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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask people who know about drug use

22 replies

Orangedays · 05/02/2015 10:15

What could make a teenager uncharacteristically aggressive for a week - he is 17 and went to some sort of all night rave and ever since has been unusually confrontational and angry. He's usually calm and hates angry behaviour from anyone - but he kicked his bedroom door in yesterday because he lost something and was stressed about this.

He said he was giving up weed this week - could it be withdrawal from this or is it more likely he's coming down from taking something else like mdma?

Anyone with actual experience out there?

OP posts:

MagpieCursedTea · 05/02/2015 10:28

Giving up weed can make people very ragey, especially if they've been heavy users.
Come downs from coke or pills can be pretty unpleasant but shouldn't last more than a day or two.
From what you've said, I'd think it was the weed. If he stays off it he should start to feel better soon.

sparechange · 05/02/2015 10:30

It could be anything. All drugs mess with the balance of brain chemicals. Some people get much worse comedowns than others, and I think the worst time is the tuesday and wednesday after a big saturday night.

I've never taken it, but I have heard from friends that Meow Meow gives the absolute worst comedowns, with proper depressive lows. Coke and MDMA can also do that in some people.

If he has pulled an all-nighter, the lack of sleep could be a contributing factor as well, along with the guilt/worry about having done it and getting caught.

It should get better though. His body will flush it out, rebalance the brain chemicals and he'll catch up on his sleep...

InfinitySeven · 05/02/2015 10:30

If he's giving up weed, it will be that. It does tend to lead to an unrelenting rage for a while afterwards. If he doesn't give in, it'll lessen after a week or so. If he does, he'll be high and then more mellow, until withdrawal starts again.

worldgonecrazy · 05/02/2015 10:35

Well done on him giving up weed - it won't be easy for him, especially with peer pressure. It is a good demonstration for him of how drugs can affect a person's brain chemistry, and no two people will show the same response.

I hope he managers to keep on the straight and narrow - I do believe that marijuana/weed is now different to what we experimented with as teens. It definitely smells more disgusting/stronger.

Original poster

Orangedays · 05/02/2015 11:34

He was a weekend smoker only, but has been for 3 to 4 years. Not daily. Would you still get withdrawal ?

OP posts:

Kachan · 05/02/2015 11:41

I was a weekend smoker and I did get some mild withdrawal when I quit but not the full on rage. That's not to say it wouldn't affect your son like that. I suspect though that a combination of lack of sleep plus a come down from MDMA or similar is likely to be the main culprit. I have never taken MCAT but have also heard it can have a nasty come down.

Birdsgottafly · 05/02/2015 11:41

""He was a weekend smoker only, but has been for 3 to 4 years. Not daily. Would you still get withdrawal ?""

Yes you would.

My DD, her DP and a lot of her peer group are/have been giving up weed, now they are getting to 30, starting families etc.

Some have been light users, similar to your son, but have had some withdrawal for a couple of months.

Most other drugs (I've done a lot in the past), are out your system in four days max.

After his anger, he'll go through lows.

I would research online.

Kachan · 05/02/2015 11:44

Also, I say I was a weekend smoker but I did also have the odd hit through the week if hanging out with stoner friends or otherwise feeling the need. Always in the evening mind you, not through the day. What I am saying is, just because he says he is a weekend smoker doesn't mean it's strictly true.

Birdsgottafly · 05/02/2015 11:45

Just to add, there are many on here that don't believe the "stronger/hybred" cannibis exists, but what your son has been smoking could be different to what someone else has been smoking that comes under the name "weed".

rumbelina · 05/02/2015 11:54

Could it be nicotine withdrawal?

Or a girl?

(Not dismissing the drugs angle btw, just throwing other things in that could have that effect)

I didn't ever get this from weed withdrawal but then as someone said it was a lot less strong in my day. I did get ragey without nicotine when I was a weekends only smoker.

LurkingHusband · 05/02/2015 11:56

If it's been bought on the streets you have no idea what it really is. Given the way things were 10 years ago, I would be astounded if it hadn't been adulterated with other muck.

paxtecum · 05/02/2015 12:02

So if he is giving up weed this week, does that mean he didn't smoke any last weekend?
If he only smokes it at the weekends and had some last weekend then his behaviour should be the same as usual at the moment.

