Try Cannabis For Anxiety Today
Although anxiety is not a qualifying condition for a medical card by itself, many patients with a qualifying condition also experience anxiety.
If you get a medical marijuana card for Crohns, for example, and also have anxiety, you may be able to get additional relief mentally!
Remember, if you go into your cannabis experience with a positive mindset, you will probably have a great experience.
If you dont have your West Virginia marijuana card already, let us get you started! Our team of compassionate cannabis doctors are ready to help guide you through the process.
We are also now providing PTSD evaluations! If you think your anxiety or depression may be linked to PTSD, we can help you out. After receiving a PTSD diagnosis, you will qualify for medical marijuana.
Our staff will help you navigate every step of the way. West Virginias program offers medical marijuana to patients with certain conditions and even offers an online application process! Thats right- you can get your medical marijuana card online from the comfort of your own home with West Virginia Marijuana Card!
To get your medical marijuana card online in West Virginia, simply schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries!
Can Using Medical Marijuana Increase Anxiety And Depression
- THC, the primary chemical in marijuana, is believed to stimulate areas of the brain responsible for feelings of fear.
- According to available scientific literature, people who use weed have higher levels of depression and depressive symptoms than those who do not use cannabis.
- Frequent or heavy use in adolescence can be a predictor of depression or anxiety later on in life especially for girls.
- Even if using cannabis seems to alleviate symptoms in the short-term for some users, it can lead to delay in getting appropriate treatment.
- Scientific evidence suggests cannabis use can trigger the onset of schizophrenia and other psychoses in those already at risk of developing it.
- A 2015 study found that university-aged young adults are more likely to have a higher risk of developing depression from heavy marijuana use.
- Numerous research studies show that marijuana is an addictive substance. The more you use it, the more you need to use in order to get the same high.
Medical Marijuana vs. Recreational Marijuana
Mental Illness and Psychoactive Substances
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Be Careful with Marijuana Use
Do You Have Questions?
Eighth Best Cannabis Strain For Anxiety: Kosher Kush
Kosher Kush is an indica-dominant strain with high levels of THC. Not exactly a top choice among those cautious of THC. But, what Kosher Kush has going for it is its high levels of beta-caryophyllene, myrcene, and limonene terpenes. All of which help anxiety.
Kosher Kush also has above-average levels of trans-nerolidol. This terpene exists in other plants like jasmine, ginger, lavender, and lemongrass. People have been using trans-nerolidol aromatherapy for ages.
So if the high THC content scares you, try using this strain as a fragrance while you enjoy one of the more CBD-heavy strains listed below.
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How To Identify Weed Anxiety
The symptoms of weed anxiety can be difficult for some to discern, but there are certain telltale signs.
It usually starts out with a barrage of negative thoughts brewing in the mind. These are troubling, vexing ruminations that are difficult to shake off. It then manifests into physical symptoms, including shortness of breath and an inability to move around comfortably.
People who go through episodes of weed anxiety feel like theyre trapped in their own head. Their thoughts are way too loud, which hinders them from focusing or following whats presently going on.
A classic sign of paranoia among recreational cannabis smokers is checking outside the window for the cops. The worry of having done something illegal can be overwhelming enough to cause panic.
Hang On Can Weed Really Help Treat My Anxiety
Words: Simon Doherty15th July 2022
Medical weed is now legal in the UK , and I was recently reading that it can be prescribed to treat anxiety.
This is astonishing to me the most anxious I have ever been was an incident when I was stoned. It was simultaneously the most high and most anxious Ive ever been and, to make matters worse, it was at the theatre.
I had eaten far too much weed chocolate before going in, brought off a north London hippie self-described as a healer as opposed to a weed dealer.
It was a fiver for a bar of chocolate, and I assumed it was one dose nobody told me otherwise. I later learned that it was in fact five doses. Everything was fine for the first half of the performance, but then it hit me hard, going from a mild intoxication gently blurring the sharp edges of life, to Iam-most-certainly-going-to-die.
Thats when I was sure I really needed to pee. I convinced myself that the following scene would imminently play out: I would get up, try and go to the toilet, then I would tumble head-first inadvertently taking out a couple of innocent old ladies. The whole audience would gasp, point at me, then settle into a disgusted murmur. The house lights would go up, the actors would stop performing and the spotlight would be shined directly onto me. Get him, I imagined the actor with the lead role would say, convinced Id cost them a favourable review in the local paper.
Generally, the use of cannabis does reduce anxieties in small amounts
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How Cbd May Reduce Social Anxiety
Although this is an area of great complexity and the neuroscience is still being worked out, CBD has been shown to work as an anxiolytic, or anxiety-reducing drug. Individuals suffering from social anxiety who were given CBD were found to have increased blood flow in the cingulate cortex, which plays a role in interpreting the reactions of others.
