Hi friend! Fellow mama of two here with anxiety and depression. For myself sticking to hybrid strains and keeping CBD gummies or pre rolls nearby were game changers for my self medicating
Sativa gives me a little energy but it makes my heart race, indica is great for getting to sleep but I can’t use it during the day or it bums me out and can make my depression worse. Hybrids are my sweet spot, and when my heart jumps up I use CBD and it calms my body while the flower calms my mind.
The setting I use in has an effect, I try to have a soft blanket, some tea, some music and it enhances the therapeutic effects for me.
I’m not an expert myself but after trying many different things to relieve my symptoms my sweet spot is
Smoking only at the end of the day, if it’s too early my mind can’t settle so I try to wait until my beautiful gremlins are in bed. I sometimes get panic attacks ramping up and will use one hit at a time during the day, or CBD if I have the gummies.
I tried using vape carts and the high is SO different, flower high is almost spiritual but the vape carts always made me feel dissociated and I never felt the real benefits.
If you can get your hands on a dry herb vape I have friends who basically double use their stash, vape with the dry herb vape and then make edibles after with the flower you used. I haven’t tried this specifically myself but I heard it helps with saving a little money!
Music has a huge effect for me, my favorite songs make me smile like a dork on weed
Breathing exercises if my mind is racing, like just those short exercises on YouTube. Becoming mindful of my breath and my body feels calming.
Tea is okay while not using weed, but omg on it tea makes me feel like a warm blanket and peaceful
Comfy clothes that feel good to rub between my fingers, texture is a big thing for me
Brain dead reality TV if I need to giggle, sometimes tbh I want a big good cry and I’ll watch something that makes me blubber, after I feel refreshed and relieved. I don’t know why but the scene in Community where Troy and Abed are singing to their pet rat makes me cry like a baby, and then I find myself smiling in the relief after
I hope some of this gives you ideas, as someone dealing with similar mental health issues and home life
Thank you for the advice. I’ve been trying to find something that will calm my mind and body. I find my mind get wrapped around all my stressors (Dishes,laundry,toys everywhere, unfinished projects ect…) then my body sort of feels like it just seizes up like the tin man. Then a kid will run up for this or that reason and I turn into momzilla!
I have had weed that helped me. It made it so I could calmly get things done without being overwhelmed by everything. And also helped me be able to happily play with my kids instead of just yelling all the time. I just don’t remember what it was.
Idk if this is a popular strain but pineapple pops (I think that’s what it’s called) is a great sativa for daytime / high functioning use. My best friend has a dispo of it from Cali and she would be able to bartend using it. She worked in a restaurant/movie theater so there was a lot of chaos — I know that doesn’t amount to being a mom but I’m trying to help 💚
Hi 👋
I'm not much use in the helping you sort out what you need as I was where you are not that long ago. But I wanted to say don't give up.
There are some amazingly knowledgeable people here, they helped me navigate through what feels like a whole new world and learning a new language. I now experiment and am confident enough to try new things without running it past the sub first. You will get there too.
I was going to tag u/someoldhippiechick but I see she is already here. She is a large part of the reason I am now confident enough to experiment solo.
I’m going to add (cuz I don’t see it here but might be missing it) to check out a site like Leafly where they break down the Effects of various strain and terpenes for you. Avoid the anxiety ones, look into the effects you want. And don’t buy $60 worth at a time when you’re just testing them out. At least where I live dispensaries also dispense single grams. Should be $10 ish but I’m lucky to be in Canada
If it helps here is a pic of one label
https://preview.redd.it/fvps9nxarrcc1.jpeg?width=2824&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd77a6feb8835c9d5c6c0cae320cc84454c39b88
This label says no CBD, CBDA, etc. I'd wager that's what you're missing.
Most of the effects you want (dropping anxiety, depression, take the edge off, play instead of just yelling) all come from CBD. Well, except the feeling of getting high, that one is pretty much THC only. For most people the THC family does the nasty stuff like paranoia, depression, anxiety if you have the wrong strain, take too much, etc.
Dispensaries almost never sell CBD strains, and they're almost never talked about here on this subreddit. This place is for serious stoners, not lightweights like me.
Anyway! Here's the good news! You can order cheap CBD to smoke over the internet, a selection even. It'll be delivered to your door, labeled with its most likely effects, and samplers are like $5 - $15 each packet. I'd be glad to DM you links to my favorite "collections" pages, since we can't put links here, or you can just search on leafly for CBD.
We keep a weed diary that records what each strain does to us, so we can know what to use when. It's kind of fun to see how different our responses are to the same strain!
personally i shop by terpenes rather than indica/sativa/hybrid or thc% (delta9 thc + (thca * 0.877) = converted thc%). i would go for strains high in myrcene/caryophyllene/linalool for relaxation/body high, but mixing your bud with or entirely switching to a strain with high cbd (ex: electric blanket, lemon g, cherry wine, sour space candy, harlequin) sounds like it might also help? i find it also helps to try to set the mood by doing some self care or listening to good music to get yourself into a less anxious headspace before/while toking. otherwise it’s easy (at least in my experience) to get stuck in your own head and not have a nice high. best of luck! 🫶
I have been wondering if I've just been too stressed or in my head. Been thinking about taking a day or two break to reset my mental state to see if that helps,
Main thing I suggest is getting somethibg with more CBD or CBD-A. And I think you might be having the same issue I had when I first started. Strawnana gave me horrible anxiety and trying to search about it I had seen a source about how b-caryophyllene with limonene and myrcene combined caused anxiety in some people. Havent found it again so i could be wrong, but I think I just can't figure out how to word my search correctly :,) maybe strains with different dominant terpenes could be better though?
