Let’s Talk Cannabis and Mental Health: Complicated?

Let’s Talk Cannabis and Mental Health: Complicated?

Last year I decided to take a new form of treatment when it came to my manic-depressive illness, to help with insomnia, anxiety and my lack of being able to focus. I was going through a particularly hard time and after my brother recommending cannabis I started to do my own research. I came up empty handed time and time again, you see it’s really fucking confusing.

Yeah. People are talking about mental health and we are talking about cannabis but a year and a half ago, it wasn’t as common to find people discussing mental health and cannabis.

Together.

Oh, and if you did talk about it, most people gave you the stink eye for even considering smoking weed or consuming cannabis while having a mental health diagnosis. YEAH. I definitely got that.

I also think that it doesn’t help that as a society we want a definite yes or no. A simple, it depends and there is so much to take into consideration doesn’t make it.

I have to be honest though, I agree with the- it depends, it’s not a simple yes or no- answer. Mainly because I feel like we are all different and there isn’t a one size fits all to treat or heal anything in this world. Just like we are all entitled to like whatever music we do, how can we expect our health to be a type a, b, or c, answer?

I view it this way, just like some medication works for some and it doesn’t for others, cannabis can work for some and not for others.

PLEASE don’t bite my head off. I feel like it is a very personal relationship and you shouldn’t feel pressure to want to consume cannabis or not. If you do, and you love it, cool. If you don’t and you don’t have love for it, again cool, just don’t hate on the people that do.

CANNABIS EMOTIONS MOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH

ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM.?

I know. A lot of your are probably WHAT.? When I first started doing research on how cannabis affects mental health and your brain, I started reading a lot about the endocannabinoid system (ESC). The ESC is a large network that triggers chemical reactions that control our immune function, reproduction, hormones, metabolism, mood, and pain.

It turns out that compounds found in cannabis interact with this network of ours, promoting homeostasis in the body. WHAT.? Babes homeostasis is basically optimal balance.

While I have found that cannabis works for me and my mental health I do feel like it is important to note that just like anything else in this world, cannabis can also be overused.

Yes. Again. PLEASE don’t bite my head off for this.

If you are using cannabis to numb yourself and not feel anything then you might as well use something else. You know.? Everything in this world is about balance, too much of one thing can be bad.

If you abuse this magical healing plant and take it for granted then you might end up doing more harm than good. I have an addicting personality and have to be very aware that cannabis is there as an enhancement but isn’t supposed to keep me glued together. I mean if I can’t wake up without smoking or go to sleep without an edible than I have a problem.

Again just like we are so different so is cannabis.

So if you are smoking or vaping or dabbing something HIGH HIGH THC it is completely different than if you are using a higher in CBD to THC strain.

Then again everyone reacts to everything different, even something as simple as chocolate and it isn’t even that simple.

I personally cannot have dark chocolate before bed. It will mess with my sleep. I also cut caffeine out after about 2:00 pm and there are some people that can drink coffee and pass out after.

CANNABIS AND HUMANS.

So again, while you might take the same edible every single day, or time or whatever, depending on how you are feeling, and what’s going on, your activity level, omg there is so much to take into consideration, but the point of it all is. It can be a very different experience each time.

Sometimes the same edible that yesterday I was able to workout with, the next day, I just wanna take a nap. I feel like our bodies and minds should still be able to speak with us even when you medicate with cannabis.

When it comes to our mental health and cannabis, I honestly feel like this is always going to be an open answered question and a very personal experience.

I don’t feel like there is a one-sided answer and its something that shouldn’t scare us. Just because we don’t have a definite yes or no. I think it’s kind of beautiful that we are heading towards a more holistic approach when it comes to living and with that, means not always having a black and white answer or approach.

BTW I am leaving tomorrow to Boulder! YAY! So excited about my moveeee.

Alright my beauties, I hope you have an incredible day! What are your thoughts on cannabis and mental health? Do you or someone you know medicate with cannabis?