joereitz
I can never decide if it’s just the extra hours of sunlight, the constant guilt to be doing something outside (and the subsequent caving to this urge), or curbing my smoking habit, but I’m almost always taken aback by how great I feel in Seattle this time of year.
Don’t get me wrong – the rainy season can be a slog. I call it “the long dark,” because this far North the days are extra short during the winter and the gloom is as consistent as the tides. But for a few short months, generally from July 4th through most of October (even into November if we’re lucky), Seattle experiences the exact opposite. Morning comes early and some days are light until after 10:00 p.m.. It almost never rains, and those of us that have the luxury will do everything we can to take our laptops outside for work.
Since we got back from Colorado, I’ve decided to take an extended tolerance break from smoking. During the pandemic, weed became a crutch to me; first just to pass the time and take the edge off the tension, but eventually I became more dependent on it. Most people say you can’t get addicted to weed, and maybe it’s not “habit forming” in the same way nicotine products can be, but I’m here to tell you you damn sure can form an addiction to anything if you convince yourself you can’t sleep or manage your stress without it.
I’m not sure if there’s scientific evidence of this yet, but I also think daily cannabis consumption feeds into my latent cynical and/or pessimistic tendencies. I’ve generally been the poster child for priveleged white men everywhere – great income, loving family (x2), good health, positive career trajectory… It’s not to say my life has been completely free of adversity or me just choosing the hard way, but I’m very cognizant that I don’t have much cause for complaint. I didn’t smoke weed until I was 34 years old, and this year I turn 39. In that time – which, granted, has included a global pandemic, an insurrection, a broken leg and Haleigh’s related struggles with diabetes, and probably some other traumatic honorable mentions – I don’t think I’ve ever felt less regulated. My emotions have been all over the place, I’ve felt general paranoia about almost everything, and felt like I couldn’t escape this cycle of self-medicating for temporary relief. My worldview became more bleak, I gained a little weight… I could go on. Surely some of that is just normal stimulus response to a difficult time in all our lives, but I’m also convinced a big part of it is how weed affects your brain. I’m not up to speed on all the science, but it makes sense to me that when you drink you get a hangover, when you have sugar, you crash, and when you smoke, well… that must cost something too. In my head canon, it’s sorta like creating your own little chemical imbalance. A more educated person would probably read that and conclude “this guy’s an idiot” and I’m writing this to say “yeah, I agree, don’t get your medical advise here 😂.
It’s only been about a week and a half separated from the Devil’s Lettuce, and to help create separation from the habit I’ve been replacing it with more regular exercise and regular sauna therapy. The heat probably helps with sweating out toxins and all that (maybe even flushes the THC more quickly), but I also think just pounding water all the time brings it’s own natural health benefits.
So it’s not just one thing. Summer is in full effect, I’m getting healthier, and between the hammock and the sauna I’ve basically built a spa in my backyard. I’m not saying I’ll never consume again, and I don’t have a specific time period I’m trying to stay on this tolerance break. I do still subscribe to the belief of “everything in moderation,” but for now I’m just enjoying the sun, the waves, the trails, the mountains, and everything else the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
