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Does the thing that makes buying shoes and finding dates convenient—aka your phone—also work for psychotherapy? Since we text our friends and family more than we likely talk to them, why not do the same with a therapist? Easy, quick, no stress.

Alas, this is not the case—at least according to one therapist, Dana Charatan, who makes a very strong argument for why text therapy is not particularly helpful, and is possibly bad, for your mental health. Chief among her reasons: the fact that therapy sometimes makes you feel worse before you feel better. "One of the major dangers of online therapy is opening a can of worms that cannot be adequately contained," she writes. "Without someone who can see you through this vulnerable time (literally and figuratively), you may be taking a big emotional risk without fully knowing it."

Today we're tackling the various shortcuts to feeling better that seem like a good idea but are not.

Q: How do you find relief from anxiety and stress? I live in New Jersey and I'm thinking about medical marijuana.
—Dolores

A: Hi Dolores,

Ask this question and you'll get a range of differing opinions from medical professionals, government officials, and personal users. While some cannabis users report that it helps their anxiety, others argue that the risk of it creating more anxiety makes it not worth it.

The two most-studied compounds in marijuana, CBD and THC, have different effects depending on the ratios you find in different strains. THC in high doses has been associated with feelings of anxiety and paranoia, while CBD is known to have more soothing effects.

Anxiety was added as one of the diagnoses qualified for medical marijuana in New Jersey a few months ago. Nonetheless, given that more research is needed to understand the effects of marijuana, which doses are appropriate, and which strains are best for treating anxiety, there's still a lot that's unknown.

You're better off with more tried-and-true methods, including guided meditation and deep breathing. Start with shorter ones and work your way up. It’s ok if these exercises are difficult at first, or if you find your mind wandering. The more you practice them, the easier they will become.

If you've tried things like this and still are feeling like you need another option, and qualify for a prescription for medical marijuana, it might be worth consulting with someone at a dispensary and cautiously experimenting with a few recommended strains.

All my best,

Rachel

This week's answer is from our therapist Michelle's colleague Rachel Aredia, a therapist and ADAA member.

• Ignoring it.

• Online therapy. It'd be so nice if it worked, but there are a lot of downsides.

• Drinking. Tempting enough, but in some cases it might make anxiety worse.

• Weighted blankets? They sound so soothing, but the claims don't hold up.

• Marijuana—at least if you haven't tried other things first. Here's everything we know about treating anxiety with weed.

📩 📩 📩 Send your questions to coping@vice.com and we might run the answer in next week's newsletter.