Medical Cannabis for Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Feeling anxious in stressful or dangerous situations is completely normal. In fact, feeling anxious at the right times can be quite helpful and can be what keeps us safe. Your anxious feeling is as a result of your body going into “fight or flight” mode which gives you the strength and power needed to protect yourself.
However, for some, that feeling of anxiousness can occur frequently and interfere with everyday life in many shapes and forms. It can be difficult for many to diagnose or differentiate between normal everyday anxiety and more severe anxiety disorders.
For example, the anxiety one feels when starting a new job or moving into a new place may seem unpleasant, but under the circumstances, it is completely normal.
More severe kinds of anxiety can stop you from performing simple tasks such as leaving the house or making your bed for no rational reason. When this type of anxious feeling becomes pervasive and difficult to control, it’s time to seek professional help to discuss other forms of anxiety Management.
THC or CBD? What's better for you?
For many years, antidepressants and therapy sessions have been the most common and beneficial forms of anxiety treatment.
More recently, research has shown that medical cannabis can be very effective for treating anxiety symptoms.
Findings suggest that medical cannabis can help combat the endless worrying and nervousness that comes along with anxiety disorders.
However, answering the question “will medical cannabis treat my anxiety?” is not so simple, as people often react differently to cannabis.
There are two main active compounds found in cannabis - THC and CBD. Each has its own effects and benefits. Depending on the medical condition, one can be more beneficial than the other. When using medical cannabis for anxiety, it’s important to use the one best suited for you.
Research has generally indicated that:
THC shows a greater tendency toward anxiety-induction
CBD shows slight anxiety-reduction properties
Since THC is a psychoactive compound, it creates the “high” feeling which can make people feel on edge or paranoid. In addition, THC is known to trigger the amygdala area of the brain which is responsible for fear and can cause anxiety and paranoia.
CBD, on the other hand, is a non-psychoactive compound that doesn’t create a “high” feeling. Often, it’s best to choose strains of medical cannabis with higher concentrations of CBD for treating anxiety.
Medical cannabis, if used incorrectly, can actually have the opposite effect on people suffering from anxiety.
Not everyone reacts to cannabis in the same way, and what works for others may be different than what works for you. Therefore, it’s strongly advised not to self-medicate. Using medical cannabis for anxiety should be done with the guidance of a healthcare practitioner.
How Your Health Can Benefit from Cannabis
There are many potential benefits of using medical cannabis and CBD to deal with anxiety. As CBD is the key cannabinoid when it comes to reducing anxiety, CBD products offer the best treatment solutions for different forms of anxiety.
For Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Research has shown that CBD can reduce stress levels and other anxiety-related symptoms in animals, which is good news for those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Studies suggest that CBD is particularly helpful in dampening any negative mental effects caused by fear. This could help alleviate some of the constant worrying that results from GAD. However, more research is needed to draw any definitive conclusions on how cannabis and CBD can work for people with GAD.
For Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Some studies indicate that CBD lessens anxiety associated with social anxiety disorder by acting on certain areas of the brain. One such study observed that CBD increased blood flow to the part of the brain that relates to interpreting others’ reactions.
This process can subdue embarrassing memories and thoughts, improving the way that users can process reactions from people around them.
For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Studies involving the effects of CBD on humans and animals suggest that the cannabinoid can help with treating trauma-related disorders, such as PTSD. CBD helps to lessen the effects of and responses to traumatic Memories.
Compared with conventional means of treating PTSD and similar disorders, using CBD comes with fewer side effects. In combination with its positive effect on traumatic memories, evidence suggests that CBD could present an alternative to typical therapeutic treatments for PTSD.
A recent study also suggests that CBD, the main non-psychoactive compound in cannabis, can help to relieve insomnia that results from anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
How to Get Medical Cannabis for Anxiety in Canada
If you are looking to get assessed for medical cannabis to help alleviate some of symptoms of anxious, Canadian Cannabis Clinics can help. We’ve provided care and support to thousands of Canadians who live with anxiety. Choose to have a virtual or clinic appointment - whichever feels right for you.
Virtual Appointment
Appointment is online through a secure and private video call.
Clinic Appointment
Appointment is in one of our clinics across Canada.