PTSD, Exercise and Weed

[Creeperpark]

When I look back in the past or forward in time, I leave what’s real and go into mental imagination. I slip into the unconscious state and that’s where most of my problems come from because I have millions of imaginations of what could happen in the future. When I spend much time in the future or past I feel heavy emotions that weigh me down. I’m 100% powerless over what happened to me in the past and spending time there causes me suffering. I have found that’s the biggest waste of time is to think that things should be different than they are in the present moment when they can’t different. . There can be peace in the present moment when there’s acceptance in the present moment being just the way is and working from there. I don’t have to change the Universe I only need to change the way I Look at things to find peace. It's up to me and not the world to find my peace.

 

[Creeperpark]

What problems can the unconscious mind cause and how does the unconscious mind affect thoughts?

According to Freud, thoughts and emotions outside of our awareness continue to exert an influence on our behaviors, even though we are unaware (unconscious) of these underlying influences. The unconscious can include repressed feelings, hidden memories, habits, thoughts, desires, and reactions. Google

 

[Creeperpark]

Having PTSD I have to watch my mind because when I don't watch it, I drift into areas of delusions. Thinking things are going to fall apart or thinking someone is being hurtful when it's just not true.. Delusions can grow because the feelings magnify their importance. It was easy for me to get caught up in something for several days before it faded out. After the fade, I felt kind of lost and stupid for thinking such stupid stuff. It used to be for days, now it only lasts a few minutes when I'm conscious and present.

 

[Creeperpark]

Feed the mind if you have PTSD or depression daily when there's peace. Anything that has a positive or spiritual bit of wisdom in it is food for the mind. I'll end this with a quote from a super guy.

You are where you are and what you are because of what's gone into your mind!
You can change where are and what you are by changing what goes into your mind.
Zig Ziglar.

Good luck

 

[Creeperpark]

I'm just checking in to say I'm still exercising and doing night rides on my bicycle. I get a lot more tired than I used to but I'm keeping on, keeping on. Quitters never win and winners never quit.

 

[H e d g e]

Hi creeperpark, thanks for all the hope and positive vibes you’ve shared here. It’s made me a bit emotional reading it which is a good thing.

I used exercise weed and work for many years until my body completely shut down. Couldn’t eat without extreme pain or sleep without getting stuck in REM and waking up exhausted.
Some weeds are in a different league in terms of relief but most are stupefying and demotivating offering little in the way of symptom relief.
I was treading water and slipping under.

What changed things around for me was discovering that ptsd is just one of many symptoms of clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CED).

It’s a systematic malfunction that requires a multi pronged approach, there’s a cyclical relationship between the endocannabinoid system and the microbiome, both need to be supported at the same time in order to recover, as well as maintaining a 1:1 ratio of omega 3 and 6 in your diet.

I agree that exercise can help but not necessarily if your not feeling up to it, although it does up-regulate the ECS when the time is right, if you force yourself when not feeling it then it can actually down-regulate the ECS. This is why it’s so helpful to use cannabis before exercising or eating as it takes your body out of fight/flight/freeze back into homeostasis.
A recent winner of the Tour de France was instructed by his trainer to only exercise when he felt motivated to, I think it’s important to listen to your body, I definitely overdid it.

The combination of exercise and focus is also important, it’s why yoga is so helpful.
I saw a study where all the subjects were asked to exercise a particular muscle but half were also asked to focus on the muscle they were exercising.
The latter group grew muscle mass quicker because the combination of focus and exercise up-regulates the ECS more that exercise alone, which speeds up recovery times between exercise allowing for increased muscle gain vs the group without focus.

All of this and my dogs are why I’m still here.

Best wishes to you and anyone else living with this.

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

So in a nutshell - wake and bake on some 'Energetic' 'erb or hash - get physical - walk - run - go to the gym - pool - do press-ups - squats - and pull-ups at the least - every other day - take a yoga and/or aerobics class - can do in the pool too - aqua aerobics - drink lots of raw fruit and vegetable shakes with Kefir and good Greek yogurt - look at the Keto diet and intermittent fasting - if you want to lose weight - but not muscle mass -

- turn anger into endorphins via exercise - it's a great buzz -

 

[H e d g e]

Cannabinoids both phyto and endo via a combination of exercise and focus.

Cannabinoid re uptake inhibitors (guineesine in black pepper which also contains loads of bcp.)

Probiotics (kefir/kombucha, if raw milk is used it also contains bio available cb1 agonists).

Prebiotics (banana, potato that’s been allowed to cool after cooking/before re heating, alliums ect.)

Omega 3, it’s unlikely you’ll get to a 1:1 ratio with omega 6 so just get it when you can and try to avoid 6 which is in everything, particularly veg oils.

And music (tech trance)
.

 

[H e d g e]

if you want to lose weight - but not muscle mass

Try sea buckthorn, it’s got loads of omega 7 which is pretty rare in nature. It’s changes the way your body stores/disposes of excess calories. I suspect this is probably a result of ecs up regulation but I’ve not found any related studies yet.

