It’s not easy dealing with mental issues that have deep-rooted causes. Those who have never dealt with any form of anxiety, depression or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), should consider themselves lucky. For those who don’t know, it’s a debilitating condition, that if left untreated can eat away at mental stability. PTSD can impact anyone, and as we’ll show, using marijuana for trauma is an up and coming therapy for treating it.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety-inducing condition that often occurs after an extremely traumatic event that results in psychological damage.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked to overactive noradrenergic activity. Studies have shown that noradrenergic stimulation alters the incorporation of fear learning.
Re-animating well preserved memories and attaching a sensation of fear to them. This alters the actual memory itself, bending and reshaping the memory in a way that attacks with a ferocious anxiety and depression.
PTSD has often been associated with army personnel that have returned from war or a tour. The intense environment and situations involving death can have an extremely negative impact on the mental stability of those involved.
Symptoms of PTSD include reliving the trauma, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, anger, lack of focus, blackouts and fears of people, places or experiences that may trigger a flashback of the traumatic event. This is why marijuana for trauma is growing in popularity.
How Does Marijuana for Trauma Work?
Currently there are medications that help treat PTSD, but they aren’t very effective and produce a plethora of side effects. Serotonergic antidepressants (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil are often prescribed to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.
Although these medications have been prescribed to countless numbers of patients, their effectiveness is still a little murky.
Couple that with their wide range of side effects, including nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, anxiousness, dizziness, sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction (trouble getting or keeping an erection and insomnia.
This alone is a warning sign that the medication itself may be harmful than good! Using marijuana for trauma may just be what’s been missing in PTSD treatment.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis sativa plant. Research has been finding a direct link between the reduction of severe anxiety and CBD. Our bodies have what’s known as the endocannabinoid system.
The Endocannabinoid System is a collection of cell receptors and their corresponding molecules. These receptors work like key locks on the surface of your cells. The keys to these locks are chemical molecules known as agonists. When an agonist binds to a cell it sends a message with specific directions to the cells.
Cannabinoid receptors are found all throughout the body, giving them a wide variety of functions. However, certain receptors are more concentrated in specific regions. CB1 receptors are abundant in the central nervous system. CB2 receptors are more often found on immune cells, in the gastrointestinal tract, and in the peripheral nervous system.
The diversity of receptor locations shows just how important endocannabinoids are for day-to-day bodily function. They help regulate the following:
- Sleep
- Appetite, digestion, hunger
- Mood
- Motor control
- Immune function
- Reproduction and fertility
- Pleasure and reward
- Pain
- Memory
- Temperature regulation
Using CBD reduces, and often completely rids our bodies of anxiety by properly engaging our endocannabinoid systems and allowing the proper distribution of anandamide.
Using the anxiety-reducing benefits of CBD allows for a more effective “exposure therapy.” This is when patients are exposed to stimuli that would normally trigger their PTSD in a safe environment. Allowing them to navigate the trauma without feeling the fear associated with the memory or stimuli.
Marijuana for trauma treatment may be just what the doctor ordered! If you or a loved one is suffering from PTSD or any other form of stress and anxiety, informing them on the healing powers of CBD and cannabis may be a step in the right direction to easing their symptoms and promoting healthy and happy life.
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