In a 2017 review of how the endocannabinoid system works in the brain, scientists identified three things that reliably amp it up: cannabis intoxication, exercise, and social connection. The three psychological states most strongly linked to low levels of endocannabinoids? Cannabis withdrawal, anxiety, and loneliness. Endocannabinoids aren’t just about not worrying and being happy; they are also about feeling close to others. Higher levels of these brain chemicals increase the pleasure you derive from being around other people. They also reduce the social anxiety that can get in the way of
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