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Do you suffer with cannabis induced anxiety?

Writer's picture: Shonda B. Shonda B.

So your reading the title, and I’m sure your thinking what is she talking about? They are using medical marijuana to treat anxiety, so how can it possibly cause anxiety? Well I’ll break down some things I've come to learn through personal as well as professional studies and being a Holistic Cannabis Consultant. Many of the things I will talk about, I’ll go more in depth in future blogs.


If you read my first blog post of Dee’s story, you got a glimpse into what we dealt with while helping him cope with anxiety. How smoking weed led to him having anxiety/panic attacks. With having to go to the ER and talking with doctors we learned that not only does it happen often but it happens to adults as well as teens. So has hitting the bong or lighting a joint ever set you off in a panic? Read below!



Reasons cannabis/medical marijuana can cause anxiety in some:


1. Smoking improperly harvested cannabis-With the growing of the plant, there’s really a science to it. It takes a plant a certain amount of time to flower and then be ready for harvest. There are a couple factors that come into play when it’s time. Since this is a profit driven market, these factors may not matter to some growers. So things may not reach its peak time of harvest, dry properly or even get cured. Cannabis that’s harvested too soon can cause anxiety. This is because the plant just isn't ready. It's like picking a strawberry that isn't ready yet and biting into it.



2. THC Content- We mostly hear about the these two chemical components-THC and CBD. THC is what causes the psychoactive feeling-THC makes you high. So usually when a plant has a high THC level there’s a low CBD level and vice versa. CBD is the component that helps you chill out really. That’s why it’s great for pain and anxiety. It communicates with receptors to relax. You ever hear older people say- 'I can’t smoke that weed that's out today'. It’s because the THC content is much higher. Being it’s psychoactive, it affects your mind causing anxiety and even paranoia. Dee’s theory is if we haven’t dealt with issues we struggle with, then increasing psychoactive activity in your mind can have triggering effects (this is through our personal experience. Experiences may vary). The point is maybe your mind just cant handle such a high level of THC. That’s why CBD is a great alternative You still get the benefits of what CBD offers without the high.



3. Strain Matters- Many people may not be aware, but there are two types of strains-sativa and indica. Most strains on the market now are what you consider hybrids. Meaning its a combination of the qualities of the two. Both have their own set of qualities and effects. Sativas are the high energy, mind high strains. If someone is already dealing with anxiety or may have an underlying trigger leading to anxiety a sativa is very likely to send you over the roof. Indicas on the other hand are the chill, couch lock strains-more of a body high. These strains are better for those with anxiety because they produce slightly more CBD than sativas. The problem here is that both of these strains have been crossbred so much that you may not always know what you're getting. If you're not buying in a place that clearly labels what your getting (indica, sativa or hybrid) and THC/CBD content, then you really don't even know. (Many were fooled with oregano back in the day, those OG's know what I'm talking about!)


4, You have a low tolerance- Just like many people cannot drink alcohol, the same applies with cannabis.



Knowing all of these different reasons can definitely help you get a better understanding if you have ever had anxiety when smoking, consider if one of the reasons above is the cause. Or maybe its none. Maybe by some chance your allergic to the plant. My point is, if you find yourself dealing with anxiety or an increase in anxiety while using cannabis consider looking into that more. Acknowledge what your dealing with and know that you don't have to suffer in silence with your anxiety. Talk to someone as well. More people deal with anxiety than you realize. AND-consider CBD. If your looking for something to help you relax, manage your feelings without the high CBD is a great solution. It also helps for depression. Best part about it besides being all natural is that it's 100% legal in all 50 states so it can be shipped directly to you.



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