My name is Alex. I’ve been sober and in recovery from drugs and alcohol since November 2nd, 2022. A large part of my story is about using marijuana. Marijuana was a gateway to other drugs for me because it is heavily glorified in this day and age. For a long time, I was in denial that I was addicted to weed and it how it was affecting my mental health. It only became visible to me late into my addiction. Weed felt like a safe drug to me because it was constantly being drilled into my head that it was the safest drug to use and that there were no ill side effects whatsoever. But it’s easy to see now that even early on, my mental health started rapidly getting worse. Since I was a kid, I’ve struggled with anxiety, ADHD, and depression. When I got into my using, I was diagnosed with bipolar depression. Marijuana’s effects mimicked a lot of the symptoms of bipolar depression 2 for me. I suffered from fits of hypomania where I would have grandiose ideas, wanted to self-harm, and couldn’t sleep. Then at times, I was in deep depression where anything could set me off and make me cry. I wouldn’t shower for days on end and stay locked in my room. I couldn’t handle school because of my mood swings would result in me bursting into tears. I was paranoid in public thinking everyone around me hated me and were laughing at me. Now that I’ve been sober, it’s obvious to me that bipolar is not something I suffer from, I just have depression. Marijuana also started inducing psychotic side effects in me early on. I’m thankful for the support from the Every Brain Matters communities because this supposedly “harmless and nonaddictive drug” harmed me greatly. Marijuana is definitely way more harmful than it is made out to be, and I had to realize the hard way. I’m in so much gratitude to AA also because it’s taught me to have healthy relationships and self-love, which was practically nonexistent before. My relationship with my family was made much worse when I would isolate myself and be in depression. Now my life is filled with connection, and my relationship with my family is slowly healing. Miraculously I’m more stable than ever and able to practice self-care + love. It is a struggle after all the damage I’ve inflicted on myself, mainly with marijuana. However, my growth in self-love in recovery gives me a lot of hope for others around me getting into recovery as well.
Join us on the first Friday of every month for messages of hope and healing from the impacts of marijuana. We welcome a different speaker every month who will share their experience and provide pathways to find serenity as we navigate through today’s pro-marijuana/drug culture. Whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or trying to recover yourself, this meeting is for you. You will be a Q & A at the end of each meeting. This meeting is appropriate for all family members ages 16 and up.
Link To Meeting
Meeting ID: 872 9417 0134
Passcode: ebmsupport
Every Brain Matters Recovery Community is built on a foundation of love, willingness, and HONESTY. We seek to create a culture of healing.
The expansion of marijuana is negatively affecting people in many ways: addiction, psychosis, suicide, homicide, DUI’s, Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, and other incidents of injury or trauma resulting in harm or death, overdoses, and where marijuana was a gateway, companion, and/or relapse drug.
This meeting may be recorded with the presenters’ and the participants’ permission.