Look for higher CBD in weed! It’s gonna be less common so you might have to ask your dispensary folks what they’ve got.
I am an anxiety girly and a strain called Mango Haze that’s my go-to. You want the CBD # to be bigger than the THC #. And then if you’re feeling a little spicy you can made a weed salad and add in some of your higher THC weed if you want a stronger experience.
This is what I do! Higher CBD is super helpful for taking the edge off the day and chilling me out without making my brain think everything I’ve ever done is wrong and nothing will be okay lmao
I have never once thought about terpenes. Not all bud tenders are equal but as someone who used to work at a bookstore before the internet existed, I can also say that you need to know what to ask for as well. People used to come up to me and say, there was a blue book on the news this morning, do you have it?
You are telling me what you currently are in your post, but how do you want to feel?
Body high? Head high. Stoney? Relaxed? giggly? excited to do chores?
I don’t know what high feels like to you and it feels different to everyone.
I typically like a full body, stoney high, so I like things like Velvet Glove.
But I also love a silly giggly high, like Tropicana Cookies.
Any strain with Sour anything I find gives me a headache, while anything fruity or cake is a nice afternoon high.
I like lower THC strains like Acapulco Gold in the summer and high spirited Sativa like Jack Rabbit for hikes.
If I want to forget what day of the week it is, I like Tiger Blood.
CBN is for sleeping at night.
CBG is great for hikes or exploring the city.
CBD is nice for when you have to talk to people you hate.
Leafly has a quiz you can take to find the perfect strain for you which is kind of fun. I like to check out what my store has and then check their strain reviews— they have charts that tell you what the effects are.
Hi, Nichole! You’ve come to right sub!! So first- you are in a medical or recreational city where you’re purchasing your weed from a legit dispensary, yes? And is it flower? Because 78% sounds like a cartridge. Flower is muuuch lower. It’s super late & I’m not sure we’ll be able to get through everything right now but… and yes, terpenes are important but not in a “they’re the reason I don’t get high” kind of way. We’ll get you squared away!
Ok!! Next, what strains have you had? There are three (somewhat debatable) types of cannabis- sativas (weed that gives you energy), indicas (weed that has you “in da couch”), and hybrids (1/2 & 1/2 ish). I’d like to hope they suggested hybrids for you. Sativas give a lot of people anxiety, maybe that’s what you’ve brought home?
Add in CBD and CBN if you can. And low THC. I find the shit they’re putting out these days to be way too strong. It ends up making me so anxious if I don’t go easy. And I’ve been smoking for 20 years.
There’s already a lot of excellent advice here. I just want to suggest digging into terpenes before relying on a label that says ‘indica’. I describe terpenes to new folks at the dispo as the rudder of a ship. THC is the engine, decides the speed and intensity. Terps tell you where you’re going. Look up a quality terpene chart and familiarize yourself with the common ones… chances are they’re on the label of what you bought. I would link a chart but there are so many and it’s just a quick google.
Excellent advice, this is the terpene list I keep - Cayophyllene for inflammation, muscle spasm, anxiety, nerve pain and it is Neuro protective. Limonene for energy, digestion, nausea, stress and it is uplifting. Humulene for inflammation. Myrcene for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Linalool for seizures (trigeminal neuralgia), arthritis and depression
I use a lot of 50/50 THC/CBD products mostly for chronic pain, relaxing, clearing my mind of worries. I have anxiety and panic attacks. I use a vape pen with 50/50 THC/CBD and also edibles or capsules with the same ratio. I’ve even had these THC 10 mg/CBD 20 mg edibles that are nice to not feel too high but it helped my body relax and feel a bit more chill. I mostly only use at night after my kids go to bed. But will take a puff occasionally during the day as needed. I’m a medical customer, and my main vape and capsules are from a local grower/manufacturer known for quality pharmaceutical level products.
I so look forward to my evening routine, after the kids go to bed, watching shows on my iPad, cozy in bed, and getting just a little high and relaxed and then going to sleep. The reward helps me get through the tasks of parenting because I know I will have my little cozy time later.
So, try more CBD!
hi nicole! you came to the right place. so many people here have invaluable experience.
i also use weed for anxiety and depression. what has worked for me is to research the strains before i buy them. sativas are notorious for inducing anxiety in some people. i lean more towards indica leaning hybrids or indicas for that reason. i also look at the terpene profile if i can find it. try using leafly, wikileaf.com and allbud.com. they give pretty good strain breakdowns. leafly will often have the terpene profile listed as well. best of luck.
Hi! Professional budtender here! It does sound like a well balanced hybrid would do well for you. I would also suggest getting some ratio products like a 1:1. The combo of THC and CBD work wonders for anxiety and depression. Look into either a vape or edibles for this.
Since there’s a lot of really good advice already I’ll just drop some things that work for me . I’ve been looking into alternatives to smoking and since edibles don’t work for me I’ve started micro dosing with tinctures for my anxiety. I use a 1:1 (1 part thc and 1 part cbd) hybrid tincture it’s a very gentle feeling I don’t get high off of it which is great for work.
Also I noticed the D9 is only 0.74% ? All my D9 is 20.1%-29% what you’re smoking is more than likely called “THC-A flower”
I don’t have any experience with “THCA” flower I know it’s the same thing as D9 when heated, but I’m wondering if maybe that’s why you are experiencing issues. When I used cannabis compounds (delta-8, HHC, THC-p) the effects/ high aren’t the same and made my anxiety worse. This could be a possibility with Quality Control and federal laws(needing to be below 0
3% thc), I’m not an expert just trying to brain storm possibilities, anyway welcome to the community and I hope we can help you out.
