I’d say coincidentally I had something of mine published recently but it was written anonymously so pointing it out is sort of defeating the point but coincidentally also the full body pain (although I’m, uh… an amount older than Joyce is)
(I’ve been tempted to learn how to smoke a weed but I also don’t want to especially when minorities are still in prison just for possessing it when whypipo sell and consume by the truckloads)
I’m not interested in smoking, but I have been curious about edibles. Haven’t tried them, though, even though I do actually have one in my possession from some candies my brother sent to my dad. (Which was…what…)
If this is your first time trying weed, only take a half of that candy, or even quarter.
Trust me, half a gummy ( 3 mg THC 0.5 CBD ) was enough to drive me totally ECSTATIC on my first time! And I loved every second of it! ??
BarerMender
I was given a brownie one time, and since I was told to be careful, it was strong, I ate half. It got on top of me. I wanted to run downstairs and go screaming through the streets. And I was naked at the time. It took all my self-control to sit through it. For two or three hours.
I was similarly given a brownie in college once and all it did was wipe away a halfway decent buzz I had going and leave me stone cold sober. Or maybe that was just my ludicrous bumblebee metabolism of the time burning everything off. Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Never felt any need to repeat the experiment, tbh.
Autogatos
It definitely affects different people differently! I know lots of people who enjoy it, including folks with chronic pain or other issues who swears by it for helping their symptoms.
Unfortunately it does NOT agree with me. I’ve tried it multiple times, in multiple forms, various strains and thc to cbc ratios, and I just found the experience really unpleasant each time. It also wasn’t super effective for my chronic pain. It changed how I perceive pain, felt sort of cold instead of achey, but still uncomfortable, like the hurt you get when you hold an ice cube too long.
Brain and body chemistry are fascinating and different people react differently to different substances. So I am all for people safely trying it, but yeah it’s definitely not for everyone unfortunately.
Autogatos
Ah to be more specific for those curious: basically I have an overactive brain that tends to tunnel/obsess on thoughts (probably have adhd, and ocd, just got tested recently and still waiting for results) and I found weed turned they tendency up to 11. It was horrible. I was stressed and exhausted. It was like my brain was on overdrive and felt scratchy and sharp and I could not get it to relax.
Yet I know others for whom it helps anxiety or who feel really relaxed on it. It’s bizarre how varied experiences can be.
I have also tried cbd heavier strains because I’ve heard that might be better with anxiety but those just made me frustratingly fatigued.
I couldn’t do ANYTHING and I hated that too.
I just don’t like any substance that messes with my brain too much because I seem to be super sensitive to stuff like that. I used to enjoy alcohol in college but don’t drink at all anymore because that just makes me tired and foggy and gives me headaches/nausea even in small amounts.
maarvarq
I’ve tried weed 3 times in various forms, and never noticed any effect on any occasion.
skeptible
My mileage varied as well. I got chocolate edibles. I ate half a square. When I got bored waiting for something to happen, I ate another half. When I got bored again I ate a third half. Not long after that I felt falling-down drunk (I sat, did not fall) for a couple of minutes. After that I sobered up most of the way. I have not purchased any further edibles.
Fay
Honestly, one of the biggest perks of weed being legalized is I’ve heard a lot less “first time taking an edible” horror stories from store-bought edibles than homemade ones.
Personally, I had the classic experience of “ate a little, didn’t feel much, ate a bit more, 30 minutes later I had lost all concept of time and almost took a nap on the drinks table at my high school senior prom”.
Fay
To clarify, the edibles I took were homemade. Also my friend had to leave them in their car for almost a week so I also think they may have given me food poisoning on top of that.
TallPacked
Edibles simply do not work on me. Perhaps I have too much of a build up already
the jighole man
as someone who does not do well with meds of any sort, i can say that marijuana has had a positive impact on my wellbeing.
Sleep: i used to sleep 4 hours a night, then be up 10 hours, then sleep 4 hours
Sleeping pills/allergy pills: don’t wear off fast enough, effect lasts all night, and most of the next day (what’s the point of sleeping pills if im still tired all day tomorrow?)
Weed(indica): knocks me out and has me out cold all night. wears off before i wake up, even if i vaped (dry herb vape) way too much, it wears off by the time i wake up. also, i went from sleeping 4 hours a night to 10 hours straight.
Nausea: i wake up nauseous every morning, and can’t eat for several hours (sometimes all day)
anti-nausea pills: either don’t work, or make me drowsy like sleeping pills.
weed: nausea is gone within a few minutes of taking it, and stays gone all day, and i can actually eat now.
Stress: i basically used to worry all day, and was so anxious that my boyfriend was sure i would die from it one of these days.
Psychiatric meds: almost killed me in several ways (suicidal, not eating for a week straight, anger to the point of almost committing violence, and nightmares so bad i wanted to die)
Weed: i can actually enjoy things now, and laugh at things.
