Keep Mood Swings In Check
The fast-paced lives we live are vast contributors to the changes in our moods. This affects us differently as some of us are not sure how to manage them as they come.
Thanks to the thorough studies on medicinal marijuana, people living with panic attacks and anxiety can rest easy. It’s been shown to help bring mood swings under control regardless of how severe they may be.
The chemicals in our bodies, such as endocannabinoids, are huge contributors to this benefit. They work closely with the chemicals released in CBD products to regulate our moods.
Scientifically speaking, CBD is bound to other brain receptors linked to bouts of depression and anxiety. Serotonin is one of the brain receptors that interact directly with CBD and causes the different emotional reactions that we face.
Self-medication has never been an accurate way of going about handling the profound mood changes. Instead, an adequate prescription from a medical professional gives the user a sense of direction.
Legal Regulations For Medical Cannabis
Once a well-established and widespread treatment modality, the federal government began placing sanctions on the sale and cultivation of cannabis in 1937, with concerns about its psychoactive effects leading to its prohibition and classification as a Schedule I controlled substance in 1970 2. Today, cannabis containing THC continues to be considered a prohibited substance under federal law, however, state legislators have found loopholes in the governing of cannabis use for both medical and recreational use. Beginning with Californias Compassionate Use Act in 1996, today only four states – Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota – have opted to not follow on the lingering smoke trail that is the legalization of cannabis in some capacity. Thirty-two states, along with Washington D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have departed from the federal government to impose their own individual laws and restrictions around the sale and use of medical cannabis, but the conditions for which medical treatment is approved varies from state to state27.
When Should Individuals Seek A Doctors Help For Anxiety
Seek a doctors help when anxiety or any of the symptoms mentioned become divisive or begin to infiltrate most aspects of your life. Part of the diagnosis of chronic anxiety is when you experience anxiety for most days over a period greater than six months.
If anxiety starts impacting your quality of life or stops you from doing the things you want to be doing, or its stopping you from doing other health promoting activities that give you a sense of wellbeing or joy, its time to seek a doctors advice.
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How Does It Work
There are cannabinoid receptors all throughout our brains, which are responsible for processing our emotions. When you consume marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol , the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, binds to these receptors and triggers a range of reactions that change the way you think and feel.
For example, its well-known that THC activates the brains reward system, which is how marijuana can make people feel more relaxed or euphoric. But this isnt the only thing THC does it also stimulates areas of the brain that are responsible for controlling memories, feelings of fear, and anxiety.
So what does this all mean? With evidence showing that marijuana can influence our thoughts and emotions, it makes sense that it could be useful in treating specific anxiety disorders. Read chronic stress and anxiety.
There is actually a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting that cannabis can be helpful in treating anxiety. A study by the University of California found that 47% of patients being treated for PTSD with medical cannabis experienced a reduction in their symptoms, including flashbacks and panic attacks.
Cannabis can also help calm social anxiety one recent study published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research suggests that marijuana may have strong potential to treat social anxiety. Researchers found that some patients experienced a paradoxical effect, meaning that they actually felt less anxious after consuming THC, which decreased over time.
Wary Of Side Effects From Conventional Drugs Some People Are Using Cannabis As A Treatment Doctors Arent Sure Thats A Good Idea
More people are turning to cannabis to alleviate mental health problems like anxiety and depression, as well as insomnia, psychologists and researchers say. Yet the science on cannabis as a mental-health treatment is in its infancyand some evidence suggests that marijuana can make these problems worse.
Therapists say they are seeing more patients using pot in place of antidepressant drugs like Zoloft and Paxil. Common medications prescribed for depression and anxiety disorders can come with significant side effects, including weight gain and sexual dysfunction. They also dont work for everyone.
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Anxiety Reducing Effects Of Marijuana
One specific reason why marijuana has the calming effect that it does is because it affects the neurotransmitter GABA which can stop anxiety in its tracks. GABA levels are what are targeted by benzodiazepines common prescription anti-anxiety drugs! Marijuana can also lower cortisol, the stress hormone, when used regularly, as one study found.
A more widely accepted/less controversial option is CBD oil, which is easy to come by these days. It doesnt contain THC, so you wont get high, but you will reap the anxiety reducing benefits. CBD alone is considered to be pretty safe. Its thought to work by affecting the CB1 receptor in the brain, which in turn positively affects serotonin levels.
There has been some promising research surrounding CBD! In one study with both human and animal subjects, anxiety was significantly decreased in subjects who received 400 mg of CBD as opposed to a placebo. Another study showed the effectiveness of CBD for relieving social anxiety during public speaking.
