Relief from stress and anxiety is one of the top benefits reported by cannabis consumers. Expanding legalization means more people are starting to explore this option.
Medical patients and recreational users alike report that cannabis helps them relax and manage symptoms. Sometimes, they’re even able to work with their doctors to reduce their need for pharmaceutical medications.
Seeking Relief from Stress and Anxiety
Let’s first consider what stress and anxiety are and what makes them different.
Stress tends to be a short-term condition brought on by a threat or perceived threat at any moment. Anxiety, on the other hand, can be present even when there is no threat, and it usually involves future-based thinking. Cannabis helps many people with both of these conditions, which can also overlap with each other and with depression.
In both stress and anxiety, the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” response in the body behaves the same way. Cortisol, adrenaline, and a wide array of other chemicals flood the body so we can fight or run. Our body then diverts energy away from our brains and organs and sends everything to our muscles. Digestion comes to a halt. So, we struggle to think clearly in this state.
In a perfect scenario, once the threat had subsided, we would take a few deep breaths, and our system would be flooded with endocannabinoids, which are an important part of our recovery. Healthy, happy people self-generate these substances independent of the cannabis plant. In a society where stress is an epidemic, however, most people’s endocannabinoid systems could use a little boost. Enter the cannabis plant.
Coping via Cannabis
Intentional use of cannabis products can help return us to a place of balance when our bodies struggle to do this alone. Natural phytocannabinoids in the plant feed the same receptors as our self-made endocannabinoids normally would. So, they make a great addition when things are off-kilter with our stress and anxiety levels.
Even small, regular doses of full-spectrum CBD oil can mean all the difference for someone who’s struggling with chronic stress. But results take time, so go slow and be patient.
Addressing Stress and Anxiety with Cannabis
Please consider:
- Honesty with your doctors and pharmacists is paramount. This is especially true for people on medications. There are some contraindications with cannabinoids, like THC, the main cannabinoid that gets you high, and CBD.
- Moderation is key, especially with a high dose of THC in particular. An overload can have a stimulating effect and lead to a pounding heart and racing thoughts, intensifying anxiety.
- Strains higher in limonene have recently been scientifically verified as good for people who want something uplifting and want to avoid the intense feeling THC can sometimes bring.
- Long-term stress never goes away overnight, even with the most powerful medicines. It takes a variety of things to help a person lower their stress and anxiety, and cannabis is just one of those things.
- If you’re in extreme crisis, skip the cannabis for now and get some professional help from medical professionals.
The complexity of how these products interact with our bodies cannot be understated. We are short on science to explain much about why each individual’s experience is so different from the next. But we know that there’s a lot for researchers to explore. Even an experienced cannabis user will feel different effects from the same product on different occasions based on a variety of factors. To best make the shift in mood from stressed to elevated, start low, go slow, and then find a way to have a little fun.
This article is not medical advice. I am not a doctor or mental health practitioner.
By
Mary Ellen Lorello
Certified Cannabis Educator & Patient Advocate
Cannabis Student Mentor, The Natural Wellness Academy
medicatedmindfully.com
