Mental health is becoming a huge concern for the American people, especially in the wake of the pandemic). It is said that there are about 40 million adults in the United States that have an anxiety disorder. Not everyone in America fully understands mental health or true anxiety, and this can be part of the problem.
Most notably, the younger generations in this country seem to be suffering the most with mental health problems, which can lead to generational differences causing misunderstanding and minimizing very real struggles in mental health. For many of these people that have an anxiety disorder, it is not the same as just feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Many of these people suffer debilitating panic or anxiety attacks that completely take away their ability to function normally or to be productive in any capacity.
However, today we are going to be talking about medical marijuana and its role in treating anxiety symptoms in patients who may have an anxiety disorder. Many states have finally started to add mental health disorders to their list of qualifying conditions that can allow patients to be referred by their doctor to obtain a medical marijuana card. This means that patients can finally start looking for other alternative medications to treat and manage their anxiety symptoms. This is huge for some people who have struggled for years to find other prescription medications that can be as effective and natural as something like cannabis.
Truly, there is nothing like marijuana. It is safe to say that, due to legal limitations and poor funding, there has not been as thorough research into the effectiveness of medical marijuana on mental health issues as we wish there was. However, recent studies have shown that medical marijuana could be an effective treatment option for treating PTSD, depression, social anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety disorders (I have this one), and obsessive compulsive disorders.
How effective was the treatment of cannabis on these patients? Well, most of the patients actually reported high rates of reduction in their symptoms related to smoking marijuana. Though studies like this are rather small, the results paint a clear picture about the treatment of medical marijuana for people dealing with mental health conditions.
So how does cannabis actually help people with anxiety? Well, there is strong evidence about the effectiveness of cannabis in the form of cabbaninoidal research (also known as CBD). It has already been researched heavily by medical professionals that CBD acts as a vasodilator, which means it relaxes your veins and lowers blood pressure. Studies point to the fact that this, even all on it’s own, can be an effective way to lower symptoms of anxiety.
However, the idea of using cannabis for treating mental health problems does not stop there. When it comes to THC, another cannabinoid found in marijuana, many people report it being effective at calming and relaxing them. However, the problem with THC is that some people report it having the exact opposite effect on them. Some people actually experience elevated states of anxiety and paranoia. The most important thing to keep in mind is that cannabis is different for everyone. Some medical patients swear by it as one of the most effective ways at treating their anxiety and calming them down when they are at their limit.
Studies have shown that taking larger doses of CBD followed by a lower dose of THC helps maximize the effectiveness of lowering anxiety and other feelings of stress. One of the biggest things is to just find the right dose and strain that suits you and your needs.
