Cannabis For Anxiety
People have self-medicated with cannabis and have found relief from their anxiety, but what are the scientific implications of doing so?
A 2014 study published in the journal Neuron demonstrated this point. Researchers at Vanderbilt University set out to analyze the effectiveness of self-medicating with cannabis to treat anxiety, and they found compelling reason to believe that people who used the substance in this manner were onto something.
“Chronic stress or acute, severe emotional trauma can cause a reduction in both the production of endocannabinoids and the responsiveness of the receptors,” the researchers wrote in a press release about the study. Because components of cannabis function as endocannabinoids, cannabis can, in fact, provide relief by contributing to the system, centrally located in the amygdala, that regulates anxiety, they continued.
“We know where the receptors are, we know their function, we know how these neurons make their own cannabinoids,” Dr. Sachin Patel, lead author of the study, said. “Now can we see how that system is affected by… stress and chronic [marijuana] use? It might fundamentally change our understanding of cellular communication in the amygdala.”
Anxiety And Cannabis’s History
Approximately 3.3 million Americans suffer from anxiety, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. It can be a debilitating disorder that affects how people socialize and cope with daily stress. And though there are pharmaceutical options available, including benzodiazepines such as Xanax, the fact of the matter is, those drugs are highly addictive and dangerous. Cannabis is non-toxic and non-addictive, and it is still an effective form of treatment.
Cannabis For Anxiety Treatment Plan
We recommend talking with your doctor before going off of any prescribed medications, especially those prescribed for anxiety. If you cut those out cold-turkey you have a chance of getting seizures, so always talk to your doctor before you stop taking your medications.
When looking at using cannabis for anxiety, you want to make sure you have a plan that you’re going to start with. Use our tips in this blog to help steer you in the right direction for what you’re going to use.
Tips For Using Cannabis For Anxiety
Try cannabis cultivars you already know don’t make you anxious. Starting with what you already know and are comfortable with will give you a better overall outcome.
Avoid edibles for short term results. The reason for this is because when you take an edible it can take anywhere between 1 to 2 hours for you to start feeling its effects, and by that time you most likely have finished your anxiety attack.
If you regularly have anxiety, and you prefer edibles, plan to take it as a day long solution, rather than a quick fix. Find an edible that won’t knock you out, but makes you feel comfortable.
Try different types of consuming cannabis for different results. If you’re not getting where you expected to with smoking cannabis, try to use a vaporizer instead. It may make you feel better or more alert than smoking cannabis.
How To Dose With Cannabis And Anxiety
At G3 Cannabis Therapy Network, we recommend microdosing cannabis for those looking for anxiety relief. We want people to find their minimal effective dose (MED), or just enough to feel the euphoric feeling but not enough to feel high. A THC high can can sometimes increase anxiety among users, so we want to guide people towards the easiest and most controllable method of consuming cannabis. If you’re finding that the higher THC cultivars are making you more anxious, try something with more CBD and less THC. Cannabis for anxiety isn’t an exact science, as cannabis affects each person differently, but with time and testing we’re confident you’ll be able to find something to help you.
Cannabis Cultivars For Anxiety
Different types of cannabis will give you different results. Here’s a few to try next time you’re having an anxiety attack.
Granddaddy Purp
This cultivar has been known to help reduce stress, which is what causes some people to have anxiety. Granddaddy Purp will help you feel peaceful and relaxed. When you want to sink in and relax with cannabis for anxiety, reach for the Granddaddy Purp next time.
Jack Herer
Like we mentioned before, something high in THC may make you more anxious, so if that happens to you maybe skip this cultivar. However, if you’re a person that handles the THC well and want to be high to cure your anxiety, give Jack Herer a try. Jack Herer has been known to give you a euphoric effect that comes in gently and does provide some calming effects.
Cannatonic
This cultivar is perfect for those looking to turn to cannabis for anxiety and don’t handle THC well. Cannatonic has a CBD to THC content that is almost at a 1:1 ratio. Usually cannabis has a higher THC content than CBD, but with Cannatonic it’s very easily matched and can give you that relaxation without getting too high.
Strawberry Cough
For those who suffer from social anxiety, we have a cannabis cultivar for you too. Strawberry Cough will give you that alertness and make you feel social, but it isn’t so stimulating that your mind will race making your anxiety worse. Choose this cultivar if you’re looking to walk the line of feeling energized and calmed, allowing you to be social without feeling uncomfortable.
ACDC
Again, for those who get too high easily and want to use cannabis for anxiety without going overboard on the THC, reach for ACDC. This cultivar typically contains around 20 times more CBD than THC, so you’re not going to feel that high when you consume it. For some people this helps them stay relaxed and calm in the face of an anxiety attack.
Do you suffer from anxiety? Have you tried to use cannabis to help? Let us know how cannabis helps your anxiety in the comments below! Also, if you need more information check out our Cannabis Therapy PotCast episode where we go more in depth. Have specific questions? Reach out to one of our expert cannasultants to help you out today!
