Top 5 Ways Cannabis Can Help You Cope

The pandemic has sent people searching for ways to cope with the anxiety and ennui of a global health crisis and economic downturn, and marijuana has emerged as the coping mechanism of choice for many.

Here are 5 common quandaries that cannabis can help you soldier through:‍

Anxiety
There’s no question that many people use marijuana for anxiety. Although it should be noted that some people can experience increased anxiety after using cannabis, so it pays to be knowledgeable about strains and their effects. Make sure to educate yourself before you consume. Start with a small amount, you can always go up, but it’s much harder to come down. With that in mind, commonly reported benefits of marijuana use include:

• Increased sense of calm
• Improved relaxation
• Better sleep

Pain Relief
Cannabis is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional pain-relieving medications, including opioids. Marijuana may ease certain types of chronic pain, including pain resulting from nerve damage and inflammation.

Most marijuana-based products do not have approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and more evidence is necessary to confirm their safety and effectiveness. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that marijuana or its compounds may help relieve some types of pain.

Speaking from personal experience, I had a tonsillectomy a couple years ago and I found that THC-infused lozenges were a great replacement to the pain medication I was prescribed. While the effects of the lozenges didn’t necessarily dull my pain, it certainly made me forget about it. The only downside was when the munchies kicked in and instead of being able to destroy an entire bag of potato chips, I was stuck with less appealing options like soggy, canned pears and popsicles while my throat healed.

Focus
It’s a common problem. You have a million things to do, yet you’re struggling to get going. You sit there pondering all of them, but there are just too many distractions. It seems so much easier to put them off for another day.

I’ve found many sativa strains get me pumped, energized, and give me a laser-like focus allowing me to burn through my to-do list in no time at all! One of my favorite ways to get through household chores is a method I call “Green-and-Clean”. After a couple quick tokes, I turn on some peppy tunes at top volume and before I know it, there’s 3 loads of laundry done and I’m gleefully mopping the floor while serenading the neighbors with my best rendition of David Bowie’s “Changes”.

Creativity
Cannabis has long been a companion for creative minds. It has a way of expanding the imagination, enabling access to new thoughts, concepts, and ideas. For many of us, cannabis adds color to our world and allows us to appreciate small nuances. You can observe the poetry of nature in a tree, or discover a whole  new depth of intention in the written words of a favorite author. I love how cannabis can make the menial task of practicing scales on my guitar into an impromptu song writing exercise.

Boredom
While inciting creativity is a great benefit to cannabis consumption, marijuana is also a great way to alleviate boredom. We’ve all been listlessly draped over the furniture of our houses these last few months due to COVID. However, your tedium can be tamed simply by partaking in a bit of pot. Have you watched Hamilton yet? Who hasn’t? It’s pretty great, huh? Well, have you watched it again…on weed?! It’s a whole new 3-hour adventure!

Whatever stresses you are enduring, the severity of them maybe lessened by marijuana. Just be sure you take an educated and responsible approach.