# Finding Comfort and Connection Again

> **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637)
> **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com)
> **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/testimonial/finding-comfort-and-connection-again/
> **Published:** 2024-09-09T21:46:42-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2024-09-09T21:46:42-04:00
> **Clinical Summary:** Loneliness had taken over my life, but with Dr. Caplan’s help, cannabis gave me the space to reconnect with myself and others. It’s not a cure for loneliness, but it’s made life feel possible again.

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“Loneliness had been creeping up on me for years, but it really hit hard when I retired. My social circle started shrinking, and the days just felt longer and emptier. I had been keeping busy with hobbies, but the silence in my house became unbearable. I’d wake up in the morning with no motivation to get out of bed because I didn’t have anyone to talk to, nowhere I really needed to be. I tried to reach out to old friends, but it always felt awkward, like I didn’t fit into their lives anymore. My primary doctor referred me to Dr. Caplan, not because of anything physical, but because they thought cannabis might help me with the emotional side of things. I was pretty skeptical. Cannabis? For loneliness? I didn’t see how it could possibly make me feel less isolated.

When I met with Dr. Caplan, he listened without judgment. I explained how I felt like I was drifting through my days, disconnected from everyone around me. He was calm and compassionate, and he didn’t rush me at all. Instead of dismissing my feelings, he talked me through how cannabis might help me not feel so ‘stuck’ in my emotions. We started with a low-dose regimen that focused on CBD to help with the feelings of overwhelm and helplessness. It wasn’t a quick fix, but after a few weeks, I noticed I felt lighter, more at ease. I found it easier to pick up the phone and call an old friend, easier to motivate myself to go out for a walk or run errands.

It’s hard to explain, but it felt like a weight had lifted off my chest. The loneliness was still there, but it didn’t feel so suffocating. I could breathe again, could start imagining a life where I wasn’t so isolated. Over time, I’ve been able to reconnect with people, even make new friends. Cannabis didn’t solve everything, but it gave me the space I needed to start living again. Dr. Caplan was there every step of the way, adjusting the treatment as we went and always making sure I was comfortable. I never thought something like this could help with how I was feeling, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance.”*

– Tom B.

 

### Related

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### Verification & Medical Governance

- **Lead Clinical Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD
- **Credentials:** Board Certified in Family Medicine (ABFM), Founder & CMO CED Clinic & CED Foundation, Author of *The Doctor-Approved Cannabis Handbook* (Penguin Random House).
- **Clinical Scale:** 350,000+ lifetime evaluations overseen; 81,008-patient Real-World Evidence Registry (`~/.ced_rwe_vault.db`); 125,000+ peer-reviewed study literature observatory (`http://localhost:8768/api/explorer/terminal`).
- **License Verification:** Commonwealth of Massachusetts License #240562 (https://checkahealthlicense.mass.gov/).
- **NPI Registry:** 1962722637 (https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1962722637).
- **Ethics & Data Privacy:** Clinical registry observations adhere strictly to HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification (45 CFR § 164.514(b)) and criteria for secondary research exemption under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(4).