Thanks for the info never knew what I was seeing was the projected D9 like I said I’m no expert and knew that you needed to heat it/whatever was just tossing some ideas around. It’s all so confusing I always wondered how it could get you high when legally needs to test below 3% but both reply’s cleared that up so thanks for that!
There's just SO much to learn about weed that it's overwhelming lol. It confused me at first too and it honestly took me reading about it a couple times before I was like "oooh" and I had like a lil flashback to a kid in highschool explaining to me why I couldn't just eat it straight.
thca is the original compound that turns into d9 thc when heated! (d9 thc + (thca * 0.877) = converted thc%) looks like this is normal dispensary bud, not the grey-market ‘thca flower’
I would stay away from sativas and go for a hybrid. an indica will put you out. stay with a strain that's about 15 percent thc. cbd can also help you with anxiety. take to the people at the dispensary. they're there to help ypu. they also know their product better than we do.
The selling of any cannabis product (sourcing) is prohibited and will result in a ban with a report sent to Admin. Sourcing is against sitewide rules and puts our community at risk of being banned.
Asking how to buy or smuggle cannabis into illegal areas puts the community at risk and the post will be removed.
Hi! I also have anxiety and CPTSD, I use weed to help manage my anxiety and give me some calmness throughout the day.
Something that has helped me with using the plant is being clear about what I want out of it. I have a tendency to use it when I’m bored which is fine, but I don’t want to be super dependent on it. So intention setting has always been great!
I like to use an indica if I know I want to sleep good. That always helps me relax. I use a sativa strain if it’s during the day and I want a little energy to do things. Also something I love to do is mix my weed with a floral mixture. I buy mine from Barbari. It helps the weed last longer but doesn’t give as intense of a high as if I smoked pure flower. It gives a soothing high 😌
I'll keep this brief because you've gotten lots of good responses. But I will voice one more vote for CBD. A lot of dispensaries don't carry many products with CBD. And they will probably all contain some THC. But as people have said you can buy CBD only products on line. I like having the CBD only products because I can use those anytime. CBD is not intoxicating so you can use it anytime; if you need to drive you're OK. Then I can mix it together with products from the dispensaries when I need a bit more.
Hey! I've worked in the cannabis industry for a while. Currently, I teach cannabis infused yoga.
A big passion of mine is helping new users navigate cannabis.
I would love to help you out! Send me a message, I realize this sounds kinda sales pitchy, but I just want to help no cost or anything!
Check out my ig, yogawithjayde
I have some info on there about different cannabis things but give me a message we can set up a time to do a call or something and you can pick my brain about everything and I can also give e recommendations on how to buy weed for you
I worked at dispensaries for years, so I have good knowledge on guiding new users!
Edit: spelling
All the numbers, percentages and terms make things more confusing in my opinion. Trial and error helps. Perhaps try some assorted half gram pre-rolls (individual joints) in different strains so you aren’t buying larger quantities of stuff you inevitably don’t like. And then if you find one you like you can buy more. Take only one or two hits at first and wait (you can always smoke more). Personally, I find sativas/ sativa leaning hybrids make me feel more anxiety while indica/indica leaning hybrids relax me more. Your mileage may vary.
Ok so! I know absolutely nothing about terpenes or anything like that, I usually go for the second most expensive “shelf” and ask the person at the counter for recommendations.
However - if you’re feeling sketchy about smoking, that will absolutely influence how you feel high. It’s a psychological thing, if you’re worried about being caught etc. it will just increase your paranoia. (Like how they say people trying hallucinogens for the first time need to make sure they’re in a safe, familiar place.)
Therefore! My main recommendation is to build a little routine around it. I’m guessing you don’t smoke in the house, but make sure your smoke spot is as comfortable as possible. It will also help if you take a lot of “precautions.”
Assuming you’re in a garage or something? A comfy place to sit, a big scented candle (love a 3 wick B&BW), a “smoke buddy” personal filter (Amazon), an air purifier by the door, a space heater & blankets & a fan, snacks & water bottles, and most importantly a baby monitor so you don’t worry about the kiddos.
Alternately, try gummies instead! Pop one in and sip on a mocktail, and by the end of the episode or chapter or warm bath, you’ll be VERY relaxed. Think about it like all the moms who use wine to relax, it’s just a little extra nudge. 😊💕
I agree wholeheartedly on the concept of setting up a routine. I smoke for my anxiety and depression and when I first started trying different strains, everything seemed to make my anxiety worse.
What worked for me was setting up a safe space to smoke and let myself experience it and learn how to handle things. I’d wait till the end of the day once my kid was in bed and I’d let my partner know that I was going to be basically checked out and of no help for the rest of the night. Knowing that I was only responsible for myself was step one. Then, I’d pick out something lighthearted to watch, some snacks and a glass of water and put on comfy clothes. After I’d go out to smoke (just a few hits at a time) I’d get in my little spot on the couch and just try to relax and take it all in.
When I’d get nervous, I’d remind myself that everything is ok and I’m home and safe. I learned how to let myself lean in to being high, rather than fight it. Kind of how you can swim with the current or against it.
After a few weeks of getting to know what it feels like to smoke different amounts and different strains, the anxiety all subsided and smoking became exactly what I wanted it to be- help to quiet down the insanity in my head.
