Paranoia From Weed?

[chillAtGVC]

When I first started inhaling, back in the early 80's, I usually got very paranoid even among friends. Then I took a 35 year T break. Now, I don't get it at all. Has it been bred out of the plant, or have I changed?

 

[Happy Fish]

I do think it has something to do with the introduction of indicas since then. Most of the weed back then was sativa. Now sativas have pretty much been bred out of existence. Even seeds advertised as sativas are actually hybrids because no one wants to deal with the long grow time or high stretch for pure sativas. The high is also less desirable for most people, even though I personally enjoy the high from sativas. It is psychedelic and stimulating for the mind. If you have a tolerance though and are used to indicas it will probably just feel weak so most people don't like it. The newbs get all paranoid so they don't like it either, and since it grows shittier and has shittier bag appeal they've been bred out of existence.

The other big factor is probably that weed is legal now in most places and where it isn't legal it's not really a big deal so it's natural to be much less afraid of being caught by the police and now that you're an adult I'm guessing you have no fear of being caught by your parents which you may have had back in the day (I have no idea how old you are).

 

[simba]

Also you should know that paranoia & anxiety is a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning.

You can still get paranoid from certain strains that don't agree with you, but this seems to be a much rarer occurrence when not combusting.

 

[florduh]

It's because there's an anti-sativa bias out there these days

 

[PeteyS]

Naw man, I think you might just be in a better, more stable place now then 35 years ago.
Weed still makes people paranoid, more so now because of how much stronger it is. But its mostly due to how your feeling that day, or if you have stressful life things going on or not.

 

[Mickk]

Do you remember what strain that was? Haze definitely makes people paranoia

 

[chillAtGVC]

I have no idea what I was getting back in the 80's beyond "weed" or "hash". It was hard to come by and no one fussed much about what it was called. Some was, judging from the effects, Indica. I vape all sorts of things, usually keeping the heavy Indicas for later in the day. I don't think it was fear of being caught either, I never felt that.

 

[TigoleBitties]

The plant has definitely been bred to have more THC. I think feeling paranoid is directly related to how high you are. I only feel paranoid these days (very rare) if I'm overmedicated and it usually passes pretty quickly.

I also feel that the entourage effect of terpenes is more pronounced when vaping compared to combusting and maybe this plays a role in moderating the high so as to minimize paranoia. I've no scientific basis for this except that anecdotally, for myself, I find it harder to get paranoid by vaping.

This is all just speculation however. I tend to feel the biggest factor in feeling paranoid is simply being too high. Perhaps as you've aged, either your tolerance has grown or you've become better at not overdoing it.

 

[florduh]

Back in the day there were more landraces in the market too. Many traditional landrace "sativa" strains had appreciable THCV content.

 

[chillAtGVC]

I will agree that the THC level of weed now is often higher than what it was. But I can think of three times (once in Canada, once in Zaire, and once in south India) that I got stuff that eclipses anything I have tried in modern times. Only one made me paranoid as best I can recall.

I've always liked to get really, really high. Completely laid out high. I still do. For me, I don't think it is being too high. It may just be my head is in a better place now, it is and I am happy about that.

 

[simba]

If high levels of THC were enough to cause paranoia then distillate would be paranoia central

 

[TigoleBitties]

I will agree that the THC level of weed now is often higher than what it was. But I can think of three times (once in Canada, once in Zaire, and once in south India) that I got stuff that eclipses anything I have tried in modern times. Only one made me paranoid as best I can recall.

I've always liked to get really, really high. Completely laid out high. I still do. For me, I don't think it is being too high. It may just be my head is in a better place now, it is and I am happy about that.

If high levels of THC were enough to cause paranoia then distillate would be paranoia central

Good points here. Now that I think a bit harder, there were many times I was really, really high but not paranoid.

Then there were the times I was really, really high and paranoid. But I don't recall any times that I was paranoid when I was not really, really high.

Combining both your points, maybe what this means is that being really high (too much THC) doesn't cause paranoia - but if you entertain paranoid thoughts while really, really high, it will tend to exacerbate them and you may spiral. Also, perhaps being less high allows more conscious control over any paranoid thoughts that arise and lets you stop them more effectively?

If you're a good headspace to begin with, you'll have less or no paranoid thoughts to deal with so that also fits.

 

[chillAtGVC]

@TigoleBitties that makes good sense to me

 

[Octavia]

Good points here. Now that I think a bit harder, there were many times I was really, really high but not paranoid.

Then there were the times I was really, really high and paranoid. But I don't recall any times that I was paranoid when I was not really, really high.

Combining both your points, maybe what this means is that being really high (too much THC) doesn't cause paranoia - but if you entertain paranoid thoughts while really, really high, it will tend to exacerbate them and you may spiral. Also, perhaps being less high allows more conscious control over any paranoid thoughts that arise and lets you stop them more effectively?

If you're a good headspace to begin with, you'll have less or no paranoid thoughts to deal with so that also fits.

