I'm a therapist and I've never suggested marijuana for my patients, nor have I suggested against it. This is why ...

***Warning; This is a wall of text***<br><br>I've been a therapist for almost 15 years. I've seen a lot of people from all walks of life, and from many different cultures. When I first started my career, weed was looked at as a "gateway drug", and the common belief was that it would lead to worse substances like opioids, heroin, or meth. I worked with a lot of patients that were court ordered to see me because of possession charges. I had a few that self identified as using it for medical reasons. <br><br>Most of my patients use it to relax and unwind after a long day. I've had patients that use it for anxiety attacks and others who use it for sleep. Some say it helps with their depression and self esteem, while others say they use it to help with their PTSD symptoms. I had a Marine tell me once that it helped him interact with other humans again, and without it, he would rather just sit alone in the dark.<br><br>I've had some patients that got too high and had a panic attack, while others are unable to function and do their job. One said it makes them extremely paranoid, and another said that it makes her so hungry that she gains too much weight. I've had some say that the high doesn't last very long, and others that say they don't like the comedown.<br><br>Some claim that it helps with migraines and chronic pain, and I've even had a handful of patients tell me that it helped them to stop drinking. I've had patients that use it to increase their libido, and others who say it decreases it. There was even one that said it made his orgasms more intense. I've had a lot of patients that say it just makes them laugh. <br><br>Most of my patients know their limits, and when to stop. I've had a few that don't, and they overdo it because they don't feel high enough. Some say it's helped them to be more creative, and I had a professional musician claim that he couldn't be as focused or inspired without it. There are a few that say it makes them forgetful of things, and others who say they feel stupid when they're high.<br><br>I've had a few patients who's use has turned into the majority of our conversations. They'll tell me about how difficult their job is, and then say, "That's why I need to smoke." I've had a few patients that use weed to avoid dealing with difficult situations or emotions. There are a few that use it as a reward for getting through the day, or as a celebration after a big accomplishment. Some say it gives them too much anxiety to do it by themselves, while others say they prefer to be alone when they're high.<br><br>I've had a few patients that say it's changed their perspective on life, and others who say it's made them realize that they don't need it. I've had patients that say it makes them feel stupid for not discovering it sooner, and others who say that they feel stupid for using it so infrequently for so long. I had a patient say that he was upset he waited so long to try edibles, and another who said that edibles were too much for him to handle. Some say smoking makes them cough too much, and others that say the smoke tastes too gross. I had one patient tell me that he doesn't like the smell of weed, so he prefers edibles.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to be more alert, and others that say it makes them too tired to do anything. I had a patient tell me that they prefer THC because there's no high from it, and another that said they prefer CBD because there's no high from it. I had a patient say that they prefer more mellow strains, and another that said they prefer more energetic strains. I had a patient that said they prefer joints, and another that said they prefer blunts because the tobacco helps them feel more alert. There was even a patient that said they liked the taste of the blunt better because of the tobacco. I had a patient say they prefer pipes because they're easier to clean than bongs, and another say the exact opposite. I've had some say they don't like vaping, and others who say that it's the only way that they'll do it. I had a patient that said they prefer concentrates because they're stronger, and another who said they're too strong for them.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to interact with others, and others who say it makes them want to avoid people altogether. I had a patient that said they prefer to do it with friends because it enhances their friendships, and another say that they prefer to do it alone because they're too introverted to be around people. There was a patient that said they have trouble finding others to do it with because their friends don't like to smoke weed, while another said they have trouble finding friends because the only thing they want to do is smoke weed.<br><br>I had a patient that said the quality of weed from the street is better than from the dispensaries, while another said the opposite. I had a patient that said they prefer to grow their own so that they know exactly what's in it, while another said they don't want to grow their own because they don't want to risk their job or their house be taken away from them. There was a patient who said that they prefer to drink weed instead of smoke it, and another who said that they prefer to eat it instead of smoke it. I had a patient that said they prefer to dab instead of smoke it, and another who said they prefer to smoke instead of dab it.<br><br>I had a patient that said they don't like that there are so many different strains, and another who said they like having so many different options. I had a patient that said they prefer indica because they can focus on a single task, and another that said they prefer sativa because they can focus on multiple tasks. I had a patient that said they prefer indica because it helps them sleep, and another that said they prefer sativa because it helps them to be more energetic.<br><br>I had a patient that said they prefer to smoke it in nature because it makes them feel closer to the earth, and another who said they don't like to smoke it in nature because it makes them feel disconnected from the world around them. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it in their car because it helps them to drive more carefully, and another who said they don't like to smoke it in their car because they don't want to risk getting a ticket. I've had patients that say they don't like to smoke it before driving, while others say it helps them to be a safer driver.<br><br>I had a patient that said they prefer to listen to music when they're high, while another said they don't like to listen to music when they're high. I had a patient that said they prefer to watch tv, while another said they don't like to watch tv. I had a patient that said they prefer to use a computer, and another who said they don't like to use a computer. I had a patient that said they prefer to play video games, while another said they don't like to play video games.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to process their emotions, and others who say it makes them too emotional. I've had patients that say it helps them to deal with loss, while others say it makes them too stressed to deal with loss. I've had patients that say it helps them to deal with stress, and others who say it makes them too stressed to deal with stress. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it in the morning because it helps them wake up, and another who said they don't like to smoke it in the morning because it makes them feel too groggy.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to fall asleep, while others say it keeps them from falling asleep. I had a patient that said they don't like to smoke it before bed because it gives them weird dreams, while another said that's exactly why they do it. I've had patients that say it helps them to be more confident, while others say it makes them too self conscience. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it in the shower because it helps them to relax, and another who said they don't like to smoke it in the shower because it makes them too relaxed.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to be more productive, and others who say it makes them too lazy to be productive. I had a patient that said they don't like to smoke it before work because it makes them too distracted, while another said that's exactly why they do it. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it after work because it helps them to unwind, and another who said they don't like to smoke it after work because it makes them too tired to do anything else.<br><br>I had a patient that said they don't like to smoke it before eating because it makes them feel too full, while another said that's exactly why they do it. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it after eating because it helps them digest their food, and another who said they don't like to smoke it after eating because it makes them feel too uncomfortable.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them to be more social, and others who say it makes them too awkward to be social. I had a patient that said they don't like to smoke it in public because it makes them feel too anxious, while another said that's exactly why they do it. There was a patient who said they prefer to smoke it at parties because it helps them to have more fun, and another who said they don't like to smoke it at parties because it makes them feel too overwhelmed.<br><br>I've had patients that say it helps them