Veterans-Free Medical Cannabis for PTSD

Before you can understand how marijuana can help PTSD, you need to understand PTSD. PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder that starts after a disturbing situation. This could be a sexual assault, military experience, or any traumatic event. It doesn’t occur to everyone who lives through a traumatic event but affects many. In fact, almost one in ten Canadians experience PTSD at some point in their life.

During the traumatic experience, the brain changes its chemistry. This causes some recurring symptoms long after the event. PTSD sufferers often experience insomnia, isolation, and flashbacks to the incident. They often have a difficult time functioning because of the severity of the symptoms. Working normal jobs and having friends becomes difficult.

PTSD isn’t a black and white disorder. There are many different symptoms, each of which can have a significant impact. Some sufferers of PTSD have frequent outbursts of anger, for no apparent reason. Others lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, and some completely avoid places that remind them of the event. In any scenario, the disorder can be debilitating and life-changing, and there’s a high suicide rate associated with it. It makes life and happiness challenging, and treatment may be necessary.

While medical marijuana  for PTSD has been used, it has not always been legal and still remains illegal in many countries. Because of that, people have often turned to other ways to treat the disorder. Antidepressants are common treatments for the depression, anger, and numbness that comes with PTSD.

It usually takes some time to find the right combination and dosing of medication to get it right. That’s because it often requires several different medicines. But even in the right dose, antidepressants don’t deal with many of the other symptoms. Some sufferers end up still dealing with insomnia and other issues. On top of those issues, the medication can also cause side effects. They can lead to fatigue and other trouble that get in the way of day-to-day life.

Another treatment option is psychotherapy. However, it’s not a cure-all for PTSD. Even with successful psychotherapy, medication is often necessary. But once again, that medication has its troubling side effects. 

For decades, veterans with PTSD have been using marijuana to self-medicate. Although it may not have been legal, many veterans turned to cannabis to solve their problems. Cannabis could be the drug needed to combat the symptoms of PTSD. To understand why and how you need to take a look at the science behind it.

One study done by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies examined the link. Researchers discovered that low levels of anandamide were found in people with PTSD. It’s believed that the low levels of anandamide make it harder to forget traumatic memories, whereas adequate levels allow the memories to be forgotten. Anandamide is one of many cannabinoids found in marijuana. Using cannabis can restore those levels to normal, and allow people with PTSD to put the traumatic incident in the past. That means the anxiety and stress that comes with the memories will also begin to disappear.

While the science is important, there’s also logic to explain how cannabis can help you deal with PTSD. Because cannabis treats many of the symptoms, it’s logical that it should treat PTSD. When the right strain of cannabis is used, it can treat insomnia, allowing veterans to fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night. Getting an adequate amount of sleep each night is important for overall health. It’s also been known to help people cope with anxiety and moodiness. Many of the symptoms of the disorder can and have been treated with cannabis. Even if it doesn’t bring an end to all the symptoms, it should help.

Treating PTSD with cannabis isn’t as simple as smoking a joint. If you’re not familiar with the different kinds, strains with high THC could make your anxiety worse. A preferred method for some people is Cannabidiol (CBD), which is a non-psychoactive component in cannabis so you could consider using CBD oil as well. The treatment isn’t perfect, but with the research that is going into it now it’s getting there.

Even the government recognizes the benefits of cannabis for PTSD. At least 13 states allow the medicinal use of cannabis for PTSD. But, until now, the research has been lacking. Researchers have been talking about studying medical marijuana for patients with PTSD since 2009. The first study received approvals in 2016. With more research, science may be able to tell you the best way to use cannabis to medicate PTSD.

For decades, medical marijuana for PTSD has helped veterans suffering. Although it may not have been legal, many veterans turned to cannabis to solve their problems. Thanks to the legalization of medical marijuana in many States and the upcoming legalization in Canada, people that suffer from PTSD have another legal solution. Unlike other medications, cannabis has few side effects yet it helps many different symptoms. People who are prescribed cannabis don’t need to worry about dangerous side effects or overdose.

More research is being done on the link between medical marijuana and PTSD. This could open up new doors for people who suffer from the disorder. Researchers may be able to come up with a more effective way to medicate PTSD by providing veterans medical marijuana. Or, they may learn how to treat it overall. In either case, the future looks bright.

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