Marijuana and Anxiety – How to Keep Calm with Cannabis

This is not medical advice. Please consult with your primary care physician if you are struggling with your mental health. 

Anxiety has become a buzzword and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Awareness is the first step. As a society, I think we are quite aware of anxiety because everyone experiences anxiety in some form or another. Anxiety is a natural human response, one that is important to our existence and survival. Nobody likes our good friend Anxiety, however, he insists on crashing the party pretty regularly.

Do you struggle with Anxiety?

Experiencing anxiety is very normal and part of being human. No amount of advice online is an adequate substitute for medical advice so please consult your primary care physician. You and your mind are important and deserve kind and effective support. Those of us who like to dabble in the devil’s lettuce know that Cannabis can be incredibly helpful for managing stress and anxiety. So, let us take a deeper dive beyond traditional joint smoking.

Topicals

Feeling constantly anxious has physical side effects. If you are constantly anxious and tense, this can cause intense headaches and take a physical toll on your body. Back and neck pain is a common complaint among those who experience elevated levels of anxiety. Cannabis topicals are made by infusing cannabis into a lotion or oil. This lotion or oil is applied to the skin to help manage pain. For instance, you can roll topical oils on your temples and other acupuncture points to help soothe the pain of headaches.

Incorporating Topicals into your personal care routine is simple and optimizes your relaxation. Being able to wind down and rebuild cortisol levels allows for better anxiety coping. Working out is a great way to help manage anxiety symptoms. After that, you can use a topical lotion to soothe sore muscles. Sports and recreation mean you don’t have to do any of this alone. However when using topicals with a friend, please ask first. Massaging without permission is not a good way to relieve tension. With consent, lotions with pain-relieving and calming properties make great additions to massages.

Get Freaky

Another great way to manage stress and anxiety is sex and intimacy. Incorporating Cannabis into your romantic life is easier than you think. For instance, there are topical lubricants you can use with your partner. You can really get romantic with it and release some happy brain chemicals! Moreover, this is useful for those with pain or trauma related to sex and intimacy. But let’s return to the PG content before this gets weird.

In addition, relaxation products can include Cannabis infusions. Bath Bombs infused with Cannabis have become very popular as a gift to those looking to unwind. If you practice meditation, try incorporating candles or incense infused with Cannabis. Get creative with incorporating cannabis into your self-care routine!

Edibles

It is challenging to find what edibles work best for anxiety because edible packaging doesn’t always list what type of Cannabis is used. This poses an obstacle if strain type is crucial to you for coping with anxiety. There is much to be said about being able to accurately dose yourself. As a result, edibles make it simple to keep THC levels precise. Some say the level of THC in a product is what influences the effect on their anxiety. It is easy to know exactly how much THC you are consuming, as most packaged edibles are clearly labeled. You can accurately control what you consume with properly dosed edibles. No one likes to eat too many brownies and start bumming out the whole party.

Cannabis edibles are often used to help anxiety sufferers with sleep disorders. Those suffering from anxious insomnia found consuming edibles to vastly improve the quality of sleep. Rest helps you manage daily anxiety. We can get more specific with what types of cannabis can help manage anxiety.

Do Terpenes Make a Difference?

What are Terpenes? Terpenes are fragrance oils. Terpenes and their effects have become more closely examined as Cannabis research has evolved. There is a vast variety of terpenes so let’s cover a few that are helpful for coping with anxiety. The four main categories of Terpenes are Sweet, Spicy, Sour, and Earthy. Within each category, there are various terpenes that are beneficial for coping with anxiety. For instance, Sour terpenes yield more energizing effects and can sometimes aggravate anxiety symptoms. Therefore Sour Terpenes are not recommended for managing anxiety because the effects tend to be very energizing. Let’s take a look at some terpenes that can be helpful:

Linalool

• Floral and spicy terpene, found in citrus and lavender
• Smells like spicy Lavender
• Effects: Sedative, relaxing, and improved quality of sleep.
• Makes the immune system more resilient to the destructive effects of stress
• Prolonged use linked to improved levels of anxiety and depression
• Popular strains: Dosidos and Zkittlez

Geraniol

• Sweet Citrus, found in many berries and roses
• Smells like fruity roses and bergamot
• Effects: stress-relieving, calming, and warmth
• Major terpene in the fragrance industry
• Used in candles and aromatherapy for relaxation
• Popular strains: Strawberry Diesel and Purple Punch

Caryophyllene

• Floral, Earthy, Musky, found in black pepper, basil, and various herbs
• Smells spicy and like herbs
• Effects: pain-relieving, anxiety, and depression relief
• Used to help reduce alcohol consumption
• Popular strains: Gelato, Bubba Kush, and Girl Scout Cookies

Myrcene

• Spicy balsam
• Most popular terpene for anxiety management
• Responsible for the classic “high” feeling
• Most common terpene in commercial cannabis
• Smells like Lemongrass
• Effects: sedative, calming, and stress relief
• Popular Strains: OG Kush

Keep Calm and Carry On

In conclusion, there are many different ways to incorporate Cannabis into your self-care routine to help cope in the best ways for you.