PINENE, THE TERPENE THAT BROKE ME...TO REBUILD MYSELF

This is very personal. A few years ago, a flower unexpectedly plunged me into an existential crisis: paralyzing anxiety, painful memories resurfaced with brutal force, a feeling of depersonalization that left me emotionally exposed. I, who have always analyzed the combinations of terpenes and emotions, never imagined that a single flower could trigger so much.

Over time, and thanks to my habit of documenting my experiences, I began to suspect that pinene was responsible. Recently, while reading scientific articles, I found evidence that supported what I had experienced. Science accurately explained what my body already knew. Alpha-pinene is one of the most common terpenes in cannabis.

It is recognized for its widely valued therapeutic properties: bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory, and cognitive enhancer. However, there is another side to this compound that is rarely mentioned.

Pinene can act as a THC amplifier, facilitating its passage into the brain by opening the blood-brain barrier, which increases its bioavailability by up to 30% (depending on individual metabolism) (Russo, 2011). In emotionally sensitive individuals, this can translate into intensified psychoactivity, increasing the risk of anxiety or internal crises. Furthermore, it inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, raising acetylcholine levels in brain regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala, key areas in memory and emotion processing (Perry et al., 2000). This explains why latent memories and such vivid emotions surfaced: it was an abrupt emotional release.

Another study (Satou et al., 2014) suggests that pinene can alter the balance between GABA and glutamate, causing neuronal excitation in prefrontal regions, especially in people with a predisposition to anxiety. The result can be mental overload that triggers states of depersonalization or overwhelming hyperreflection. This is not about demonizing pinene. It's about understanding its duality. What is medicine for one person can be a trigger for another. The solution lies in knowledge: accurate phenotyping, personalized dosages, and evidence-based education.

Since then, I've learned to see cannabis not just as a relaxing plant, but as a revealing tool. Sometimes it's a mirror. And pinene can be that unexpected, uncomfortable, yet necessary reflection. That's why I think people who tend to process their emotions more deeply, whether due to anxiety, ADHD, post-traumatic stress, imposter syndrome, high sensitivity, or simply being in a vulnerable moment, should consider this information before consuming a flower rich in this terpene.

Evaluate how you feel. Observe your body and mind. Because not all organisms respond the same way. And in that margin of difference... lies the power of this medicine.

Until the next edition...

Eileen Cestary

RN & BSN & MEDICINAL CANNABIS ADVOCATE

@ cannabicnurse2

@ cannabic.so ul