Cannabis is becoming increasingly popular as a means of treating mental health issues. While more research is needed to understand the potential benefits fully, early studies suggest that cannabis-based products may help to improve symptoms of conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. In order to ensure that cannabis and related products are safe for you, speak to your doctor about the dosage and delivery methods before using them to manage your mental health. Nevertheless, there is lots of evidence to suggest that it can profoundly affect a person’s mental health. This post will explore how this plant can help those struggling and regain normalcy in their lives.
What Is Medical Marijuana?
Medical marijuana is a drug used to help with various medical conditions and is smoked, vaped, eaten, or taken as a liquid. The surprising thing is that while it remains illegal under federal law, almost all states in the USA allow people to consume some variety of medicinal cannabis under certain conditions. Most conditions stipulate that in order to purchase medical marijuana legally, a person needs to obtain a medical card from state authorities confirming their condition. Once they have this card, they can visit a registered dispensary and buy whatever they need to alleviate their condition. However, before you head out to your local health department to get your card, you should understand how cannabis can help with specific mental health issues and what to be aware of before you begin using it.
How Can Medical Weed Help Mental Health?
When discussing mental health, it is crucial to understand that cannabis isn’t a panacea and can actually exacerbate specific psychiatric conditions. Medical weed is an effective alternative treatment for mental health conditions because it does not have the same side effects as traditional treatments such as antidepressants or antipsychotics. So let’s take a look at which mental health issues it has the most profound effect on treating.
- Depression
Mental health conditions such as depression cause people to feel sad, hopeless, and uninterested in life. Cannabis is not a cure for depression but it can help reduce some symptoms. Cannabis has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression because it has the ability to help regulate mood and provide relief from anxiety and pain. Consequently, with chronic pain-related depression, it is particularly helpful since it aims to fix the underlying cause, making it easier for you to stop thinking about the issue.
- Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological condition that can be both debilitating and difficult to diagnose. It is characterized by excessive fear, worry, and stress with no apparent cause and is one of America’s most common mental illnesses. There are many ways in which cannabis helps people with anxiety, such as reducing the body’s production of cortisol when someone feels threatened or stressed out. Cannabis may also help manage insomnia, which can contribute to anxiety (and a raft of other health issues). However, you should know one crucial point before you spark up a massive blunt. Lower doses of THC appear to reduce anxiety, while higher doses appear to exacerbate it. Therefore, aside from consulting your doctor (which is a must), you should consider the amount you consume and slowly taper up to the perfect dosage.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental disorder that can develop after a traumatic event has taken place. It ranges in severity but can be a highly debilitating issue that causes strain in your daily life, from affecting family life to causing difficulties at work. The use of cannabis to help treat PTSD has been studied extensively in recent years, and studies have shown that cannabis can be an effective treatment in some cases. While cannabis isn’t inherently addictive, severe PTSD can cause individuals to lean towards intoxicants to alleviate their suffering. Therefore, cannabis use should be monitored and coupled with other therapies to avoid creating a dependency (as is the case with most drugs).
What Dosage Should You Take?
The dosage of medical marijuana depends on the condition you are trying to treat and your symptoms. The amount of cannabis that you consume, the method in which it is consumed, and your tolerance level to cannabis will all have an impact on how much THC you need to achieve desired effects. Generally speaking, people who are new to cannabis should use less than those who are more experienced with the substance. Nonetheless, if you obtain medical weed through the correct channels and discuss it with your doctor, you will have a better idea of how much to consume.
Medical marijuana is something that many are taking advantage of to help with their mental health. If you’re unsure how to go about it, you can speak with your physician and see if it’s right for your circumstances.
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