If youre in a state where medical and/or recreational marijuana is legal, go ahead and get stoned, but understand that it may heighten your existing anxiety. Hopefully, youll simply find yourself a lot less stressed out and a lot more giggly.
The Paradoxical Effect Of Marijuana
Given that marijuana is the most widely used recreational drug in the world, and given that the studies that document the anxiety causing effects of marijuana show that 70-80% of the people who smoke marijuana do not experience acute or chronic anxiety, we have to conclude that marijuana has a paradoxical effect. It is safe for many people, even the majority of people who use it. But scientific studies are also showing that it is harmful for a substantial minority of the people who smoke marijuana.
21% of longtime marijuana smokers have increased anxiety levels, but 79% of long time smokers do not.
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How Marijuana Helps Anxiety
When most people think of anxiety, theyre usually thinking of generalized anxiety disorder , the most common form of anxiety. Symptoms of GAD include irritability, chronic apprehension and a phobic-like avoidance of situations that could cause a panic attack.
However, cannabis use has proven in some studies to be a more targeted treatment for different types of anxiety including PTSD, OCD, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.
Understanding Marijuanas Physical Effects
Now, there are two sides to the story. While marijuana has made me relax, and feel anxiety free many a time, it has also led me to near nervous breakdowns. During those times, my heart raced a million miles an hour, and I was convinced I was peeing my pants . Its not just me, either. Marijuana affects different people differently. And different strains of marijuana can affect the same person differently. At times, the effects of the drug can be rather unpredictable. Its strange to think that the same drug that can result in a person feeling totally zen can also result in triggering a full blown anxiety attack.
So, how does weed work, anyway? Theres a chemical in our brain called anandamide which is pretty structurally similar to THC , the active component in marijuana that gives you a psychoactive high. So, when THC enters your body, it sort of recognizes it. The THC attaches to cannabinoid receptors and disrupts normal mental function as we know it, resulting in a high. Thats the short version.
As for why the drug affects people so differently, there are many factors many of which are out of our control. There are factors within us that determine how well vibe with weed, such as age, body fat, and genetics. Believe it or not, even growth and harvest conditions of the marijuana plant itself can impact the way it makes us feel.
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Are People With Social Anxiety More Likely To Use Marijuana
A 2012 questionnaire study showed that people with clinically meaningful social anxiety were more likely to use marijuana to cope with social situations and to avoid social situations if they could not use marijuana. In addition, a 2011 study found that social avoidance was related to marijuana problems and that men with greater social avoidance showed the most severe in terms of marijuana-related problems.
These findings suggest that as a recreational user, you may be more likely to use marijuana if you live with social anxiety, particularly if you are male and tend to avoid social situations. You might find yourself needing to use marijuana before a social event in order to get through it, or may avoid events where you know that you won’t be able to get high to cope with your anxiety.
Who Shouldnt Try Using Cannabis For Anxiety
Cannabis isnt for everyone, however.
According to Kirk, you should always consult your doctor before using products with THC if you:
- Have a personal or family history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or other psychiatric disorders
- Have a personal or family history of substance use disorder
- Have experienced psychosis or have a family history of it
Cannabis can actually trigger or worsen symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, in people with psychosis. However, Jassey notes that CBD-rich cannabis that contains no THC or very low levels may be helpful. As a general rule, always ask your doctor before trying new cannabis products to make sure youre a good candidate to reap the benefits without the risks.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid using cannabis due to potential risks to the fetus or infant, adds Remington.
Something to keep in mind: A 2017 study found that social anxiety disorder is most likely to be linked to problematic use of marijuana. More than twice as many people with this condition showed signs of marijuana dependence compared to other anxiety disorders. Researchers suggested that when people with social anxiety use cannabis to self-medicate, they may be more likely to develop an addiction.
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Top 5 Medical Strains For Anxiety Disorder
When it comes to the best weed for anxiety, there are many options that could help manage the symptoms. Here are a few that are regularly recommended to help patients with their symptoms:
Critical Cure is an Indica-dominant cannabis strain that has a lovely balance of CBD and THC percentages at around eight percent each. Its quick acting and long-lasting with mild psychoactive effects.
Ringos Gift is a high CBD strain that has an average CBD-to-THC ratio of 13:1, but strains as high as 20:1 have been cultivated. Users boast relief for stress, anxiety, and insomnia among other ailments.
ACDC is a strain with fourteen percent CBD. It has very little THC, so there wont be a high associated with this one. Its a great one for morning or evening and is sure to leave you happy, relaxed, and pain free.
