Cannabis and social anxiety/awkwardness

Some people say it makes them less nervous and more outgoing, whereas others say it makes them more introverted, and they have a more difficult time in social situations. For me, it has always been the latter. I look at pot as a sort of psychological magnifying glass. That is the psychedelic aspect of the drug, which seems to affect some people more than others. Pot has always had a psychedelic effect on me, and is not at all a social lubricant like alcohol from my experiences with it. Basically, however you feel before you smoke is increased many times over while under the influence of cannabis. If you're feeling insecure about something, you will feel even more insecure after you smoke, especially with regard to social situations. If something bothersome is on your mind, you will tend to focus on it more after smoking. That is how it has always been with me, anyway. Then again, I think the strain of weed might have something to do with it, because I have smoked some of the better sativa strains and they often produce a more clear-headed high, where the thought process becomes clearer and there is little paranoia, often resulting in great conversations with people (if they are interesting enough). I think a lot of it has to do with the people you are with.

So I was wondering, how does marijuana react with you as far as your sociability and social interactions? Does it make you want to withdraw more, or does socializing generally become easier and more relaxed when you are smoking?

 

It made me more anxious when I smoked by myself but when I was with people it had the opposite effect. I would get extremely self conscious while alone.

It got to the point where I have just stopped smoking all together.

 

When I was younger I used to smoke a lot of weed with groups of people, so it was an extremely social thing. I used to smoke before going to a concert/bar/rave/whatever and it never mattered, the only mild paranoia was if I smoked before class and I wondered if my teachers knew I was high. They probably did. I think I only ever had 2 anxiety attacks while smoking weed, but it was due to a combination of excessive smoking and eating it. Not fun.

Now I rarely ever smoke weed and the reason why I say it makes me anxious or socially awkward is not really due to insecurity, but because I can't really interact, it just immediately makes me want to go inward, lay down in a dark room, not talk and not do anything. It definitely feels very psychedelic. It's affected by the amount I smoke and where and who I'm with. I rarely smoke and when I smoke and I'm not home, I usually only take a couple hits because my tolerance is nil. That's fine, but if I have to go and do shit like let's go to a bank, grocery shopping, whatever, everything becomes more difficult than it needs to be.

I've also noticed that I can't smoke weed with people I don't really like. It gets really awkward and I always feel like it becomes so obvious that I can't wait to not be in their presence. When I'm with people I like and get along well, it's cool. I get giggly and relaxed, specially if it's people that I feel comfortable enough to touch. I love touching people, maybe it's just growing up where I did. People are always showing their affection, even just friends and people here are a lot more distant, that's something I find awkward, even while sober.

 

Around the right people no problem at all, fun and easy interaction.
Other situations around uptight fucks and what not, yeah it's easy to get self conscious. Fuck 'em mang, it's just another subtle societal imposed chain on tha brain.

One of the most difficult things about transcending bullshit is learning to forget yourself and reflect outward.

 

It used to effect me much like it effects you. I used to smoke and I would just sit there for hours and think about myself, all my flaws, how people perceived me, and various other things that aren't generally worth giving a lot of thought. It made me very shy and paranoid around other people. I used to smoke before class and I would end up skipping class because it made me absolutely terrified to walk into class.

It doesn't really effect me like that anymore, mainly because I don't try to get completely baked anymore. I take a hit here and there throughout my day and go about my business. I don't really use it as a drug anymore. I don't really care about being high. I use it medicinally when I'm not feeling 100% and it always puts my mind and body in the right place so I can go about my day. I always feel like shit in the morning for some reason but if I smoke in the morning it gives me a lot of energy and motivation. The only time I ever smoke it anymore just to get stoned is when I go hiking or some other kind of nature trip.

 

This^^^ every morning usually though. :cheers2:

 

I don't smoke it. I do sometimes have a couple of beers to relax, if the situation permits.

The only thing that helps my social anxiety is to make myself go out more often. I get used to it, and get better at handling it. It also works the other way...I can get used to being in my comfort zone again if I am not careful.

 

I pretty much have stopped smoking weed in that I don't seek it out anymore and even if someone says they have some, I tend to be ambivalent towards it. Ocassionally I'll take a few hits from a joint or pipe if its offered. I find pot can release anxiety if I'm comfortable with the people I'm with but it doesn't make me more outgoing. If I'm unfamiliar with the people in the sesh, then I rarely carry the conversation, I often go introvert and tend to feel slightly more anxious in a somewhat exhilarating way.

 

you get used to it and it's also manning up and knowing it doesn't matter if you're high or not, the person across can't tell the difference. Live.

 

Actually it's really not that hard to tell if someone is high. Especially if you work with them or go to class with them.

 

only if you've ever seen them straight

 

yea.. thats why i said if you work with them or go to class with them. Since you would be seeing them a lot

 

I was imagining more at a social event, where, very much so the person can't tell, doesn't care, doesn't matter.

as for social paranoia, it declines/goes away when your tolerance goes up and/or when your actual social paranoia calms the fux up.

Weed used to make socializing tough and painful for me too, for about the first year, but I always enjoyed it and it had good parts.

after all, I was only paranoid because i was very high to begin with. Could not complain. Maybe Pressed Rat needs to be OK with looking like a high doobster. :smoking::daisy:

 

Only when driving. Used to go something like this: me,driving along about 13 miles an hour thoroughly enjoying myself. Car shows up in the rearview mirror. Me--Uh-oh. Oh shit. Oh god dammit--that's a cop. There's a cop behind us. He's right back --shit ,I can't go to jail---oh man I ---Oh. Ok. That was just somebody passing us. Me-resuming enjoyment. Uh oh. oh shit -there's a -------------------like that.. I still don't like to drive on it. As far as being around others though-I can get pretty funny ,so it's all good.

 

After getting off probation, now that I have a really low tolerance, weed for the most part makes me paranoid and have depressing thoughts and really makes me self conscious. However it does depend on the situation.

 

This makes me think of a pic I saw on fbook today

 

Cannabis relieves any social anxiety I may have. But at the same time I become more observant which makes me quieter. Kind of a catch 22

 

this

 

Marijuana makes me way more socially awkward. It just in general does not agree with me at all and I rarely smoke it.

 

Yeah, weed always had psychedelic effect on me. As far as psychedelics can be indeed magnifying glass of our psyche, skilled individual can use them for his needs.

It is strange at the beginning for me, because my hands shake uncontrollably when taking first hits and I have to manage everyones confused looks. But after a while I can chill myself and get into this "I don't give a shit about anything" mode.

I realize that I can be awkward, but I don't care about it. I know that I am different and that I won't behave perfectly, but I accept myself the way I am, so I can enjoy social situations without any anxiety at all.

In my case it can be great cure for social anxiety. Especially when I sober up I look at this situation and ask myself "what the hell was I anxious about in the first place?"

everyone is different