Submitted by Andre T. from Iowa

I am 25 years old. I am from Iowa and have been dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression for about 13 years.

A personal battle

I was in a constant fight or flight mode as well as getting terrible sleep due to my anxiety keeping me up at night. I would also have bouts of depression throughout the years that made it feel impossible to do even the smallest tasks. I felt like it would never go away and there was no end in sight.

Feeling like a robot while navigating therapy and medication

I felt like I was a robot and emotionless for a few years. I did therapy for about 5 years, which did help, and then my doctor got me on a couple of different medications that did help with my anxiety and depression but also took away a lot of my emotions.

Finding a more natural solution

I had just been trying to find a more natural solution that helped manage my anxiety and depression. I looked up a CBD shop near me so they could help me understand more of how CBD and THC work with the ECS. At the time, CBD was fairly new to the market and people were selling it but didn't truly understand how it worked.

Sadly, I am now in Texas, where there is less accessibility. That was when I found people like Max Montrose, which led me to the work of Dr. Ethan Russo and Dr. Raphael Mechoulam. I found podcasts like Smoking Fire with Shango Los and Smoke N' Science with Dr. Riley Kirk and Dr. Miyabe Shields. That helped me have a clearer picture of how Cannabis works on the ECS. I then took a couple of online certification courses from Oaksterdam University and Trichome Institute because I thought if I wanted to get into the hemp industry in Texas, I would need something to show I have some knowledge of Cannabis.

Overcoming Cannabis stigma

I remember crying to my mom in 6th grade because I found her joints and asked her about them and when she said it was Cannabis, I started telling her how bad it was for her health and how the D.A.R.E. program explicitly said Cannabis is terrible for you.

After trying it later in my teen years, my mind changed stances on Cannabis, especially after getting some anxiety relief just after the first few times of trying out Cannabis. I never felt a stigma around Cannabis because later on, when I learned more about the benefits and different ways to use and consume Cannabis. I would bring that to my mom, who I knew was okay with Cannabis use. Now that I'm older, we will even smoke together when I visit.

Finding relief through tailored products

I usually start my morning with a 1:1 CBD:THC blend of flowers and try to find cultivars with more upbeat and euphoric effects to blend. I then take a live resin tincture of CBD/CBG, about 50mg of the blend, every day for overall anxiety and depression relief. On some days when my anxiety and depression are heightened, I will take an extra dose of CBD/CBG as a gummy (50mg blend). I also carry a CBD vape throughout the day for fast-acting relief. In the evening after work my Cannabis can vary, I sometimes use an edible, and is usually a 5:1 CBD:THC gummy, and depending on what kind of night I want to have, I take anywhere from 1-2 gummies. I also use flowers just about every night and because the flower I get changes, I usually try and find something with a more sedating or relaxing effect that might blend with a high CBD dominant flower, but I usually use high THC dominant flowers for end-of-day relaxation.

Before and after transformation with Cannabis

Before incorporating Cannabis for my condition, I felt like I was in a constant cycle of feeling anxious and depressed. Some days were better than others. I was constantly in my head, just going in circles, and wasn't able to be present with friends or family.

After incorporating Cannabis to address my health issues, I feel like I have my life back. I no longer let small things set me back and I am able to keep moving forward. Cannabis has greatly helped improve my quality of life and I now feel like I have a better grasp on my anxiety and depression.

This is Andre’s personal story and not meant to be medical advice. It is for informational purposes.

To work with a medical Cannabis professional, please visit our directory of coaches, educators, and medical professionals. Everyone's endocannabinoid system (ECS) is different; good results start with the right approach. You don't have to figure it out on your own.

If you need help with any terminology in this article, you may find some answers in our glossary.