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“Weed makes me paranoid” – Sound familiar ? Cannabis is new to some, but the marijuana plant has been around for thousands of years dating back to advanced ancient Egyptian civilizations. More recently, marijuana is has newly become legal in many areas of the world and that leaves some people discovering one of cannabis’s most famous (but mild) side effects…, a temporary sense of paranoia. It’s a common complaint from new cannabis users as well as from those who suffer from anxiety. But why doesn’t everyone get paranoid with weed. Is there a good way to use cannabis with-out getting any waves of paranoia ? Here’s everything you need to know about the weed plant and overcoming paranoia. Let’s dig in… What Does Paranoia Mean To You? Paranoia is one of those things that everyone experiences at some point in their life, but everyone experiences it differently. So most people explain and define paranoia differently. Here’s the most universal definition of paranoia when it comes to cannabis. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the why cannabis gives some people feeling of paranoia, Oxford University conducted a clinical study in 2015. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Freedman, when talking about the definition of paranoia he says “it is very normal because we have to weigh whether to trust or mistrust in our day-to-day lives and when we get it wrong – that is paranoia,” Basically overthinking right or wrong decisions, I think that definition is the best that I’ve heard when it comes to weed vs . paranoia. Paranoia is fear, anxiety, and worrying about something going wrong. This Is How Weed Interacts With The Body (And Gives Some A Feeling Of Paranoia) Why does weed make some people feel paranoid? Now that we’re on the same page about what paranoia is, where does paranoia come from ? Paranoia is not a physical condition that you can point to (like a bruise or a cut). It’s inside your thoughts, your head, your brain. But are you more in control of paranoia than you think? (We’ll get to that in a later section below) When cannabis enters your body, the cannabis molecules (THC & CBD) interact with a part of the human body known as the EndoCannabinoid System. More specifically, cannabis molecules interact directly with EndoCannabinoid receptors known as CB1 & CB2 receptors. The endocannabinoid system is important because it regulates all the automatic human functions like sleeping, pain & inflammation responses, cell reproduction, and brain functions such as fear, anxiety, and memory. Basically the endocannabinoid system controls all the things your body does automatically with out you being consciously aware of it. Here’s why all this is important when it comes to weed and paranoia. Experts now understand that paranoia comes from a small part of the brain known as the amygdala. The amygdala is known to control your fear and anxiety responses and has also been found to contain an abundance of CB1 receptors. Cannabis interacts with the EndoCannabinoid System, the endo-cannabinoid system interreacts directly with the amygdala in your brain, and the amygdala can trigger anxiety. Losing control of that anxiety (overthinking) is exactly why weed makes some people paranoid. “This medical condition is more likely to arise when we are concerned, think negatively about ourselves, or have disturbing shifts in our perceptions,” According to researchers, “This medical condition is more likely to arise when we are concerned or think negatively about ourselves”. Research suggests that there are several ways that our mind could induce paranoid fears, including worries that distort our perception of the environment and make us hypervigilant. We feel vulnerable to harm when we believe we are inferior. Cannabis can alter your perspective on things, and “minor differences in our perspective can give us the impression that something strange, if not terrifying, is going on.” This Is How To Handle Paranoia From Weed. Advice From Oxford University Study "I think what it highlights {the study} is that if you have greater confidence in yourself, you improve your self-esteem, and if you try not to worry or ruminate about potential threats in the world... then the effects of the (the cannabis compound) THC should hopefully be less capable of inducing paranoia," This advice is a bit over simplified as it’s not always easy to just “have greater confidence in yourself” and “try not to overthink”. Self-confidence and less overthinking might be the goal, but how do you get there? 5 Easy Ways To Overcome Paranoia From Weed (based on experience) Experience Paranoia is more common in new cannabis users. After a couple times using cannabis, you get used to the feelings and it becomes much easier to relax and control your thoughts. Practice Mindfulness. What is mindfulness? Well it’s NOT sitting on a rock in Tibet meditating. Mindfulness can be done from anywhere at anytime of day. Basically, mindfulness is the practice of consciously controlling your thoughts. Have you ever suffered from trouble falling asleep because you couldn’t “turn off” your brain. This is where mindfulness comes in. The same concept applies to feelings of paranoia after using cannabis. Once you learn to control your thoughts, the paranoia goes away. I now enjoy the occasional anxiety that pops up after cannabis use, as it often reminds me of potential issues or risks I may not have previously considered. The same is true for solutions as well. Control Your Set And Setting. Smoking weed before you go to the airport is likely to give anyone paranoid anxiety. The airport is not the best set or setting for cannabis. If you’re concerned about being paranoid, then only use cannabis where you’re most comfortable and around people who you’re comfortable with. Try CBD There are over 100 compounds in the cannabis plant, but there are 2 main ones, THC & CBD. THC is the ‘psychoactive compound’ which triggers the CB1 receptors in the amygdala. CBD also connects to the CB1 receptor, thus blocking the THC compound from connecting to it. By taking CBD or by using cannabis products with higher CBD concentration you’re less likely to experience anxiety or paranoia. Relax & Breathe (Fresh Air) A key part of mindfulness is breathe exercises. This is the same in martial arts, yoga, and meditation. All activities that require extreme focus and thought control. If you’re getting any feelings of paranoia try getting some fresh air and practicing deep (slow) breathing. The goal is to try and get as much oxygen into your body with out increasing your heart rate. You’ll be amazed at how well this works. Benefits of Paranoia And Anxiety(looking at the glass ½ full) While no-one likes feeling anxiety, understanding the root cause of your anxiety can be a life-changing and powerful event. Some people go their whole life feeling anxiety and never figure out why. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve learned to take any feeling and thoughts of paranoia or anxiety and use those thoughts to explore deeper rooted causes which I can take action on to improve. Usually I acknowledge the thought, write it down, and come back to it later with a clear head. Acknowledging the thought and writing it down allows me to let go of the current anxiety, and avoid overthinking. Often this leads to a feeling of euphoria or jubilation because you’ve managed to acknowledge the anxiety instead of just trying to bury it in your mind and forget about it. Conclusion: Weed vs. Paranoia Bringing it all together, weed, cannabis, marijuana, mary jane, pot, dope, wacky tabacky, bud, or devils lettuce, whatever you want to call it, it may cause some mild anxiety at first. This is normal so no worries. Cannabis naturally interacts with receptors in your body from head to toe, one of which is the amygdala which controls anxiety response. Everyone’s different but the good news is that you can control it. With experience you will become more comfortable and you can even flip any anxiety encounters into little nuggets for personal development. Let us know which one (if any) of these tips you’ve used.

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