Why is it so polarizing?
Even people who used to smoke a lot just can t anymore, myself included: I used to exclusively smoke until my early 20s; Now even a couple tokes make me either feel self conscious or totally overwhelmed and „braindead“.
Others have the exact opposite effect, where it makes them super relaxed or even forget all their worries to a point that they need to stop to confront their problems.
In: Biology
There’s a lot of set and setting to any mind altering substance. Albeit, it’s far less noticeable and dramatic with cannabis than stuff like magic mushrooms or LSD. If you think pot will make you anxious, have panic attacks, overwhelmed, it can intensify and bring out those feelings after smoking.
Part what you’re describing is a change in tolerance. After about 25-30, your body is done growing and goes into more of a preserving state. This changes how your body will react and respond and alter how tolerant you are of something, making you more or less tolerant to various substances.
It’s technically viewed as a suppressant/depressant. I personally get more of a stimulant like response from it. So there’s definitely a lot more understanding needed into what cannabis does and the neurology of individuals. This neurological difference in how we are wired could very well be why some people are so much more influenced by cannabis effects differently.
Anecdote:
I’ve been regularly smoking cannabis since about 18, 19 years old. I’m going on 35. I’ve personally not found my tolerance or response to it change. If anything, it’s harder for me to get overwhelmed, too stoned, or paranoid/anxious from pot. But some strains do make me feel more anxious but I can identify that I’m stoned and more perceptually aware, so my anxiety is gonna be more heightened. But in general, cannabis use has dramatically helped my anxiety. I actually find strains that cause most people to get paranoid and anxious helps with my anxiety more.
The first time I smoked the strain, Ghost Train Haze, mad anxiety attack. After that, never again from smoking that strain. But it’s also helped me understand my anxiety and sit with it. Ghost Train Haze is known to cause higher anxiety in users who smoke it. This is also a bit of where set and setting come into play. I have a ritual around my cannabis use. I enjoy the aroma it gives off while I prepare and roll a joint, and I go outside and I breathe, meditate and focus on being present, and set a framing for my mind while I smoke. If the strain had previously caused me to become anxious, I tend to just become more aware that I am more perceptually aware of my surroundings and I can actually focus on being mindful and present.
TL;DR the anecdote, I use cannabis in a therapeutic ritualist manner, utilizing set-and-setting concept to help meditate and work on cognitive behavioural therapy tricks for managing anxiety and depression.
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