How Cannabis Can Help You Recover After a Breakup
While some people are lucky enough to have met their forever partner in high school, most adults will embark on several romantic relationships throughout their life. And from my perspective, having many partners before settling on “the one” is the advantageous approach. Not only is variety the spice of life (wink) but I think it’s also important to experience many partners, relationship dynamics, and lifestyles before you can truly identify what is best for you. So, when it comes to love and living, breakups are a reality. But that doesn’t mean they don’t totally suck.
For most people, breaking up with someone (whether or not you initiated the end of the relationship) is a challenging milestone to navigate. In my experience, no two breakups are the same, just like no two couples are the same. Rather, each breakup is unique and includes its own idiosyncrasies complicated by the baggage of each individual involved in the relationship.
Like any other difficult life transition, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with a breakup. The quintessential post-breakup routine that we see played over and over again in songs and movies is to drink too much and end up in bed with strangers. While this exciting lifestyle can boost one’s confidence for a short while, this type of conduct is not healthy nor sustainable. Alcohol and one-night-stands will never make you feel truly better, they will only numb the pain.
However, I have come across a more natural antidote through which people can lesson the pain of a breakup: cannabis. Within this article, I will outline how cannabis can provide a benefit to your physical and mental health in the aftermath of a breakup. Keep these tips in mind should you go through another breakup yourself. Or, feel free to share this resource with a friend who is struggling to come to terms with their own recently “single” relationship status.
Particularly if you are unfamiliar with cannabis, you might be thinking — really? How can cannabis possibly help me through a breakup? Keep reading for insights that are based both on my own anecdotal experiences as well as my scientific research on the effects of cannabis use.
CANNABIS CAN HELP YOU BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO LESS PHYSICAL TOUCH
Cannabis can actually help to replace the pleasure signals that would normally be received through close physical touch. Ok, so this point relies on some scientific backing, but hear me out — this is worth knowing!
As we go about our lives and interact with other people, our brains create specific molecules to match the external situations we are experiencing. For example, when we are falling in love or even just cuddling with someone we feel close to, our brains produce a molecule called oxytocin, also known as “the love molecule”.
When oxytocin is released, another molecule is produced called anandamide (the bliss molecule). Scientists are relating this molecule to feelings that are commonly experienced when people smoke marijuana; in fact, the receptors in the brain that consume oxytocin and anandamide are the same receptors that respond to exogenous cannabinoids. The sheer act of consuming cannabis has also been linked to a release of oxytocin in the brain.
For this reason, someone who recently has gone through a social transition that has impacted their oxytocin levels, due to sudden reduction in cuddling, sex, and other intimate touch, could supplement their mood and lifestyle with exogenous cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant.
CANNABIS, PARTICULARLY CBD, CAN HELP WITH POST-BREAKUP ANXIETY
It’s now 2020 and CBD has taken the country (and rest of the cannabis-consuming world) by storm. CBD, or cannabidiol, is what’s being billed as the “non-psychoactive” component of cannabis (some have qualms with this specific explanation of CBD but this is one of the main CBD talking points in the cannabis sphere right now). Essentially, CBD provides the healing qualities of cannabis without the risk of getting a user “high” like THC, the other primary cannabinoid found within cannabis, would. Even people who formerly aligned with anti cannabis sentiments are coming to terms with the fact that CBD can aid people suffering from a number of ailments, mental and physical.
Well, one of the most beneficial aspects of CBD is that it can reduce anxiety. As someone who lives with everyday anxiety, I can say that I have found CBD to be a helpful addition to my overall anxiety management plan. And, for those of you who are more likely to trust scientific support over anecdotal experience, know that there are also a number of scientific reports linking CBD to a reduction of anxiety.
