Agata's story, between CBD and vaping
Cannabis is one of the most used and powerful alternative remedies on the planet. It is used to treat the symptoms of many diseases, because it relaxes muscles and eases nervous tension, allowing the body to experience a state of relaxation of rare intensity. Cannabis is one of the most widespread treatments against anxiety and the credit goes to its active ingredients, which have the ability to combine in a mix that is far more effective than benzodiazepines and other pharmacological treatments used to treat anxiety, stress and insomnia . However, precisely because of its particular composition, the herb often generates the opposite effect: in some subjects, in fact, marijuana can cause anxiety and panic and actually worsen the patient's mental state.
The easiest way to combat the side effects of cannabis is, of course, to stop taking it. As we have already said, however, it is often used to treat the symptoms of serious diseases, such as oncological and neurological diseases; These are more complex problems than anxiety and, sometimes, it is preferable for patients to learn to manage the side effects of cannabis, rather than giving up its benefits entirely.
Managing the side effects of cannabis, however, is no walk in the park. If you have decided to do so, arm yourself with patience and start by taking small doses of marijuana, without overdoing it. The first step, in fact, will be to learn how to recognize the symptoms of a bad trip and isolate them. Once you have become familiar with the discomfort, however, you will need to move on to phase 2 and start tackling it decisively. To get to the bottom of this operation, you must first know yourself, be aware of the limits of your body and above all of your mental state at the time of hiring.
Agata, who defeated paranoia with CBD
In the previous article we told you the story of Agata, a young Milanese who, a few years ago, moved her home and heart to Amsterdam. The girl moved to the Dutch city for study reasons and then decided to stay, thanks to the liveliness of the music scene and - above all - the possibility of consuming marijuana without problems . Cannabis, in fact, has always been his great passion, the undisputed protagonist of the first Dutch months.
Agata had created her routine, named her favorite coffee shops, cannabis strains and favorite growers, when suddenly everything changed. Amsterdam was finally giving her the relationship with weed she had always wanted: cannabis had become a pleasant interlude, easily available and, above all, legal. Everything seemed to be going well, but - at a certain point - things started to change.
From one day to the next, for Agata, everything was different: the feeling of relaxation and well-being that grass had always given him had disappeared, and had given way to anxiety, persecution delusions and difficulty carrying out tasks. daily activities.
Not even the scientific literature has been able to clarify with certainty what the triggers are for anxiety attacks linked to THC , let alone poor Agata. To get her life back in hand, the girl decided to stop using weed completely , until she encountered light cannabis , weed grown in Italy, non-psychoactive and, above all, legal since July 2018. It is It was a shock: he could finally resume his old habits, without the risk of feeling paranoia.
But, for Agata, the news was not limited to the change of substance. The girl was now done with cannabis and, consequently, also with smoking and in no way did she want to fall back into old and bad habits. He thought about it for a while and then made the healthiest and smartest decision possible: to vape legal marijuana.
Recognizing the symptoms of THC anxiety
When it comes to anxiety , everyone has their say. There are those who have the secret weapon, those who only trust Bach flowers, those who have a relaxing mix of herbs and those who, instead, recommend just waiting for it to pass. The truth is, anxiety is anxiety. THC anxiety manifests itself, in practice, in a negative feeling , which leads us to think that something bad is about to happen. The perception of danger activates a physical reaction: the body stiffens and, from there, the reactions vary from subject to subject. Some people break out in a cold sweat ; others feel their heart pounding and their heartbeat increasing ; still others feel the effect on a mental level and are convinced that something terrible is about to happen.
The symptoms are very varied and often difficult to isolate. This, in some people - for example those who take cannabis to manage anxiety - can cause further discomfort. Everyone reacts to the substance in their own way, and this is why the work of identifying symptoms is more than ever a personal journey. Each of us will experience the state of anxiety by experiencing different symptoms, which we must learn to identify in order to give shape to the problem.
Often the problem is just a question of variety : there are some herbs that contain too high a percentage of THC, making the substance almost "toxic" for the body. THC raises the level of dopamine in the brain , causing a feeling of widespread well-being , to which can be added intense muscle relaxation and an altered mental state. Research on the adverse effects - temporary or permanent - of THC after a long period of intake is scarce, and the results are not very consistent with each other. There is some evidence regarding short-term memory loss, psychosis, depression and partial loss of cognitive abilities.
