Chronic Pain and Marijuana Myth with Dr Mel Pohl

I’ll be honest, this is one of those conversations I really wish more people were having out loud.

On this episode of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, Dr. Teralyn Sell and I sat down with Dr. Mel Pohl to talk about chronic pain in a way that actually respects what people are going through. Because what I see over and over again is people getting dismissed before they ever get real help. You’re told your scans are “fine” or that it’s “just anxiety,” and suddenly you’re left holding very real pain while also starting to question yourself.

That’s a tough place to be.

What we wanted to do in this episode was bring some honesty and clarity to the conversation. Chronic pain isn’t just about tissue damage. The brain and nervous system play a huge role in keeping that pain signal going, even after an injury has healed. That doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real. It means your system has learned a pattern and it’s still running it.

From there, we got into what actually helps. Not quick fixes or toxic positivity, but tools that can start to change your relationship with pain over time. Things like mindfulness, meditation, and even expressive writing. The goal isn’t to magically erase pain. It’s to create more space, more function, and a way to get parts of your life back.

We also had a really important conversation about cannabis for chronic pain. There’s a lot of messaging out there that it’s safe, natural, and works for everyone, and that’s just not the full story. Today’s THC potency is very different, and for some people, what feels like relief can actually be more about numbing or distraction. It also raised a bigger question for me that I think we need to sit with more honestly. Why do we assume that altering the natural state of the brain with THC is somehow fundamentally different or safer than altering it with other substances like heroin, cocaine, or even SSRIs? The mechanisms and risks may look different, but we rarely have a truly balanced conversation about how any of these substances interact with brain chemistry, dependence potential, and long term outcomes.

If you’ve ever felt confused about your pain, your options, or why your symptoms seem to change depending on your stress or focus, I think this episode will give you some language and a different way to look at it.

Go listen to The Gaslit Truth Podcast on YouTube. This is one you don’t want to miss.