Anxiety, Wing Chun and Alcohol / Cannabis

Hello Forum, So back in November of last year i got into wing chun and have been practicing it daily ever since. I do Sil Lim Tao every single day without fail and Chum Kiu on other days, I have not moved on to Bui Jee just yet. My question though is, for years I'v been smoking Cannabis daily, and it would relax me, make me feel good, or even have little to no effect on me what so ever. I was never a big drinker but i had some crazy nights over the years and some bad hangovers. I am 22 now, and recently whenever I drink alcohol i have awful anxiety the next day, constantly focusing on my breathing, swallowing and heart rate and it also happens when i smoke weed. This never used to happen but i have always been an anxious person but not to the extreme that i am now. I am giving up both Cannabis and Alcohol, but do you think that daily training could have anything to do with the heightened anxiety from these substances that i used to enjoy? Thanks!

 

No, but your daily smoking could increase your natural anxiety.

Reducing and doing without for a while may help, go see your GP for advice.

 

No, you are looking at it backwards. It is the cannabis that is sending your stress response out of whack, and the exercise is helping to regulate it. So your cannabis use is wiping out any positive effect your exercise might have on your anxiety levels.

Cannabis stimulates adrenal response, giving you higher levels of stress hormones. Regular use causes dysregulation of the endocrine systems related to stress and anxiety, and 22 years of age is too young to know what long term effects of usage will be for you. For the people I've known who had anxiety problems linked to cannabis use, the effects were cumulative and they used it without issue for years before encountering problems.

Marijuana Use and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Functioning in Humans

Heartbeat rates are increased the morning after drinking, so this could well be why you are finding yourself particularly anxious when hungover.

With the mixture of cannabis causing endocrine dysregulation and alcohol affecting blood pressure and heart rate, you are sending your stress response for a loop.

As Dead_pool says, stop and see your doctor. The symptoms you describe are exactly what friends of mine experienced before beginning to suffer from anxiety attacks. Might be worth ditching caffeine for a while too, if you are a coffee or tea drinker.

 

Quit smoking, quit drinking, and train Wing Chun, you will be better for it. And much MUCH healthier too.

 

^^This. Any long term use of a substance moves your baseline. This is why cigarette smokers become so grumpy while quitting, they've been pumping themselves full of a relaxant frequently and regularly and now "normal" feels terrible.

 

I dunno about that. I don't drink or smoke and normal feels terrible an awful lot xD

 

Actually nicotine is a stimulant. It only feels relaxing because the withdrawal symptoms have such a fast onset.

Homeostasis is a funny old thing.

 

Substances affect people differently. As much as people who are pro-cannabis go on about it's benefits, only because they are the ones who are feeling positive benefits. I have met many also where weed affects them badly. Anxiety, paranoia or just plain feeling "sucky".

As you said, you are trying to train without the substances, so good luck to you.

 

I must suggest indica based cbd or (mod edit: deletion of promotion of drug use) but I would maybe suggest cbds to those who like weed I have almost quit weed all together cbds are awesome !

 

Damn it David. I was trying to keep things simple and you come in here with your science and your chemistry. The sun is flat damn you!

 

it is not really a drug nor was i promoting but thanks for the heads up my message was though try cbds and stop cannabis use all together if possible

 

Most CBD is purely scam marketing mixed in with the placebo effect.

 

I beg to differ I use it for pain and nerve damage it very much works for me personally no placebo nonsense either it has also been proven to reduce tumors help with my sleeping also there have been a million medical studies as well were a someone has epilepsy and benefits are amazing also it helps greatly in pets for anxiety as well as humans I could go on and on but i think we all get the picture.
I will say it can effect every one differently perhaps or have no effectiveness on certain individuals just like any other medications prescribed one the great things with cbd is minimal side effects!

 

I am sorry for the wrong doing my friends this is a great board it does however really erk me when people down talk cbd and its true medical benefits here is a link i think covers almost everything cbd wise Studies on CBD and Neuropathic Pain

 

Project CBD: Medical Marijuana & Cannabinoid Science here is another from the same site I have been a active protester of cbd and medical cannabis supporter but like I mentioned with any medicine there are gonna be ups and downs .
I do think cbd is great for many reasons that I have already listed you yourselves can be the judges but i have nerve damage and arthritis and with out it times would be a litter tougher for me as i used to take many prescribed medicines that had no good use and nasty side effects for me personally.