In general, realizing that you are in the midst of a panic attack is already a good sign. Knowing that you are experiencing physical and mental confusion is a good way to isolate the problem and manage it for what it is. If the feeling of malaise and dullness is immediately traced back to grass, the risk of feeling overwhelmed by anxiety without understanding the reason has already been contained.
The second step is to take deep breaths and focus on what is real around you. If you are in company, everything will be easier. If not, it will take a little more concentration. The important thing is not to let yourself be carried away by anxiety, focusing your attention on an action that you know well: you can walk, go out for a walk, take a not too hot shower or simply talk to someone and distract yourself.
The third step concerns sugars . When THC enters the bloodstream it must run its course, unless it combines with active ingredients that are antagonists to it. It is good to choose sugary foods , which can raise blood pressure. The best food to eat in case of THC anxiety attacks are citrus fruits : thanks to the typical terpenes of these fruits, they are able to calm anxiety and replenish lost sugars.
CBD is the best antagonist of THC
THC was the most studied molecule in the world of cannabis , until the arrival of CBD. Since it was discovered, cannabidiol has completely stolen the spotlight from CBD, as its range of application is far superior to that of THC. Once all its potential was identified, geneticists began to select cannabis varieties with a high CBD content , to be used exclusively for the treatment of certain pathologies.
How does it work against THC? CBD is an agonist of the cannabinoid receptors GPR55, vanilloids TRPV1 and TRPV2, and serotonin 5-HT1a. It does not bind to CB1 receptors, which THC binds to, and acts on different neural channels. For these reasons it is not psychoactive and does not alter the psychological and psychomotor functions of the individual.
Thanks to the so-called entourage effect, CBD increases and prolongs some useful effects of THC, such as analgesic and anti-pain action. It also has the power to reduce the adverse effects generated by THC, successfully acting on heart rate, breathing and body temperature, anxiety and paranoid manifestations.
Vaporizing CBD: the best way to say no to THC
Vaping is one of the healthiest ways to consume marijuana, and speaking of CBD, it's also one of the most effective. Agata, our friend from Milan, had already been using vaporizers for some time, but was not an assiduous user. As soon as she arrived in Amsterdam she bought one and, little by little, it became her favorite method of intake . But only in the evening: vaping marijuana does not generate any smell, and for Agata it was the perfect solution for enjoying the last puffs of marijuana in bed, without having to open the window.
Vaporization has many pros : it guarantees greater discretion - both from an aesthetic and odor point of view, it offers better control of doses and, above all, the possibility of managing the quantity of CBD actually absorbed . Vaporizing light marijuana allows you to obtain an effect comparable to that of other administration methods, taking a smaller quantity of CBD.
Both light cannabis inflorescences and CBD oil can be vaporized. What changes? During vaporization, CBD reaches the lungs directly and from there diffuses into the blood, without passing through the intestine or liver. In fact, the amount of CBD reaching the bloodstream quadruples, to make up 50-60% of the vape oil.
Vaporizing also reduces the action time, which - in the case of oral intake - also passes through digestion . Agata experienced a great revolution: in just a few months she went from an old school smoker to a young vaper of the noughties. The improvement was felt after a very short time.
His last joint was a really bad experience . She was at home alone, finally in bed after an endless day. She was dead tired and also a little stressed and, in hindsight, she realized that it was her state of mind that caused that discomfort. But she didn't know it at the time and, not having identified the cause of her anxiety, she panicked. She was sweating cold and feeling dizzy, she wanted to open the window and breathe some fresh air, but getting out of bed seemed like an impossible task. She waited, breathing hard, until she could get to her feet, and she succeeded.
After half an hour he gained the window and the much-needed fresh night air. Only after she had fully recovered, Agata realized that she had spent more than an hour in that state of semi-consciousness . Everything was confusing, even the passage of time. It wasn't the first time he'd had to deal with an episode of THC anxiety , but he swore it would be the last.
Having said enough to THC made the anxiety disappear completely, which gave way to generalized relaxation, both muscular and mental, thanks to the action of CBD.
A quick summary:
