Medical marijuana for anxiety is just one of the prescribed uses for legal cannabis and today it’s the one that we’re going to focus on. So, if you’ve ever wondered how medical cannabis helps to relieve anxiety symptoms, keep reading!
Medical Marijuana For Anxiety: How Does It Work?
Medical marijuana has many applications and depending on what it is being used to treat, the method of action for that cannabis is different. Today we want to talk about the use of medical marijuana for anxiety and how it helps to relieve symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety
There are many different categories of anxiety. These categories are generally grouped by the stimulus that induces anxious feelings. For example, general anxiety is a general anxious feeling whereas agoraphobia is a fear and anxiety of places where you feel out of control, trapped, or helpless. A great example of this might be an open-air concert where you are forced to be among thousands of fans who are scattered around a grassy lawn. This is an unfamiliar location where you are surrounded by strangers and have no “easy escape route” by which to ease your anxiety.
So, if there are so many types of anxiety, how does medical cannabis help to relieve symptoms of them all?
First, The Initial Concerns
Before we talk about how medical cannabis can relieve anxiety symptoms, let’s quickly talk about the research or lack of “official” research into medical marijuana use. Now, because so many people have reported successful treatment with medical cannabis, we know that it has great applications. Unfortunately, because the federal government still classifies cannabis as an illegal drug, the amount of official research into marijuana use has been exceptionally limited so the results of studies are few and far between. That said, a growing number of states are recognizing the benefits of marijuana and CBD and making it legal by state standards. This legalization has opened up avenues for furthering research and developing plant strains intended to target specific symptoms.
THC And CBD And Control of Medical Marijuana
There are two components to marijuana that are points of focus – THC and CBD. THC is what we recognize as the component of marijuana that induces hallucinations and creates a “high” feeling. CBD is a separate compound that induces many of the relaxing feelings that we associate with marijuana use – feelings that can also be induced by THC, but only in specific circumstances. This is why so much care and control goes into curating specific medical blends so that the end result is meticulously balanced.
All medical marijuana is grown to be higher in CBD than THC, but this balance is particularly important when it comes to anxiety-relieving strains. Why? Because while CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety at any dose, THC has only been shown to improve anxiety symptoms at lower levels and at higher levels, it actually increases feelings of anxiety. This, in addition to the individual differences in reactions to medical treatments, is why we require such tight statewide control over medical cannabis and prescribing doctors. We never want to make any condition worse and without the proper education and understanding of a trained physician, it’s very possible that your anxiety could be made worse.
How Anxiety is Relieved By Medical Cannabis
So, how does medical marijuana help to relieve the symptoms associated with anxiety?
Both THC and CBD have effects on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems that bring relief to anxiety patients, these include:
- Muscle Relaxant Properties – Both THC and CBD help the body to relax, this helps to release tension which builds up to cause and exacerbate anxious feelings.
- Analgesic – Both THC and CBD are also known to relieve pain, a symptom that can cause anxiety.
- Antipsychotic – CBD (not THC) helps to relieve symptoms associated with psychosis, feelings which can create disorganization and anxiety.
- Sedation – THC (not CBD) is known for its ability to induce sleep, something which brings much relief to sufferers of insomnia who become more anxious as their insomnia worsens.
- Bradycardia – CBD (not THC) is also recognised for its ability to slow the heart rate. Perhaps one of the most distressing symptoms of anxiety is a racing heart, so slowing down that heart rate, has a huge impact!
Are You Considering Medical Marijuana For Anxiety?
If you’re considering medical marijuana to help to relieve your anxiety, and you live in or around Cape Coral, just make an appointment to drop by and pay us a visit!