It’s a shame that it’s considered NOT ENOUGH that the current evidence is limited to anecdotal experiences, case reports, and observational studies, to support cannabis use to manage and/or treat C-PTSD/PTSD.
I started using cannabis regularly in my mid 30s because (1) that’s when I started having easy access and education to be able to form an experience opinion. My previous experiences with weed were here and there. I never really smoked in high school because my brother was the drug lord of our town and I didn’t want to associate with that and also I was just generally worried about doing drugs. Drugs legit scared me (still do, tbh). When my friends started smoking weed and doing cocaine [etc.] I made some social choices to either not hang or to abuse alcohol instead. In my 20s, I didn’t really have any friends who smoked [regularly enough for it to be a part of my life]. I drank. I managed myself with alcohol and caffeine because that’s what I had access to.
I noticed that smoking a little at night helped get better quality sleep for longer. I smoked at night regularly enough for it to reset my sleeping habits. It also made me less dependent on alcohol for sleep. I smoked recreationally but sporadically [maybe a couple times a week]. I also started experimenting with edibles and I got a good idea of how each would affect me. I believe it gave me the ability to get out of a constant state of depression and fight or flight. I think it helped me calm and become aware of my nervous system. I felt allowed to think about things. After a couple of years I felt able to connect with my body and be aware that it is a thing I have and should maintain and care about deeply.
Folks with C-PTSD/PTSD, from my current understanding, can have trouble accessing parts of their body and brain because of dissociation due to the traumatic event(s) that have happened. They’re unable to become aware there is even a THING like that happening because of how intensely the brain is protecting us. Folks who have been dissociated since childhood [or infancy] have an especially hard time [especially] because of the length of time they are dissociated. The nature of the trauma is also a thing, I am to understand. The deeper I go into special therapy for children of narcissistic parents and for childhood sexual abuse, the more I understand why I shouldn’t just judge myself for being a "stoner" OR for using alt meds, in general.
I blame weed for the good 8-10 hours of sleep I get at night [aside from an occasional week or two of insomnia that I can always lead back to stress] and for being able to practice yoga for 5+ years now. There are still parts of my mind and my body I am finding that I’m learning ‘regular’ people have access to.
My relationship to cannabis has become so important to me that I started making dosable liquid versions to help medicate and coach my friends and family based on my experience, research and the sought out education I’ve retained over the last five years.
Cut to today… I can connect with my body without cannabis and I appreciate that that is a skill that I now have. It’s not consistent, there are a lot of times that I do need to consume to a certain level to get there and I think that’s just the nature of being a person with C-PTSD.
The practice of using cannabis regularly whether medicinally or recreationally has helped me suss out my relationship with alcohol. I am not dependent on it anymore to keep me afloat [alcohol gives me energy… could be because I am an ADHD person]. I slowly titrated from alcohol completely and was met with some interesting challenges that I eventually decided I would like to utilize alcohol for… one of those things being for energy. It also helps the world slow down for me. [shout out to the sober community for shunning me and shaming me for being an alcohol-free but still using cannabis. That’s sarcasm. I’ve very aware I’m not welcome in your club.]