Take Drugs, Do Math

The end of my time at college was traumatic, and since math was my major, it was inevitably swept up in the trauma. So much so that for the past 15 years I have had clear trauma responses whenever I tried to do math. Initially, I could not access math knowledge at all, as if it were behind a blank wall in my mind. Later, whenever I tried to think about it, I had shortness of breath, pounding heart, and shaking. Those symptoms gradually eased and haven’t troubled me for a couple of years. Math still caused me anxiety, however; I struggled to concentrate and ended up exhausted by even short periods of review.

Earlier this week, in consultation with my psychiatrist, I started using CBD-infused gummies while working on math. The results have been striking. Today I was able to study for almost two hours without ill effect. I think I may finally be in a position where I can reengage with the subject I loved so much.