Here's how Carlo, a 33-year-old Roman lawyer, did it
In this article we tell you about the experience of Carlo, a Roman lawyer who we met in Athens during the Athens Cannabis Expo , the largest Greek fair dedicated to the world of legal hemp . Read on to find out how Carlo found an alternative way to rest better and defeat stress.
Last week we were in Athens and participated in the Cannabis Expo 2020, a large fair dedicated to the world of legal cannabis and CBD . The objective of the event is to inform the public about innovations in the production and medical research on therapeutic cannabis , through the participation of the most innovative players in the sector. We went there as visitors and met a lot of interesting people!
We returned home with a lot of new ideas, thanks to the many innovative exhibitors of the Athens Cannabis Expo : we met companies that use light hemp to produce cosmetics, foods, therapeutic ointments, fabrics, clothes and supplements and we participated in meetings and tables round. During one of these talks it turned out that the majority of those who approach light marijuana, which has no psychoactive effects, do so to combat stress and sleep problems , thanks to the benefits of CBD and its relaxing effects.
It is precisely during this meeting that we met Carlo, a young Roman lawyer of Greek origins. Carlo was in Athens to visit relatives and decided, like us, to participate in the fair to understand more about the issue of " CBD and sleep ".
It's really true, anxiety is the disease of the century . In Italy it affects more than 8 million people, and at least half of these also suffer from depression or insomnia . Anxiety is the body's natural response to danger and stress, but – if experienced for long periods – it can become pathological and chronic and significantly affect the quality of life.
How is stress treated?
The most used medical system to deal with states of anxiety is the intake of benzodiazepines, which - in addition to being a very expensive drug - also has significant side effects and can give rise to real addictions.
CBD, on the other hand, is an excellent natural weapon for fighting anxiety and stress. One of the experts present talked about a 2016 study carried out by researchers at the National Institutes of Health - University of Utah . The researchers administered a chemical that mimics CBD to a group of guinea pigs, and when they blocked their serotonin receptors, they found that the effects of CBD on the mice were no longer evident.
This result suggests that there is indeed a relationship between cannabinoids and the serotonin system. By comparing the anxiety levels of 50 individuals who regularly smoked cannabis and 50 who did not smoke at all, it was found that patients who smoked marijuana experienced much lower levels of anxiety than those who did not.
Although the dosage and mechanism of consumption require more research, the study concluded that CBD is an effective treatment for this psychological condition. This is precisely the theme of the meeting we attended and it is the reason why Carlo decided to buy his ticket for Cannabis Expo.
Carlo's story
Carlo is a young lawyer who has chosen to practice his profession independently. He opened a studio in Rome immediately after practicing law, not without sacrifices. He rolled up his sleeves and started looking for clients. Business wasn't exactly rosy at first, but over time things started to improve. Carlo tells us about the moment he realized he had made the move: he was very happy, but he still didn't know that his life wouldn't be exactly as he had imagined.
He thought that being a freelancer would allow him to organize his days independently, and above all he was convinced that he would be able to have free time to dedicate to his family, girlfriend and sport. The truth, however, is another: since he opened his studio, Carlo has no longer lived. There are no more Sundays, the holidays last less and less and he is never able to really switch off for more than 2 days. Freelancing is difficult to manage, and if you're not good at setting limits, work can take over everything else. Stress has had serious repercussions on Carlo's body and quality of sleep: he has gained weight, he sleeps little and badly . He doesn't look his 33 years old. This makes him nervous, short-tempered and unfocused.
The factors that can influence the quantity and quality of sleep are many and different from each other; sometimes the origin of insomnia can be attributable to a single cause, other times it derives from multiple external factors, which contribute to the onset of the disorder.
Six months ago Carlo was at the end of his tether: he couldn't sleep more than three hours a night, despite trying not to go to bed too late. He had started to set himself timetables to limit his night work, where he often took refuge to deal with last minute tasks. By now he had entered a loop that was difficult to manage, he only thought about work, even when he was out with friends or at dinner with his girlfriend. Work was his obsession: every moment became a good time to make up for time and move forward a little. But the situation had become unsustainable.
She tells us that she decided to talk about it with a friend, a yoga teacher and a big fan of cannabis light . Caterina had been observing Carlo for weeks and was increasingly worried about him. She was ready to give her stressed-out friend lots of advice, but she was sure she would never be able to get him to one of her yoga classes. Teaching him a couple of relaxation techniques , though, wouldn't have been a bad idea. Carlo was sceptical, but Caterina has a good influence on him: when she explains to him how to breathe to relax the diaphragm and allow the negative energy to flow away Carlo is all ears. Caterina is happy, her friend is applying himself, but she is sure that he will never repeat all those exercises alone. He knew that, once he returned home, he would fall back into that loop of stress and work that had left him with no escape for months.
But Caterina has a great idea. Give Carlo a bag of light cannabis , explaining the characteristics of the product and its effects. Carlo had never been a regular smoker , but he didn't disdain a joint every now and then in the company of some friends. However, he had never smoked on his own. Carlo tells us that Caterina made him promise to only use CBD in the evening, before going to bed or in any case when he thought his working day was over. And so he did. He told us that - as soon as he received the gift - he ran to buy papers and filters, and then straight home with his very fragrant bag. He didn't know it yet, but that was the smell of relaxation!
He felt as excited as a fifteen-year-old shooting his first joint, but it was more out of nostalgia than the real belief that it could work.
He treats himself to a quick dinner and a final read of the summons that he should have deposited in the registry the following day, then turns on the television and proceeds to unwrap his gift. While he tells us this story, Carlo is really happy. That first joint of light cannabis made him rest well , and many more came after. Smoking light cannabis inflorescences was, for Carlo, the panacea for many of his ailments, all - in some way - linked to stress and tiredness . With CBD, however, he managed to create his own routine: smoking light cannabis taught him that switching off his brain is possible, even if sometimes you need a little external support.
We met Carlo after six months of using CBD and, honestly, he seemed like a healthy, relaxed and rested guy. CBD has allowed him to bring some order back into his life, because - thanks to this private routine - he has learned to set limits for himself: you work and commit, but then the time comes to dedicate yourself to what matters most to you. it makes you feel good. His girlfriend is also very happy with this "green" change: she expected that, at any moment, Carlo would start using benzodiazepines and other drugs to reduce stress and promote sleep. Instead, everything turned out for the best.
Do you want to know something else? Today Carlo is one of Caterina's most passionate students, his yoga teacher friend. He understood that it is important to listen to one's body, which continually speaks to us, and to satisfy its needs. Obviously Caterina is almost as happy as Carlo, since it was she who took him on the path to relaxation!
Cannabis light to sleep and eliminate stress, a short video from DolceVita Magazine with Dr. Bertolotto
