With all the anxiety and obsessive thinking that can come with anorexia, many sufferers of the disorder are finding relief through cannabis. Not only does marijuana give out the munchies, it helps to slow down self-harming thoughts and loosens the obsession with control that some people experience.
A Colorado woman named Jessica told Cosmopolitan, “I’m able to step back and see my irrational thoughts for what they are — irrational — and it gives me the space to look at it and go, ‘Wow, that’s a ridiculous thought to have; nothing bad is going to happen to me if I eat this piece of pizza.’ It also makes food taste better and eating more enjoyable, which is nice because chronic anorexia messes with your digestive tract and can sort of break your natural hunger cues.”
And as far as feeling guilt once the munchies and high wear off, Jessica said that it just doesn’t bother her. She does not suffer from the “body distortion” issues that many others do. For her, anorexia is about control, and the feeling of being more flexible is one she enjoys.
A Seattle woman who was obsessed with counting calories to the point of degradation also credits cannabis with having moved her past her own behaviors. Though she did start off feeling guilty the day after using cannabis, she also realized that she felt better and that she could remember clearly how many calories she consumed without the obsessive factor.
Neither woman smokes to excess or even on the “stoner” level, but a hit of pot eases their anxieties. Another reason cannabis is so calming for those who didn’t use to imbibe is that its standing, worldwide, has eased over to the open-minded side of the equation. The stigma has fallen away and people are able to treat their disorders without feeling like a drug addict or social pariah.
Though some experts worry that cannabis is a bandaid to eating disorders, to the point that they aren’t learning coping mechanisms for the long run, conventional medicine hasn’t provided a better solution, certainly not a natural one. And since it’s working, more power to the people for expanding their horizons and letting go of destructive behaviors.
