Typically, people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-existing anxiety issues use psychotherapy to relieve their symptoms and emotional turmoil. However, new studies have found some exciting things about chemicals like neurotransmitters produced by nerves. These chemicals reveal much about the endocannabinoid system made of CB1 and CB2 (two cannabinoid receptors). These receptors get signals from natural neurotransmitters or medications, or cannabis. Endocannabinoids can respond to stress response when someone is under trauma or in a stressful situation. According to scientists, THC and CBD-like cannabinoids can positively impact endocannabinoids. Due to this, a person can see improvement in his mood and stress hormones. Some believe activating the endocannabinoid system can also help individuals better deal with their fears associated with a specific memory.
Exploring medical marijuana and PTSD
When consuming moderate doses of marijuana, one can experience reduced anxiety issues. It works like buspirone (anti-anxiety drugs) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). If you are yet to use this, secure your marijuana medical card. Green Team Doctors offers medical marijuana card in Utah. So, if you live there, you can approach them. You can enjoy the therapeutic effects and feel better. However, it’s just a part of the treatment and doesn’t substitute primary therapies. Your doctor may recommend tinctures and concentrates for PTSD and anxiety because they contain THC and CBD. Vaping is also an option, but it may not suit everyone.
PTSD and Medical Cannabis – What does science say?
Behavioral therapy has been the most common form of treatment in PTSD cases. In this process, patients revisit their traumatic experience until they learn to manage it. After this, another stage comes called extinction. At this time, they get exposure to a new traumatic stimulus. Along the process, they take medication. One of the scientists found that using THC before the extinction therapy caused relatively subdued emotions in patients. It also demonstrated that they felt less affected by the memory. These insights are helpful for people living with PTSD who take or don’t take marijuana. The studies show cannabis can help manage trauma and anxiety and give better results from therapy. Scientific data shows that patients’ PTSD symptoms significantly improved with medical marijuana. However, one should get it from a reliable dispensary only.
PTSD symptoms
One can divide it into four broad types – re-experiencing, avoidance, reactivity, and cognition/ mood. In re-experiencing or flashback stage, a person can manifest a faster heartbeat, perspiration, stressful thoughts, nightmares, etc. A person is going through avoidance symptoms if they intentionally avoid anything related to the trauma. They will keep their distance from everything that reminds them of the distressful event; it can be an object or a place. When its reactivity symptoms, one can appear more guarded and easy to get surprised. They can have angry outbursts. Some may also indulge in self-destruction. The cognitive or mood PTSD signs include a persistent feeling of fear, shame, guilt, and anger. They don’t feel happy about anything and stop doing activities they enjoyed previously.
If your dear one is facing this issue, you may want to see them do better. Alternative medicines like medical marijuana can help. So, check with the doctor and explore the possibilities.