Why Medical Marijuana Can Help with PTSD
Georgia has added PTSD as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana, and after awarding cultivation licenses, the state is now moving forward with the intention of having facilities up and running within one year of the approved cultivator applications.
The first Georgia dispensary is just around the corner for patients with qualifying conditions for medical marijuana cards, and because PTSD is a common condition in Georgia, many will get their cards for PTSD.
A study in 2013 suggests post-traumatic stress disorder is the most common anxiety disorder in Georgia, and nationally it affects nearly 7-8% of the US population.
In this article, we’ll cover why medical marijuana is used for PTSD, and how it can help for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
What Is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that can occur after a person is exposed to one or multiple traumatic experiences such as war, a car accident, natural disasters, abandonment as a child, life threatening situations, or serious injury.
People who suffer from PTSD commonly experience symptoms such as the inability to sleep, irritability, difficulty concentrating, blackouts, or in some unfortunate cases, homicidal or suicidal ideation.
PTSD can also cause a host of secondary conditions due to the potential for the condition to become chronic or long-term.
Prolonged or long-term exposure to heightened stress, anxiety, or irritability from PTSD can cause a range of complications such as cardiovascular disease, worsening physical health, eating disorders, autoimmune diseases, loss of occupation, and even the inability to maintain healthy relationships.
Who Gets PTSD?
Nearly anyone can get PTSD, and the statistics around post-traumatic stress disorder might surprise you:
· PTSD is not exclusive to war, any traumatic event can cause PTSD, however Veterans are especially affected.
· PTSD is more commonly diagnosed in women than men.
· 70% of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.
· 20% of people who have had a traumatic event will develop PTSD.
· Around 8 million people have PTSD each year.
· 1 in 13 people will develop PTSD at some point in their life.
Men, women, adults, and children are all susceptible to PTSD, and it can be diagnosed in varying stages, such as:
· Uncomplicated PTSD – PTSD that is linked to a single traumatic event.
· Complex PTSD – PTSD that is linked to multiple traumatic events.
· Comorbid PTSD – PTSD that occurs in combination with other conditions like Substance Use Disorder, depression, anxiety, or alcohol addiction.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help with PTSD?
Early studies in the United States, Canada, Israel, and all over the world have shown that medical marijuana might have the potential to help with both the mental and physical symptoms of PTSD.
One 2020 study followed 150 participants who either used dispensary grade cannabis or had little or no experience with cannabis at all, found that over the course of a year there was a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms and their severity.
Participants were also 2.57 times more likely to no longer meet the DSM-5 requirements for being diagnosed as having PTSD after using cannabis as an alternative medicine.
The first FDA-regulated, placebo controlled, double blind study on smoked cannabis with veterans with PTSD was even done this year.
The study concluded that the cannabis was well tolerated as medication by patients, and there were measurable, but not significant differences from placebos.
Unfortunately, the cannabis that was used in that particular study was considerably low quality, leading to the conclusion in the report that better quality cannabis could possibly yield different results, which would likely be similar to data & results from other studies.
Receptors in areas of the brain that deal with stressors, memory cognition, inhibition, and your fight or flight response can be heavily affected by the cannabinoids in cannabis. These and other compounds from cannabis can act together to provide relief for those suffering from PTSD with benefits such as:
· Alleviation of chronic pain
· Improved mood & focus
· Improved quality of sleep
· Reduced irritability
· Reduced stress
· Relief from anxiety & depression
· Social confidence & improved relationships
PTSD is approved as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana cards in Georgia.
And after approving 6 cultivator licenses, the state is very close to having dispensaries open with medical marijuana products on the shelves.
There is no better time than now to reserve your appointment and get $25 off when we start processing applications!
Get Your Georgia Marijuana Card
As a Georgia marijuana patient, you can legally purchase up to 20 ounces of low THC cannabis oil. For Georgians, this means getting the relief you need naturally and organically, and Georgia Marijuana Card is here to help.
Reserve your appointment today and get $25 off when we start processing applications!
Feel free to give us a call at (866) 781-5606, and we can help answer your questions about getting medical marijuana in Georgia
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