Managing ADHD and ADD with Cannabis: One Person’s Journey and Insights

In this episode we explore how cannabis supported one woman’s experience with ADD and ADHD, panic attacks, anxiety, and a major life transition. Our guest, Missy Conley, shares an honest, personal account of how the plant helped her find calm, rebuild her life, and reconnect with creativity and intuition.

Features

• Release Date: Monday July 3rd, 2023
• Episode Number: Season 1, Episode 28
• Special Guest: Missy Conley

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Why You Will Love This Episode

Missy Conley speaks candidly about leaving her marriage at the start of the pandemic, the panic attacks and intense anxiety that followed, and how cannabis became a stabilizing force. Her story highlights resilience, practical coping, and the ways cannabis can support mental health when used thoughtfully.

Facing a cross-country move from Ohio to Texas, Missy describes the fear and uncertainty she experienced and how cannabis—and in Texas, Delta-8 products—helped her stay calm through the upheaval. She explains using cannabis as a tool for managing nervousness, staying present, and finding clarity amid chaos.

Missy is also rebuilding her life creatively and spiritually. She’s developing ideas for an edibles line to help people manage social anxiety, panic, and bodily pain, and she’s writing a memoir that will share her journey in greater detail.

This episode offers practical insights for people curious about cannabis as part of mental health care, especially those living with ADD or ADHD, and it celebrates personal transformation, community support, and finding a sense of purpose again.

Full Transcript (edited for clarity)

Missy: ADD is a constant challenge. You learn to bounce back when you have ADHD. The best thing I learned is: if you fall, get back up.

Announcer: Welcome to the Well With Cannabis Podcast with host Emily Kyle, a registered dietitian and certified holistic cannabis practitioner. Each week we share stories and insights about living well with cannabis.

Tune in for real-life accounts and practical guidance whether you’re new to cannabis or experienced. This show is for adults and sometimes covers sensitive topics. The content is educational and not medical advice.

Emily: Today I’m joined by Missy Conley. Missy, how did cannabis enter your life?

Missy: It started in my teens and became a comforting, clarifying presence over time. During relationship struggles I found supportive friends who introduced a therapeutic, positive use of cannabis. Later, while doing grocery delivery work, cannabis helped calm panic and allowed me to focus while driving.

Missy: I left Ohio during the pandemic, and the move triggered severe anxiety and panic attacks. In Texas, because of legal limits, I used Delta-8 products. They helped me calm my nervous system when prescription options weren’t right for me as a recovering addict.

Emily: How has the culture changed after moving?

Missy: I found a new community that supports me. I use cannabis with meditation to better access intuition and creative ideas. It helped me reconnect with gifts like card reading and energy work, though I’ve been evolving my spiritual practice and priorities.

Missy: Cannabis opened a path back to myself. It helped me leave a toxic environment and rebuild—finding work, shelter, and a supportive community. Vision boards, meditation, and spiritual practices like prayer and church also played key roles in my recovery and manifestation work.

Emily: Tell us about your meditation and creative practice.

Missy: I use guided meditations and short daily practices. With ADHD, staying seated works best; lay-down meditations can lead to sleep. Cannabis often enhances focus and creativity for me and helps me set intentions for work or personal goals.

Missy: I see cannabis as medicine that calms the nervous system. Microdosing and choosing the right strain for a situation—Sativa or hybrid for energy, Indica for rest—makes a real difference. It can also help people reconnect to empathy and joy.

Emily: What advice do you have for people in recovery who are nervous about trying cannabis?

Missy: Start by connecting with a higher power in your own way and seek education. If it’s legal where you live, visit a dispensary and talk to knowledgeable staff about strains and dosing. Use cannabis alongside mental health care and spiritual work. Treat the emotional, energetic, and physical aspects together.

Missy: For ADHD specifically, cannabis has helped me by reducing panic, improving focus in certain settings, and unlocking creativity. It’s not a cure, but used responsibly it can support routine-building, neuroplasticity, and emotional regulation.

Emily: What are you most proud of?

Missy: Leaving Ohio and reclaiming my life. That choice led me to safety, spiritual growth, and new opportunities. I’m now working toward a book, building a fair-trade business idea, and planning cannabis-based products to help others.

Emily: How would your life look if you never found cannabis?

Missy: Honestly, it might have been much worse. I experienced dangerously high blood pressure, panic, and homelessness. Cannabis and Delta-8 allowed me to stabilize, get help, and start rebuilding. It saved my ability to think clearly and take steps forward.

Emily: What advice would you give your younger self about cannabis?

Missy: Trust yourself, get educated, and ease into it. Learn about dosing and strains, especially edibles. Cannabis can be integrated discreetly and thoughtfully into life to enhance creativity, social ease, and daily functioning.

Emily: If you could be remembered for one thing in the cannabis space, what would it be?

Missy: Setting people free—helping others reclaim their mental health and joy. Encourage safe exploration, reduce stigma, and restore people’s right to choices that improve their lives.

Missy: I’m working on a book and plan to self-publish, with the goal of releasing it on my birthday. My story covers addiction, recovery, spiritual shifts, and how cannabis played a role in healing.

Emily: How can listeners connect with you?

Missy: I’m on Instagram and TikTok as Missy Conley 1972 and on Facebook as Missy S Conley.

Announcer: You’ve finished another episode of the Well With Cannabis Podcast. Visit emilykylenutrition.com for show notes, recipes, and resources. Consider joining the Well With Cannabis Community for extra support on your cannabis journey.