Neoshaman Posted January 4, 2012 Looking for advice on ethnobotanicals that are good for reducing anxiety and maybe assisting sleep a friend of mine is trying to quit cannabis after smoking daily for 15 years preferably something that can be made in tea or extract form as the whole point of reducing his use is cause he feels it has an increasing negative impact on his lungs and stomach (and finances lol ) from smoking such an excessive amount on a regular basis. I'm aware of a number of ethnos which have said quality however I more interested in what people have actually had positive results with. Also would GABA help at all I've noticed that it seems to be available in a few health food shops again and vaguely remember some mention that it had positive effects on the above mentioned symptoms Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted January 4, 2012 sorry I cant help you with this but instead of starting a new tread ill just add to this... hope I am not hijacking it. OK so I have been smoking cannabis for about 3 years now and over the last 3 days or so I have been feeling really weird like anxiety attack so I went to the hospital to day because it was starting to freak me out how weird I felt and after about 20 mins of waiting I got to see a doctor he asked me a few questions did a few tests and decided I have a cannabis addiction did absolutely nothing about how I am feeling just sent me off with a pamphlet and a letter for my GP. I would really like some advice or even just to talk to someone else that has been though this and what helped you through you'r tough time I might start another cannabis quitting thread if you guys think that will be a good idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted January 4, 2012 I have used the following with some success for reducing anxiety. Please note that while I was a daily cannabis smoker for many years, at the time when I quit (like 10 years ago now, wow how time flies!) I didn't have any knowledge about other ethnobotanicals (apart from the usual "drugs") so while I didn't specifically use the following suggestions while quitting cannabis, I do know what your friend is going through. Passionflower (tea) kava (you can get Thompsons kava tablets from online and walk-in pharmacies) chamomile (tea) damiana (tea) gaba valerian (tablets) Passionflower and valerian I found can assist sleep somewhat. Not the others in my experience. also maybe look at the nootropics, useful in alcohol withdrawals (aparently) and might reduce the scattered and anxious feeling knowing that your brain gets a boost from the nootropics, but I haven't used the synthetics for this purpose, I have used rhodiola rosea while attempting to reduce alcohol consumption and I think it helped somewhat. Good luck to your friend, quitting anything after long term use requires a huge effort, especially cannabis. Just try to reassure your mate that if he has a couple of slip ups it's not the end of the world, the more attempts you make to quit (anything) the more successful you will be in the end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chilli Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Not an ethnobotanical, but L-theanine is another good one you can try, there are some threads on the net with people swearing by it for quitting Cannabis. It is found in green tea but usually comes in a synthetic form.. I have used Suntheanine brand. There are also some threads (featuring me) about quitting pot and having anxiety on this forum if you search. Not an ethno either but low dose Zyprexa worked well for me during a really bad patch after coming off pot again, slowly coming off it now. Read up on it though as there are definite side effects like weight gain and tiredness. I also always keep Ativan on hand but almost never use them (I might use them occasionally during a really bad patch and then not need them for years). One of the most important things with panic (if you still have it once you are past the worst stages of quitting pot) is not to resist it.. ie try not to panic about feeling panciked, just learn to talk to yourself and recognize it for what it is: an uncomfortable physical symptom of a panic attack that will go away in due time. Much of the problem with panic and anxiety is it creates a vicious cycle. Best of luck man, I feel your pain. *edit* oh yeah and exercise is a great way to come off pot! I lifted weights and decreased my pot usage at the same time a couple of years back and got really fit and clear minded and reduced pot to one tiny session at night. Oh yeah, and fuck smoke, vaporizers are the only way to go. Edited January 4, 2012 by chilli 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LikeAshesWeFade Posted January 4, 2012 herbosophy.com.au have both passionflower extract with 40% flavanoids I think, aswell as valerian capsules. