UCPPS - Prostatitis, Interstitial Cystitis Forum

Marijuana can directly cause chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome symptoms. Once these symptoms are brought on, it gives the user anxiety which then lead to perpetuate the tension – anxiety – pain cycle. The marijuana doesn’t directly cause anxiety, but rather triggers the pain which causes anxiety. I’ve noticed this anxiety tends to get worse since the user is ‘high’ and feelings/emotions therefore are already enhanced. If marijuana made one anxious which leads to pain it would be a completely different situation. Pain perpetuated by anxiety can be cured by relaxing. Anxiety resulting from pain cannot; instead it can only be avoided by disassociating yourself from the source of pain itself. Marijuana is surely a problem for many chronic pelvic pain sufferers. Most victims of this disease are anxious by nature, and they are always reaching for things that they think will make them happy, only to leave them worse off than before. As ancient Buddhist teachings propose, attachment to material objects inevitably leads to suffering. Many pelvic pain sufferers are victims of their own thoughts; their own state of mind. The only way they feel they can achieve temporarily relief and relaxation is through sensual indulgence to take their mind off their own negativity. In this case, marijuana acts as a perfect candidate. It makes food taste better, music sound better, and keeps your mind busy for a couple hours in indulgence so you don’t have to suffocate yourself with your own negativity. This attachment and optical illusion that you need marijuana to feel good only leads to more pain, more anxiety, and more tension. The user becomes in a state of mind that whenever they are sober they feel that life at that moment isn’t enough. They impulsively want to smoke and engage in sensual indulgence to get their mind off their anxiety. As you mention in your book, compulsively masturbating is common for pelvic pain patients because it makes them feel good. It satisfies their sensual cravings and masks their anxiety for a short period of time. Other distracting activities, more particularly marijuana use, act in identical fashion. Except the psychological addiction of marijuana can lead down a terrible path for chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome sufferers. As their dependence grows, so does their anxiety, so does their pain, and so does their suffering. As their suffering grows, so does their marijuana usage to mask their anxiety. Marijuana, an active catalyst for the anxiety and pain itself, is also used to mask those very same things. This leads down a ruthless cycle of Usage – Pain – Anxiety – Suffering. Of course, a cycle like this will only further tighten already chronically contracted muscles. The sufferer is constantly reaching for the external cure and sensual indulgences to suffice their chaotic state of mind. The true source for their anxious state of mind lies within the boundaries of their own skin. Until a user realizes this and makes a concerted effort to learn to disengage from externally and sensually based pleasures via paradoxical relaxation and other mindfulness techniques, the state of mind which perpetuates chronic pelvic pain will never be resolved to healthy, functional thinking.

The odd thing is that cannabis is supposed to be useful in treating muscle spasticity in MS patients, and other research shows it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

For our patient group, the key finding may be that it is anxiolytic at low doses, but anxiety-provoking at high doses:

Generally, low doses tend to induce anxiolytic-like effects, whereas high doses often cause the opposite (from 2010 study)

However, that's only a guess because the action of cannabinoids on the human body is complex.

More: Anxiety and mood disorders and cannabis use.

I agree that low doses are better for an anti-anxiety, muscle relaxing effect. I used to smoke every day for over a year and I wanted to do everything high. That whole post is basically just me explaining the insights I've gained through meditation on how it has negatively effected my progress on healing. That's not to say I'll never smoke again, because to be honest, I will. But for now I need to focus on my treatment without using weed, or any substance for that matter as a crutch. If other people have different experiences from cannabis and it instead helps their progress, great. And if this is you, then that's great. I'm glad you found something that helps you. But I know there are many other people out there like me who have a hard time not becoming attached to it and getting sucked into this counter-productive cycle that often goes beyond the threshold of awareness and is perceived as harmless fun.

Just wanted to add to this my own testimonial in the case of weed.

I rarely smoke, but last summer I did 1 time and I kind of thought that maybe it would have medicinal effects, but the opposite occurred. I had a flare up and it lasted several days. It's really surprising to me because I thought if anything, it would be neutral, and best case it would help with some of the symptoms.

Anyway in my case marijuana was definitely an irritant. I'm just glad I wasn't ever that into it so giving it up doesn't bother me at all. :)

My experience is that sometimes it is slightly relaxing, but usually its doesn't do anything. I smoke a lot of grass and it helps about as much as a cup of hot herbal tea.

Pot instantly makes my symptoms 10 times worse. Don't know why, but it does without fail.

Smoking anything irritates my already irritated urethra and prostate and causes a flare up usually for me. I used to smoke cigarettes and weed and honestly miss both.... But I do hope one day I get to smoke some herb without it causing me pain. Cigarettes I'll probably not start up again for obvious reasons.

I guess I am one of those chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome users that still uses Cannabis and can't stop. In my case most of the negative side effects have been allergy related or anxiety every once in awhile. I suffered with panic attacks and anxiety from 2007-2009. Sometimes smoking heavy dosages, especially with a bong, would induce a panic attack. My flares and spasms are always there no matter what, sober or high. Just that being high sometimes would make me focus too hard on relaxing my muscles and I would get frustrated when I couldn't do so which would create anxiety. In a way that has made me act differently than the "typical" stoner. For instance I have a hard time just smoking and chilling on a couch with people. My mind will focus too much on wanting to relax but my muscles won't allow me to do so. Hence I will feel a need to walk around or go outside. I have distanced myself from the people that initially introduced me to pot.

I mostly use it on my own or with my good friend that knows about my condition. Also like I said I hardly ever just smoke and sit around because I get uncomfortable. In order to feel at ease I need to be doing something, like hiking, walking at the beach, etc. The other thing Cannabis has produced is allergic reactions if I use too regularly. Sometimes I will wheeze and cough uncontrollably and have to use my rescue inhaler. In the past it use to plug up my nose when I had nasal polyp problems.

However I have not noticed that it made my trigger points any worse. Sometimes I have been able to use it to really relax and take a bath or to do yoga stretches on my own. Since I was in an altered state of mind I could really focus on a specific muscle area and try to stretch and relax it. I feel the same on it and off it, just that when I am under the influence I will get frustrated that I can't fully enjoy the experience of pot like others because of my spasms. At the moment the thing that prevents me from quitting the stuff is the effect it has on my appetite. If I am not smoking for a couple of days, I have no appetite at all. I have no desire to eat.