The effect of marijuana on the emotions is not limited to the
simple categories of happy and sad, since cannabis has a moderating influence on other feelings as well. Users find that tension and anxiety, for example, are often alleviated by smoking, leading to a more relaxed emotional state. In addition, as users are quick to point out, cannabis differs markedly from alcohol in that it is rarely or never an agent of social conflict or violence. "I have never seen a person become violent or nasty on grass," says a New Jersey bartender.Many smokers find marijuana helpful in calming their nerves and in rendering them less aggressive, if only temporarily. A Los Angeles accountant finds this to be especially true of one of his clients, a millionaire in real estate who smokes daily. In the mornings, the man is cranky and mean, and calls the accounting firm with a host of complaints. After lunch, at which he usually smokes a joint, he becomes calmer and much more pleasant to deal with.
A counselor at a summer camp relates a similar story about the effect of smoking on her temper:
Pot seems to give me patience and calmness. Although I don't usually get angry, I did blow my stack one day with a group of fifth graders. Together with another counselor, I went into the woods and caught a buzz. Later, the same behavior that had made me lose my temper occurred again. But this time I remained calm and explained to the kids that what they were doing was unacceptable.
Many smokers find that marijuana brings them closer to their own
feelings. "Sometimes I use dope when I'm feeling sad but unable to
cry," says a Philadelphia saleswoman, who adds that "it frees me up
more to let go, to really feel and express what's inside me." Some
users find that smoking breaks down the various defenses—such as
intellectualization, denial, repression, or minimization—that keep them away
from their own emotions. This, in turn, leads to more direct communication,
with oneself as well as with others, as a Las Vegas receptionist
observes:
When I'm stoned, I like to write letters to my friends. When I'm completely straight, I'm more inclined to choose my words because I'm thinking of Who I'm Writing To, and What To Say To Them. But stoned, I only want to tell the person directly what I feel and to express my thoughts and feelings directly and honestly.
Judy, who is normally comfortable expressing and exploring her
emotions, finds that this quality becomes heightened after smoking. She recalls
an occasion when marijuana made her feel far more aware, and in this case more
vulnerable, than usual:
We
had smoked one night, and we were talking about buying a house. Murray asked me why
I am so reluctant. It turns out that the external reasons, like money, career,
and neighborhood, constitute only part of my hesitation. The rest, as became
clear that night, has to do with something more basic: my fears of losing him.
What if we buy a house and I am left alone in it? We started talking about my
fears, and he told me about one of his patients who had recently suffered
several losses. I broke down crying. I'm so much closer to these things when
I'm stoned. Of course it was myself I was crying over.
If we hadn't been stoned, the discussion about the house would
have focused, as usual, on the external issues. And even if we had discussed it
on an emotional level, it would have been an intellectual approach. But that
night, I felt it all so intensely, and didn't use my intellect in a
defensive way. It was just me and my feelings. This was a cathartic experience,
and since then I've been more reasonable about discussing houses, knowing how
many problems are involved, and what my real fears are.