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poisonshroom Posted January 4, 2012 Erythrina sp. (coral trees) arent too bad. The effects are comparable to mild valium. Valerian and kava are also pretty good as alice mentioned. Green tea is a decent way to reduce stress and anxiety, but it has a fair bit of caffeine in it so for some (like myself) drinking it too late in the day can make it hard to sleep, which will worsen any anxiety and cause other problems. And as chilli said - exercise will always help. It releases endorphin, which is like a high by itself, I always find I feel a lot less stressed and accomplished after a good work out. Good luck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sallubrious Posted January 4, 2012 Maybe reassure them that it will pass, a long term user of anything will take a while for their brain chemistry to re adjust to life without the substance of choice and pot is one of the more benign substances to come off. There's also the added bonus of not having to worry about roadside drug tests or getting caught in the act of smoking. I like what chilli said about panic, you can't stop it so don't resist it just let it run it's natural course and it will pass. Like others have said exercise is great, I found chi kung worked for me when I kicked the habit. A lot of panic attacks come at inopportune times so exercise might not help while it's happening, but being able to control your breathing can be half the battle so the chi kung will be good practice. I found mugwort was an excellent replacement when I gave up, it can be smoked in a bong or rolled up and smoked or even drunk as a tea. It gives a mild buzz and for many people it is very relaxing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neoshaman Posted January 6, 2012 Thanks guys great advice he went and brought some of the quit pot mix from hhc which is damiana, catnip , mugwort , hops , colts foot and mixed through some passion flower seems to be doing the trick so far although from what he tells his sleep patterns and night sweats are still giving him a lot of grief thinking GABA may be the answer well at least for the sleep patterns I've also read that melatonin can regulate sleep is this true ? and would it be effective in this situation he intends to start working out after the 1st week passes proably just hit the gym up at first but then something more productive like aikido , hapkido or even a bit of MMA training Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chilli Posted January 6, 2012 Never tried GABA, but a number of people I have talked to say it works well.. would love to hear your experience of it if you give it a go, especially during this time when the withdrawal is at it's worst. For most people, the worst is over after a week or two, although some people are more sensitive (like me) and it can really hit you hard and drag on for weeks and even months. I found I had some amazing dreams during one period of withdrawal that really affected me and steered my life in a new direction. Next time, it was just random weird shit, but if you are having meaningful powerful dreams I would urge you to keep a journal of them! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neoshaman Posted January 6, 2012 He tells me he barely remembers a dream since he started smoking so he's looking forward to that aspect becoming far more regular 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zen Peddler Posted January 7, 2012 A friend of mine has been addicted for years until about two years ago. He started an SSRI and the quitting dope anxiety did not occur once on that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neoshaman Posted January 8, 2012 Chemical based or natural like kanna Zen? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chilli Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) I've tried SSRI's many years ago but they triggered a bout of hypomania. My sister who is bipolar had her first manic episode after using an SSRI, which is very common. They work well and are great for many people, unfortunately I don't think there is any way of knowing if you will be unlucky with them. Oh yeah, they are a bitch to come off.. I was only on a small dose, but reducing caused a feeling of electric-shocks in my brain which increased in strength and frequency the less I took. My wife, who is a GP had never heard of such a symptom until a few months later when soime studies uncovered it, giving it the name: electric-shock syndrome! Anyway, pharms can help and are useful (I am currently Zyprexa, but cutting down) but make sure you do your homework first.. I was in a bad place when I started the Zyprexa and didn't do my homework.. I had no idea I would gain 12kg and sleep 12 hours a night! Still, it was useful at the time, better than constant nausea and debilitating panic attacks. Looking forward to hearing about dreams and GABA if you try it. Edited January 13, 2012 by chilli Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted January 13, 2012 the ssri, electric sensation in the head is pretty well known, at least by now, by most professionals. are you sure, it was just ssri's, that caused hypomania??? because, i'm sure, mania can be caused by ssrn's very easely, like effexor and pristiqe (spell?) the nor epinephrine uptake inhibitor, causes a jaw clenching, speed like manic episode, for some people! zyprexa, i would never take, i don't want to get dyskinesia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chilli Posted January 14, 2012 (edited) Yes it was an SSRI—fluvoxamine—that I was taking and it was definitely the cause of the