Cannabis has a lot of mental health benefits. But key to nailing what weed you should take to elevate your mood is understanding the various strains. If you're having trouble, read our guide to what strain you should use for whatever mood you're in.
People use cannabis for a variety of reasons, ranging from reducing anxiety, to relieving pain or just a good time, but understanding what strain you should use is the key to getting the result you're looking for.
The fight to have cannabis legalized has been, and is indeed continuing to be a long one, but it is producing more and more research every day on the benefits of using cannabis. The cannabidiol (CBD) chemical contained in cannabis impacts the brain, making it function better and offering a wealth of medical benefits, including relieving chronic pain, improving lung capacity, and helping to lose weight.
However, it also has a lot of mental health benefits. But key to nailing what weed you should take to elevate your mood is understanding the various strains. If you're having trouble, read our guide to what strain you should use for whatever mood you're in.
Anxiety
Getting the right strain of cannabis can be a matter of trial and error. Some strains are known to worsen anxiety when the intention was the exact opposite. You will need to find a strain that has the correct CBD to THC ratio. THC or (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD are the two main active compounds in cannabis, with a difference: THC is psychoactive, meaning that it will cause the "high" associated with cannabis including the anxiety and paranoia that some people can get.
If you're feeling anxious and you're shopping around for strains, aim for a high CBD strain, which might lessen the "high" experience and anxiety that comes with it and will focus on making you relax and lessen stress, especially when combined with therapy.
The next step in choosing your strain is looking at the available terpenes. These are the chemical elements of the strain that make some effects of the strain more potent, resulting in different effects.
The Harlequin strain offers a relaxed and euphoric feeling with its balanced CBD/THC ratio and myrcene and BCP-dominant terpenes.
Sex
Sexual experiences can also be positively affected with the correct strain. The first reason of which would be due to anxiety. As explored above, there are strains you can use to lower your anxiety if you're struggling, but in addition there are strains that can help with sex. It will also relax you and promote feelings of wellbeing.
The best strains for sex are ones with an equal ratio of CBD to THC or are CBD-heavy. But to understand what strain you need will require understanding what you want to improve in sex. A lack of interest in sex, the inability to get excited, pain during intercourse and a delay or outright no orgasm, can all be side effects of your mental state.
The best terpenes for sex would be linalool, pinene, limonene and beta-caryophyllene (BCP), which all aid in relieving stress, easing anxiety, and lifting depression.
The Cannatonic strain is low in THC that was made as a hybrid of others, making for the perfect cocktail of relaxation with its myrcene-dominant terpene.
Depression
Anyone feeling long-term depression, or paying attention to talk of mental health, will have heard of serotonin. Serotonin in the brain plays a key part in mood and behavior, as well as sleep, appetite, and more. The link between serotonin and depression is still being researched, but some research has suggested that a boost to your serotonin can improve your mood, if even temporarily.
While CBD doesn't boost serotonin, necessarily, but it might aid the receptors in your brain to respond to the serotonin that's there. This makes for a great combination when paired with other serotonin-inducing activities like exercise, a healthy diet, and other productive activities.
Like anxiety, it's the CBD really doing all the work here, but if you're looking for a little buzz to lift your spirits, a low level of THC won't negatively affect your mood.
Terpenes you should look into if you're experiencing depression include linalool, pinene, limonene and BCP.
Ringo's Gift is a good option made up of these two elements. It is a mellow strain that is low in THC with limonene and BCP. It is described as invoking a feeling of creative energy with a euphoric sensation.
There are a lot of strains out there, with mostly universal effects, but understanding which one will affect you best will come down to a matter of trial and error. Take a look at guides online to understand the chemical makeup of these strains and what they can help you with beyond your mood.
Updated by A Bree