In a 2015 review, cannabidiol was supported as a treatment for social anxiety disorder when administered acutely . However, we don’t know what the effects are of long-term use of marijuana.
They also experienced decreased blood flow to the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus , which are key in forming and recalling memories, and also the inferior temporal gyrus, which helps you perceive faces. In studies with rats, CBD has been shown to reduce aversion to stressful situations.
CBD is thought to inhibit the uptake of anandamide in the PAG. Substances that inhibit the uptake of anandamide have been shown to prevent anxiety. In addition, all of the brain areas involved in anxiety, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and PAG contain CB1 receptors, which are indirectly involved in the effect of CBD.
As a whole, we still don’t know exactly how CBD has its effect. However, it seems that when using this substance, you may be better able to suppress unpleasant memories of anxiety or embarrassment, and also have a better ability to perceive the reactions of others.
Making Cannabis Helpful Not Harmful
Cannabis is a tool, not a cure. Honestly assess whether its helping you achieve your goalsor if its enabling you to avoid them.
Cannabis is a tool, not a cure. Like other medications prescribed for anxiety, cannabis can be helpful in dulling symptoms of anxiety, allowing us the ability to functionally move from day to day and foster healthy habits.
Ideally, cannabis will ease stress and motivate you to take care of yourself. It can spark creativity and curiosity, fueling projects and hobbies that help you stay present. It can inspire you to cook a healthy dinner that tastes ridiculously good after a bowl of Purple Kush. It can ignite interest in getting outdoors with friends and family, or allow us to sit in meditation for a few minutes each day.
Thats not to say cannabis hasto motivate you to join a gym, create art, hike a mountain, or be around other people in order to help you. Sometimes, relaxing with your favorite strain and a video game is exactly what we need, especially when we feel overworked and burnt out.
When using cannabis for anxiety, take note of how youre using it. Honestly assess whether its helping you achieve your goalsor if its enabling you to avoid them.
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How Marijuana Helps Anxiety
When most people think of anxiety, theyre usually thinking of generalized anxiety disorder , the most common form of anxiety. Symptoms of GAD include irritability, chronic apprehension and a phobic-like avoidance of situations that could cause a panic attack.
However, cannabis use has proven in some studies to be a more targeted treatment for different types of anxiety including PTSD, OCD, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.
Medical Cannabis Versus Pharmaceuticals To Treat Anxiety
According to , medical cannabis can replace pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medication. One of the most often prescribed anti-anxiety medication is benzodiazepines.
They manage neurotransmitter levels known as GABA. These balance anxiety levels. One of the side-effects of benzodiazepines is that patients build a quick tolerance, leading to thousands of overdose deaths annually.
Early studies found that the components in cannabidiol , also manage the amount of GABA in the brain. Medical cannabis has also shown the potential to lower the levels of cortisol.
This is a stress-related hormone and, the lower the level of cortisol the greater the effect of lower stress levels.
According to Marijuana Doctors, medical cannabis may be a holistic alternative to anxiety prescribed medication without the bad side effects and is being used as an effective treatment for anxiety disorders in a countless number of patients.
As mentioned earlier, consultation with a cannabis-trained doctor will ensure the use of the right strains of cannabis.
Cannabis rich in CBD has been used successfully in patients suffering from anxiety as well as other medical conditions such as pain and epileptic-type spasms.
CBD does not induce feelings of euphoria and may offer many therapeutic properties.
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Cannabis And Anxiety Disorders
One study found that cannabis can reduce self-reported levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, albeit in the short term. The researchers noted that cannabis use didnt seem to decrease anxiety or depression in the long run. In fact, they concluded that use of cannabis to treat depression appears to exacerbate depression over time.
There are relatively few studies that look at whether cannabis can help with anxiety. However, theres some evidence from
As with anxiety, theres limited research on whether cannabis can help with depression. Most of the research on cannabis and depression focuses on CBD.
A 2014 review of studies concluded that CBD, in particular, may help with depression because it could affect the 5-HT1A receptors, which are a kind of serotonin receptor. Serotonin is often called the happiness molecule, as low levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety and depression.
One 2019 review suggested that CBD may have an antidepressant effect, possibly because it may cause an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor . Low BDNF levels are associated with depression.
But what about cannabis specifically? As mentioned above, some research indicates that using cannabis for depression over a long period of time may actually worsen the condition.
A risk of using cannabis regularly is that you can become dependent on it. Contrary to popular belief, cannabis is addictive and theres a possibility that one can develop cannabis use disorder .
Does This Mean I Cant Use Weed If I Have Anxiety
There are many different cannabis strains that are bred and cultivated for their low THC. Quite a few of them are very effective in providing quality medicinal therapy for a variety of conditions, without causing added anxiety. This is primarily due to the fact that they provide a large amount of a medically powerful cannabinoid named CBD while keeping their THC content as low as possible.