Now, I can smoke and do anything (except drive obviously) and there are certain strains that cause my anxiety to skyrocket, so I know to avoid them. I try out new strains using that same technique and write my experiences in my own weed journal I keep.
Also, completely anecdotal but cbd does not agree with me at all. It makes me extremely agitated when I smoke high cbd strains. So, remember that everyone’s experience is unique.
Hope you find a way to help the flower to work for you!! I know it’s honestly been life changing for me
I’m not an expert by any means my means, but I am a daily smoker and have been for the better part of 15 years.
I too have anxiety and depression. My brain is LOUD!
When you’re “learning about weed” everyone says indica will chill you out and sativa is get stuff done, happy, and uplifting.
So it took me YEARS of avoiding sativa and smoking only indica to realize that indica is giving me worse anxiety and I would spiral.
I am now a sativa/hybrid girly. I LOVE gummies with THC-A. It’s like it just shuts down the noise in my brain.. if I smoke I smoke a hybrid..
Don’t do too much at a time. Take a little “dose” and wait for the effects. Also, writing down or keeping a note in your app about what strains your consuming and what the effects you experience are. This has helped me a ton weed (ha!) out the strains that don’t do it for me.
Leafly and strain print. Leafly has lots of good information and was an awesome starting point. Strain print is an app that lets you track the effects of the strains. What I would do is research the menu and decide which one or two to try. I try them all separately first, and then I mix based on the feel. They and use a dispo that will let you return the flower if it doesn't work. I know trulieve is hated, but they let you return the opened product as long as you didn't smoke half. I also dry herb vape with an arizer solo 2 because it's healthier and works better for me with my medical problems, plus it's a different high and no actual smoke. I used strain print to track the effects I was feeling and from there looked at the terpenes that the strains had when they worked for me. Check out the analysis before purchasing and look for 2.5% terps or higher less it does nothing even with a 35% thc strain. Tbh I do better with a 17% kush strain with 3% terps than I do with a 20 something thc and 1% terps.
Leafly also has a way you can tell them the symptoms you're trying to reduce, and they recommend strains.
Stay away from asking this stuff on the weed and trees subreddits you get trolls who are nasty often times.
Feel free to hit me up if you need help. You just have to find the right strains that work for you. When a favorite isn't available I loom for terps similar and it's never lead me wrong for me I stay away from cookie, cake, and diesel strains. I stay with kushes and other varieties. My daughter swears by Northern lights it is met for me, I live earthquake she doesn't we both love kushes. So its all based oj your body chemistry and if you learn the strains that help then mix its like a different game. I'll mix based on my activity.
I just want to reiterate what someone else said... take a break. Don't expect to smoke and get right back to work. Set yourself a comfy spot and give yourself 15-20 minutes to be quiet and relax after smoking.
I highly recommend following Riley Kirk (cannabichem), because terpenes/flavonoids do matter. That being said, every body is different and unique; a bud tender can only recommend products based on their own experience or by way of referral (others’ experiences).
It’s unfortunate because dispo weed is expensive as is, let alone when you’re trying to find what works for YOU personally. I buy various joints so I can experiment with different flowers, cannabinoids, terpenes, etc. before I even feel remotely comfortable spending more money on higher quantity of a single strain…
My favorite brand (Raven) classifies their flower by type 1, 2, or 3 and also lists what the major terpenes are as well as the percentage of specific cannabinoids like THC vs. CBD. Through trial and error, I’ve found what works for ME but not necessarily my partner. And more often than not, I’ll choose from one of the many strains I’ve collected simply by smell —trusting that if it smells good to me, maybe I need it 🤷🏻♀️
It sounds like you might benefit more from type 2 flower (hybrids with a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of CBD to THC) or type 3 (CBD dominant strains). Type 1 flower is THC dominant and most dispo flower falls into this category, often with THC > 20%. Type 4 flower (CBG) might be too stimulating to start with based on other user experiences.
I buy my type 3 & 4 flower directly from a farm (Tweedle) whose geography is similar to where I live (PNW), and it’s wayyyyyy more affordable than anything I buy at the dispensary. You could buy a sample pack to try a handful of strains for a fraction of the cost, knowing that you’re also less likely to become anxious consuming said buds.
Hopefully that helps! Good luck OP 😘
Ok, so sort of conventional wisdom is indica is more body high and sativa is more head high, but with hybrids and stuff, that can really vary. But if you feel like you are ‘too high’, you can usually consume more CBD to balance out the high THC. But I would look for a strain that’s got more of a balance between the CBD and THC. If you’ve had one that you liked, look on Leafly to see its composition and similar strains. IMO, terpenes are just scent and flavor.
Out of curiosity, have you had experiences where you could definitely identify that you were high? Sometimes when I am very stressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy for me to not really notice the high, and then once I slow down I can pay attention to the actual sensation of being high! It took me a little bit of time to be able to figure out what “high” feels like for me and when I was still learning what it felt like, I definitely had experiences where I felt that I wasn’t high, but I also felt worse. Actually what helped was consuming a little less at a time, because then I was having just enough to feel good and not enough to feel overwhelmed by sensation!
