How do you use pot for PTSD symptoms (like sleep)?

[Scarlet13]

Hello,
I am curious as to how you use pot to manage symptoms of PTSD (in healthy ways). What I mean by this is using skills, like mindfulness and also being in therapy in addition to pot.

I can get a medical marijuana card for PTSD here in my state but wanted to try it out first recreationally (also legal) before going through that process.

I have a hard time tolerating psych meds and took klonopin as prescribed for a few years. The taper was horrible and I do not want to use klonopin now PRN. So I want to use pot in that way.
I am not taking anything right now and just this week had two panic attacks. I have many coping skills for these, but honestly I just want something to help so that it is not just me doing deep breathing and taking magnesium.

I did end up getting a tasteless powder that stirs into things like tea and it has one half cbd and one half thc. It was great. I took only about 1 mg just to see and it was relaxing and felt like a more gentle benzo with out the jittery side effects.
I am going to do it again and try it when I have high anxiety combined with stress management techniques.
So what do you do?
What type of pot works best for sleep and anxiety?
Do you do a low dose nightly or PRN? What is the best way?
I don't want to have to experience pot withdrawals. I have had to withdrawal from over 5 diff prescribed medications and each time it was terrible as I am just sensitive to synthetic drugs.
Do you use an indica strain?
Do you vape it? Or use an edible? It seems you cannot get specific strains with edibles.
I have young children and do not want the pot smell around or to be stoned.

 

[Whereistuffy]

Hi! It's my first time posting on this site :) I regularly use pot for my PTSD. While I take klonopin during the months of my anniversaries, when I feel anxiety creeping in on me on other days, a couple puffs of a joint/vape/bowl does wonders. I have tried many types of Indica weed. I don't know the difference between straings, tbh, but I have found that Alien Kush makes me pretty sleepy! - if you have a weed card and i'd recommend asking the "bud-tender" for Indica that is on the sleepier side - usually they know what they're talking about.

I usually smoke from a joint, bowl, or use my vape, depending on what I have on hand. The vape is a great solution for you - I think the dose will depend on how your pen works, some pens pull smoke much faster than others. If there's someone in your life that vapes, they may help you determine how much weed you need to get a little high (they dont need to know its for your ptsd :))

It may help to do a test of how you sleep with/without pot to determine the frequency that will help you best.

Hope this helped! Happy to answer more questions too.

 

[Scarlet13]

So I have something called Ripple. It's a powder that is 1 to 1 THC and CBD.

I have tried 1/2 packet twice and it helped way better than any psych med I've tried.
I am not sure how I will keep feeling.

I also have an Indica gel pen and a CBN pen.

So I have not tried those.
I don't have my card yet. I will get it for PTSD once I know this will work, for the tax break.
But these gel pens tell me exactly what's on it and dosing.
I will up date.
I'm so happy I get to try these options.
I never want to take Klonopin again.

 

[Mach123]

It just makes me see that I'm being hard or negative on myself or with everyone and everything. It stops that. Or it gives me a chance. Same world different view. I don't want to be on psych meds or pain meds or barbiturates. I don't want to be hooked on pills. I don't want to be waiting for the pharmacy to open and calling the doctor. It's easier. I use a vape called a kind pen. That's a good name for it. I'm not fussy. I don't know anything about strains. It just works.

 

[shatter eyes]

I use an indica oil 1:1 @ 25mg/ml.

I take 1ml at night. It kicks in slow to help with winding down and sleep. Less reactive and hyper vig. I sleep more still and helps with pain too.

I tried vaping some indica and did not like the feeling of slowing down time.

Mine is medical prescribed thru licensed producer. There are just too many options out there to try. The doctor help me narrow it down to a few.

 

[Scarlet13]

I use an indica oil 1:1 @ 25mg/ml.

I take 1ml at night. It kicks in slow to help with winding down and sleep. Less reactive and hyper vig. I sleep more still and helps with pain too.

I tried vaping some indica and did not like the feeling of slowing down time.

Mine is medical prescribed thru licensed producer. There are just too many options out there to try. The doctor help me narrow it down to a few.

Yes, I am going that route. I will look into an oil. I have yet to try my pens. We will see! I am curious about the CBN.
All the vets in my area fought for PTSD to become a qualifier.
I think that many psych meds can be hard to take.
I am going to meet with someone and get my card.
This has been so great for me, but I don't want to say too much about it being great till I know for sure.
It's already beating klonopin.
Its relaxing and stills my brain, with out shitty side effects and that jittery feeling the next day.
I also feel less pain that I get from stress.
And no nightmares!!

I agree there's a lot of options with weed.

 

[Scarlet13]

Ok,
So I am updating this post.
I have been trying a 1:1 CBD/THC powder (that I dissolve into tea).
Half of this packet was ok, but the whole packet was too much for me. I felt too "inside myself" and started feeling disassociated. I also had an increase in intrusive thoughts that were surreal and random and were exactly like what I got in my benzo and SSRI withdrawal.
I am 22 mos out from benzos and 5 yrs out from SSRI but have not really fully recovered due to just poor sleep.
I am trying to unravel and treat the causes of poor sleep like high cortisol and adrenal fatigue. I am using glandulars and an earthing blanket for this and this is helpful.

The other product I tried is CBN in a gel pen.
It was great in that I felt sleepy and slept a little better, like maybe a little deeper and felt no negative side effects. But I did feel "woozy" and out of it. Also, it made me massively thirsty and I had to wake up a few times to drink water, so not sure about this, but will definately try it again. It does not do anything for anxiety, just makes me sleepy.

The next product I tried was Remedy Oil which is CBD, a little THC, and myrh oil.
This was great. It relieved anxiety and it also helped my ADHD brain.
I felt irritated though and after taking it I couldn't handle any thing stimulating like I needed to lay down in a dark room.

I tend to have major sensitivity to substances especially since taking and tapering from psych meds.

I would not do the 1:1 Ripple again. I will do the CBN pen and the CBD Remedy oil again but it micro doses and build up.
My husband is using up the 1:1 powder which he says makes him feel like he's had 2 glasses of wine.
I do have an indica pen with like 90 percent thc and have yet to try it.
I'm kinda scared of the thc and want to be further out from my taper (like maybe a full 2 yrs) to try it.
I think though in general, pot has been better that psych meds. CBD oil especially feels like a natural benzo,