Anyway, all credit to him trying to give up.

bloodygorgeous · 05/02/2015 12:12

Bought 'on the streets' as opposed to what Lurking?

OP as others have said could be absolutely anything really...he could be bad tempered or withdrawal from giving up weed, a come down or side effect from other drugs, or something completely different going on for him.

I think you need to just talk to him, listen to him. If he's unresponsive, just ask open questions so you're not grilling him about specifics.

Are you ok with him doing drugs/weed/raving? What conversations have you had before?

LurkingHusband · 05/02/2015 12:26

Dealers are there to make profits. If they can bulk out what they sell with other muck, they will. Ketamine was a favourite for a while (ever wonder why it was banned ?). However there are loads of other substances that can be added - all of which have their own effects regarding health.

If you don't know where the stuff came from, you don't know what's in it. Simple. And that can make dealing with the outcomes problematic.

HaroldsBishop · 05/02/2015 12:33

If he was smoking it with tobacco it's most likely withdrawal from nicotine. Cannabis isn't particularly physically addictive (especially compared to nicotine, alcohol and the other really dangerous drugs), but if he's been smoking it regularly for a long time (are you SURE it was just at weekends?) there can still be psychological withdrawal symptoms.

NancyRaygun · 05/02/2015 12:35

If he went to an all night rave I would guess he has taken ecstasy or MDMA. The former can lead to feelings of intense low mood two days later. Give him some Marmite toast (seriously - its been proven to help)

ahbollocks · 05/02/2015 12:38

Sounds like he's had a nasty experience. I smoked weed in my teens and the last time I did it was definitely laced with lsd or something. I was odd for days after.
Could you take him to a gp or something to check him over?

nooyearnooname · 05/02/2015 12:38

Tbh if he had a proper heavy night with no sleep, anything he's taken could make him like that - coke, MDMA, meow meow, speed. Not so sure about ketamine. I do drugs very rarely now, but a big Saturday night can leave me tetchy and irrational for a good few days afterwards (much like pmt symptoms), and obvs men have a bit more tendency towards aggression rather than tearfulness because their hormones are different.

My understanding re weed (particularly skunk) is that there's multiple times the THC in it nowadays to what there used to be, so its much stronger and has a much bigger impact on mental health than years ago. So I think stopping it would def be a contributing factor to how he's feeling / acting.

The only thing you can do is to make sure he's eating properly - get some bananas down him if you can, and also carby creamy foods in the evening to help him sleep properly. That's what we always used to do years ago after going raving and it seemed to help a bit.

MephistophelesApprentice · 05/02/2015 12:39

Sounds like an MDMA comedown to me - without weed to take the edge off that will be unpleasant. I tend to find I have less of a desire for weed in the week immediately after a drop, so he might have seized the opportunity. If he was mixing weed with tobacco it's likely that which is causing the rage, as weed has no physical withdrawal symptoms.

Get him an E-cig, and maybe some tryptophan supplements from a healthfood shop.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 05/02/2015 12:45

Harold has a point. I've smoked cannabis quite regularly and gave up when I was TTC, and did not have any angry comedown. I've never regularly taken it with tobacco though, and the few times I have it has felt quite different.

I think taking it with tobacco may give him withdrawal effects of two different substances, perhaps why he is so badly affected. Withdrawal of either lasts under a week, so I hope he will be better soon.

JaneFonda · 05/02/2015 12:50

Hope your son feels better soon - have you spoken to him about it? There could be something else bothering him, not necessarily related to drugs.

Also, I just wanted to add that this thread has been a big surprise (especially in AIBU!) that people are genuinely offering advice and no snarky remarks. :)

Original poster

Orangedays · 05/02/2015 14:26

Agree with janefonda - and think you for the ( non judgmental ) replies.

He's a typical adolescent make in that communication with parents is a struggle- he let it slip last week that his group were going to have a break from weed to concentrate on exams. He's always been adamant that he 'does not have an addictive personality ' ( such self knowledge at 17!!) and that because he quit for 2 months for GSCE 's that his smoking was not a problem. Personally I don't agree with his simplistic view but then I'm old and wise !
To the person who asked if I was ok with raving and drugs - no I'm not - but if his group of mates have decided to quit weed for 4 months to study better than that is more effective than any preaching I could do.

OP posts:

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