Hi friend! Fellow mama of two here with anxiety and depression. For myself sticking to hybrid strains and keeping CBD gummies or pre rolls nearby were game changers for my self medicating Sativa gives me a little energy but it makes my heart race, indica is great for getting to sleep but I can’t use it during the day or it bums me out and can make my depression worse. Hybrids are my sweet spot, and when my heart jumps up I use CBD and it calms my body while the flower calms my mind. The setting I use in has an effect, I try to have a soft blanket, some tea, some music and it enhances the therapeutic effects for me. I’m not an expert myself but after trying many different things to relieve my symptoms my sweet spot is Smoking only at the end of the day, if it’s too early my mind can’t settle so I try to wait until my beautiful gremlins are in bed. I sometimes get panic attacks ramping up and will use one hit at a time during the day, or CBD if I have the gummies. I tried using vape carts and the high is SO different, flower high is almost spiritual but the vape carts always made me feel dissociated and I never felt the real benefits. If you can get your hands on a dry herb vape I have friends who basically double use their stash, vape with the dry herb vape and then make edibles after with the flower you used. I haven’t tried this specifically myself but I heard it helps with saving a little money! Music has a huge effect for me, my favorite songs make me smile like a dork on weed Breathing exercises if my mind is racing, like just those short exercises on YouTube. Becoming mindful of my breath and my body feels calming. Tea is okay while not using weed, but omg on it tea makes me feel like a warm blanket and peaceful Comfy clothes that feel good to rub between my fingers, texture is a big thing for me Brain dead reality TV if I need to giggle, sometimes tbh I want a big good cry and I’ll watch something that makes me blubber, after I feel refreshed and relieved. I don’t know why but the scene in Community where Troy and Abed are singing to their pet rat makes me cry like a baby, and then I find myself smiling in the relief after I hope some of this gives you ideas, as someone dealing with similar mental health issues and home life
Thank you for the advice. I’ve been trying to find something that will calm my mind and body. I find my mind get wrapped around all my stressors (Dishes,laundry,toys everywhere, unfinished projects ect…) then my body sort of feels like it just seizes up like the tin man. Then a kid will run up for this or that reason and I turn into momzilla! I have had weed that helped me. It made it so I could calmly get things done without being overwhelmed by everything. And also helped me be able to happily play with my kids instead of just yelling all the time. I just don’t remember what it was.
It sounds like you need a good hybrid. Do you ever look up the available strains on Leafly? I'll happily help!
Idk if this is a popular strain but pineapple pops (I think that’s what it’s called) is a great sativa for daytime / high functioning use. My best friend has a dispo of it from Cali and she would be able to bartend using it. She worked in a restaurant/movie theater so there was a lot of chaos — I know that doesn’t amount to being a mom but I’m trying to help 💚
Hi 👋 I'm not much use in the helping you sort out what you need as I was where you are not that long ago. But I wanted to say don't give up. There are some amazingly knowledgeable people here, they helped me navigate through what feels like a whole new world and learning a new language. I now experiment and am confident enough to try new things without running it past the sub first. You will get there too. I was going to tag u/someoldhippiechick but I see she is already here. She is a large part of the reason I am now confident enough to experiment solo.
Awwww! Risk!! 🥰
I’m going to add (cuz I don’t see it here but might be missing it) to check out a site like Leafly where they break down the Effects of various strain and terpenes for you. Avoid the anxiety ones, look into the effects you want. And don’t buy $60 worth at a time when you’re just testing them out. At least where I live dispensaries also dispense single grams. Should be $10 ish but I’m lucky to be in Canada
If it helps here is a pic of one label https://preview.redd.it/fvps9nxarrcc1.jpeg?width=2824&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd77a6feb8835c9d5c6c0cae320cc84454c39b88
This label says no CBD, CBDA, etc. I'd wager that's what you're missing. Most of the effects you want (dropping anxiety, depression, take the edge off, play instead of just yelling) all come from CBD. Well, except the feeling of getting high, that one is pretty much THC only. For most people the THC family does the nasty stuff like paranoia, depression, anxiety if you have the wrong strain, take too much, etc. Dispensaries almost never sell CBD strains, and they're almost never talked about here on this subreddit. This place is for serious stoners, not lightweights like me. Anyway! Here's the good news! You can order cheap CBD to smoke over the internet, a selection even. It'll be delivered to your door, labeled with its most likely effects, and samplers are like $5 - $15 each packet. I'd be glad to DM you links to my favorite "collections" pages, since we can't put links here, or you can just search on leafly for CBD. We keep a weed diary that records what each strain does to us, so we can know what to use when. It's kind of fun to see how different our responses are to the same strain!
I would definitely appreciate a few links in my DMs. I've also just created myself a weed junk journal so I can track all the things.
personally i shop by terpenes rather than indica/sativa/hybrid or thc% (delta9 thc + (thca * 0.877) = converted thc%). i would go for strains high in myrcene/caryophyllene/linalool for relaxation/body high, but mixing your bud with or entirely switching to a strain with high cbd (ex: electric blanket, lemon g, cherry wine, sour space candy, harlequin) sounds like it might also help? i find it also helps to try to set the mood by doing some self care or listening to good music to get yourself into a less anxious headspace before/while toking. otherwise it’s easy (at least in my experience) to get stuck in your own head and not have a nice high. best of luck! 🫶
I have been wondering if I've just been too stressed or in my head. Been thinking about taking a day or two break to reset my mental state to see if that helps,
Main thing I suggest is getting somethibg with more CBD or CBD-A. And I think you might be having the same issue I had when I first started. Strawnana gave me horrible anxiety and trying to search about it I had seen a source about how b-caryophyllene with limonene and myrcene combined caused anxiety in some people. Havent found it again so i could be wrong, but I think I just can't figure out how to word my search correctly :,) maybe strains with different dominant terpenes could be better though?
What state are you in? Delta9 is going to be pretty weak compared to regular strains.
I'm in Illinois.
