Cannabis for Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, & Mental Illness: Does It Help?

Cannabis for Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, & Mental Illness: Does It Help?

Although there are lots of medications to help manage mental illness in the market today, it appears that they do not always work the way we expect them to work. Even worse, in some cases, they cause unpleasant side effects that might even be worse than the initial health problem.

For every identified mental illness, you will find specific manmade drugs that are geared to help balance the chemicals in the brain. Unfortunately, it comes with side effects that include hallucinations, psychosis, depersonalization, suicidal intentions, stroke, heart attack and sudden death.

Medical cannabis has shown some promise in helping in the management of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and several other mental illnesses. Below are some insight on the mental problems that doctors are now starting to treat with medical marijuana

Cannabis for Anxiety

The euphoric and calming effects of cannabis can help treat both depression and anxiety. Some strains that cause paranoia, but this is a different kind of paranoia, which is mostly geared on their anxiety if people around them know that they are high. Most people, though, find that cannabis relieves them of stress and anxiety, allowing them to relax.

Cannabis for Depression

Medical cannabis has been found as an effective method in treating depression. But even when medical professionals are just realizing this and are still putting it in paper, many people have been self-medicating with marijuana for their depression. The plants offer calming effects that are very beneficial to those who suffer from depression.

Cannabis for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses today, and studies have shown that it has been around a long time. Many people with this disorder have proven that cannabis is one of the best treatments for them. It appears that the calming effects of CBD can help with mood stabilization, which can last for hours even after initial high.

Cannabis for Insomnia

It is a well-known fact that cannabis is a great medicine for insomnia. After all, one of its most common side effects is sleepiness. Usually, an indica strain is preferred for those who are looking for a natural cure to insomnia. It is considered as a much safer alternative than the other sleep aid options which can easily cause overdose and carry a risk of dependency.

Cannabis for PTSD

PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is a specific form of anxiety that is usually diagnosed among war veterans. This condition is caused by a traumatic effect that is threatened or caused great physical harm. A growing number of studies have shown that cannabis does have some therapeutic effect among patients with PTSD.

Cannabis for Schizophrenia

A German study has shown that cannabis can offer benefits to those suffering from schizophrenia. The THC component of cannabis can increase psychosis among schizophrenics, but the CBD component offers stress-reducing and calming effects that can potentially make a significant difference to these patients.

Cannabis for Stress

Stress has a huge effect on a person’s overall health. In stressful situations, the body goes into a fight or flight mode where the blood pressure increases, the heart rate accelerates and the pupils dilate. The use of cannabis uplifts the mood, manages the appetite and induces a feeling of calmness. Because of this, panic attacks can be managed better.

Cannabis for Seizures

Cannabis has shown to improve brain health by invigorating its electrical activity. It possess anti-seizure effects that helps patients suffering from epilepsy. Those who have Dravet syndrome can benefit from regularly using cannabis. In fact, there is an FDA-approved drug in the market today that prescribed to patients suffering from seizures.

Indeed, medical cannabis carries a lot of benefits that are not only beneficial to physical health, but mental health as well. Before you decide on using cannabis for any mental illness, it is best to consult your doctor first so you can get proper guidance on how to use it.