Cannabis and coping
I’m sure you’ve all noticed I haven’t posted in a while, I am going through a divorce and trying to just survive. This article is going to be based solely around using Cannabis the proper way to help ease a struggle. I’ll be sharing my own personal experience, so strap in and lets get ready to learn some cool shit.
Most people use cannabis to get high, which is awesome right? Yeah it totally is, but, did you know you can use it to shift your mood in a positive way that’s more direct and not just for the sillies? Its possible! Over the past few months, not only have I been going thru a separation on my way to divorce, but I also started the Cannabis Industry Program at Berkshire Community College, so for my professors let me flex some of my knowledge.
Cannabis interacts with our Endocannabinoid system, but it does more than just that. The ECS is built to keep the body in homeostasis, and its been with us since the dawn of human life, so its only natural that there is s a super plant for this system. Cannabis is loaded with endocannabinoids that mimic our own cannabinoids and can help shift our hormonal balance, if we are willing to learn a little.
But Riana WTF does that mean?
Come on guys, I’m getting there, sheeeeesh
When we use cannabis all these awesome Flavonoids and Terpenes are sent whirling into our system. That being said every cannabis strain has a different “Profile” meaning different terpenes and flavonoids. It only stands to reason that if the terpenes and flavonoids are different in each plant that they would each create a different effect. This is where it gets interesting!
You can look at each terpene through a holistic lens, just like you would essential oils. Lavender is calming, lemon is energizing and so on and so forth. In the cannabis world linalool(lavender) is calming and Limonene (lemon) is energizing, and there’s way more terpenes than that. So! When you are looking at terpene profiles you have to be honest with yourself about what you need and research each terpene and read reviews to know the full body and mind effects.
We have used names like Indica and Sativa for generations, but hate to break it to you, if your not smoking a full blown landrace you are likely smoking a hybrid that leans in a certain direction. I know, I know, blown minds and all that, but its true. We have been crossbreeding for so long we don’t have true indica or sativas anymore. So what does that mean for your high? It means again that you have to look at your terpene profiles.
If you have anxiety the last thing you want to do is smoke something that is going to elevate you. Elevation when anxious means higher anxiety, shakes, sweating, racing thoughts. If you are depressed you don’t want a relaxing herb, you want an energizing one. So you have to really look at yourself and see what is going on and truly research your plant. A good budtender can help, but people should really be putting in the work here to learn about themselves and what they are consuming.
I encourage you to keep a note book where you track strains and effects and your symptoms when going into the strain. You have the power to use cannabis for better mental health.
In the age before COVID many states allowed you to smell the bud. This is so amazing to do because if something smells delicious, its your olfactory system telling you what your body needs at that moment in time.
Over the past few months I have found that Dead Head OG is amazing for taking me out of a panic or anxiety attack, and Tangie, Zookies, and Zkittles are amazing mood lifters that don’t overwhelm.
You can truly use this plant in so many ways to better the state of your mental health, just be cautious, openminded, and ready to learn because there is so much out there to soak up.
As always if you have questions please reach out, educating people on this plant is my passion, I am here to help
Much Love