Cannabis for treating PTSD | Fifth Ave Green House

Why is cannabis so effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

Cannabis use is common among veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD is often an eligible condition in many states' medical marijuana programs.

Why is marijuana so effective for PTSD? How does it interact with the brain and body to relieve this form of anxiety?

In this article, we'll take a deeper look at PTSD and the research on marijuana treatment for PTSD. Finally, we'll give beginners some advice on the best cannabis treatment options.

What is PTSD and what are the symptoms?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that occurs after someone experiences a traumatic (shocking, frightening, or dangerous) event. Of course, most people recover from a traumatic event, but the anxiety symptoms last only for the duration of the event and perhaps for a short time afterward. However, people with PTSD cannot get rid of these symptoms.

Sometimes symptoms begin very early (within three months of a traumatic event), but sometimes they begin very late (after a year or more). Regardless of the time span, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often characterized by vivid flashbacks and distressing nightmares about the traumatic event.

Clinically, the symptoms of PTSD can be divided into four different areas:

• Reliving symptoms – such as nightmares, flashbacks or anxious thoughts.
• Avoidance symptoms – Avoiding certain places, events, or objects that remind you of the traumatic event.
• Reactivity symptoms – nervousness, nervousness, sleep disturbances and tantrums.
• Cognitive and emotional symptoms – such as negative thoughts about oneself or the world, feelings of guilt or blame, loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable, and difficulty remembering important aspects of traumatic events.

In many cases, PTSD symptoms have triggers. For example, if you are involved in a car accident and are hit by a red car, you may react with fear or anxiety every time you see a red car.

Furthermore, it is difficult to determine what is considered a traumatic event and what is not. This is because people respond to trauma differently – what is traumatic for one person may not be for another. In fact, one study found that PTSD may be overdiagnosed, and that many people receive treatment even though they may have other forms of anxiety.

How does fear affect the brain and body?

When we first experience fear, we often have an involuntary fight-or-flight response. It is a natural phenomenon in which our brain and body decide to fight or avoid threatening stimuli. In this response, we may experience the following changes:

• Peripheral vasoconstriction
• Expansion of central blood vessels around vital organs
• Increased respiratory rate
• Muscle tension (can cause goosebumps)
• Fast heartbeat

The response first occurs in the amygdala, a bundle of neurons that is part of the limbic system. From there, the amygdala sends signals to the hypothalamus to activate the pituitary gland in our nervous system. This causes an endocrine (or hormonal) response in other parts of the body.

The occurrence of this systematic event gives us a dose of adrenaline that makes us either fight or flee. This adrenaline is the only reason why our body produces the above mentioned response, which gives us a better chance of fighting off threatening stimuli. This response is deeply ingrained in us and is part of our survival instinct.

Unfortunately, sometimes this response occurs when there is no threatening stimulus present—as in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While there may be a reason for the reaction (e.g., a trigger like the red car in the example above), most often it is an unjustified overreaction to a perceived threat that isn't actually present.

How does cannabis interact with our fear response?

To alleviate the symptoms of PTSD, it is crucial to reduce this physical reaction. Fortunately, cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) can play a crucial role in this.

When cannabis is consumed, the cannabinoids found in plants (phytocannabinoids) interact directly with the cannabinoids found in the body (endocannabinoids). THC in particular binds to the CB1 receptors in the amygdala, where our fear response begins.

Because THC targets the same receptors, it “signals” an emotional response to other parts of our body (as described above), which can relieve anxiety or cause paranoia. The factors that determine what response you experience depend on several factors, including previous cannabis experience, dosage, and your overall personality.

This is why marijuana may induce anxiety in some people and relieve it in others. However, it is important to note that more research is needed to fully understand this process.

Most researchers agree that low doses of THC can have an anti-anxiety effect. Some studies have even found that THC can produce its medicinal effects without causing a psychoactive reaction.

However, due to their psychoactive properties, some people prefer to treat PTSD with non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as CBD, cannabinol (CBG) or cannabinol (CBN). CBD in particular has the ability to balance our endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of chemical signals and cell receptors responsible for many bodily functions such as learning and memory, emotional processing, pain control and sleep.

Research into the treatment of PTSD with cannabis

According to a recent study, one-third of marijuana users in states where medical marijuana is legal cite post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their use.

However, research on cannabis and PTSD is so inadequate that we cannot judge whether it is beneficial (or harmful). So far, here's what we know:

• Some research suggests that CBD may be a valuable tool in reducing the impact of traumatic events immediately after they occur.
• A 2016 study found that drugs that interact with the ECS, including THC and CBD, may help relieve PTSD symptoms.
• A 2016 study found that CBD applied to the skin was effective in reducing anxiety and sleep problems in children with PTSD.
• A 2019 study found that people with PTSD experienced symptom relief when they took CBD capsules in addition to traditional psychotherapy protocols.
• A 2018 literature review showed that treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is better when CBD is taken together with THC.
• According to Forbes, two recent studies have shown that phytocannabinoids can reduce amygdala activity and even help erase traumatic memories.

Which cannabis products are best for treating post-traumatic stress disorder?

According to the research reviewed for this article, CBD products have produced some of the best results in reducing CBD symptoms. This may be because it has no psychoactive effects and therefore no risk of triggering paranoia.

If you're interested in trying CBD, we highly recommend ingesting it (e.g. tinctures/oils, gummies, and other edibles). These tend to last the longest (around 6 hours). These may be beneficial for those looking to reduce PTSD symptoms throughout the day.

However, if you want to try THC, we recommend smoking or vaping indica-dominant strains or cannabis at night. Indica is known for its calming effects and is useful for people with insomnia. In addition, some studies suggest that it can help reduce nightmares.