CBD. Yea or Nay

[LilyITV]

I've been reading a bit about CBD.  From what I'm reading, it is not addictive, but I worry about whether by taking it I may slow down my progress in therapy.  The benefits of it sound amazing, but a little too amazing, so I'm wary.  Thoughts?

[Three Roses]

I use a strain of cannabis higher in cbd than thc. It does wonders for my ability to sleep and helps calm jittery nerves. The way I use it is in an edible, I can't smoke because it hurts my throat and lungs. (But edibles are stronger so you should keep that in mind.) It's legal where I live, when it became legal I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. There's a website where you can research all the different strains and what each is best for, https://www.leafly.com

I give myself a break from it every now and then, to keep myself from building up a tolerance, and also to check if I have any discomfort that might be signs of impending addiction. Some people do form addictions to it, lady gaga is one who has been outspoken about this.

There are many different ways to ingest it, from smoking and edibles (which I make myself so I can control the ingredients), drinks, vaping, oils and tinctures, blah blah blah 😎. The sales people are called budtenders and are usually very knowledgeable about the different strains their dispensary offers. If you didn't feel like researching you could go speak to one of them - the ones we've dealt with are the sort of salespeople that are very low pressure. There's really no need for pressure to sell cannabis, haha.

My husband and I grew it for a while, too, as he was using it for severe back pain, but he is not using it anymore. The small amount I use doesn't warrant the hassles of growing it.

Hope this helps, if you have questions pls ask, here or in pm.

[Kizzie]

I did use it a few years back but the TCH was too high in the strains I tried and I had a lot of anxiety - not something anyone with CPTSD needs any more of that's for sure.  Anyway, I gave up because it was a risk then, but cannabis is legal here now so I am considering giving it a try again. 

I want to use it to help me get to sleep. From what I've read you need a wee bit of THC to activate the properties of the CBD so it will be a bit trial and error. Anyway, I don't know that using high CBD would slow your progress in therapy Lily as it doesn't have the psychoactive properties that THC does. What are you considering using it for though?

[Three Roses]

If I understand correctly, all cannabis strains have both thc and cbd. The thc is the intoxicating component. I personally stay away from thc because it actually increases my anxiety. Here's a quote from Leafly.com  -

What Are High-CBD Cannabis Strains?

CBD is typically the second-most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis, but this isn't always the case. A strain may deliver CBD and THC in the following ratios:

High THC, low CBD (e.g.,10-30% THC, trace amounts of CBD)
Balanced CBD/THC (e.g., 5-15% THC and CBD)
High CBD, low THC (e.g., 5-20% CBD, THC under 5%)

High-CBD strains tend to deliver very clear-headed, functional effects without the euphoric high associated with high-THC strains. They're typically preferred by consumers who are extremely sensitive to the side effects of THC (e.g., anxiety, paranoia, dizziness). A high-CBD strain would also be a great choice for someone needing to medicate throughout the day to control pain, inflammation, anxiety, or other chronic conditions.

[LilyITV]

Thanks for all the responses.  Kizzie, I hope that it helps with my anxiety, particularly my social anxiety.  I've really improved but it would be nice to get more help in that area.  Also, I'm hoping I can cut down on rumination.

I live in GA which is probably one of the worst states for marijuana, but CBD oil is legal here.  I'm also wondering if it can help my 4 year old son get to sleep easier.  He is very hard to settle and his mind seems to run a million miles a minute at night.  Seems safe for kids but want to do more research on that. 

[Kizzie]

High-CBD strains tend to deliver very clear-headed, functional effects without the euphoric high associated with high-THC strains. They're typically preferred by consumers who are extremely sensitive to the side effects of THC (e.g., anxiety, paranoia, dizziness). A high-CBD strain would also be a great choice for someone needing to medicate throughout the day to control pain, inflammation, anxiety, or other chronic conditions.

Tks TR, this is helpful    I do not want the anxiety and just generally weird reaction I had to the strains I tried.  High CBD sounds like what I am looking for and you and potentially your son as well Lily.

[Blackbird33]

Hi LilyITV
I am prescribed medical cannabis,  high levels of cbd for daytime use and thc for night.  I vape. You have concerns that the cbd might affect your progress in therapy and I guess it could help you immensely by helping you to speak more freely.  It helps me only have one trail of thought, so my IC is much less interfering, which allows me to be more productive. Sometimes I do regret vaping too much just before therapy,  because I feel like it's  not really being true to myself and instead of dealing with IC I'm drugging it... So it's a bit of a  yea and a bit of nay;)

[LilyITV]

Thanks Blackbird, yes, drugging the IC, that is exactly what I'm worried about.  I'm hoping if I stay mindful I can avoid being overly dependent on it.  It would be great if I could make it a little easier to have difficult conversations if I could just tamp down my anxiety just a tad.  I'm thinking if I can just get over the initial hurdle of starting an unpleasant conversation and then get some successes, then it won't be as hard later down the road even without CBD.
 

[Digitality]

Personally, I have not experienced any dependence on taking CBD. I have been taking it for 5 years as a cure for panic attacks, but I take breaks in order to maintain the effectiveness of the drug. You also need to monitor the dosage because exceeding it can cause unpleasant symptoms. I learned about CBD from a friend who took it to treat headaches and he advised me to look at the CBD Oil King website because there are many different types of it in any dosage, the main thing is to choose the right one. So I can advise everyone to try taking CBD as a medicine if you need it.

[JakobBolu]

For me, CBD oil has become my savior. I use it to fall asleep, so it has done wonders. I'm not waking up gloomy anymore.