Everything has a shadow side, even our beloved plant medicine that relieves pain, calms our nervous system, and facilitates pleasure and connection with those we share it with. Have you ever consumed cannabis and something felt off, as though her usually soothing aura was replaced with a heavy presence of anxiety? If you have a seasoned relationship with cannabis you’ve probably witnessed the multiple faces of this plant medicine, ranging from embodied bliss to paranoia. Today’s episode was inspired by a recent comment I got on a post I wrote about how cannabis helps us shift perspectives and feel the magic in everyday moments. The commentor said “I used to use cannabis to self regulate and get in that state but after panic attacks it’s become a double edged sword.”
I always assume that if one person has an experience or thought then they most likely aren’t alone, so I wanted to dive a little deeper into what cannabis is communicating when she no longer supports us in the ways we expect.
Cannabis is a great multidimensional medicine, but let’s talk about some of the negative effects that can come with consumption. Working with cannabis or any plant medicine requires constantly reevaluating your perfect dose and setting to bring the best out of it, so even after years of successful use your relationship can suddenly shift into the shadow side when you’re not paying attention. Cannabis can feel like a double edged sword when it drives us to feel discomfort or to shirk responsibilities. Here are some things to consider when your cannabis use starts to feel like a double-edged sword: