I’ve been using CBD for a long time now, and to be totally transparent, before CBD was a mainstream concept, I was using THC to get those same benefits. Since I was maybe 13 or 14, I’ve struggled with anxiety, and it took a therapist to tell me that I had anxiety-related issues in order for me to really get that. The way psychiatry works in this country is simple, in my opinion, a little too quick to the punch–you go to the psychiatrist, you talk about what you’ve been going through in one, maybe two sessions, and then you walk out with a prescription. I’ve never been a big medicine person. I barely even take Advil, so when I was prescribed hardcore medicines like Xanax and Klonopin, I wasn’t that inclined to jump right into it. Don’t get me wrong here, prescription medicines do work and they’re right for a lot of people, despite not being right for me. Personally speaking, though, I felt like a drugged-out version of myself on those medications and I desperately needed something else to treat my anxiety that 1) actually worked and 2) was a more natural, holistic approach.
To be honest, I didn’t seek out CBD on my own. As I said, I was using THC (which inherently has CBD in it), to get those anti-anxiety benefits. I came across CBD when a brand reached out and offered to send me their sublingual (under the tongue) tincture (liquid in a dropper). There were no posting requirements or strings attached to receiving the product, so I thought, why not? Once I tried it, I knew that CBD would be a forever thing for me. To make it simple and easier to read, I’ll outline the reasons why I suggest CBD to anyone and everyone who either has anxiety, could use help with stress management, has chronic pain or migraines, needs better sleep, help focusing or with mental clarity, or who overall prioritizes wellness in their day-to-day life:
1. A NO-HIGH WAY TO CHILL THE F OUT
Despite being from the same plant as weed, CBD does not get you high. Just to be clear, in order for CBD to be activated in your system, it needs just a tiny bit of THC. My CBD of choice, called Feals, contains less than 0.3% THC, so it’s just enough for the CBD to work and not nearly enough to get you high. CBD let’s your mind and your body chill the f*ck out without having any other effects, and that’s not something that I can say of any medicine I’ve ever been prescribed.
2. FOCUS IS ON FLEEK
Honestly, I’m human, and sometimes it’s hard for me to stay focused on a specific task, like brand outreach or a client logo design at work. Finishing a task or a job from start to finish without straying to think about something else I have to do or picking up my phone to scroll on Instagram feels impossible sometimes. CBD really helps with that. There’s a certain, somewhat indescribable, mental clarity and focus that CBD allows for that’s been incredible for my productivity, at work, with my Instagram, and even with everyday tasks like getting through my to-do list of household chores. Since working CBD into my daily routine, I can confidently say that I’ve been more focused, less distracted and more productive.
3. CHEMICAL-FREE, NATURAL AMAZINGNESS
As I said earlier, I barely even take Advil. I’ve been making a shift lately in all areas of my life to use/ingest/wear less chemicals. So, in addition to switching to clean fragrances and makeup, using safer cleaning products for the environment, etc., I prefer to use CBD as a natural alternative to all of the harsh chemicals in prescription medicines. Point blank, CBD is just as effective as any prescription medicine I had been taking and it doesn’t contain anything I can’t pronounce on it’s label.
4. HELPS WITH PAIN RELIEF
As if CBD didn’t offer enough benefits already, it really helps with chronic pain. I have tendonitis in both of my knees and I work out regularly, so it can get pretty inflamed. CBD helps inflammation and since I’ve started using it on a daily basis, I can honestly say that I haven’t had any tendonitis bothers. I work out daily and do a lot of squats, so it says a lot that I’m not feeling any pain in my knees anymore.
4. I’M HAPPIER, SERIOUSLY
This might come as a result of all of the combined benefits that CBD brings into my life, but it’s made me a happier person. CBD, for me, is an overall mood booster and has brightened my everyday demeanor. New York is really tough sometimes, as are a lot of places, and with CBD, I honestly walk around with a smile on my face, unbothered by the woman who nudges me on the subway, or both the tourists walking 2 mph in front of me. With CBD, I am so much more unflappable than I had been. Where I had previously been constantly annoyed and agitated, I’m now entirely UNBOTHERED.