I’ll be the first to admit that I’m addicted to social media. The time I spend on Instagram takes away from the time I could be spending doing things that I love, like reading a book or practicing yoga, but I still find myself logging in when I have a few minutes to spare. And oftentimes, those minutes become hours. Because I’m engaging with Cannabis content, I tell myself, “It’s for work.” But the reality is that social media takes me away from being productive and serves as a distraction from my writing.
I’ve tried all the tricks. I have all my notifications off. I set timers to limit my daily use. I’ve uninstalled the app from my phone. Sometimes I even deactivate my account to challenge myself on weeklong breaks. None of these things work for very long, and I’m back to staring at my phone instead of living my life.
To reignite my creative mind, find focus and take my time back from our technocratic overlords, I have found a solution: Cannabis. We all know the stereotype of the lazy, unproductive stoner, but when I smoke weed, it doesn’t make me feel sedated; it makes me feel sociable, talkative and inspired. Weed allows me to rediscover my ability to concentrate, a skill that technology is slowly eroding. Cannabis energizes my mind and physical body.
Flowers for Focus
A 2025 article published in the Journal of Cannabis Research gathered research from 18 studies to examine the impact of cannabinoids on aging and longevity. The studies showed that when it comes to older adults, or in some cases older mice, cannabinoids have many potential benefits, including “improved lifespan, cognitive function, inflammation, memory, sleep quality and social interaction.” One of the studies cited examined the effects of Cannabis via tests on older mice that demonstrated oral doses of THC have been “associated with increased synaptic connectivity, improved memory and even reversal of age-related cognitive decline.”
A 2024 study in Sage Journals shows that “contrary to stereotypes,” researchers observed minimal effects of Cannabis in terms of decreasing motivation. In fact, the study notes that in some instances, Cannabis use makes people more motivated. The research states that many people who frequently get high reported that Cannabis helps them focus and concentrate.
This tracks for me. When I get really high, I become hyper-focused. That’s why — for myself as well as others — Cannabis is a wonderful helper for doing mundane but necessary tasks like cleaning the house. After a few bong rips, I see my space in a new way, and I’m happy to declutter and organize.
Stepping Away
Cannabis also helps get me going physically. One of the best ways that I’ve found to de-stress is to go on long meandering walks. But after the days of deep isolation caused by COVID and years of remote work, it feels harder to get outside of the house nowadays. Smoking weed before a walk turns something that could be considered boring into an adventure. I explore new areas and see things in familiar places that I’ve never noticed before.
One of my tools for an ultimate reset is a Cannabis edible. On days when I’m wrapped up in work and putting in long hours sitting at the computer, I eat an edible. By the time the high from that edible hits, I will be forced to disconnect. When I get really high, the first thing I begin to lose is my ability to work within the computer’s systems. Without the ability to do basic things online, I’m forced to step away, and for me, that’s always a positive thing.
Cannabis and Connection
Ultimately, connecting with others is incredibly important in terms of finding meaning in our lives. Social media is a stimulation of connectivity, which helps me understand why I can find myself in a near-constant scroll, but I’m searching for goodness in the community IRL.
As it turns out, Cannabis has been shown to increase empathy. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research shows that Cannabis users have “greater emotional comprehension, a cognitive empathy trait involving the understanding of the ‘other’ emotional state.” The study looked at activity within the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain that regulates emotions. The ACC is one of the areas in our body that has the most cannabinoid receptors, and researchers believe this might be why Cannabis users show “greater connectivity of empathy-related areas.”
So science shows us that Cannabis helps us connect with others, but a stoney state of mind also offers a key toward connecting with the larger world around us. The stronger high that I feel with an edible as opposed to smoking weed is a way I settle into my physical environment. It’s as if the state of my stoniness dictates how productive, at least in the conventional sense, I can be. I enjoy getting high and taking walks along long, isolated beaches on foggy days. Nature helps me feel grounded, and Cannabis helps me be in the moment. Weed helps me discover and remember things that bring wonder and joy into my life.
In a book called “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life,” author Dacher Keltner discusses finding happiness through moments of transcendence, such as the ones I experience when I’m high in nature.
“How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel when we see the Grand Canyon, or the utter amazement when we watch a child walk for the first time?” reads the book’s description. “How do you put into words the collective effervescence of standing in a crowd and singing in unison, or the wonder you feel while gazing at centuries-old works of art?”
Adding THC to transcendent experiences is my cheat code for living a good life. But, here’s the thing: Utilizing Cannabis to find enchantment in everyday life also works just fine.
Written by Ellen Holland (@hollandbuds)