hypomania, I was on nothing else at the time, had just started the SSRI, and have never had it before or since. Actually, it was an SNRI that my sister was on, but SSRI's are well known for triggering manic episodes as well. The electric shock syndrome wasn't well known at the time (well not by my wife, who was admittedly a shiny new GP at that time), but this was ten years ago. Tardive dyskenisia is actually very uncommon on the atypical antipsychotics, especially when compared to the older class.. and it also almost always results from taking very high doses for long periods of time, neither of which describes my use of it. What I would be more worried about with heavy long-term use is diabetes. I was started on 5mg a year ago, bumped up to 10mg shortly after, and been slowly cutting down since then.. I am currently on ~1.8mg a day, a miniscule dose. But yeah the weight gain and tiredness sucks, but it has been great for allaying anxiety, nausea and panic attacks, especially as it has meant I haven't really had to use Ativan. Edited January 14, 2012 by chilli Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Polanish Posted January 14, 2012 Mugwart, Passionflower (studies relating it to benzos!), California Poppy,Greater Celandine, Nettle, Catnip, damiana, skullcap. Very relaxing herbs, the startup cost is a fair bit, but they last forever, make some tea and it extends the relaxation perioud. The taste isn't that good, I put 2 globs of honey in, yum! I tried sugar and milk, but it was a little to sweet, and I puttoo much milk in, it kind of turned me off that way. Anyways, it'll go in time, I just got over a stimulant OD 5 months ago, I'm feeling sooo much better these days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neoshaman Posted January 19, 2012 ok so its all going good my mate is smoking once a week now which is a level he is quite happy with, however he said his it seems like his immune system has just gone to hell keeps breaking out in coldsores and these other weird massive blister things on his feet and just feels generally run down from a health perspective+ his sinus are acting up majorly blocked and stuffy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
∂an Posted January 19, 2012 at the risk of repeating myself (have been a few threads on this topic, UTSE), my 2 cents on the issue. smoking anything is bad for your health so forget quit-smoking-pot mixes etc. try tapering off by baking some brownies and slowly reducing the dose. it is more difficult to get addicted to a substance you have to eat and takes longer to come on, than smoking which is a rapid mode of administration. valerian tablets followed by melatonin is good for inducing sleep. the cannabinoids strongly stimulate melatonin production, thus sleeping difficulties are often encountered when one stops using. throwing gaba in the mix can also help with anxiety. try replacing the smoking ritual with a herbal tea ritual. you may find much of the pleasure you derived from smoking was not from inhaling the smoke but the calming ritual itself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cactuscarl Posted January 20, 2012 I don't know if you make it into tea but i tried smoking Calea for the first time the other day and i think that would be an excellent substitute for pot. I was only smoking it for the dreaming aspect and was very surprised when i felt stoned relaxed and a bit tired it couldn't have been a placebo either because i wasn't expecting anything especially after trying other ''pot substitutes'' As soon as i finish quitting tobacco I'll be getting some more to quit pot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
∂an Posted January 20, 2012 I don't know if you make it into tea but i tried smoking Calea for the first time the other day and i think that would be an excellent substitute for pot. I was only smoking it for the dreaming aspect and was very surprised when i felt stoned relaxed and a bit tired it couldn't have been a placebo either because i wasn't expecting anything especially after trying other ''pot substitutes'' As soon as i finish quitting tobacco I'll be getting some more to quit pot tastes pretty bad when made into a tea, but you can get pretty strong effects. so much so, that sleepless nights drifting between dream and awake can result, so careful with dosage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunChaser Posted January 20, 2012 A healthy diet, as in 3 square meals a day (especially breakfast, the most important meal of the day), lots of protein, omega fats and making sure you consume your recommended daily amount of micro vitamins everyday, combined with lots of exercise has helped me overcome my severe anxiety attacks. Just going some where, where there were lots of people used to cause me to start dripping in sweat and start shaking to the point where I could hardly stand. It took over a year of being serious with my diet, but it has worked far better than any drug, whether organic or prescription. Like that stupid old add, lol. It won't happen over night but it will happen, well at least it worked for me. I truly believe there's no short term answer to a long term problem. Good luck. Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