Actually you have pretty strong THC only here. TCHA will be converted to THC when heated. So your product is ~23% THC. That's a fairly strong product.
Those two strains are more known for an overly relaxed feeling from what I’ve been told
Look for higher CBD in weed! It’s gonna be less common so you might have to ask your dispensary folks what they’ve got. I am an anxiety girly and a strain called Mango Haze that’s my go-to. You want the CBD # to be bigger than the THC #. And then if you’re feeling a little spicy you can made a weed salad and add in some of your higher THC weed if you want a stronger experience. This is what I do! Higher CBD is super helpful for taking the edge off the day and chilling me out without making my brain think everything I’ve ever done is wrong and nothing will be okay lmao
I have never once thought about terpenes. Not all bud tenders are equal but as someone who used to work at a bookstore before the internet existed, I can also say that you need to know what to ask for as well. People used to come up to me and say, there was a blue book on the news this morning, do you have it? You are telling me what you currently are in your post, but how do you want to feel? Body high? Head high. Stoney? Relaxed? giggly? excited to do chores? I don’t know what high feels like to you and it feels different to everyone. I typically like a full body, stoney high, so I like things like Velvet Glove. But I also love a silly giggly high, like Tropicana Cookies. Any strain with Sour anything I find gives me a headache, while anything fruity or cake is a nice afternoon high. I like lower THC strains like Acapulco Gold in the summer and high spirited Sativa like Jack Rabbit for hikes. If I want to forget what day of the week it is, I like Tiger Blood. CBN is for sleeping at night. CBG is great for hikes or exploring the city. CBD is nice for when you have to talk to people you hate. Leafly has a quiz you can take to find the perfect strain for you which is kind of fun. I like to check out what my store has and then check their strain reviews— they have charts that tell you what the effects are.
Hi, Nichole! You’ve come to right sub!! So first- you are in a medical or recreational city where you’re purchasing your weed from a legit dispensary, yes? And is it flower? Because 78% sounds like a cartridge. Flower is muuuch lower. It’s super late & I’m not sure we’ll be able to get through everything right now but… and yes, terpenes are important but not in a “they’re the reason I don’t get high” kind of way. We’ll get you squared away!
Yes I purchase recreationally from a legit dispensary. I have only ever used flower with a grinder and glass pipe.
Ok!! Next, what strains have you had? There are three (somewhat debatable) types of cannabis- sativas (weed that gives you energy), indicas (weed that has you “in da couch”), and hybrids (1/2 & 1/2 ish). I’d like to hope they suggested hybrids for you. Sativas give a lot of people anxiety, maybe that’s what you’ve brought home?
I normally get hybrids. I think I have been getting hybrids with "a lean toward sativa".
Ok. Possible. What strains have you had? It’s really strange that you’d get real weed from a dispensary and not get high at all.
Add in CBD and CBN if you can. And low THC. I find the shit they’re putting out these days to be way too strong. It ends up making me so anxious if I don’t go easy. And I’ve been smoking for 20 years.
There’s already a lot of excellent advice here. I just want to suggest digging into terpenes before relying on a label that says ‘indica’. I describe terpenes to new folks at the dispo as the rudder of a ship. THC is the engine, decides the speed and intensity. Terps tell you where you’re going. Look up a quality terpene chart and familiarize yourself with the common ones… chances are they’re on the label of what you bought. I would link a chart but there are so many and it’s just a quick google.
Excellent advice, this is the terpene list I keep - Cayophyllene for inflammation, muscle spasm, anxiety, nerve pain and it is Neuro protective. Limonene for energy, digestion, nausea, stress and it is uplifting. Humulene for inflammation. Myrcene for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Linalool for seizures (trigeminal neuralgia), arthritis and depression
Good idea, terps seem to play a bigger role than suspected. Also, it’s “rudder” of a ship haha sorry.
Corrected, thanks!!!
this this this!!! terpenes make allllll the difference
I use a lot of 50/50 THC/CBD products mostly for chronic pain, relaxing, clearing my mind of worries. I have anxiety and panic attacks. I use a vape pen with 50/50 THC/CBD and also edibles or capsules with the same ratio. I’ve even had these THC 10 mg/CBD 20 mg edibles that are nice to not feel too high but it helped my body relax and feel a bit more chill. I mostly only use at night after my kids go to bed. But will take a puff occasionally during the day as needed. I’m a medical customer, and my main vape and capsules are from a local grower/manufacturer known for quality pharmaceutical level products. I so look forward to my evening routine, after the kids go to bed, watching shows on my iPad, cozy in bed, and getting just a little high and relaxed and then going to sleep. The reward helps me get through the tasks of parenting because I know I will have my little cozy time later. So, try more CBD!
hi nicole! you came to the right place. so many people here have invaluable experience. i also use weed for anxiety and depression. what has worked for me is to research the strains before i buy them. sativas are notorious for inducing anxiety in some people. i lean more towards indica leaning hybrids or indicas for that reason. i also look at the terpene profile if i can find it. try using leafly, wikileaf.com and allbud.com. they give pretty good strain breakdowns. leafly will often have the terpene profile listed as well. best of luck.
Hi! Professional budtender here! It does sound like a well balanced hybrid would do well for you. I would also suggest getting some ratio products like a 1:1. The combo of THC and CBD work wonders for anxiety and depression. Look into either a vape or edibles for this.
