Medical marijuana has been used to treat various health conditions, one of them being anxiety.
Actually, studies show that the chemical composition of marijuana can be valuable in treating anxiety disorders.
So, what is anxiety?
Feelings of fear, uncertainty, and worry lead to a condition commonly known as anxiety. When these feeling occurs without a reason, affect daily life or worsen over time, you are likely to be diagnosed with anxiety.
Extreme anxiety disorders can be terrifying. They change the manner in which individuals interact with others making it tricky to stay on task or keep jobs. In the long run, constant anxiety can affect sleep patterns, weaken the immune system, and make it hard to beat even minor illnesses.
According to the U.S National Institute of Mental Health anxiety disorders are synonymous with the following symptoms:
- Hyperactivity
- Fatigue, sleepiness, sleep problems or insomnia
- Restlessness and trouble concentrating
- Tense muscles and muscle pain
- Intense feelings of fear or worry
- Feeling out of control
- Increased heart rate
- Signs of stress reaction like blushing, trembling, sweating, etc.
- Trouble feeling at ease in social settings and feeling nervous about interacting with people
- Lack of motivation
- Overwhelming shyness
Current anxiety treatment options
Currently, there are a range of anxiety remedies although none has been proven to work impeccably in all cases. Actually, there is no recognized cure for anxiety. Psychological therapies are usually used to assist anxiety patients to learn how to control their condition. However, such therapies are likely to take a long time to be effective and are unsuccessful in some cases.
Prescription medications are also employed to relieve anxiety related symptoms. However, these also do not guarantee cure but help manage the condition more easily. Medications commonly prescribed for anxiety patients include anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants.
With that said, there is an array of negative side effects linked to some of these medications. Actually, the lack of effective treatment and the fact that modern medications have unpleasant side effects is what has made some people opt for alternative therapies and natural medical options like Marijuana.
Marijuana to treat anxiety disorders
Using marijuana to curb anxiety symptoms is not a new practice. Smoking weed with an aim of achieving therapeutic relaxation has gone on for many years. Even in instances where medical cannabis has been employed to treat conditions like cancer, studies show, it helps the frame of mind as well as the overall quality of life.
Studies into its employment for anxiety-related symptoms have presented invaluable information to the medical industry. According to Vanderbilt University researchers, the section of the brain that is responsible for body’s stress response has cannabinoid receptors that are good at interacting with the chemical elements found in marijuana.
Another research carried out by University College of London researchers, established that, some compounds in cannabis can minimize anxiety response to certain stimuli, hence successfully managing situational anxiety. Basically, all these researches prove that certain compounds, in particular the CBD, may be handy in treating anxiety and related disorders.
More and more people are embracing medical marijuana
Although some few studies have contradictory findings, more and more patients are embracing medical marijuana when it comes to treating anxiety. This is as a result of various reasons.
One of the key factors that have lead to an increased adoption of medical cannabis is the lack of effectiveness of traditional anxiety treatment programs. Options like cognitive behavioral techniques and psychotherapy take long to get results. Medications generally prescribed to manage anxiety on the other hand are a source of negative side effects such as weight gain, suicidal thoughts, sexual dysfunction or lack of interest in life.
Marijuana apparently, does not present these kinds of effects and has the advantage of being a natural element. It works fairly well with brain receptors to help minimize feelings of anxiety, get rid of stress response linked to triggering situations, and create a general feeling of calm and happiness.
The relative safety in regards to its use, its effectiveness as a treatment, and the all-natural healing of marijuana is almost unparalleled. It is understandable why many patients nowadays are turning to medical cannabis as a form of anxiety remedy.
Source: Medical Marijuana Blog
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