Anxiety and Cannabis

We all experience anxiety at times.

It can come from things like money trouble, relationships problems, stress at work, illness, and a whole host of life’s cruel curveballs. We develop coping mechanisms to help us deal with stress and anxiety. Some of us go for a walk, read a great book, or seek the company of friends and loved ones. Some of us have a glass of wine (or two bottles). And some people say they use cannabis to relax.

It is not a new concept to us. The image of a “chilled out,” blissful cannabis user permeates popular culture, but there is a lesser known issue that doesn’t receive the same level of focus; cannabis can also CAUSE anxiety. It’s important to note that when the right cannabis is selected and used the right way, the experience is usually positive; but everyone is unique, and a small percentage of people will have an adverse reaction to cannabis regardless.
If this is the case for you, the first thing you should try is using less.

Most of us who use cannabis understand the concept of being “too high”. In a new user, it can be enough to turn them off cannabis completely. The feelings of paranoia, stress, and anxiety can be quite powerful, though they tend to be short lived. So how do we ensure these unpleasant side effects don’t happen to us?

• Most people don’t need a lot of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana. Only a small percentage of cannabis users can regularly, and in any quantity, consume high THC strains without experiencing any negative side effects. The average user would be perfectly satisfied with a low to medium strength strain most of the time. Unless you are experienced, it’s probably not a good idea to regularly consume large amounts of cannabis with a high level of THC. Anything over 30% THC is essentially horse tranquilizer, and quite rare outside of certain medical patients and very serious stoners.
• Try a little CBD, the other important cannabinoid. A strain with CBD content alongside the THC will usually produce a more calm and wakeful effect than compared to without. Many users mix in some high CBD content cannabis with their THC content cannabis as a veritable “cocktail” of anxiety-free enjoyment. The science behind cannabinoids suggests CBD counteracts the effects of THC and makes the experience more balanced. We recommend it for all new users especially, or those that do not wish to ever be afraid of loud noises and the dark, or find themselves two pints deep into the Haagen-Dazs in their housecoat at noon on a Tuesday.

Modern Leaf reminds you to always start low, go slow, and enjoy responsibly. If you regularly suffer from anxiety, please exercise caution when using cannabis.