Are you getting the most out of your weed, or is your weed getting the most out of you? If you feel like you might have a problem with weed, you’re not alone. According to the CDC, 1 in 10 people that smoke weed become addicted. We think this is largely because marijuana has been suppressed from America’s mainstream culture for so long that we have not had time to educate ourselves on what a healthy, or unhealthy, relationship with cannabis looks like.
HERE ARE THREE SIGNS YOU MIGHT HAVE AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH WEED:
- You have a really high tolerance
If back-to-back Category 5 bong rips don’t get you high anymore, you likely have a high tolerance. The higher your tolerance, the more you have to smoke which can lead to overconsumption. A high tolerance is your brain's way of telling you it may be time to take a little break.
- You're getting high to escape
If weed is the first thing you think about when faced with a stressful scenario, take note of it. When marijuana becomes your main coping mechanism, it’s a good sign to take a step back. Weed may help your problems but it probably won’t solve them, so it’s best to have different ways of dealing with stress such as exercising, reading, and meditation. When you don’t depend as much on THC to escape your life, you can better use it to enhance your life.
- You feel withdrawal symptoms when you don't smoke
Have you ever felt irritable, anxious, or had trouble eating and sleeping when cutting back your THC use? Believe it or not, marijuana does have withdrawal symptoms. If you find yourself experiencing them, make sure you drink plenty of water, eat healthy food, and get some exercise. CBD can also help!
HOW TO USE MARIJUANA IN A HEALTHIER WAY:
- Take regular tolerance breaks
If you don’t get high now, you can get higher later. Tolerance breaks reset your brain's sensitivity to THC so that afterward you no longer need as large of a dose to get high as you did before. If you go too long without a tolerance break, you will have to consistently increase your dose which can lead to overconsumption. CBD may help with tolerance breaks too. While THC damages and depletes your cannabinoid receptors, CBD has been observed to have the opposite effect.
- Prepare yourself for the munchies
We’ve been trained to think when you’re high you’re supposed to eat like shit. Not at all the case! The appetite uptake of THC can be directed toward a much more fruitful and healthy cause if you plan for it. We suggest having a healthy snack ready to go before your sesh and clearing your space of any junk food to avoid temptation. A nutritionally rich munch can do wonders for your high and leave you feeling much better the next day.
- Get active
Research tells us that 70% of people enjoy working out more when they’re high. Cannabis habits are much more effective when they’re in addition to a greater set of self care habits. Incorporating exercises like yoga, runs, and walks into your cannabis routine can help keep you more grounded, aware, and healthy.
- Dose appropriately
Dose matters. So much so that a Harvard professor said this about marijuana consumption, “It can worsen depression. It can worsen anxiety. But all of those consequences depend upon the dose.” Start as small as possible if you haven’t found what dose is right for you yet and observe, adjust, observe, and adjust some more. The most important thing to avoid is over-indulging. Research suggests that most negative effects of THC are associated with overconsumption, while most positive effects are found at lower doses.
- Trust your intuition
You and your body know what’s best for you. If you feel like you may be smoking too much, or that it’s having a negative impact on your life, listen! Even though research and strategies can help, at the end of the day it’s on you to become aware of what works best for you.
