As the world emerges from its year-long pandemic-induced hibernation, I rub my eyes, stretch my arms, put on the coffee and reach for the laptop. Hello, world. It’s been a minute!
It’s no secret that COVID-19 sent even the most organized and focused of us on a rollercoaster ride of reprioritization – and I’ve certainly not been immune to this pivot-party. About halfway through quarantine, the stagnant energy, political upheaval and grave uncertainty lodged words in my throat. I didn’t want to write or create. I didn’t want to post on my blog, post on Instagram, talk about cannabis, or draw attention to myself at all. This was unlike me, and after some soul-searching, I realized why: There were (and still are) important conversations being had on a grand scale, and my priorities had shifted from expression to active listening. Instead of creating, I wanted to absorb, consider, shift, and learn.
If you are, know, or love an artist, then you’re familiar with the periods of silence and incubation that punctuate the creative process. While trivial at first glance, a closer look will reveal how important these periods of rest and silence are to create the sort of rich, fertile soil necessary for quality ideas to grow.
Now, as Spring breathes a hot sigh of relief over the dewy Florida beachscape, I’m emerging from my little shell feeling ripe with words and ready to write – and as serendipity would have it, one of my favorite local magazines was doing the same thing at the exact same time.
I’m thrilled to share the new issue of Revive Magazine in celebration of their recent re-launch, and am honored to be a contributing writer for this issue, which focuses on uplifting ways to utilize cannabis and psychedelics for mood enhancement and pain relief during challenging times.
My article is called Cannabliss: Cultivating Joy with Cannabis and can be found here (turn to page 34). Here’s a short excerpt:
“Americans are no stranger to sadness. According to Dr. Rav Ivker in his book Cannabis for Chronic Pain, depression in its various forms afflicts about 25 million people in the United States. However, the actual number is estimated to be between 40 and 50 million because 40% of sufferers forgo diagnosis or professional treatment.
The takeaway? Americans have a case of the blues, and the pandemic isn’t helping. Clearly, something needs to be done.
Traditionally, symptoms of depression are treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medications, but not everyone has access to these services – and multiple studies continue to show that for mild to moderate depression, antidepressants work no better than a placebo[1]. In the words of our friend Dr. Rav, “The combination of medication and conventional psychotherapy alone is often not effective without treatment of the body and spirit.”
Whether we define “spirit” in a religious context or simply as a feeling of being alive, there’s no question that it’s particularly important in times of struggle and change to make sure we’re feeding it with one commonly overlooked, but very essential nutrient: Joy.
If you’re one of nearly 500,000 medical cannabis patients in the state of Florida, you’re likely already familiar with cannabis’ potential to uplift the mood and calm the nerves. Of course, cannabis can’t solve life’s challenges all by itself – but used correctly, it has been known to help mitigate symptoms of depression and anxiety while promoting an overall state of wellbeing. In essence, cannabis can’t cure our sadness, but it might give us an edge over our pain to make sure we have a fighting chance.”
Click on the link above to read the full article and support Revive Magazine! You can also check them out on Facebook and Instagram. They provide a wonderful community resource for information, education, networking, gatherings and more!
I hope that wherever you are during these transitional times – be it exploring the internal landscapes of your path forward or venturing out into the very new and emerging world – that you are doing exactly what you need to stay healthy, happy and whole. Take care, cannafriends!
[1] Rav Ivker, Cannabis for Chronic Pain: A Proven Prescription for Using Marijuana to Relieve Your Pain and Heal Your Life (New York: Touchtone, 2017), 272-273.
