effects.

That set should be done every day were possible and if done as a set the effects should be quite noticeable.

Next one.

In the evening or when you are alone and not going to be disturbed:

Lie on your bed or the floor with or without a matt/folder blanket - however you are most comfortable. Your arms should be at your sides and your knees bent with about 30-45cms between each one. In that position, do the breathing exersize detailed above for 10-20 minutes mentally noting any thoughts and feelings which come to you. After the 10-20mins, write these down on a bit of paper, the higher quality the better, starting with the date and time. Analyze what you have written and write your interpretations below. When you have finished burn the bit of paper. Note, do not linger on/continue to think about or analyse the thoughts and feelings you had while doing the exercise. Once you have initially analysed and written it down then burnt it, the rest is upto your subconcious.

This could be done every few days or weekly, like the set above the benefits only happen if it is done regularly.


Finally, a quick method to change your mood/get rid of anxiety while out and about. Hold your breath for as long as you can, then take quick deep breaths and feel the endorphins flow

Finally all my exams and everything are over and I have time to check back in fully. Again, thanks for all the replies.

I haven't had many 'flashes' since my exams finished, and personally I put it down to anxiety brought on by stress and using lots of canna when I should have been working etc... making it even worse. I guess the whole social thing is just something I have to work on, it's not that I HATE being in social situations etc... I've just always preferred being on my own and for things to be done slower and quieter. E.G. Most of my friends love going clubbing etc... whereas I would be happier chilling out in the same room all night and chatting. Guess I'm just a boring cunt I've also found when something is 'wrong' with a situation I get very uncomfortable E.G. If I am in going to a gig in London I will be constantly worried I'll miss the last train or the timetable I checked was wrong and I am going to get there to find out theres no trains till the morning and I won't have enough money to get home . I guess weed has just always taken that 'edge' off for me.

I'm making it sound worse than it really is, it's nothing I can't deal with, it's just a matter of taking sense to myself.


Sorry I'm not replying to everyone, but I'd probably end up filling an entire page and repeating myself.



Thanks mate It is a bloody amazing album. I wish my friends thought the same... "Canterbury scene?! Fawk Owwwfff!"



Yeah, thats pretty much a better description of what I was trying to explain.



I didn't mention it in my OP but I often find myself feeling very depressed, mostly triggered by suddenly not having any herb or by a dream. Nothing I can't get over in a day or two though or deal with. My grandfather (and some other family members) has a big history of chronic depression and I've always attributed it to that, again, nothing I can't deal with.



I've ruled it out as flashbacks, just felt like it was something different.



I'll give them a try and see if it helps, cheers!