Growing up I fed into the whole “weed makes you dumb” and “stoners are losers” stereotypes.
Living in a small town and being a teenager at the time, it was easy to place people into categories without knowing anything about them. Almost as easy as it was to run into cannabis or alcohol at some point during your teenage years because that’s what many other of your peers are already out using. I had tried cannabis only once and didn’t feel or notice anything different about how I felt, or just unchanged in general. I thought it had been a sham this whole time and I totally shoved it under the rug. It wasn’t until I was 21 that I tried cannabis again.
Depression and anxiety have been a long time shadow for me.
I had always been prone to making bad decisions for myself and unfortunately abusing alcohol almost nightly was the mask I choose to cover these afflictions. Eventually, I found myself in some trouble. Getting knocked down is the only way to get back on top. After staying clear of alcohol for a while I was reintroduced to cannabis while visiting some friends. They mentioned how uplifting and happy (and hungry) it can make you feel, and after a long while of convincing, I finally agreed to give it a second try. I can tell you that my second experience was the complete opposite of my first encounter. I wish I could describe the tingly, floaty sensation in proper details, but words simply cannot describe. What I do know is that the cannabis did not make me instantly dumb, I did not feel lazy, and I could not believe I had been oblivious about cannabis without knowing firsthand. It was extremely effective in treating my horrible PMS symptoms, and really good for relieving pain! Cannabis impacts each and every person differently. There is no “stoner-stereotype” that got it right, simply because no human reacts the same way to cannabis. People can enjoy it in similar ways, but they will still experience it differently.
For me, since using cannabis, I have almost completely changed my lifestyle.
I almost always feel mentally conscious about my decisions. Choosing the better resolutions for myself and others comes more naturally. I don’t feel the need to drink and party to mask happiness, and the need to be social or the “fear of missing out” has gone away. I was able to shift from a selfish young girl to a selfless young lady. Cannabis helped me grow up. I am far from high-strung, and sometimes it takes a lot out of me to be social and talkative. Because of this, I have developed the ability to be a great listener and to make the people around me feel comfortable, happy and relaxed. Thankfully I have made many life-long friendships because of this quality.
I’m a firm believer of “don’t knock it ‘till you try it.”
Being skeptical about things is a great quality to have as long as it doesn’t keep you from trying new things and living your life! Do your research. Ask as many questions as you can. Question your fellow humans about their experiences! If then it doesn’t sound too scary for you after that, take the next step!
I believe that a healthy mind helps makes a happy person. Self-care is so freakin’ important! Being outside in nature is the number one way to turn my frown upside down. Soaking up the sunshine, snapping photos, and watching the wildlife gives me so many reasons to smile. I love to read books that take me to a faraway land with characters that I can’t help but hate or fall in love with. Taking nice long bubble baths with candles and music (and CBD bath bombs). Being around my partner Jacob, and our fur-babies brings me the ultimate happiness.
The future of cannabis is bright!
There is still so much to learn about this medicine and I wish we could figure it all out in my lifetime, but such an outstanding plant is going to be researched for many years to come!