Rose by Any Other Name
My wife and I vaped weed for the first time recently. Legally, as well, I am given to understand. We did so under the supervision of some more experienced friends.
I initially felt no effects. After an hour, they gave me a second dose. Still nothing. We didn’t want to risk more, so we gave up and went to bed.
And, for the first time in my life, I dreamt in color.
Fun Fact: I have a minor disability in that I cannot picture things in my mind. I can imagine things, but I imagine them without any mental image (or, at best, a very sketchy black-and-white outline sort of thing). This is, incidentally, one reason why I have always had trouble with visual arts where I had to create an image from scratch but I excel at visual arts when I have a template (example – I cannot draw/paint a picture of a house, but I can paint a model of a house to a great degree of realism).
Also incidentally, my imagination also tends to be more tactile – I can imagine sensations or sounds far more readily than images.
Anyway, somehow, for some reason, the weed vapor bypassed whatever it is in my brain that caused this and unlocked images. For that one night, my mind could produce vivid images in color, and I had some of the most visual dreams of my life.
It didn’t last. The next night, my brain was back to normal. But it was a wonderful and unique experience that I treasure. The friends who watched out for us found all this fascinating and one has offered to provide edibles (again, in careful, small amounts) at some point in the future.
I very much look forward to seeing if it will have the same effect again, and if I can try to ‘picture things’ while I am awake now that I know to try.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this Rose! Very much appreciated! ?
That inability to picture things in your head is actually a very well known thing at this point. It’s a neurodivergent stripe called aphantasia, and it happens to more people than you think.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear that weed allowed you to break past a neurological barrier that had affected you for years now! It must have been a WONDERFUL experience, and I wish you the very best in exploring a whole new world this substance unlocked for you! ???
That story reminds me of the movie “Pleasantville.”
brionl
Yes, smoking is bad for you, no matter what you’re smoking. Dr. Timothy Leary recommends against *smoking* marijuana.
GeekyWarrior
The store gummies are pretty safe. Usually they’re 5mg where as the medicinal ones are 10mg. Just take one, wait 30 minutes and take a 2nd if you want to. I mellow out for sure, nothing else besides that.
I use cannabis for pain and anxiety management. My lungs can’t tolerate smoking, so I started with edibles but those are VERY hard to dose. I switched to RSO or CO2 oil and those have done well for me. Start with an amount half the size of a grain of rice. I put mine on a chocolate chip and melt it under my tongue. Doesn’t really help with the taste, but it’s the method that’s worked the best for me.
o3o I mean I’ll be honest, almost all my friends, white, black or otherwise smoke weed and none of them are in jail or have been jailed for it. (Including my mom a few times). Like if you don’t wanna smoke, don’t smoke for sure but I definitely feel like you shouldn’t let incarceration rates stop you. Otherwise you might also not want to drive a car or walk down the street or exist.
I don’t ever wanna be high. Or drunk. Just a personal preference to always be 100% in control of myself at all times. The idea of being under the influence of something makes me squirm.
StClair
Same. I’ve gotten myself in enough trouble while sober.
(In theory it might help me a little with my anxiety(s)… but then I think of all the bad decisions I might make while under the influence, and that makes me more anxious.)
If you wanna see if it works for something as valid as your anxiety but still worried about making bad decisions that much, why not ask a friend to be your Trip Sitter?
Speaking yes from experience, consider getting some sort of edible that has the relevant ingredients evenly distributed, and eating half of it shortly before going to bed.
I find this breaks PTSD nightmare chains with almost shocking rates of success.
Human, you’re ALWAYS under the influence of something.
And I’ll say, it’s much better to be under the influence of weed than like 100 other things. The main baddies that come to mind are stress, physical pain, and indoctrination.
StClair
Well, since you pushed the issue:
I also don’t like the smell, or the tendency I’ve observed for those who do indulge to take every opportunity to bring it up.
I mean, my own chief addictions/drugs of choice are sugar and caffeine, but I’m not constantly talking about them, promoting them to strangers, or putting them in my screenname, avatar, etc – all of which I’ve seen countless times over the years from people who seem to have made their marijuana use a major part of their very identity.
StClair
[xX_knitlord_Xx] HAVE I TOLD EVERYONE HERE I LOVE KNITTING I’M A TOTAL KNIT FIEND GOT ME SOME NEW PRIMO YARN YESTERDAY 100% WOOL SO AMAZE
Well, much like those who fight for climate change, those who take it to THAT level shouldn’t really be used to represent the whole of those who consume it and advocate for its usage, nor be used to evaluate the validity of the activism surrounding it.
The hard truth is that the cannabis (and the non-psychoactive hemp lumped in with it) was banned in the first place because of bigots that really didn’t have out best interests at hand. Combine that with the fact that this substance literally saved the lives of many of its users (myself included), of course that would encourage many people to dedicate themselves to the cause with varying degrees of passion.
