How Medical Marijuana Helps PTSD
Over the years, the world has become more and more aware of certain psychological conditions caused by outside factors. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that mental health is directly tied to emotional and physical well-being. That natural connection is the topic of conversation across all healthcare disciplines, especially when it can be treated with a natural solution like medical marijuana.
An excellent example of a psychological disorder is PTSD. This stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. It is when you experience or witness some form of traumatic event like the death of a loved one, abuse from someone you trusted, or even a natural disaster like a tornado ripping up a home.
Our role at Charlotte Marijuana Doctor is to provide groundbreaking treatment plans by opening access to safe, reliable, and effective North Carolina medical marijuana cards. We frequently work with older Americans, military veterans, and even young adults trying to manage challenging symptoms of PTSD while going through college or moving out on their own for the first time.
Let’s go over how cannabis may be the perfect solution for treating your PTSD symptoms.
Medical marijuana is used to treat a wide range of conditions today. Patients with PTSD have claimed for many years that medical marijuana helps with concerns such as nightmares and panic attacks, and recent research only continues to support these statements. Today we’re going to discover how medical marijuana helps PTSD so you can decide for yourself if this is a good option for you in the future.
Symptoms of PTSD
Everyone with PTSD is likely to experience their own range of symptoms. Common symptoms of PTSD include panic attacks, nightmares, detachment from others in their lives, and emotions that they can’t control. These symptoms often become overwhelming for patients, which can lead to self-destructive behavior when not treated. While patients are always encouraged to look into therapy and support for their mental health, many PTSD patients report that medical marijuana helps to ease these symptoms and supports them in carrying out everyday tasks that were starting to feel impossible.
How Does Medical Marijuana Treat PTSD?
Studies suggest that there are two main ways in which medical marijuana helps to ease the symptoms of PTSD. Firstly, cannabis is known to reduce activity within the amygdala. This is the part of your brain that is most commonly associated with our fear response to threats. Naturally, this area can have much higher levels of activity in patients with PTSD. Research also suggests that the cannabinoids in medical marijuana help diminish the traumatic memories patients are experiencing, which can be very therapeutic for patients with PTSD. PTSD often comes with symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are two other conditions that patients often turn to medical marijuana to deal with. Medical marijuana can help to reduce anxiety levels or prevent anxiety from increasing in situations with high threat levels. When low doses of medical marijuana are taken, less fear is often reported in the system, which can make returning to traumatic places or situations more manageable for patients with PTSD. Research suggests that the human endocannabinoid system is closely linked with PTSD. The availability of cannabinoid type 1 receptors in individuals with PTSD is greater, which is why cannabis can be used effectively to reduce symptoms in the short term. However, research also suggests that cannabis use over an extended period of time could lead to negative consequences, such as tolerance to medical marijuana. This is why it’s so important to find the right level dose for your needs and personal tolerance to medical marijuana, which our team can support you with.
Considerations to Keep in Mind When Taking Medical Marijuana for PTSD
If you are taking medical marijuana for the first time to treat PTSD, there are a few things to keep in mind. We recommend starting at a lower dosage, especially if you’ve never used marijuana in any form before. If you are taking other medication for anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms, then you’ll also need to work with your doctor to discuss if this is a suitable option for you. People typically take medical marijuana before bedtime when they first take it, as this is one of the times when people with PTSD struggle the most. Once a dose level has been established, you can then add this to your daytime routine if necessary. When you first take medical marijuana, keep a log of the impact you feel it has on your body. It can be very useful to see how you react to it, and then we’ll be able to support you in finding a dose that’s right for you. You’ll also be able to keep track of the symptoms that it helps to reduce and any it may exasperate. If you do find that any of your PTSD symptoms get a lot worse, then stop taking it immediately and consult a medical professional for their advice. Medical marijuana is very beneficial to individuals with PTSD and many other conditions. Our team will be here to support you in recommending the best option for your needs based on your unique symptoms and concerns. We recommend starting with a low dose level before building this up if you feel you need more support. PTSD can be very difficult for individuals to manage, which is why we are here to support you in finding ways to make carrying out your everyday tasks easier in the future. Get in touch with us today to learn more about medical marijuana for PTSD and the products we have on offer.
Why Focus on PTSD?
About 5% (5 out of 100) of American adults have PTSD. This is usually due to some form of “trauma.” These experiences tend to be shocking and dangerous, often putting the lives of the individual or a loved one in direct danger. Some common causes of PTSD can include:
- Serious Accidents
- Sexual Violence
- Lacking Social Support
- Witnessing Violence and Death
- Natural Disasters
- Witnessing Terrorism
- Military Combat
- Traumatic Childbirth
- Childhood Neglect
- Victim of Crime
- War
The list could go on and on. That is kind of the challenge of managing the symptoms of PTSD. They can be from a broad range of situations. When left unchecked, this can lead to trouble sleeping, concentrating, always being on guard, an overwhelming sense of shame, self-destructive behavior, and more.
