You are a member of a very small majority, friend. Not everybody's brain cells respond identically to identical doses. When an individual has a reaction that is 180 degree out of phase with everybody else's, it's called a "paradoxical" reaction.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that there are numerous psychoactive cannabinoids in each strain of weed, leading to some confusion about which cannabinoids are responsible for exactly which effects in a case such as yours. BUT ... look at the positive side
) Think of all those experiments you'll have try over and over in your quest for the perfect toke. LOL. The important thing to remember at the outset is that if your reactions are "contrary" to those normally experienced by others, you may be able to capitalize on this to predict your most likely physiological responses to a new preparation.
I think it's more likely that the meaning behind sativa and indica has been butchered by the cannabis industry to cater to consumers. That's what started the myth that indica is a "sedative and sleep inducing body high" and sativa is a "energetic and creative head high".
From a redditor:
"These terms are inaccurate and flawed... in America, we have mostly mutt plants that are neither true Indica or Sativa. We’ve all had Indicas and Sativas that didn’t affect us as advertised. The terms were originally used by botanists and those observing the plant out in nature to describe the morphology of the plant. Indica only grew in hot, arid climates, and produced short stalks and small, tightly compact buds (flowers), while Sativa grew mainly in tropical climates, competing with a lot of other plant life for sunlight and resources, which is why they grow tall, with big fan-like leaves and fluffy, spaced-out buds. They grew this way because of their environment, and were named thusly. The names had nothing to do with how they got you high.
Studies have shown that the different and diverse effects of cannabis are derived not from the genus, but from the Cannabinoids and Terpenoids produced by the plant as it grows. These are chemical compounds produced by the plant for its own uses, many of which protect the plant from predators, elements, and foreign invaders like mold and pests.
They’ve linked THC with the psychoactive (high) feeling we receive, but that is influenced by many other cannabinoids besides THC. For example, an independent study found that use of CBD (Cannabidiol, a cannabinoid found in trace amounts in many types of cannabis) before THC induction can dilate your CB1 receptor (brain receptor that processes THC) in the brain, getting you higher off of less THC.
They also found that certain terpenes (biochemical class found in many other plant species) can enhance or detract from the high, depending on the amount you intake. Terpenes have their own therapeutic effects, most recently popularized in the burning of essential oil for vapor. The vapor is rich in terpenes from plants like Lavender, which produce a calming, relaxing effect (fun fact: the active terpene in Lavender is called Lilanool, and it’s found in many cannabis varieties). Terpenes account for smell as much as effect, which (I believe) is why you often see OG hippies buying weed based on smell alone. They are looking for terpenes that have treated them well in the past, even if they don’t know what terpenes are.
What kind of effect you get from a specific variety of cannabis hugely depends on the ratio of cannabinoids and terpenes in that plant. As an example, my favorite variety of cannabis is Kush. Kush’s are a family of Indica originally from (you guessed it) the Hindu Kush mountain range, which is why the land race was called “Hindu Kush”. Kush’s used to produce a lot of THC and CBN, which can produce a sleepy effect in the brains of mammals. Kush’s used to test high in a terpene called Myrcene, which is also found in hops and mangos, and is good for muscle tension, sleeplessness, pain, inflammation, depression. Kush’s also test high in Caryophyllene, which is also found in black pepper and cloves and is good for arthritis, ulcers, autoimmune disorders, and other gastrointestinal complications.
These are part of the reason why Indica is known as being “relaxing and sedative”; Kush was a favored variety of illegal growers when cultivation first came to America, and because Indica plants required less space, they were easier to grow low key. As we began growing and mixing genetics, however, the ratio and diversity of the cannabinoids and terpenes began to change. The Kush we smoke now is a far cry from the Kush of old, mainly due to growers not being selective about what they cross their plants with.
For the most part, consumers want a consistent experience and to know what they’re buying. These terms were bastardized and misunderstood by the industry in order to deliver an illusion of consistency to their customers. But, even if you have a plant that tests the same every time you grow it, there’s no guarantee it’ll affect you the same way every time. This is brain chemistry we’re talking about, constantly fluctuating and adapting to input of internal chemicals and outside stimulus alike. Impossible to predict and difficult to track on any given day.
TL;DR: It’s not bullshit, but the people selling it have no idea what Indica and Sativa really mean, or how the strains are going to affect you overall. They’re not biochemists or experts in neurotransmitters. They’re retailers. My advice is try a lot of diverse strains, but don’t be loyal to any one name. Many of the names are slapped on there for selling purposes, and don’t reflect the actual genetic lineage of the plant, as is implied."
Also mixing the strains is really good too, sometimes when you get a ton of different cannabinoids you can really feel supercharged in a good way. If I dont have a hybrid of choice around, I'll take a sativa and indica mix, seems to do the trick, and then some. My favorite rosin as far as effects had 5 different strains, mostly sativas or sativa dominants.