Taffy
I’m with ya there, StClair. Weed People™ tend to make it really unapproachable as a conversation topic or potential interest. Sorta like the Kingdom Hearts fandom.
Kimi
I understand not liking the smell. It would be nice if they can work on breeding that out (or make it better smelling) without reducing the potency.
As for people who constantly bring it up, while there are some that are exactly like you describe, for others it can be more complicated. I have a family member who has constant pain issues, and cannabis is basically one of the only things that helps. For people like that and others that have medical issues that are soothed by it, I can understand them recommending it to people to help them as well. Especially if that person was talking about having similar medical issues. I think people generally are trying to be helpful in those cases. As for the others that you mentioned, you tend to find that even with other things people tend to pressure you to join in. Coffee doesn’t agree with me, but the amount of times people have pressured me to drink it, or forget and add it into something without telling me, is surprising. I have also personally witnessed and heard stories about people pressuring others to drink alcohol with them. I have even heard stories about how in some cases it is related to work culture and some don’t like doing business with those that won’t drink with them (even if it is an after work fun time). I know part of it is that people claim that drinking “helps you relax and let loose”, but the peer pressure to do it is really something else. Maybe people just need to learn how to have fun and relax without the use of alcohol or other substances? Since there is always a “drive” for conformity, I have a feeling that some pressure will always be there no matter how much progress is made about accepting those that don’t want to partake.
khn0
The Wellermann:
“much like those who fight for climate change”
Until then I was mildly annoyed, bc THC isn’t for everyone and I got a friend who got severe paranoïa bc of overusing it (yes, overuse, what is not what you were advocating -in the same time for the euros here, the THC level in weed here has skyrocketd and is nothing like what it was back when my friend got this – hence “mildly” annoyed), but also I cant wrap my head around what you’re trying to say with this comparison…
X
For every one person you know who is That Stoner, you know five others that just don’t tell you they use it at all because of your obvious distaste and stereotyping, and they don’t want you to think they’re like that. There’s a common misconception by non-users that people who advertise it heavily are somehow representative of the entire group but actually most users look and act like everybody else you know and are mostly indistinguishable. I know this, as the person who had never used it when I moved to a city where it’s extremely common, met tons of “normal” people who never talked about it, and then finally one of them broke out a vape for me after admitting I use it. Now I am a semi regular user, using products that don’t smell, I don’t talk about it until other people do, and I don’t suddenly go around with a leaf on all my clothes.
I have a brother-in-law who rags on weed and stoners every time we see him and I can reassure you that I find it every bit as repellent as you find the hobby-stoners.
Also – there absolutely are “xx_knitlord_xx” types all over the internet for all kinds of hobbies, people who plaster cats over everything and put them in all their avatars, people who post nonstop travel pics on their gram, people who find a way to bring every conversation back to the video games they’ve been playing lately and wear graphic tees with Zelda on them. It’s just that people using weed particularly stand out to you due to pre-existing cognitive biases.
Most of the people I’ve met in the game/tech industry around here get high at least a couple times a month. A lot of them have big, clean houses, Teslas, skilled hobbies, and treat weed the same way people treat drinking or smoking, and if somebody doesn’t do it they have as equal a chance of being a dick about it as someone who drinks has of doing so. Turns out when it’s legal, people just act like people about it, and there’s a huge spectrum of what that looks like.
Not to draw any conclusions about you because I don’t know you, but a lot of people who were raised in small towns or red states have these preconceptions and never manage to shake them. That was my deal before I started using it.
Just an alternative perspective.
StClair
Climate change doesn’t need anyone to fight for it at this point, it’s doing quite well on its own. 😛
Autogatos
Yeah tbh there’s “it’s my entire personality” folks in EVERY interest. (Saying this as someone who has maybe made liking cats my entire personality *cough*)
Tbh I know plenty of quiet users too. And for folks with chronic pain, I can understand them wanting to talk about it all the time. I have chronic pain and if weed helped mine, I’d probably be kind of obsessive about it too. I discovered a tomato soup recipe that helped a lot of my chronic illness symptoms and I spent a week talking about that soup. Because anything that helps chronic symptoms makes one pretty excited.
Taffy
Sure, there can absolutely be Problem People in any fandom/hobby, and I think everyone here knows that. But when those are the loudest ones, they by default are the ones most people are going to associate with something, and I don’t think we can hold it against anyone for being turned away.
demonmonkey89
Yeah, I understand that feeling. I barely trust myself sober, I will not trust myself under the influence of something. Plus for alcohol I’ve only got 1 kidney (I know it mostly hurts the liver but it isn’t kind to kidneys either) and smoking anything is a bad idea for my asthma. Edibles are definitely an option and I’ve considered them, but it still comes back to the whole trusting myself thing. It’s not even necessarily a control thing lol, I’ve got ADHD and am maybe in full control 50% of the time (ok probably an overstatement. I can control myself decently well as long as I am not trying to make myself focus. That’s where things get sketchy).
