Feeling frazzled, down, or haunted by the past? Turns out, prescription cannabis might just be the unconventional companion for your mind’s rollercoaster.
A recent survey found 1 in 5 older adults turning to prescription cannabis to zap the blues and calm the chaos – and over 90% claimed it worked like magic!
When it comes to PTSD, cannabis is also climbing the charts. But wait, here’s the twist: despite the buzz, solid data is still hazy. Luckily, studies are sprouting up like, weeds! At least seven are brewing on cannabis for anxiety and depression, and six are zooming in on PTSD.
Small surveys and studies spill a mix of good news and cautionary tales:
• Depression: In a 2018 Washington State University online survey, two puffs of low-THC, high-CBD cannabis cut symptoms by 50%. But here’s the kicker – over time, regular use may flip the script, making depression worse. Why? Those sneaky cannabinoid receptors in your brain might not play nice long-term. The silver lining? Quitting could reboot your brain.
• Anxiety: A little goes a long way! In 2018, cannabis helped users ditch nearly half their anxiety pharmaceuticals! Let that sink in! But don’t go overboard; higher doses may crank up your anxiety instead of soothing it.
• PTSD: Cannabis might just play superhero. THC and CBD can dial down those hair-raising “fear memories” triggered by sudden loud noises or other PTSD cues. A Canadian study even found nighttime THC cut down intense nightmares for PTSD sufferers.
The moral of the story? Cannabis is no one-size-fits-all potion. Start small, choose carefully, and watch how your brain responds. Because when it comes to this plant based friend – less might really be more.
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