The result of PTSD is often conditions like increased heart palpitations, severe anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks of the trauma, or unending nightmares. As you can imagine, no one wants to try and manage these symptoms on their own.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help PTSD?
Some people characterize using cannabis to treat PTSD as simply helping a patient relax and not feel stressed. While that certainly does improve the situation, there are other reasons to celebrate.
Obtaining your medical marijuana card for PTSD symptoms helps your body, mind, and emotional state. Medical marijuana targets the parts of the brain using learning and memory. The cannabinoids inside the cannabis help to reduce and moderate any unwanted traumatic memory outbursts. That, in turn, minimizes other symptoms, including anxiety.
The goal is to get a patient back to a state of “active living.” Instead of not being able to secure a job because a PTSD outburst gets in the way, losing your vehicle license because driving brings up flashbacks of an accident, or risking your personal relationships because your anxiety is so high, you have a pathway to something better.
The best part is using North Carolina medical marijuana is much safer than relying on the typical antidepressants and psychotherapeutic medicines that only have partial success rates and tend to come with many unwanted side effects. No one wants to take a common antidepressant and end up with drowsiness, diarrhea, nausea, and a list of rough side effects.
In addition to reducing the familiar outbursts associated with PTSD, research shows combining THC with CBD changes the endocannabinoids being released. As a result, you get an elevated mood where stress hormones like cortisol balance out. If you combine this treatment with natural and beneficial therapies like talk therapy via a mental health expert, you could be well on your way to reducing any symptoms.
What About Military Veterans?
While anyone suffering from PTSD is eligible for a consultation with our professional and licensed team at Charlotte Marijuana Doctor, we do want to take a moment and talk to the military veterans and their families.
Between 11 and 20 out of every 100 veterans will experience PTSD. That means millions of incredible people putting their lives on the line to protect our freedoms have to deal with something that can make life incredibly difficult.
We wanted to speak to this group because there was a fantastic, FDA-approved study showing the benefits of cannabis on PTSD. The results were that of the two groups – one given a placebo and one given THC cannabis; the medical marijuana side of the equation was way more effective. Cannabis users reported a lessening of symptoms, so much so that they are 2.5 times as likely to no longer meet the criteria for PTSD.
The point is it works. Using North Carolina medical marijuana helps military veterans by providing a natural, safe, and easy-to-use treatment with little to no side effects. Patients are able to better manage their PTSD and move on with life to a much better daily standard.
Any Concerns for PTSD and a Medical Marijuana Card
The chances of getting any side effects from cannabis when treating PTSD are minimal at best. That being said, you may want to start small with a low dosage. Be sure to follow the stated recommendations of our healthcare provider, like our team at Charlotte Marijuana Doctor – just in case.
Also, you should seek out talk or some other form of mental therapy. Even something as simple as a PTSD support group can quickly compound the lowered symptoms caused by medical marijuana.
You want to find a blend of treatments that work best for your unique situation. Everyone is different, and it’s okay to have a plan specific to who you are. A young adult dealing with watching their parents pass away in a car accident will have different needs than a 65-year-old military veteran experiencing flashbacks.
Striking that balance is possible, and North Carolina medical marijuana is a vital tool in reaching the optimal living standards you desire.
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card for Treating PTSD
Luckily, getting a medical marijuana card doesn’t have to involve endless jumping through hoops or dealing with too much red tape. Our fully licensed medical team at Charlotte Marijuana Doctor is here to help.
Since 2016, we have helped well over 25,000 patients suffering all kinds of issues, including PTSD, find a pathway forward through acquiring a medical marijuana card. The way it works is simple:
- Request an Appointment: Use our qualification form and schedule an appointment with our licensed and experienced physicians.
- Visit a Doctor: During our session, we’ll go over the current medical cannabis program in North Carolina and how we can provide a treatment plan.
- Receive Card: Once you’re approved, you’ll be entered into the North Carolina medical marijuana database so you can secure your new card.
All that is left is finding a trustworthy and diverse retail location to pick up your CBD and THC products. We outline the treatment plan, dosage, and suggested use. You get the wonderful benefits needed to help minimize the symptoms of PTSD.
A lot is happening with legalization and access to North Carolina medical marijuana. You don’t have to manage PTSD on your own anymore. Schedule your appointment and pre-qualify with our team at Charlotte Marijuana Doctor today and let’s get started!