If you’re still curious about them, as with any substance it’s always good to start with lower doses to see how it affects you.
Also (I speak from experience) it’s a totally normal and OK thing to do to get a friend to look after you while you’re on something new.
Rose by Any Other Name
@Yotomoe When it comes to alcohol, I’m right there with you. I have never been drunk, and I have never seen the appeal of being so.
That said, I do enjoy alcohol – one drink in the evening can be very relaxing and help me get to sleep. Like the polar opposite of having a glass of iced tea or coffee in the morning to help wake up.
I’m very much this with alcohol too, albeit much less frequently.
Those who use cannabis in a similar way take CBD without the major psychoactive effects of THC to help them get to sleep. It very much works too, and MUCH less bodily strain than alcohol I might add!
Nazmazh
100% with you there, Yoto. I don’t have any problem with anyone who chooses to partake, but it’s definitely not for me. I worry too much about not being control of my own mind.
I’m tempted to try edibles because if I even get a good whiff of Ganja I get a splitting headache, but it has been suggested over and over that my depression and PTSD could both benefit from some THC. I mean I don’t even get enough from secondhand smoke to get anything, but somehow I get a headache. The working theory is this has something to do with my TBI because before I died I just got stoned from pot, and not even munchies.
We are the minority sir. I found out in the mid 80’s that am mildly allergic to the pollen and resin. Mind, back then I could get some Benadryl OTC and mostly clear up. And how I found oust is a story that wont fit a place like this.
I can get a headache from it too (certain are much worse than others, as some just a slight whiff gets me while others it takes a bit more). I tend to be more sensitive to scents though, as there are perfumes and other stuff that gets me too. Hard to say what is causing it at that point. I do think that some places offer just THC oil, if that helps at all. Headaches are never fun.
Y’know with all my skill…I still long for the day that my art ends up in the physical print of a newspaper. Unfortunately now that I’m out of school I’d have to actually get into a REAL newspaper. Damn…
She has her period. Trust me, they can be this bad. From what I’ve heard, it’s even worse if you only get it every few months, as Joyce apparently does.
It’s not that uncommon, especially for younger people. They tend to even out with age.
Comic.phile
PCOS is one reason, but there are lots of reasons it can happen. I’m just mentioning PCOS because I have it. Longest time between periods (not pregnancy related) for me was 7 months. Technically longer, because then I did get pregnant and didn’t get a period for a lot longer. But basically yeah, I never know when my period is going to happen. It really sucks the first 2-3 days when it does happen though. They’re really rough.
BBCC
Could also be some sort of birth control, if she’s on it for period related reasons (as unlikely as that may be).
@BBCC:
See, I still don’t think that implies anything other than monthly periods of various discomfort levels.
IE, that it’s been three months since she had one of these bad periods, not three months since she had a period at all.
I said the same on the original strip when people thought it implied she was pregnant.
BBCC
Could be that too, in which case, poor Joyce.
Heavensrun
Either is possible, there’s no point locking onto one hypothesis when two are equally likely.
Periods can definitely cause whole body pain if you have some underlying condition like endometriosis or a connective tissue disorder. My periods,
In addition to causing horrible cramps, tend to exacerbate all my chronic joint pain, and I frequently get migraines on them. Finally got an IUD to deal with the symptoms, which did help. I imagine that’d be a tricky hurdle for Joyce to overcome still though!
267 thoughts on “Pain”
Ana Chronistic
I’d say coincidentally I had something of mine published recently but it was written anonymously so pointing it out is sort of defeating the point but coincidentally also the full body pain (although I’m, uh… an amount older than Joyce is)
Ana Chronistic
(I’ve been tempted to learn how to smoke a weed but I also don’t want to especially when minorities are still in prison just for possessing it when whypipo sell and consume by the truckloads)
Yumi
I’m not interested in smoking, but I have been curious about edibles. Haven’t tried them, though, even though I do actually have one in my possession from some candies my brother sent to my dad. (Which was…what…)
The Wellerman
BTW little weed PSA here,
If this is your first time trying weed, only take a half of that candy, or even quarter.
Trust me, half a gummy ( 3 mg THC 0.5 CBD ) was enough to drive me totally ECSTATIC on my first time! And I loved every second of it! ??
BarerMender
I was given a brownie one time, and since I was told to be careful, it was strong, I ate half. It got on top of me. I wanted to run downstairs and go screaming through the streets. And I was naked at the time. It took all my self-control to sit through it. For two or three hours.