Cannabis can help make your bed feel like a more comfortable place, with or without your former partner
As most of us know, breakup can certainly spur feelings of anxiety. Within our society, we are taught to think that being in a relationship is inherently “better” than being single. So, whenever a relationship has ended, it’s natural for this to trigger some uncertainty for both parties. Commonly after a breakup, people will feel the need to obsess over a multitude of questions, such as What went wrong? Was it my fault? Will this happen again? It’s also common for someone’s line of questioning to touch on how they view their own worth: Is there something wrong with me? Am I unlovable? While it is natural to have your new relationship status impact your view of your self-worth temporarily, it’s vital that this does not replace your inner confidence.
Everything in the days following a breakup feels scary because it is all unfamiliar and new. As a result, it’s important to be nice to yourself and, if at all possible, give your psyche a break from having to relive a constant stream of anxious questions and recurring doubts. Therefore, I would advocate that people in the throes of a breakup take steps to reduce their overall anxiety, including the use of intentional CBD or full-plant cannabis use. From experience, and after talking to a host of other cannabis users, I can tell you there’s something about the plant that can allow you to look at your current life situation without fear. Cannabis allows you to accept reality without wanting to run from it.
CANNABIS CAN HELP YOU FALL ASLEEP WITHOUT YOUR FORMER PARTNER
One of the most difficult aspects of a breakup is to fall asleep without your partner. Particularly if you are exiting a long relationship, it’s likely that you are acclimated to winding down each and every day with somebody by your side. It can be particularly jarring to look into the space where your partner had previously slept and just see a laptop, a pile of unfolded clothes, and a pet that needs to be fed… not exactly reassuring!
The last time I ended a serious relationship, before meeting my husband, I couldn’t bear to fall asleep without my former partner and my sleep suffered as a result. I experienced increased levels of fatigue and this impacted my ability to study, go to class, and perform at work. More and more wellness practitioners are touting the importance of sleep as a core aspect of a healthy life, so a reduction in sleep is nothing to scoff at.
Cannabis, particularly strains high in sedating terpene profiles, have been shown to help people with sleep issues or even insomnia fall asleep. All you need to do is smoke or ingest an indica cannabis product within an hour before you intend to fall asleep and you will be counting Serta sheep in no time.
CANNABIS CAN HELP YOU ACCLIMATE TO YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP STATUS & YOUR NEW IDENTITY
Cannabis allows us to look at a situation and see it for what it is, without feeling as prickly or crippled by the pain.
When any relationship ends, romantic or not, our own personal identity shifts. With the end of a relationship, we lose the part of ourselves who had been invested in that prior relationship and all the hopes and goals that were wrapped up within it.
Related article: Who Am I Without You? The Influence of Romantic Breakup on the Self-Concept
This may sound extreme, but the grief experienced at the end of a romantic relationship is not unlike the feelings of grief experienced after someone close to us dies. And when someone dies, we don’t just grieve for the loss of the person, but also the loss of the person we were around that person.
In order to move forward, you will need to invest some time into thinking about who you really are and what your purpose is moving forward. Luckily, cannabis use has an inherent way of helping people to “find themselves”. In fact, Bob Marley once said, “When you smoke herb, it reveals you to yourself”.
For some, this concept of “finding oneself” might sound a little wishy-washy, hokey, or even downright… spiritual. Especially for those who are more analytical in nature, frequently putting concepts into black and white categories, this concept can be a little bit difficult to embrace. But discovering your true self is pivotal to your healing process and enhancing your ability to move your life in the right direction.
For me, cannabis has been a huge aid in helping me discover my true self. For more insight into how I’ve used cannabis to realize my true passions, check about my blog post about this here: How Cannabis Has Improved My Life.
Learning to find yourself is absolutely relevant to managing your life, post-breakup, because the end of a relationship is going to be something that flips your perception of yourself on its head. If you put in the work to rediscover yourself now, it’s going to bring a lot of understanding and clarity about what you’re looking for in your next relationship (or, if you’re looking for another relationship at all).
And while all of this may sound easy, this type of inner searching just isn’t! So give yourself a break if you don’t solve everything in one go!
