Anxiety Disorder
Medical Marijuana for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorder
The butterflies patients experience in their stomach, the feeling patients get during an interview or decision making or any stressful condition is called anxiety. Overall, anxiety plays a positive role in our day-to-day life experiences. However, when it goes beyond healthy levels and interferes with our normal functions, emotions, physical and mental health, it is labeled as an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder in which there is constant and excessive fear about minor things. A person becomes psychologically upset for no apparent reason. It results in mood changes, restlessness, and mental fatigue.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
There is no single symptom that can be used to definitively tell if a patient is suffering from an anxiety disorder or not. Below are few common symptoms of anxiety disorder.
Heavy breathing
Sweating
Trembling
Heart palpitations
Weakness and tiredness
Low confidence
Decreased social interaction
Mood changes
Behavioral changes
Irritability
Increased muscle aches
Headaches
Decreased concentration
Sleep disturbances
Types of Anxiety Disorders
As stated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are five major types of anxiety disorder.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People suffering from GAD suffer from anxiety for no particular reason. They are generally worried and restless without any triggering factors.Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
People with OCD are extremely anxious and there is repetitiveness in their actions to make things perfect. They are obsessed to have their things clean, free of dust, and arranged in order and symmetry. They show compulsive behavior and feel relieved by repetitive hand washing, cleaning, and arranging things according to specific patterns.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
After facing any terrifying event or accident, patients suffer through PTSD. These patients suffer from negativity in mood, sleep disturbances, nightmares, flashbacks, and aggressive behavior.Panic Disorder
In a panic disorder, a patient suffers uncontrolled attacks of fear and stress. During these stressful episodes, a patient experiences difficulty in breathing, hot flashes, numbness, and chest pain.Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)
Patients with social phobia experience anxiety when surrounded by others in situations like speaking in front of others, going out with others. They isolate themselves from society and feel safe when no one is around.
Statistics of Anxiety Disorder
As stated by the American psychiatric association, anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives.
Treatment of Anxiety Disorder
A lot of progress has been made in treatment options for anxiety disorders in the last few decades. Patients have mostly responded to these two treatments:
Counseling and Therapy
Psychotherapy or “Talk Therapy” is a widely accepted treatment for anxiety disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is also considered a treatment for anxiety. Its self-encouraging techniques help in dealing with phobias and improve a patient’s self-confidence.Medications
Anti-anxiety drugs are available for anxiety disorders but many side effects have been reported. Side effects range from drowsiness and memory problems at low doses to abuse and suicide attempts at high doses.
Medical marijuana and anxiety disorders
Many of our patients at CannabisMD TeleMed regularly report using marijuana to treat their anxiety conditions. “Many clients I’ve worked with have reported using cannabis, including THC, CBD, or both, to reduce anxiety,” says Sarah Peace, a licensed counselor in Olympia, Washington.
Medical marijuana contains lots of compounds called Cannabinoids. These chemicals bind to certain receptors in our bodies particularly the brain to provide beneficial health effects. Medical marijuana has been confirmed by science and research to have lots of healing interactions within the body. In order to explore the effective natural treatment of medical marijuana in Virginia, you need to have a medical marijuana card. At CannabisMD TeleMed our marijuana doctor and his team of marijuana practitioners specialize in evaluating and issuing medical cannabis certificates so patients can get their Virginia Marijuana Card.
How medical marijuana helps to relieve anxiety
Researchers have shown that the compound cannabidiol "CBD" of cannabis can reduce anxiety. CBD doesn't cause psychoactive effects unlike the more common compound tetrahydrocannabinol "THC" causing the "high" associated with marijuana. Both exert their actions by interacting with the CB1 and CB2 receptors located within endocannabinoid system. Medical marijuana allows patients to have access to both CBD and THC treatment options in varying levels depending on which natural medicine works best for them.
A review published in 2017 under the title "The potential benefits of CBD for panic disorder" has shown that taking 300 milligrams of CBD after a simulated public speaking test resulted in noticeable decrease in the levels of anxiety. Also according to a 2019 study, taking 300–600 mg of CBD decreased anxiety markedly in 57 adult males. This is great news for patients throughout the state of Virginia because it means they could experience incredible relief from anxiety without the congnitive impairment caused by many pharmaceutical anxiety drugs.