Ray Radlein
I was similarly given a brownie in college once and all it did was wipe away a halfway decent buzz I had going and leave me stone cold sober. Or maybe that was just my ludicrous bumblebee metabolism of the time burning everything off. Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Never felt any need to repeat the experiment, tbh.
Autogatos
It definitely affects different people differently! I know lots of people who enjoy it, including folks with chronic pain or other issues who swears by it for helping their symptoms.
Unfortunately it does NOT agree with me. I’ve tried it multiple times, in multiple forms, various strains and thc to cbc ratios, and I just found the experience really unpleasant each time. It also wasn’t super effective for my chronic pain. It changed how I perceive pain, felt sort of cold instead of achey, but still uncomfortable, like the hurt you get when you hold an ice cube too long.
Brain and body chemistry are fascinating and different people react differently to different substances. So I am all for people safely trying it, but yeah it’s definitely not for everyone unfortunately.
Autogatos
Ah to be more specific for those curious: basically I have an overactive brain that tends to tunnel/obsess on thoughts (probably have adhd, and ocd, just got tested recently and still waiting for results) and I found weed turned they tendency up to 11. It was horrible. I was stressed and exhausted. It was like my brain was on overdrive and felt scratchy and sharp and I could not get it to relax.
Yet I know others for whom it helps anxiety or who feel really relaxed on it. It’s bizarre how varied experiences can be.
I have also tried cbd heavier strains because I’ve heard that might be better with anxiety but those just made me frustratingly fatigued.
I couldn’t do ANYTHING and I hated that too.
I just don’t like any substance that messes with my brain too much because I seem to be super sensitive to stuff like that. I used to enjoy alcohol in college but don’t drink at all anymore because that just makes me tired and foggy and gives me headaches/nausea even in small amounts.
maarvarq
I’ve tried weed 3 times in various forms, and never noticed any effect on any occasion.
skeptible
My mileage varied as well. I got chocolate edibles. I ate half a square. When I got bored waiting for something to happen, I ate another half. When I got bored again I ate a third half. Not long after that I felt falling-down drunk (I sat, did not fall) for a couple of minutes. After that I sobered up most of the way. I have not purchased any further edibles.
Fay
Honestly, one of the biggest perks of weed being legalized is I’ve heard a lot less “first time taking an edible” horror stories from store-bought edibles than homemade ones.
Personally, I had the classic experience of “ate a little, didn’t feel much, ate a bit more, 30 minutes later I had lost all concept of time and almost took a nap on the drinks table at my high school senior prom”.
Fay
To clarify, the edibles I took were homemade. Also my friend had to leave them in their car for almost a week so I also think they may have given me food poisoning on top of that.
TallPacked
Edibles simply do not work on me. Perhaps I have too much of a build up already
the jighole man
as someone who does not do well with meds of any sort, i can say that marijuana has had a positive impact on my wellbeing.
Sleep: i used to sleep 4 hours a night, then be up 10 hours, then sleep 4 hours
Sleeping pills/allergy pills: don’t wear off fast enough, effect lasts all night, and most of the next day (what’s the point of sleeping pills if im still tired all day tomorrow?)
Weed(indica): knocks me out and has me out cold all night. wears off before i wake up, even if i vaped (dry herb vape) way too much, it wears off by the time i wake up. also, i went from sleeping 4 hours a night to 10 hours straight.
Nausea: i wake up nauseous every morning, and can’t eat for several hours (sometimes all day)
anti-nausea pills: either don’t work, or make me drowsy like sleeping pills.
weed: nausea is gone within a few minutes of taking it, and stays gone all day, and i can actually eat now.
Stress: i basically used to worry all day, and was so anxious that my boyfriend was sure i would die from it one of these days.
Psychiatric meds: almost killed me in several ways (suicidal, not eating for a week straight, anger to the point of almost committing violence, and nightmares so bad i wanted to die)
Weed: i can actually enjoy things now, and laugh at things.
Rose by Any Other Name
My wife and I vaped weed for the first time recently. Legally, as well, I am given to understand. We did so under the supervision of some more experienced friends.
I initially felt no effects. After an hour, they gave me a second dose. Still nothing. We didn’t want to risk more, so we gave up and went to bed.
And, for the first time in my life, I dreamt in color.
Fun Fact: I have a minor disability in that I cannot picture things in my mind. I can imagine things, but I imagine them without any mental image (or, at best, a very sketchy black-and-white outline sort of thing). This is, incidentally, one reason why I have always had trouble with visual arts where I had to create an image from scratch but I excel at visual arts when I have a template (example – I cannot draw/paint a picture of a house, but I can paint a model of a house to a great degree of realism).
Also incidentally, my imagination also tends to be more tactile – I can imagine sensations or sounds far more readily than images.
Anyway, somehow, for some reason, the weed vapor bypassed whatever it is in my brain that caused this and unlocked images. For that one night, my mind could produce vivid images in color, and I had some of the most visual dreams of my life.