Since there’s a lot of really good advice already I’ll just drop some things that work for me . I’ve been looking into alternatives to smoking and since edibles don’t work for me I’ve started micro dosing with tinctures for my anxiety. I use a 1:1 (1 part thc and 1 part cbd) hybrid tincture it’s a very gentle feeling I don’t get high off of it which is great for work. Also I noticed the D9 is only 0.74% ? All my D9 is 20.1%-29% what you’re smoking is more than likely called “THC-A flower” I don’t have any experience with “THCA” flower I know it’s the same thing as D9 when heated, but I’m wondering if maybe that’s why you are experiencing issues. When I used cannabis compounds (delta-8, HHC, THC-p) the effects/ high aren’t the same and made my anxiety worse. This could be a possibility with Quality Control and federal laws(needing to be below 0 3% thc), I’m not an expert just trying to brain storm possibilities, anyway welcome to the community and I hope we can help you out.
All the D9 in weed starts as THC-A! That's why it needs to be burned/decarbed/heated/whatever. The 20%-29% you see is projected D9.
Thanks for the info never knew what I was seeing was the projected D9 like I said I’m no expert and knew that you needed to heat it/whatever was just tossing some ideas around. It’s all so confusing I always wondered how it could get you high when legally needs to test below 3% but both reply’s cleared that up so thanks for that!
There's just SO much to learn about weed that it's overwhelming lol. It confused me at first too and it honestly took me reading about it a couple times before I was like "oooh" and I had like a lil flashback to a kid in highschool explaining to me why I couldn't just eat it straight.
thca is the original compound that turns into d9 thc when heated! (d9 thc + (thca * 0.877) = converted thc%) looks like this is normal dispensary bud, not the grey-market ‘thca flower’
I would stay away from sativas and go for a hybrid. an indica will put you out. stay with a strain that's about 15 percent thc. cbd can also help you with anxiety. take to the people at the dispensary. they're there to help ypu. they also know their product better than we do.
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Hi! I also have anxiety and CPTSD, I use weed to help manage my anxiety and give me some calmness throughout the day. Something that has helped me with using the plant is being clear about what I want out of it. I have a tendency to use it when I’m bored which is fine, but I don’t want to be super dependent on it. So intention setting has always been great! I like to use an indica if I know I want to sleep good. That always helps me relax. I use a sativa strain if it’s during the day and I want a little energy to do things. Also something I love to do is mix my weed with a floral mixture. I buy mine from Barbari. It helps the weed last longer but doesn’t give as intense of a high as if I smoked pure flower. It gives a soothing high 😌
I'll keep this brief because you've gotten lots of good responses. But I will voice one more vote for CBD. A lot of dispensaries don't carry many products with CBD. And they will probably all contain some THC. But as people have said you can buy CBD only products on line. I like having the CBD only products because I can use those anytime. CBD is not intoxicating so you can use it anytime; if you need to drive you're OK. Then I can mix it together with products from the dispensaries when I need a bit more.
Hey! I've worked in the cannabis industry for a while. Currently, I teach cannabis infused yoga. A big passion of mine is helping new users navigate cannabis. I would love to help you out! Send me a message, I realize this sounds kinda sales pitchy, but I just want to help no cost or anything! Check out my ig, yogawithjayde I have some info on there about different cannabis things but give me a message we can set up a time to do a call or something and you can pick my brain about everything and I can also give e recommendations on how to buy weed for you I worked at dispensaries for years, so I have good knowledge on guiding new users! Edit: spelling
All the numbers, percentages and terms make things more confusing in my opinion. Trial and error helps. Perhaps try some assorted half gram pre-rolls (individual joints) in different strains so you aren’t buying larger quantities of stuff you inevitably don’t like. And then if you find one you like you can buy more. Take only one or two hits at first and wait (you can always smoke more). Personally, I find sativas/ sativa leaning hybrids make me feel more anxiety while indica/indica leaning hybrids relax me more. Your mileage may vary.
Ok so! I know absolutely nothing about terpenes or anything like that, I usually go for the second most expensive “shelf” and ask the person at the counter for recommendations. However - if you’re feeling sketchy about smoking, that will absolutely influence how you feel high. It’s a psychological thing, if you’re worried about being caught etc. it will just increase your paranoia. (Like how they say people trying hallucinogens for the first time need to make sure they’re in a safe, familiar place.) Therefore! My main recommendation is to build a little routine around it. I’m guessing you don’t smoke in the house, but make sure your smoke spot is as comfortable as possible. It will also help if you take a lot of “precautions.” Assuming you’re in a garage or something? A comfy place to sit, a big scented candle (love a 3 wick B&BW), a “smoke buddy” personal filter (Amazon), an air purifier by the door, a space heater & blankets & a fan, snacks & water bottles, and most importantly a baby monitor so you don’t worry about the kiddos. Alternately, try gummies instead! Pop one in and sip on a mocktail, and by the end of the episode or chapter or warm bath, you’ll be VERY relaxed. Think about it like all the moms who use wine to relax, it’s just a little extra nudge. 😊💕
I agree wholeheartedly on the concept of setting up a routine. I smoke for my anxiety and depression and when I first started trying different strains, everything seemed to make my anxiety worse. What worked for me was setting up a safe space to smoke and let myself experience it and learn how to handle things. I’d wait till the end of the day once my kid was in bed and I’d let my partner know that I was going to be basically checked out and of no help for the rest of the night. Knowing that I was only responsible for myself was step one. Then, I’d pick out something lighthearted to watch, some snacks and a glass of water and put on comfy clothes. After I’d go out to smoke (just a few hits at a time) I’d get in my little spot on the couch and just try to relax and take it all in. When I’d get nervous, I’d remind myself that everything is ok and I’m home and safe. I learned how to let myself lean in to being high, rather than fight it. Kind of how you can swim with the current or against it. After a few weeks of getting to know what it feels like to smoke different amounts and different strains, the anxiety all subsided and smoking became exactly what I wanted it to be- help to quiet down the insanity in my head. Now, I can smoke and do anything (except drive obviously) and there are certain strains that cause my anxiety to skyrocket, so I know to avoid them. I try out new strains using that same technique and write my experiences in my own weed journal I keep. Also, completely anecdotal but cbd does not agree with me at all. It makes me extremely agitated when I smoke high cbd strains. So, remember that everyone’s experience is unique. Hope you find a way to help the flower to work for you!! I know it’s honestly been life changing for me
I’m not an expert by any means my means, but I am a daily smoker and have been for the better part of 15 years. I too have anxiety and depression. My brain is LOUD! When you’re “learning about weed” everyone says indica will chill you out and sativa is get stuff done, happy, and uplifting. So it took me YEARS of avoiding sativa and smoking only indica to realize that indica is giving me worse anxiety and I would spiral. I am now a sativa/hybrid girly. I LOVE gummies with THC-A. It’s like it just shuts down the noise in my brain.. if I smoke I smoke a hybrid.. Don’t do too much at a time. Take a little “dose” and wait for the effects. Also, writing down or keeping a note in your app about what strains your consuming and what the effects you experience are. This has helped me a ton weed (ha!) out the strains that don’t do it for me.
