This is a guest article from Mach10x, someone I’ve been following on reddit for quite a while. He has a lot of great things to say about responsible and mindful use of cannabis. I think you’ll love it! — Old Hippie

In my travels across the Internet and in my day to day interactions with people, I’ve come to hear often that you should avoid consuming cannabis if you’re stuck in a bad situation or poor state of mind because you need to face those feelings sober. “You shouldn’t use weed as an escape,” they say. I have a somewhat different take on the matter.

I’ve found ways that cannabis can be used constructively rather than destructively when faced with some of life’s inevitable hardships and stresses.

Anyone with at least some experience with regular cannabis use should be at the point where they are no longer stuck on the couch. For those of you that find a lack of motivation to get up and do things such as yard work, dishes, or laundry, you’ll likely find that you really enjoy these chores you normally find boring if you’d only get up and try them while under the effects of cannabis. Now that we have a fun way to deal with boring jobs around the house, we no longer have to stress over the dishes or laundry piling up. Let’s focus on stress that we bring home from work.

At the end of a long week of work or even after a particularly stressful day, a recreational dose of cannabis can be used to escape the stresses that you should no longer be feeling once the work day has ended or the weekend has started. Most jobs, after all, are work, and work entails doing something people wouldn’t normally volunteer to do for free (usually). Even if you’re like many people and you do love your job, working requires a level of commitment to be there even when you’d rather not be, and deal with situations you would rather avoid sometimes, however you’re paid to be there no matter how difficult the situation may be.

Context Is Everything

Cannabis, when used in doses high enough to be considered recreational, can be used to help you switch from “job mode” to “relaxation mode”. It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with relaxing and enjoying your life. When you’re not at work, you should not feel guilty that you’re leaving it behind. In fact, one of the ways that cannabis can be most destructive is simply based on how you view it. You could convince yourself that by using cannabis to get away from your job, you’re going down a dark path. Instead, the next time you light a bowl, hit your vaporizer, or take an edible after a stressful day at work try this, once you’re feeling it: Stop and think about your stressful day at work, think about and be proud of yourself for how you handled it, then think about how long it is until you work again and tell yourself how awesome you’re going to do then. Then commit yourself to mentally let go of that stress and focus on the fact that this time is yours to do whatever you want or need to do, enjoy the simplicity of doing the dishes, let your mind wander as you scrub them. Live in the moment.

Avoiding your problems that need to be dealt with can be bad for your relationships, family, self, finances, and mental health; cannabis certainly can be used in this way. However, with the right approach and mental state, it can also be used to face your problems and burdens head on. Difficult issues can sometimes be too painful to think about and easier to just avoid. Using cannabis can certainly make it even easier to avoid, however, if you commit yourself to confront your issues while under its effects, you may find that you can make more level-headed decisions and gain the ability to view situations in new and novel ways.

I can also see how cannabis can be used to hide from emotions that need to be dealt with such as grief, jealousy, or even contempt. I’ve found that the same applies in this situation as well. I’ve found that I have been more successful at resolving a greater variety of relationship issues under the somewhat psychedelic effects of cannabis than I have normally. I find that it allows me to distance myself from my impulsive emotions and choose the embrace my more positive ones. When both my fiancée and I use it, we’re able to accept critical advice more openly without tempers flaring due to feeling insecure, or feeling as if we’re being attacked by each other. Just a calm, genuine discussion about issues that are normally too difficult to talk about.

Mach10X is a 30-something working in the field of information technology. He currently lives on the Gulf Coast with his lovely fiancée and family of various critters. In his spare time he enjoys dabbling in wide variety of both video games and scientific research. He is a strong advocate for the advancement of science, reason, and cannabis.

http://www.reddit.com/user/Mach10X/