Marijuana continues to become popular in treating anxiety, depression
By David Ross
We all use things for different reasons. The majority of people gravitate toward cannabis products to feel something. Whether it’s to feel as if one is lost in the clouds, dialed in and introspective or in a state of paralysis, these are experiences that people seek. For others, it’s a bit more complex. People using marijuana products to treat their mental health issues, especially anxiety, depression and insomnia has really increased in this country.
Therapists are seeing more and more patients opt for cannabis products instead of their over-the-counter prescribed antidepressants. While effective, drugs like Zoloft or Welbutrin come with side effects like weight gain or sexual dysfunction. And for some individuals, they don’t achieve their functions at all.
Scientists think that cannabis has extreme potential as a treatment, especially for helping with psychiatric conditions. Some studies have found that CBD alleviates symptoms in people with social anxiety. There’s been studies of people using cannabinoids for chronic pain and seeing a reduction there. The first phase of a clinical trial for CBD anxiety was completed by researchers at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts. Those who received CBD saw about a 70% to 80% improvement on measures of anxiety, says Staci Gruber, director of McLean’s Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) program and the senior author of the study.
The main concern with individuals seeking out marijuana products to treat symptoms is that in most markets, unless they’re equipped with a medical card, you don’t really know what you’re getting. This is where we at Street Lawyer Services differ in that you know what you’re getting: our THC levels indicated on the packages are accurate.
The key take-away here is to know what works best for you. As a friend of mine once told me, you have to be your biggest advocate when it comes to your health. Do your research, ask tough questions and find the best solution that works for you.
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