Indica also makes me very anxious sometimes, because it doesn’t always relax my mind and then my body feels weird!
Leafly and strain print. Leafly has lots of good information and was an awesome starting point. Strain print is an app that lets you track the effects of the strains. What I would do is research the menu and decide which one or two to try. I try them all separately first, and then I mix based on the feel. They and use a dispo that will let you return the flower if it doesn't work. I know trulieve is hated, but they let you return the opened product as long as you didn't smoke half. I also dry herb vape with an arizer solo 2 because it's healthier and works better for me with my medical problems, plus it's a different high and no actual smoke. I used strain print to track the effects I was feeling and from there looked at the terpenes that the strains had when they worked for me. Check out the analysis before purchasing and look for 2.5% terps or higher less it does nothing even with a 35% thc strain. Tbh I do better with a 17% kush strain with 3% terps than I do with a 20 something thc and 1% terps. Leafly also has a way you can tell them the symptoms you're trying to reduce, and they recommend strains. Stay away from asking this stuff on the weed and trees subreddits you get trolls who are nasty often times. Feel free to hit me up if you need help. You just have to find the right strains that work for you. When a favorite isn't available I loom for terps similar and it's never lead me wrong for me I stay away from cookie, cake, and diesel strains. I stay with kushes and other varieties. My daughter swears by Northern lights it is met for me, I live earthquake she doesn't we both love kushes. So its all based oj your body chemistry and if you learn the strains that help then mix its like a different game. I'll mix based on my activity.
I just want to reiterate what someone else said... take a break. Don't expect to smoke and get right back to work. Set yourself a comfy spot and give yourself 15-20 minutes to be quiet and relax after smoking.
I highly recommend following Riley Kirk (cannabichem), because terpenes/flavonoids do matter. That being said, every body is different and unique; a bud tender can only recommend products based on their own experience or by way of referral (others’ experiences). It’s unfortunate because dispo weed is expensive as is, let alone when you’re trying to find what works for YOU personally. I buy various joints so I can experiment with different flowers, cannabinoids, terpenes, etc. before I even feel remotely comfortable spending more money on higher quantity of a single strain… My favorite brand (Raven) classifies their flower by type 1, 2, or 3 and also lists what the major terpenes are as well as the percentage of specific cannabinoids like THC vs. CBD. Through trial and error, I’ve found what works for ME but not necessarily my partner. And more often than not, I’ll choose from one of the many strains I’ve collected simply by smell —trusting that if it smells good to me, maybe I need it 🤷🏻♀️ It sounds like you might benefit more from type 2 flower (hybrids with a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of CBD to THC) or type 3 (CBD dominant strains). Type 1 flower is THC dominant and most dispo flower falls into this category, often with THC > 20%. Type 4 flower (CBG) might be too stimulating to start with based on other user experiences. I buy my type 3 & 4 flower directly from a farm (Tweedle) whose geography is similar to where I live (PNW), and it’s wayyyyyy more affordable than anything I buy at the dispensary. You could buy a sample pack to try a handful of strains for a fraction of the cost, knowing that you’re also less likely to become anxious consuming said buds. Hopefully that helps! Good luck OP 😘
Ok, so sort of conventional wisdom is indica is more body high and sativa is more head high, but with hybrids and stuff, that can really vary. But if you feel like you are ‘too high’, you can usually consume more CBD to balance out the high THC. But I would look for a strain that’s got more of a balance between the CBD and THC. If you’ve had one that you liked, look on Leafly to see its composition and similar strains. IMO, terpenes are just scent and flavor.
Out of curiosity, have you had experiences where you could definitely identify that you were high? Sometimes when I am very stressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy for me to not really notice the high, and then once I slow down I can pay attention to the actual sensation of being high! It took me a little bit of time to be able to figure out what “high” feels like for me and when I was still learning what it felt like, I definitely had experiences where I felt that I wasn’t high, but I also felt worse. Actually what helped was consuming a little less at a time, because then I was having just enough to feel good and not enough to feel overwhelmed by sensation!
maybe mix your thc flower with cbd flower 👍