It didn’t last. The next night, my brain was back to normal. But it was a wonderful and unique experience that I treasure. The friends who watched out for us found all this fascinating and one has offered to provide edibles (again, in careful, small amounts) at some point in the future.
I very much look forward to seeing if it will have the same effect again, and if I can try to ‘picture things’ while I am awake now that I know to try.
The Wellerman
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this Rose! Very much appreciated! ?
That inability to picture things in your head is actually a very well known thing at this point. It’s a neurodivergent stripe called aphantasia, and it happens to more people than you think.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear that weed allowed you to break past a neurological barrier that had affected you for years now! It must have been a WONDERFUL experience, and I wish you the very best in exploring a whole new world this substance unlocked for you! ???
*plays “Mysterious Starlit Sky” by Takanori Arisawa on Hacked Muzak*
ButWhyASpoon
That story reminds me of the movie “Pleasantville.”
brionl
Yes, smoking is bad for you, no matter what you’re smoking. Dr. Timothy Leary recommends against *smoking* marijuana.
GeekyWarrior
The store gummies are pretty safe. Usually they’re 5mg where as the medicinal ones are 10mg. Just take one, wait 30 minutes and take a 2nd if you want to. I mellow out for sure, nothing else besides that.
Kendra
I use cannabis for pain and anxiety management. My lungs can’t tolerate smoking, so I started with edibles but those are VERY hard to dose. I switched to RSO or CO2 oil and those have done well for me. Start with an amount half the size of a grain of rice. I put mine on a chocolate chip and melt it under my tongue. Doesn’t really help with the taste, but it’s the method that’s worked the best for me.
The Wellerman
Hey now, edibles are an option too! And a very valid one, I might add! ?
Yotomoe
o3o I mean I’ll be honest, almost all my friends, white, black or otherwise smoke weed and none of them are in jail or have been jailed for it. (Including my mom a few times). Like if you don’t wanna smoke, don’t smoke for sure but I definitely feel like you shouldn’t let incarceration rates stop you. Otherwise you might also not want to drive a car or walk down the street or exist.
The Wellerman
You ever try edibles, Yoto? ?
Yotomoe
I don’t ever wanna be high. Or drunk. Just a personal preference to always be 100% in control of myself at all times. The idea of being under the influence of something makes me squirm.
StClair
Same. I’ve gotten myself in enough trouble while sober.
(In theory it might help me a little with my anxiety(s)… but then I think of all the bad decisions I might make while under the influence, and that makes me more anxious.)
The Wellerman
If you wanna see if it works for something as valid as your anxiety but still worried about making bad decisions that much, why not ask a friend to be your Trip Sitter?
Dara
Speaking yes from experience, consider getting some sort of edible that has the relevant ingredients evenly distributed, and eating half of it shortly before going to bed.
I find this breaks PTSD nightmare chains with almost shocking rates of success.
The Wellerman
Human, you’re ALWAYS under the influence of something.
And I’ll say, it’s much better to be under the influence of weed than like 100 other things. The main baddies that come to mind are stress, physical pain, and indoctrination.
StClair
Well, since you pushed the issue:
I also don’t like the smell, or the tendency I’ve observed for those who do indulge to take every opportunity to bring it up.
I mean, my own chief addictions/drugs of choice are sugar and caffeine, but I’m not constantly talking about them, promoting them to strangers, or putting them in my screenname, avatar, etc – all of which I’ve seen countless times over the years from people who seem to have made their marijuana use a major part of their very identity.
StClair
[xX_knitlord_Xx] HAVE I TOLD EVERYONE HERE I LOVE KNITTING I’M A TOTAL KNIT FIEND GOT ME SOME NEW PRIMO YARN YESTERDAY 100% WOOL SO AMAZE
The Wellerman
Well, much like those who fight for climate change, those who take it to THAT level shouldn’t really be used to represent the whole of those who consume it and advocate for its usage, nor be used to evaluate the validity of the activism surrounding it.
The hard truth is that the cannabis (and the non-psychoactive hemp lumped in with it) was banned in the first place because of bigots that really didn’t have out best interests at hand. Combine that with the fact that this substance literally saved the lives of many of its users (myself included), of course that would encourage many people to dedicate themselves to the cause with varying degrees of passion.
Taffy
I’m with ya there, StClair. Weed People™ tend to make it really unapproachable as a conversation topic or potential interest. Sorta like the Kingdom Hearts fandom.
Kimi
I understand not liking the smell. It would be nice if they can work on breeding that out (or make it better smelling) without reducing the potency.
