DOSE:

smoked

Cannabis

BODY WEIGHT:

153 lb

I have chronic atomic dermatitis all over my body, and the only places that I don't have it are on my ears, palms of hands, and my feet. Atopic dermatitis is more commonly known as 'eczema' and is characterized by dry, cracked skin that when severe can be weeping, crusting, and prone to possibly deadly skin infections (staph bacteria is the most common). Did I mention that it itches like hell? It burns everywhere when it's flared up and at times it literally feels like I'm wearing a mask on my face because the skin is so damn dry. Not only is it painful physically, it's painful mentally as well because of the guilt of scratching and having to shamefully hide it so that people don't pull away from me because they think I have a disease...I've gone through all of this since I was a baby and it has only gotten worse after puberty. 

So when I was seventeen I had the chance to use marijuana and the effects were not what I was expecting. The first time I tried it my boyfriend had suggested it because my skin was flared up at the time and looked red coupled by intense itching that drove me fucking insane. After about four or so hits the itching felt like it was subsiding and the angry, red skin didn't look so angry anymore (it could've been my perception cause I felt better overall so I'm not sure about the latter). It wasn't burning too badly because I hadn't torn into my skin for the past 30 mins or so, so I didn't notice any pain reduction from the first try. Because I was so itchy my mind felt like it was given an awesome rest from itching insanity.

About the third time I tried it was approx. a week after the first try. I had scratched into the skin on my legs so hard that they were bleeding and burning...seriously feels like fire creeping over my skin when it gets that bad. I was depressed and crying from the pain but kept tearing at my skin anyway when my boyfriend found me in that state and suggested I got high so that it woudn't hurt and itch so bad. It took an entire bowl only for me for this one cause it was so terrible. In about 20 mins I could already feel relief from the burning pain and the accompanying itch. My skin calmed down to the point where it didn't feel that itchy anymore even after I wasn't stoned anymore.

Fast forward to now and my skin is much better. The itch calmed to the point where the skin could finally heal (this wasn't due to cannabis alone although since I started taking fish oil and was prescribed bleach baths for infection). All I have to do now is make sure I moisturize a lot and my skin feels fine.

I truly do believe that cannabis helped because it allowed me to not feel itchy which in turn helped me not to scratch and the skin was finally given a chance to heal. With the healing of my skin came a healing in my mind that allowed me to not feel so anxious and depressed. 

Exp Year: 2012	ExpID: 99512
Gender: Female
Age at time of experience: 17
Published: Jul 9, 2019	Views: 1,611
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Cannabis (1) : First Times (2), Retrospective / Summary (11), Health Benefits (32), Small Group (2-9) (17)