Best Strains for Treating Anxiety Disorders
Using marijuana as medicine and finding a strain that suits you can be a bit tricky without the help of a licensed physician that specializes in treating patients with medical marijuana and cannabis. There are two strains of cannabis - Indica and Sativa. Sativa strains of medical marijuana have higher levels of THC which relieves anxiety in some patients and aggravates it in others. Indica strains of medical cannabis have higher levels of CBD which has positive results for treating anxiety in many patients looking for natural treatment options.
The following six strains are reported by patients as being effective in the treatment of anxiety:
Granddaddy Purple
Amnesia Haze
Chocolate Chunk
Girl Scout Cookies
Harlequin
Northern Lights
The results may vary from strain to strain and person to person. To achieve the best medical results, we recommend you seek medical advice from one of our marijuana providers at CannabisMD TeleMed or talk to the pharmacist at one of the state-regulated marijuana dispensaries. You can always call and speak directly with our supervising physician who is our marijuana doctor that oversees all care at our facility.
Best Methods for Taking Medical Marijuana
The method of taking marijuana directly determines its effectiveness in treating anxiety. Here are some methods patients can use:
Vaping
Smoking
Tinctures
Edibles with cannabis
Topicals
How to use marijuana for managing anxiety
It's advised when you start taking medical cannabis to begin with small doses to determine your sensitivity and figure out the optimal dose and strain of medical marijuana that works best for you. Although low doses of medical marijuana can relieve anxiety, very high doses particularly of THC can aggravate a patients symptoms. It's recommended to start with small doses of medical marijuana containing low concentrations of THC for anxiety and you can gradually increase the dose if needed.
Side Effects of Using Medical Marijuana
As explained, excess medical marijuana does more harm than good in the case of mental disorders. You should keep these side effects in mind while opting for medical marijuana as a natural treatment in Virginia. Some major side effects are:
Red eyes
Dry mouth or thirst
Short-term memory loss
Addiction
Drowsiness
Hunger (Also known as “The Munchies”)
Conclusion
Medical marijuana has been found to be very effective in treating anxiety and its associated symptoms. A 2018 survey showed that controlled use of cannabis significantly reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression. In this survey, around 1400 marijuana users were asked to track the changes in the severity of their symptoms with an app. The results were convincing, it showed that medical marijuana, when taken under a doctors supervision, reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.
Medical marijuana and cannabis has been shown to relieve symptoms of anxiety disorders in multiple research and trials. However, it has not been approved by FDA which has limited funding and as a result reduced the number of studies conducted using medical marijuana. If you are interested in exploring the natural treatment that medical marijuana can provide please schedule an appointment with one of our licensed marijuana providers or marijuana doctor at CannabisMD TeleMed. Virtual appointments conducted entirely online are available!
How Can Patients Get a Medical Marijuana Card So They Can Use Medical Marijuana to Treat Anxiety?
Any patient that is a resident of Virginia could qualify for medical marijuana treatment. The process at CannabisMD TeleMed is quite simple and has been streamlined to expand access of this natural treatment to residents of Virginia.
Any medical condition diagnosed by our marijuana doctor or his team of marijuana practitioners can qualify you for medical marijuana in the state of Virginia. With virtual appointments conducted online by use of telemedicine that is HIPAA compliant we can offer patients a safe way to obtain their Virginia medical marijuana card without ever having to leave their home.
To schedule an online appointment to get a medical cannabis card just click on the button below!
Over 99% patient approval rate and we offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you decide not to pursue medical marijuana treatment at the end of your appointment with our marijuana providers. If you need to speak directly to our marijuana doctor just give us a call.
References
Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders
What are the five major types of anxiety disorders? | HHS.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-are-the-five-major-types-of-anxiety-disorders/index.html
What Are Anxiety Disorders? (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: How CBT Works. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/cognitive-behavioral-therapy#uses
Cuttler, C., Spradlin, A., & McLaughlin, R. J. (2018). A naturalistic examination of the perceived effects of cannabis on negative affect. Journal of Affective Disorders, 235, 198–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JAD.2018.04.054
How to use marijuana for anxiety | Leafly - Aug 2021. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://www.leafly.com/news/health/how-to-use-medical-marijuana-for-anxiety