As for people who constantly bring it up, while there are some that are exactly like you describe, for others it can be more complicated. I have a family member who has constant pain issues, and cannabis is basically one of the only things that helps. For people like that and others that have medical issues that are soothed by it, I can understand them recommending it to people to help them as well. Especially if that person was talking about having similar medical issues. I think people generally are trying to be helpful in those cases. As for the others that you mentioned, you tend to find that even with other things people tend to pressure you to join in. Coffee doesn’t agree with me, but the amount of times people have pressured me to drink it, or forget and add it into something without telling me, is surprising. I have also personally witnessed and heard stories about people pressuring others to drink alcohol with them. I have even heard stories about how in some cases it is related to work culture and some don’t like doing business with those that won’t drink with them (even if it is an after work fun time). I know part of it is that people claim that drinking “helps you relax and let loose”, but the peer pressure to do it is really something else. Maybe people just need to learn how to have fun and relax without the use of alcohol or other substances? Since there is always a “drive” for conformity, I have a feeling that some pressure will always be there no matter how much progress is made about accepting those that don’t want to partake.
khn0
The Wellermann:
“much like those who fight for climate change”
Until then I was mildly annoyed, bc THC isn’t for everyone and I got a friend who got severe paranoïa bc of overusing it (yes, overuse, what is not what you were advocating -in the same time for the euros here, the THC level in weed here has skyrocketd and is nothing like what it was back when my friend got this – hence “mildly” annoyed), but also I cant wrap my head around what you’re trying to say with this comparison…
X
For every one person you know who is That Stoner, you know five others that just don’t tell you they use it at all because of your obvious distaste and stereotyping, and they don’t want you to think they’re like that. There’s a common misconception by non-users that people who advertise it heavily are somehow representative of the entire group but actually most users look and act like everybody else you know and are mostly indistinguishable. I know this, as the person who had never used it when I moved to a city where it’s extremely common, met tons of “normal” people who never talked about it, and then finally one of them broke out a vape for me after admitting I use it. Now I am a semi regular user, using products that don’t smell, I don’t talk about it until other people do, and I don’t suddenly go around with a leaf on all my clothes.
I have a brother-in-law who rags on weed and stoners every time we see him and I can reassure you that I find it every bit as repellent as you find the hobby-stoners.
Also – there absolutely are “xx_knitlord_xx” types all over the internet for all kinds of hobbies, people who plaster cats over everything and put them in all their avatars, people who post nonstop travel pics on their gram, people who find a way to bring every conversation back to the video games they’ve been playing lately and wear graphic tees with Zelda on them. It’s just that people using weed particularly stand out to you due to pre-existing cognitive biases.
Most of the people I’ve met in the game/tech industry around here get high at least a couple times a month. A lot of them have big, clean houses, Teslas, skilled hobbies, and treat weed the same way people treat drinking or smoking, and if somebody doesn’t do it they have as equal a chance of being a dick about it as someone who drinks has of doing so. Turns out when it’s legal, people just act like people about it, and there’s a huge spectrum of what that looks like.
Not to draw any conclusions about you because I don’t know you, but a lot of people who were raised in small towns or red states have these preconceptions and never manage to shake them. That was my deal before I started using it.
Just an alternative perspective.
StClair
Climate change doesn’t need anyone to fight for it at this point, it’s doing quite well on its own. 😛
Autogatos
Yeah tbh there’s “it’s my entire personality” folks in EVERY interest. (Saying this as someone who has maybe made liking cats my entire personality *cough*)
Tbh I know plenty of quiet users too. And for folks with chronic pain, I can understand them wanting to talk about it all the time. I have chronic pain and if weed helped mine, I’d probably be kind of obsessive about it too. I discovered a tomato soup recipe that helped a lot of my chronic illness symptoms and I spent a week talking about that soup. Because anything that helps chronic symptoms makes one pretty excited.
Taffy
Sure, there can absolutely be Problem People in any fandom/hobby, and I think everyone here knows that. But when those are the loudest ones, they by default are the ones most people are going to associate with something, and I don’t think we can hold it against anyone for being turned away.
demonmonkey89
Yeah, I understand that feeling. I barely trust myself sober, I will not trust myself under the influence of something. Plus for alcohol I’ve only got 1 kidney (I know it mostly hurts the liver but it isn’t kind to kidneys either) and smoking anything is a bad idea for my asthma. Edibles are definitely an option and I’ve considered them, but it still comes back to the whole trusting myself thing. It’s not even necessarily a control thing lol, I’ve got ADHD and am maybe in full control 50% of the time (ok probably an overstatement. I can control myself decently well as long as I am not trying to make myself focus. That’s where things get sketchy).
The Wellerman
If you’re still curious about them, as with any substance it’s always good to start with lower doses to see how it affects you.
Also (I speak from experience) it’s a totally normal and OK thing to do to get a friend to look after you while you’re on something new.
Rose by Any Other Name
@Yotomoe When it comes to alcohol, I’m right there with you. I have never been drunk, and I have never seen the appeal of being so.