 

[RobFromTX]

So in a nutshell - wake and bake on some 'Energetic' 'erb or hash - get physical - walk - run - go to the gym - pool - do press-ups - squats - and pull-ups at the least - every other day - take a yoga and/or aerobics class - can do in the pool too - aqua aerobics - drink lots of raw fruit and vegetable shakes with Kefir and good Greek yogurt - look at the Keto diet and intermittent fasting - if you want to lose weight - but not muscle mass -

- turn anger into endorphins via exercise - it's a great buzz -

So true You have to stay on the move to fight anxiety. I work a night shift and still force myself to get out and walk eight miles a week to get plenty of sunshine and endorphins

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

So true You have to stay on the move to fight anxiety. I work a night shift and still force myself to get out and walk eight miles a week to get plenty of sunshine and endorphins

- just staying mobile - on your feet - for at least a few hours of the day - is very good for us - most people sit for waaay too long in static positions - with bad posture - not exercising or stretching - eating waaay too much - and the body suffers accordingly - it gets fat - and atrophies - then gets VERY painful - as it all falls apart - it's not easy to have a strong mind - without a strong body to back it up - the two are inextricably linked -

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

We do have some power over our own destiny - over our own bodies and brains - to try and get them both running well together - so that we can function optimally - it's just something that has to take total priority in your life - if it is ever to be accomplished - and once you do attain that good physical/mental balance - it still takes a lifetime of maintenance work - to keep it that way -

 

[MountainBudz]

The best therapy I know for dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression is to get outdoors and exercise. Walk the dogs, jogging, riding bikes are a big part of my life.
I don't listen to the little voice that gives me excuses why I shouldn't exercise. I just go and I'm always glad I did when I finish. I load up my vape and get moving outdoors. "Cold or Hot" I get out and ride my bike every day and 3 big rides a week. I walk my dogs and still jog and it helps sooo much. I'm over 65, but I don't let that stop me because it's the only treatment or therapy that works for my depression and PTSD. Take a few hits, and hit the road, one eye or not.
Does anyone else want to share how exercise has helped you?
Here are my rides.

Awesome! I'm glad you found a way to cope. I also suffer from severe PTSD and use exercise as a tool. It's honestly the most effective tool in my arsenal aside from growing the dank... Used to love to ride mountain bikes. I live in Eastern KY in the Appalachian Mountains so I have endless beautiful trails and roads to ride on. I need to get back into it. Always loved riding in the fall the best and the scenery is to die for. I personally use bodybuilding as my escape and keep goals set to ignite my drive. I have came a long way so far. Regardless of how shitty I feel or what life throws at me as soon as I leave that gym I feel like a million bucks every single time. The hardest part sometimes is just getting myself to go and walk in to get started... even though I know that I will leave feeling euphoric, its still hard to get myself in gear and get going.

Guerilla growing used to be a great escape for me also, I seriously need to get back into that. There was always something interesting and a sense of immense freedom when out in the bush.. I absolutely LOVED it! But growing indoors kinda spoiled me to say the least...

Keep up the good work!

 

[MountainBudz]

Hell yes Bro., that's what it's all about, getting the most out of the weed and the payoff is better health in exchange. Smokers have a much better life when they exercise between smokes. I know what I'm talking about because I smoked for over 30 years. I smoked weed and cigarettes heavily and would be today if it weren't for doing time in prison. When I smoked I still exercised just by the work I did at that time. Smoking is not a good excuse for not exercising. If you smoke you still need to exercise and when you do, you will be glad. .

I absolutely love to toke before a good lifting session... The mind to muscle connection is at its fullest for me and I really get focused and zoned into what I'm doing. It's an amazing combination.

 

[X15]

Our therapy on wheels!

 

[flylowgethigh]

I soaked my little 8 year old buddy’s feet in Epsom Salts yesterday and she loved the way it made her feel. Took away a persistent headache she had too. I was just trying to stop her toes from itching.

I need to roll a fattie and soak in a tub of Mag Sulfate myself.

I quit a bad beer habit a couple years ago and that has made a huge difference in my health and drive. My brain is rediscovering the old me and life has improved. Now about those old bones and aches…

Filter the air going into your grow tent. Stop smoking dust.

 

[St. Phatty]

It's what you do with the Imagination/ Daydream / Delusion that counts.

When I lived in SF, and spent 15 minutes drinking coffee at a store on Market, there was this guy that liked to talk about his Condominium on the Rings of Saturn.

He was either bullshitting or delusional, and I ended up kind of ignorring him.

But I could also have drawn a picture of his delusion. I could have listened to him more and encouraged him to draw a comic strip about his Condominium on the Rings of Saturn.

I could have told him there's nothing wrong with thinking that you have a Condominium on the Rings of Saturn.

But I basically l left as quickly as possible, and never talked with him again.

If I could do it again, I would have been more patient.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I enjoy walking trails in the woods but with the heat this summer it's been hard to get out. The medication I'm on effects thermoregulation, which makes me more susceptible to heat related injuries. Last time I went out I nearly fainted it was so hot, if I didn't have other people with me it wouldn't of been good.

Now onto the PTSD issue, what I hate about it is the hypervigilance part. It feels like something bad is always gonna happen and I'm constantly on the edge of my seat waiting for it. Weed does help but i hate strains that make me paranoid or introspective, thinking on things I'd rather block out.

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

- PTSD is a mind box-canyon that you can get stuck in - by thinking too much and maybe not exercising enough - because exercise for me is therapeutic - and takes my mind off cerebral worries - to concentrate on things physical - like where I'm putting my next step when walking fast - or getting myself from one end of the pool to the other - or trying to do 10 full bodyweight pull-ups - instead of 9 - all these physical challenges take the concentration of the mind as well as the body - to be able to do them properly - without falling over - or falling down - or drowning - lol - so you need to concentrate on things physical - thereby giving your crazy/depressive and other negative thoughts no quarter to fester in your own brain - for the time that you have to be so physically cognizant - during exercise - and after exercise is done - you get a massive endorphine/feel good package - from your own brain - to reward you for the exercise - which leaves me happy and content - and no matter what worries I had before exercise - most seem to have dissipated and/or dont bother me any more - once I am basking in the afterglow of a good physical workout - then a fat spliff makes me even happier -

 

[Nannymouse]

I found that practicing TaiChi, that if my mind started to wander or go around in circles, that i'd tend to lose balance enough that i felt as if i'd tip over. It's about the only form of meditation where ol monkey mind could be caught early. I do feel a need to start practicing that, again.