CANNABIS CAN INCREASE SEROTONIN LEVELS & HAPPINESS
Upon using cannabis, one’s brain is enhanced by an increase in serotonin. Cannabis can help you enjoy your time and distract you from any remaining sadness that you are experiencing. Cannabis allows you to enjoy each moment to the fullest, so you can use it as a means to add some good times to the days/weeks/months following your breakup.
Along with cannabis, being around friends and family, or simply laughing, brings about natural serotonin. So, I would suggest having your bros or gal pals over and watch a Family Guy marathon (or whatever it is that will give you the giggles). Don’t feel guilty about sitting back and laughing, as this is all a part of your progress forward and your solidification of your life away from your former partner.
But I cannot stress this enough: social connection is a must after a breakup. If your inclination is to isolate yourself and hide away from friends and family, try to remember that social connection may help you to handle your breakup in a healthy manner. Many self-destructive tendencies are released through isolation, and time spent with others can distract us from the unpleasant manifestations of our grief process, such as binging in food or alcohol. Get out of your head and be with your people.
CANNABIS CAN BE USED FOR PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT
With increasing speed, cannabis users and performance experts are coming out to share evidence that cannabis can help to improve overall performance. For example, Ben Greenfield, a self-identified performance expert, has recently written an extensive article about how CBD can be used to improve performance throughout one’s life.
I have experienced the performance enhancement qualities of cannabis first-hand. Particularly due to my past of using cannabis to replace my drinking habit, I used cannabis to improve my quality of life as well as my work performance; once I made the switch from alcohol to cannabis, I got promoted and lost 60 pounds. Also, I firmly believe that intentional cannabis use, when paired with positive thinking and frequent introspection, lends to heightened emotional intelligence which plays into overall professional success.
So, consider applying intentional cannabis use to all of the activities you complete throughout your life. Any work or personal success will only help you to more artfully redefine your future during this fragile period. Also, enhancing your performance is all in line with becoming the most badass version of you.
CANNABIS CAN ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF
Really. This is one of my favorite externalities associated with consuming cannabis. I believe that in a cannabis-inspired elevated state of thought, we are better equipped to choose the healthy path forward.
In my own life, my anxieties have historically manifested in self-destructive behavior. However, when I smoke cannabis, I am less inclined to make poor choices that impact my health. For me, a bad day without cannabis will easily slide into too-many drinks or a decadent bowl of mac-and-cheese (not cute). But, when I choose cannabis as my path through a bad day, I’m more likely to opt for a healthful meal of sparkling water and veggies and I might even decide to lift some weights while my veggies roast in the oven.
A friend of mine once said that before her wedding, she had been considering artificial tanning so that she could get that tanned and toned look for her wedding photos. But, once she smoked that weekend, she made the decision that tanning wouldn’t be worth the danger to her skin and overall health. Her sudden shift in thinking is an example of how cannabis forces us to remember that taking care of mind and body is an act of self-love and integral to future happiness.
Cannabis’ ability to help us make the best choices for mind and body is particularly notable after a difficult transition like a breakup. When we are in a state of stress, it’s common that we reach for all the bad things. But, although your instincts might be telling you to fall down a health abyss, resist the urge. You need your mind and body to be on your side during this life transition, so don’t forget to treat them well!
For more about my thoughts on how cannabis helps us to take the very best care of ourselves, read my article about this here: Cannabis Encourages You to Take Care of Yourself
A note about balanced use:
When it comes to cannabis and CBD alike, remember to keep moderation and balanced use in mind. Because, like with anything else, there is such as “too much of a good thing”.
As long as the cannabinoids is supporting your happiness and wellness and is helping you to elevate your life, you are on the right track. If you ever feel hindered by cannabis (which is not likely with a CBD-dominant approach), take a break for a few days. An occasional tolerance break can also support healthy and balanced cannabinoid receptors — we all need a reset from time to time! Just check in with mind and body periodically and take a break from the plant if you ever feel misaligned. Trust yourself. You’ve got this!
This post was originally published on budandblossomcoaching.com on January 21, 2020.
