Thats the question everyone wants to know. Since when do you smoke? Umm probably since I became an anxious, depressed, extra introverted, and socially awkward since I’m stay at home girlfriend. But no, as of recently my tolerance to alcohol has been sh*t. These days I can maybe have one drink, if even before I feel like a bus hit me the next day. Mind you, I am not feeling the normal hangover. No headaches, no pain. This is more like a gastro, defeated problem. My stomach rumbles, my body is sore, I have zero to no energy. eating is a thing out of the world. Basically the day after drinking it is just not happening. Like the day itself is cancelled.

A while back I listened to a podcast about reframing our relationship with alcohol. The host talked about her experience with drinking as she gotten older, and listed the same things. The stomach, the fatigue, not wanting to do anything because we literally just can not even move. But she also mentioned the relationship with her anxiety post drinking. Hear me out…..

My friends and I have brought up anxiety post drinking, and I was glad to know I am not alone. As someone who suffers from anxiety, a night after drinking my anxiety is heightened. The following day I am literally on edge. “Should I have drank?”,”Why did I do this?’ “Do you love your body?”. If I am home alone “Is anyone going to rob me?” “What if someone runs in, and my dogs bark and the robber knows where we are?”. Literally on edge about everything. It was to the point where I would feel anxious just from laying in the bed and not being productive. Mind you, I couldn’t even muster the energy to get up. Horrible, horrible, horrible feeling.

I decided to do some research on my own and look up alcohol and anxiety. Low and behold… alcohol WORSENS anxiety. Yes, yes it does. According to health line:

Alcohol changes levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain, which can worsen anxiety. In fact, you may feel more anxious after the alcohol wears off. Alcohol-induced anxiety can last for several hours, or even for an entire day after drinking.Increased anxiety is also a symptom of alcohol withdrawal. If you’ve consumed alcohol in large amounts for a long period of time and suddenly stop drinking, your anxiety can be aggravated by the side effects of alcohol withdrawal.

https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-and-anxiety#possible-cause

So there we have it, alcohol and anxiety are a big no no. And not to freak anyone out, but while we are here alcohol does contain carcinogens. Carcinogens are cancer causing cells. We are seeing a huge increase in young adults and cancer. It’s probably because us millennial are the most social we’ve been since our time. We celebrate over drinks, socialize over drinks, cope over drinks, etc. So let’s be a little more mindful about what we are consuming and how much. I can say for myself outside of my occasional red wine with dinner, I have put myself on a 2 drink limit. My go to is a vodka soda, or Moscow mule. Keeping it real simple, real clean and free from congeners. Because I can officially say I am too old for hangovers lol.

Now… back to my first question.. why weed? Since when did you become a smoker. And how do I feel that alcohol induces anxiety, yet weed doesn’t. So let me start off by saying (alcohol included) that no substance or drug is good or bad per se. A saying my professor said over and over in class. Because well, its true. No drug or substance is good or bad. It’s good when in moderation for a specific use, and bad when we over use and it becomes damaging. One Tylenol for a headache, okay cool! 5 bottles of Tequila for a heartbreak, absolutely not! No drug is good or bad per se.

When it comes to weed, just like anything else you need to educate yourself. Like for instance what are the difference between the two strands? Well Indica, gives a body high and is best used at night. This is because you feel a sense of relaxation, and well once you get comfy ain’t no moving for a while. It’s good for pain relief, as well as a good nights sleep. When I smoke indica before bed I must say I sleep peacefully through the night. Best sleep ever. Sativa which is my favorite, is the opposite. With this strand, you get more of a head high which is probably why you feel more creative, and alert, and have an increase in energy. Perfect strand for day time. When I am feeling unmotivated, have writers block, or need some motivation for my small business I smoke native. I kid you not it’s how I even started selling customizable items, press ons and candles. Also just wanna mention for those of you who suffer with anxiety and depression, then indica is good for you. It helps recenter your mind, and focus. It generates a calm and soothing affect on the body. On the flip side sativa opens the mind up too many things which can also help aid in decreasing anxiety and stress while increasing creativity and focus.

I’m a sativa girly. I barely do indica because I don’t like to be lazy. Sativa helps me focus on other things, get creative, stay active and not have to focus on my anxiety. What I will say is, please take this blog very lightly and do not jump into thc therapy. There are levels to this. Always, always. always buy from a certified dispensary or someone you trust. Take it easy, because if your body isn’t used to the effects of weed then you are likely to cause yourself to panic. Panic attacks while high are not fun, I have been there. Think about it like this, when you first start drinking you od, throw up and have a hangover. The tolerance isn’t there, and your body was like ‘Hell Nah, what is this? why do I feel like this? get it out my system!” and shortly after you throw up. Well if your tolerance for weed is low, this version looks like panic. You might not throw up, but the body reacts the same… what is this and get it out, because it is making us go crazy!

If it makes you feel any better, marijuana is just about probably one of the only drugs that can not lead to an overdose. do what you want with that information, but understand that even if you’re panicking you will be okay. It is the mind tricking you into thinking that. you are not.

All in all, no drug is good or bad per se. If you’re going to drink, drink in moderation. If you’re going to smoke, smoke according to your tolerance, and need for it. Just be mindful of what you put in your body. We only get one, so let’s be nice to it.