Cannabis and PTSD – Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by the experience of traumatic events. Combat, car accidents and abuse are just a few examples of events that can lead to PTSD.

The 3 main characteristics of PTSD are:

• Re-living of traumatic events
• Increased arousal
• Avoidance.

Re-living can manifest as flashbacks or nightmares and may be triggered by reminders of the events, which leads to avoidance of those reminders.

Increased arousal is a state of hyper-vigilance, which can manifest as paranoia. These PTSD behaviors and experiences are often accompanied by acute anxiety, nausea, avoidance of activities that were once commonplace, anger, self-medicating and relationship sabotage.

PTSD can be alleviated or eliminated with cognitive behavioral therapy, but it is not always effective. Therefore, doctors & researchers are looking for more effective options, such as medical cannabis for PTSD. Studies have shown medical marijuana can help treat PTSD symptoms.

Cannabinoid receptors are located throughout the body and brain, so both mental and physical symptoms can be altered with medical marijuana treatment. That’s beginning to change, as the FDA approved a study on the effects of medical marijuana on veterans with PTSD in 2017. Depending on the results, a cannabis-based treatment for PTSD might be available on the market as soon as 2023.

Contact Us for more information with regards to medical cannabis and PTSD.