I was planning to post something similar! When I started to try weed I used to get paranoid regardless of how I partook due to a lot of negative associations with smoking in general and weed in particular from childhood that would invariably bubble up after the first toke, as well as the heightened need to avoid unwanted attention while skulking in an alley. When I got my MFLB and was out of my anti substance living situation I had to very consciously set myself in a good mood and headspace before the first hit.

Fast forward to now where I’m in a stable job/life position, have mostly buried all the emotional baggage I had when I was younger, and live in a state where everyone is open about their weed consumption habits I now only ever get paranoid when there’s an unexpected knock on the door.

 

[TigoleBitties]

now only ever get paranoid when there’s an unexpected knock on the door.

 

[sickmanfraud]

When I was introduced to medical cannabis, 11+ years ago the "day" cannabis (sativa) would make it impossible to nap. Any time I tried to close my eyes, I got anxious. Sometimes pretty anxious.

Now I rarely use even what we call Sativa today. Also, THC content has gone from about 15% to 24% here.

 

[simba]

Good points here. Now that I think a bit harder, there were many times I was really, really high but not paranoid.

Then there were the times I was really, really high and paranoid. But I don't recall any times that I was paranoid when I was not really, really high.

Combining both your points, maybe what this means is that being really high (too much THC) doesn't cause paranoia - but if you entertain paranoid thoughts while really, really high, it will tend to exacerbate them and you may spiral. Also, perhaps being less high allows more conscious control over any paranoid thoughts that arise and lets you stop them more effectively?

If you're a good headspace to begin with, you'll have less or no paranoid thoughts to deal with so that also fits.

I think it's much more complicated and personal than THC % levels. Also we need to separate paranoia from combustion and paranoia during vaping IMO.

 

[Robindean]

So, my experiance has been this. Since about 2007.
Weed, was always questinable ride. Most of it I enjoyed, barely any of it was possibly from actual good weed.
Paranoiia was real, but rarely from the good shit I was able to obtain.
My moments of bad was:
And these stand out, a college aquainstest sold me some weed this one time (and the only time) that I thought was laced. Awake vivid hallucainations and thoughts. I flushed it down. Then after doing so and coming down, I wondered had I made a mistake, then quickly passed the thought.
Years later dealers later, and other things changing later. I stopped in 2017. Just strait tired of it, paranoia oddly for just no damn reason, every time.
I quit. Made wine, got drunk when I could instead because it was legal. Didn't think about it.
2018 or 2019, ohio became medical. I wanted in. Legal? Alcohol be damned.
Since then, paranioa happened sure, but to a hell, and almost none exisstent state to me.
Does it creep in sometimes? Yes. Reasons for sure. Psychosis eh, Addrell did that. Cannabis keeps those things in mind as paranoia, but so does being sober. Just a lot less.
Overall. I'll take weed. Tho sometimes tbh alcohol seems like the better coach. But that is neither here nor there or any where. For yall know, Just cannabis.

 

[sickmanfraud]

So, my experiance has been this. Since about 2007.
Weed, was always questinable ride. Most of it I enjoyed, barely any of it was possibly from actual good weed.
Paranoiia was real, but rarely from the good shit I was able to obtain.
My moments of bad was:
And these stand out, a college aquainstest sold me some weed this one time (and the only time) that I thought was laced. Awake vivid hallucainations and thoughts. I flushed it down. Then after doing so and coming down, I wondered had I made a mistake, then quickly passed the thought.
Years later dealers later, and other things changing later. I stopped in 2017. Just strait tired of it, paranoia oddly for just no damn reason, every time.
I quit. Made wine, got drunk when I could instead because it was legal. Didn't think about it.
2018 or 2019, ohio became medical. I wanted in. Legal? Alcohol be damned.
Since then, paranioa happened sure, but to a hell, and almost none exisstent state to me.
Does it creep in sometimes? Yes. Reasons for sure. Psychosis eh, Addrell did that. Cannabis keeps those things in mind as paranoia, but so does being sober. Just a lot less.
Overall. I'll take weed. Tho sometimes tbh alcohol seems like the better coach. But that is neither here nor there or any where. For yall know, Just cannabis.

cannabis is easier on your liver.

 

[Bakin4Life]

I came back to cannabis about a year ago, after about a 20yr break.

The last time (back in the early-mid '00s), I was starting to get paranoia every time I left the home. But I was putting mass quantities through a bong, after work. The GF (later wife) was using an early vaporizer (and getting shit results). I hated her device, and stayed with the bong.

This time, I had the imprimatur of both the state *and* my MD, when I announced that I wanted to try cannabis therapy for my mental health issues, after finding edibles (which quickly got replaced with flower.) Doc offered to sign off on a med card, right off the bat.

Also... my work career is over now, so no more paranoia with that. Realized that my earlier issues were due to 'potential loss' of job, income, etc, if I got caught. Wasn't on any medication back then, either. Now I take antidepressants (and tapering dosage down on that, with the good results of CT). But almost all my stressors are gone now, which also helps with the therapy.