That said, I do enjoy alcohol – one drink in the evening can be very relaxing and help me get to sleep. Like the polar opposite of having a glass of iced tea or coffee in the morning to help wake up.
The Wellerman
I’m very much this with alcohol too, albeit much less frequently.
Those who use cannabis in a similar way take CBD without the major psychoactive effects of THC to help them get to sleep. It very much works too, and MUCH less bodily strain than alcohol I might add!
Nazmazh
100% with you there, Yoto. I don’t have any problem with anyone who chooses to partake, but it’s definitely not for me. I worry too much about not being control of my own mind.
Z
I’ve been assured that given my health issues I’ll probably end up dependent if I ever try mary Jane so I’m not willing to until it’s super legal.
Opus the Poet
I’m tempted to try edibles because if I even get a good whiff of Ganja I get a splitting headache, but it has been suggested over and over that my depression and PTSD could both benefit from some THC. I mean I don’t even get enough from secondhand smoke to get anything, but somehow I get a headache. The working theory is this has something to do with my TBI because before I died I just got stoned from pot, and not even munchies.
Keith
We are the minority sir. I found out in the mid 80’s that am mildly allergic to the pollen and resin. Mind, back then I could get some Benadryl OTC and mostly clear up. And how I found oust is a story that wont fit a place like this.
Kimi
I can get a headache from it too (certain are much worse than others, as some just a slight whiff gets me while others it takes a bit more). I tend to be more sensitive to scents though, as there are perfumes and other stuff that gets me too. Hard to say what is causing it at that point. I do think that some places offer just THC oil, if that helps at all. Headaches are never fun.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Sarah, even now, something on my computer/online doesn’t hit the same as a physical thing in my hands.
Yotomoe
IT’S NOT AUTHENTIC, SARAH.
Yumi
Oof, poor Joyce.
Yotomoe
Y’know with all my skill…I still long for the day that my art ends up in the physical print of a newspaper. Unfortunately now that I’m out of school I’d have to actually get into a REAL newspaper. Damn…
Jamie
Any specific reason it has to be a newspaper and not, say, a book?
Yotomoe
😛 A book seems like a lot more work, both on part of me the author and the consumer.
Jamie
Yeah, that’s a good reason.
crow
Zine!!!
Andy
Is there any reason for Joyce to be in this much pain? I’m wondering if the entire floor is about to come down with some terrible flu.
Thag Simmons
I do not think we will be getting a Pandemic plotline.
drs
Dying of Age
Taffy
I don’t think we’re gonna see that far into their lives, either.
Thag Simmons
Has anyone in the cast constructed a miraculous structure and in the process driven a stake into the heart of the earth recently?
BBCC
She has her period. Trust me, they can be this bad. From what I’ve heard, it’s even worse if you only get it every few months, as Joyce apparently does.
Marvelman
Every few months? How is that possible?
CallynD
It’s not that uncommon, especially for younger people. They tend to even out with age.
Comic.phile
PCOS is one reason, but there are lots of reasons it can happen. I’m just mentioning PCOS because I have it. Longest time between periods (not pregnancy related) for me was 7 months. Technically longer, because then I did get pregnant and didn’t get a period for a lot longer. But basically yeah, I never know when my period is going to happen. It really sucks the first 2-3 days when it does happen though. They’re really rough.
BBCC
Could also be some sort of birth control, if she’s on it for period related reasons (as unlikely as that may be).
Rose by Any Other Name
@BBCC:
See, I still don’t think that implies anything other than monthly periods of various discomfort levels.
IE, that it’s been three months since she had one of these bad periods, not three months since she had a period at all.
I said the same on the original strip when people thought it implied she was pregnant.
BBCC
Could be that too, in which case, poor Joyce.
Heavensrun
Either is possible, there’s no point locking onto one hypothesis when two are equally likely.
huehuetotl
It’s implied to be period related. https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-12/03-trial-and-sarah/ferbid/
Andy
What. Who are you. Why are you wearing my name.
Proxiehunter
Endometriosis.
Agemegos
It will take seven years for her to get a diagnosis. 🙁
Autogatos
Periods can definitely cause whole body pain if you have some underlying condition like endometriosis or a connective tissue disorder. My periods,
In addition to causing horrible cramps, tend to exacerbate all my chronic joint pain, and I frequently get migraines on them. Finally got an IUD to deal with the symptoms, which did help. I imagine that’d be a tricky hurdle for Joyce to overcome still though!
The Wellerman
OOOO!!! POOR BABY!!!! ?
If there’s any one character there who could DEFINITELY use some weed right now, it’s Joyce.
Even if this illness persists long enough, hopefully weed will become legal in Indiana by then.
Speaking of which…
? Happy 4/20 everyone!!!
*plays “Deep Jungle Walk” by Astrix on Hacked Muzak*
RassilonTDavros