A low ratio of THC/CBD content seems to be critical for reducing anxiety attacks. That is why there are a number of marijuana strains known for a higher THC content that also have certain ratios of CBD and other cannabinoids, that keep anxiety-related disorders in control.
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How To Stop Weed Anxiety
The first thing to keep in mind if you experience a bout of anxiety after smoking weed is to accept whats going on.
This may sound difficult, but its a key aspect of anxiety reduction even when weed isnt involved. From here, it will be easier to take a few breaths and get back to feeling normal. But if that doesnt help, here are some other tips to try out:
| Take a cold shower | At the very least, pour some cold water on your neck. That sudden rush can help you snap out of your current dazed and confused state. |
| Eat or drink something |
| This will help shift your focus away from being in a state of panic. |
| Distract yourself |
| Take a walk around the neighborhood. Put on some relaxing music. The goal here is to keep your mind off those thoughts that ramp up anxiety. |
| Force a positive mindset |
| Remind yourself that this is all in the mind and that youll be okay. Sometimes, kindly nudging yourself to adopt a positive mindset can ease you down and put you in a better disposition. |
Is Medical Cannabis Used To Treat Anxiety In Australia
Australias Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved many applications of medical cannabis to treat anxiety and depression.
However it is important to note that currently medical cannabis is not a first line treatment so patients need to have tried at least one other prescribed medication before being considered.
The TGA also acknowledges that there is limited data from which to draw specific recommendations for treatment.
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Cannabis May Ease Depression And Anxiety Long
In a retrospective study of over 7000 adults, cannabis use improved depression and anxiety at 12 and 18 months in adults diagnosed with these conditions. The Canadian researchers who conducted the study published their findings in Psychiatry Research.
Compared with its use for chronic pain, the researchers stated that reliable evidence to support the use of cannabis to treat anxiety is lacking and available data are conflicting. To bring clarity to the issue, the researchers conducted a retrospective database study of Canadian medical cannabis patients. Patients received their cannabis from Harvest Medicine clinic, a network of specialty medical cannabis clinics across Canada.
Of the 7362 patients, 43.9% reported anxiety as the reason for using cannabis and 25.9% reported depression. The average age of the sample was 49.8. The group was fairly evenly divided between men and women .
The mean General Anxiety Disorder-7 score for patients with anxiety was 11.1 compared with 5.3 without anxiety. The scores for patients with anxiety went down over time with the most notable decreases taking place between 1 and 3 months after treatment and 2 years later.
Patients with depression reported a mean Patient Health Questionnaire score of 13.7 compared with 7.4 for those without depression. The most notable drop for patients with depression took place within the first 3 months of treatment.
Reference
Does Weed Help With Anxiety What The Research Says
There are two main chemical compounds in cannabis: tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol .
Both attach to specific receptors in the brain, which trigger the various sensations you feel. THC is the chemical that produces a high, while CBD has a more subtle, non-intoxicating effect.
Though some US states have legalized cannabis, there are still restrictions in place against using it in medical research. Therefore, there’s limited scientific proof that weed can alleviate anxiety. But that hasn’t stopped people from using the drug to find relief.
A 2016 survey of medical cannabis users found that 58% of users say they use it to treat their anxiety. And in a small 2012 study, two-thirds of college students with high social anxiety reported that they smoke weed to help them cope with social situations.
Given the lack of scientific research, it’s unclear what chemical in the cannabis plant may help with anxiety whether it’s THC, CBD, a combination of both, or something else entirely.
But a 2015 review of 40 preliminary studies on CBD found that this chemical may play a key role. The researchers said they found encouraging, preliminary results that concentrated doses of CBD oil, when taken regularly, could be an effective treatment for a host of anxiety disorders including:
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Look For Marijuana With A Higher Cbd Content
Unlike THC, CBD doesnt produce any psychoactive effects. Plus, research suggests that CBD-rich cannabis may have antipsychotic effects. Paranoia is considered a psychotic symptom.
Products with higher ratios of CBD to THC are becoming increasingly common. You can find edibles, tinctures, and even flower that contains anywhere from a 1:1 to a 25:1 ratio of CBD to THC.
Some people also report that strains with a pine, citrus, or peppery scent can help boost relaxing effects and make paranoia less likely, but this isnt backed by any scientific evidence.
When Should Individuals Seek A Doctors Help For Anxiety
Seek a doctors help when anxiety or any of the symptoms mentioned become divisive or begin to infiltrate most aspects of your life. Part of the diagnosis of chronic anxiety is when you experience anxiety for most days over a period greater than six months.
If anxiety starts impacting your quality of life or stops you from doing the things you want to be doing, or its stopping you from doing other health promoting activities that give you a sense of wellbeing or joy, its time to seek a doctors advice.
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