Hawaiian Haze is produced by Botany Farms and is nearly THC free. This tropical strain will promote energy, creativity, and focus with almost 20 percent CBD. Cannabidiol CBD maintains a sense of calm without the psychoactive effects brought on by THC, making it useful in social situations.
Frisian Dew is a nearly perfect 50/50 hybrid with a low THC content. This strain is helpful in social settings because it assists in staying present and letting your creativity shine through to come up with interesting questions and keep the conversation going with others.
Whats The Connection Between Edibles And Anxiety
Its a challenge to keep track of the quantity of weed you consume when you take weed in its edible form. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the prime psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and edibles are graded according to the amount of THC they contain.
Knowledgeable drug users recommend starting with a very small dose, like two or three milligrams of THC, and then waiting to see its effect for 60 mins or so. It is important to take this precaution because overdosing on THC can cause strong anxiety symptoms in some people .
Unfortunately, taking this precaution is only possible when you know how much THC your edibles contain. If you live in a state in the US that has legalized marijuana, you can get accurately dosed weed edibles from licensed dispensaries.
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Cannabis : Cbd Vs Thc
The first thing to understand about cannabis and anxiety is that not all weed is created equal.
Theres hundreds of compounds produced by the cannabis plant, but when it comes to anxiety, theres two you need to know about: tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol .
THC is what most people think of when they think of cannabis. Its the compound responsible for getting you high.
CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychotropic meaning its not going to produce the same oh man, Im so stoned feeling you get from THC.
Theres no one-size-fits-all approach to cannabis its not like CBD is better than THC or vice versa.
But understanding the differences between the two and how it relates to your particular brand of anxiety can help make your experience with cannabis more anxiety-relieving and less anxiety-inducing.
There are a lot of different types of anxiety which will definitely influence how people respond to different forms of treatment or therapeutic intervention with something like cannabis.
Anxiety can be anticipatory or it could be generalized or it can be connected to depression or it could be more of a panic disorder, says Emma Chasen, cannabis educator and founder of Eminent Consulting Firm. And so all of those different types will respond differently to cannabis.
CBD is non-psychotropic, so its not going to give you any of those negative side effects, says Chasen.
Does Weed Help Or Worsen Anxiety
There are two main active ingredients in marijuana:
- THC, the psychoactive compound that gives you a high
- CBD, the non-psychoactive and non-addictive compound that wont make you high, but does have proven therapeutic benefits
A 2015 review concluded that CBD can be potentially helpful for treating anxiety particularly social anxiety. And while a 2017 study showed that THC can help, too there is a caveat here. Whereas low levels of THC seem to be capable of reducing anxiety, high levels of THC are linked to increased anxiety symptoms including racing thoughts, increased heart rate, and paranoia. On the other hand, researchers found that theres no risk of CBD increasing anxiety and it actually appears to decrease anxiety at all doses.
CBD generally creates a feeling of deep relaxation,” says Jessica Miller, a licensed mental health counselor and medical reviewer at PsycheMag.
According to Remington, these beneficial effects may be due to the cannabinoids found
in marijuana, which bind to corresponding receptors in the brain that play a role in your mood and emotions, and process fear and stress.
Whats considered a low dose and high dose may depend on your tolerance, genetics, and biological factors, says Dr. Riley Kirk, a cannabis research scientist at Real Isolates. But generally speaking 2.5 to 8 mg is a low dose and over 8 mg is high.
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Also, your individual physiology and tolerance levels may come into play.
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How To Stop Weed Anxiety
The first thing to keep in mind if you experience a bout of anxiety after smoking weed is to accept whats going on.
This may sound difficult, but its a key aspect of anxiety reduction even when weed isnt involved. From here, it will be easier to take a few breaths and get back to feeling normal. But if that doesnt help, here are some other tips to try out:
| Take a cold shower | At the very least, pour some cold water on your neck. That sudden rush can help you snap out of your current dazed and confused state. |
| Eat or drink something |
| This will help shift your focus away from being in a state of panic. |
| Distract yourself |
| Take a walk around the neighborhood. Put on some relaxing music. The goal here is to keep your mind off those thoughts that ramp up anxiety. |
| Force a positive mindset |
| Remind yourself that this is all in the mind and that youll be okay. Sometimes, kindly nudging yourself to adopt a positive mindset can ease you down and put you in a better disposition. |
Can Smoking Weed Cause Anxiety When Sober
If you smoke weed on a regular basis and suddenly stop, you can become anxious as you go through marijuana withdrawal. Anxiety is a common withdrawal effect from weed, and people who use weed heavily are most at risk for withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms often begin anywhere from one to three days after the last time you used weed, peaking within the first week and lasting as long as two weeks.
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