Cannabis and PTSD Treatment - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder primarily affects individuals who have been exposed to extreme psychological and physical stress in the past. It widely impacts soldiers who develop this condition during their foreign missions. However, it is not exclusively a problem for war veterans. Today, PTSD can affect anyone. We'll now examine whether medical cannabis could be useful in this area, and if so, how.
PTSD and Medical Cannabis: What Do Studies Say?
Despite the now-available mountain of data and statistics speaking about the therapeutic effectiveness of medical cannabis against stress, anxiety, and depression, there is still insufficient data demonstrating its efficacy in treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
The well-known Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) recently received a nearly 2.5 million grant from the state of Colorado. The intention is to finance the world's first clinical research on PTSD patients - specifically war veterans, among whom this disorder occurs most frequently, right after sexual assault and abuse victims.
The study will examine various effects of CBD and THC. To understand the function and effectiveness of different doses, experts will use cannabis strains with varying CBD:THC ratios.
"There are fundamental differences between cannabis models, which relate to varying CBD:THC ratios and contained aromatic compounds - terpenes."
War Veterans and PTSD
Soldiers returning from war zones are frequently victims of severe depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, which are part of PTSD. Medications prescribed to patients are often very strong and can lead to long-term dependency. Among the most common substances veterans become dependent on and demand increasingly higher doses are opiates.
However, increasing the dosage only deepens the tolerance built up by the organism. Opiates stop working and may even lead to organism overdose. Moreover, if medications cease to be effective, many patients find themselves in a situation where they don't know what to do and see only one way out.
The suicide rate among soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq reaches absolutely shocking heights. In most cases, suicides are directly linked to PTSD.
PTSD Does Not Only Affect War Veterans
Post-traumatic stress disorder is not limited to soldiers. Another, statistically perhaps even more frequent cause is sexual abuse. Women are naturally much more at risk of PTSD in this case than men.
Melanie Nakashian, founder of Survivors for Cannabis, commented on this:
"The stigma surrounding cannabis consumption, combined with an even worse stigma around sexual assault victims, can leave individuals in a confused state full of feelings of isolation and being on the margins of society."
For these reasons, Nakashian decided to establish the organization "Survivors for Cannabis". Additionally, the created Instagram page allows patients to actively share their stories, problems, and potential solutions. An environment where patients can share their issues contributes to the psychological healing process.
Medical Cannabis and PTSD Treatment
In a systematic summary published in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis, there are mentions that active compounds called cannabinoids could be promising in PTSD treatment. Particularly in alleviating symptoms such as nightmares. Read more about the study below...
Cannabis Potential in PTSD Treatment
"Recently, there has been a wave of interest in using cannabis as a PTSD medication, especially for war veterans," says Dr. Chandni Hindocha.
Both CBD and THC can help in PTSD treatment by influencing how the brain processes memories. The endocannabinoid system assists in this, additionally regulating other functions affected by PTSD. Available evidence confirms that cannabis might help reduce symptoms like insomnia and nightmares.
If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or excessive stress, consider using the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD, for example in the form of oil or capsules. CBD has a proven anxiolytic effect.