Cannabis instead of Antidepressants?
- Few would probably surprise that cannabis could be a potential cure for anxiety.
- However, since it is not legal in most countries, research in this area is lagging behind and it will take some time for this to change.
- A recent study by Dr. But Cuttler and her colleagues have shown that this still unexplored area opens up great opportunities.
A recent study, the first of its kind, has shown that regular consumption of cannabis reduces a persons susceptibility to anxiety, even under sobriety.
Studies,published in Psychopharmacology, found that people who used cannabis every or almost every day responded numbly to the stressful situation, even some time after they abstained. Those who did not use cannabis reported anxiety in a stressful situation and at the same time increased levels of stress hormone cortisol. Chronic users cannabisthey felt less anxiety, and the level of cortisol remained at the level it was in under normal circumstances.
Studiesit included 40 people who regularly used cannabis during the previous year and 42 people who used cannabis in their lives for up to ten times, of which once a year. All participants abstained 12 to 18 hours prior to study.
"Based on our. TWe can say that cannabis seems to be secureit affects stress even after a period of intoxication, "says researcher, Professor Washington State University and co-author of the study, Dr. Carrie Cuttler.
"But, "he warns," we are not yet able to say for sure whether the cushioning of stress is good or bad."
But we know one. Too much cortisol is definitely a bad thing . It is associated with everything - from anxiety and depression, to digestive problems, heart disease insomniaand memory problems. But too little cortisol can also cause problemsbecause this hormone helps to utilize the accumulated energy and properly respond to stressful situations.
Cuttler thinks that more research is needed to determine whether a reduced amount of cortisol affects anxiety in the long term, therapeutically or harmfully. But he adds that what he does cannabis and addiction achieve promising findings .
"We investigated the withdrawal syndrome in chronic users and watched them see an increased desire for cannabis in a stressful situation," he reveals, "and surprisingly, we have no evidence that this would happen."
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Klonopin are often prescribed for short-term acute relief of anxiety and panic attacks. FROM in the short term they are very effective, but they also have a large number of side effects - malaise, changedisorientation. The body also quickly creates tolerance and addiction, and in 2015 it died of an overdose of benzodiazepines over 8,000 Americans .
Depression and anxiety leads to Cannabis?
Nand long-term relief of anxiety disorders is often prescribed by so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac and Zoloft. But you too cause a large number of side effects, whichThese include insomnia, headache, drowsiness, decreased libido, and increased risk of suicidal thoughts.
anxiety is also one of causes of cannabis use and researchers suggest that it has relatively few side effects ,low potential for addiction andalmost no risk of overdose. But since cannabis is still classified as a class 1 drug, very little research has been done in the area of long-term treatment potential for anxiety treatment (up to a recent Cuttler study).
Cutller aher colleagues are also planning to repeat their study, with a longer period of abstinence to make it really clear whether their results are still true. They also hope that they will be able to do thisdo it in rats to confirm your results.
"One limitation of this research is the fact that we can't ethically control who uses cannabis every day and who doesn't," explains Cuttler. "So when our research indicates that they have a numb stress response, it can also mean that people who are already less prone to stress are more prone to use cannabis for a long time. and hemp. "
Another recent study , published in Pharmacological Research, found that cannabidiol (CBD) can increase the efficacy of the neurotransmitter GABA, which works to counteract substances that cortisol releases in anxiety situations (eg, glucose). While high doses of THC have the potential to worsen anxiety , CBD, which is a non-psychotic substance, does not.
All this research is very promising, but Cuttler emphasizes that neither in terms of anxiety, nor cannabis nor pharmaceutical drugs should be the first step of treatment .
"As a psychologist, I believe cognitive-b is the ideal treatment for anxietyehavioral therapy (CBT), "he says." In the short term, this therapy has the same results as anxiety drugs, but in the long run (8-10 sessions) it outperforms these drugs, with no negative side effects. I think of cannabis alike - it can help treat symptoms, but it does not destroy the root of the problem. "
Source:
Marusic, Kristina. "Could Cannabis Eventually Replace Anti-Anxiety Medications?" Leafly , 10 Oct. 2017