Since the 1960 thousands of patients have been taking medicinal marijuana. There is solid evidence of its effectiveness on the alleviation of anxiety. Moreover, Cannabis can help treat anxiety disorders, depression, anorexia, insomnia, chronic pain, etc. Using marijuana as a single treatment for anxiety is free of the unpleasant and dangerous side effects of pharmacological drugs. For this reason, cannabis is prescribed either as a single treatment or in combination with other prescription medications to relieve symptoms and to improve the lifestyle of people suffering from it.
This is not medical advice. It is important to visit your medical or naturopath doctor to find the best way to treat your anxiety. It is important to note that everyone reacts differently when consuming Cannabis and experiences may vary.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the general term used to describe a group of disorders that produce the recurrent sensation of extreme fear, terror, or panic, and excessive worries. The fear can be so severe that it interferes with the patients daily activities. The condition alters the mental capacities and how the person behaves. This emotional overwhelm produces physical symptoms. People can suffer an anxiety crisis or episode at any moment and in any place.
Anxiety is the most common mental disorder, up to 33% of the world population suffers or is affected by an anxiety disorder during their lifetime. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 40 million people suffer from it in the USA and more than 16% go untreated.
In a nutshell, anxiety is an excessive fear and without a reason, or when there is no real threat. Therefore, these feelings of fear, panic, and worries are out of proportion with the real situation or the potential threat.
What are Anxiety Symptoms?
- Excessive worries and nervousness.
- Feeling of impending doom.
- Racing heart.
- Racing thoughts, the person cannot stop thinking about the present worry.
- Lack of concentration.
- Difficulty breathing, the person breathing rate increases affecting the oxygen breath in capacity.
- General weakness.
- Trembling.
- Sweating.
- Insomnia and sleep disturbances.
- Diarrhea and gastrointestinal disturbances.
How Marijuana Reduces Anxiety
The human brain is responsible for the diverse human emotions and for the individual’s feelings or responses to them. Inside the brain, there are small structures called receptors. Accordingly, the emotions, feelings and the particular responses to them that anybody can experiment depend on the receptors localization and whether these receptors are on or off.
Those receptors work similar to a light switch, some chemical compounds can turn the receptors on or off.
The human body produces the cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds that can activate or inactivate these brain receptors.
Furthermore, the receptors that respond to cannabinoids form groups or neural networks called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The cannabinoids receptors can be found inside the cell membranes of the immune system, nervous system, and most human body organs.
The Cannabinoids produced by the human body are called endocannabinoids.
These substances can be found on different plants, when the cannabinoids are from a cannabis plant they are called phytocannabinoids. On the same token, Cannabis is the name given to the Marijuana plant for its high concentration and variety of phytocannabinoids it contains.
Regardless of the origin of the cannabinoids, all of them can turn some brain receptors on or off. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is in charge of human emotions and their responses.
The entire survival fight-or-flight response is controlled by the ECS. Consequently, the best marijuana strains for anxiety alleviates the negative emotions and symptoms associated with this condition.
Top Cannabis Strains for Anxiety
Legal Strains For Anxiety 2019
How Marijuana Strains For Anxiety Work To Alleviate It.
The cannabinoids produced by the human body or the cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant bind to the ECS receptors and turn them on or off. Marijuana contains more than 100 different cannabinoids that can bind to the ECS receptors and generate a response. Furthermore, depending on the marijuana strain, it can decrease, eliminate, or on the contrary, exacerbate the anxiety symptoms.
The two best-known cannabinoids groups are the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the cannabidiol (CBD).
When a person takes marijuana the cannabinoids bind to the ECS receptors and reduce the acute stress response.
The way they work is:
- The phytocannabinoids present in the marijuana either occupy or bind indirectly to the ECS receptors.
- The phytocannabinoids mimics the endocannabinoids produced by the body. Additionally, they produce that the body secretes its own endocannabinoids. As a result, they regulate the cellular function relaxing the brain cells from the ECS neural networks.
- The ECS brain cells relaxation prevents the unneeded activation of the fight-or-flight response.
- The cannabinoids maintain the body homeostasis or the normal physiological functions. In fact, they achieve an optimal chemical composition of the cellular environment. As a result, they eliminate any unpleasant emotion.
- The fight-or-flight response elimination and the ended of the associated emotions allow thinking clearer and better.
- The person is free of symptoms and his creativity and productivity increase. Moreover, he is aware of his surrounding environment and can identify hazardous conditions.
- The best Marijuana strain for anxiety can prevent, end, or reduce the overwhelming feelings in seconds.
Is The Best Marijuana Strain For Anxiety Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Free?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical compound responsible for most marijuana’s psychological effects. THC can induce delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.
For this reason, some of the most popular marijuana strains for anxiety treatment are THC free or contains low levels of it. Furthermore, The Marijuana CBD strains are widely prescribed for hundreds of medical conditions.
However, the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the cannabidiol (CBD) work best together.
They produce an enhancing effect of their individual medical benefits or health properties. Combining them is the most effective treatment cannabis can produce.
THC
CBD
In other words, THC and CBD can improve and eliminate all the symptoms of anxiety in some patients.
On the other hand, Marijuana strains with High levels of THC can worsen the anxiety symptoms in some people.
Nevertheless, the choice depends on the individual response and personal preferences.
The time of the day and the place where the patient will take it must be considered to avoid an accident. High-level THC cannabis strains are regularly used by patients who tolerate it well previously.
Let us know what you think. Is there a specific strain that helps you with anxiety? Leave a comment down below, we would love to hear from you!
Remember to talk your Doctor before starting to medicate with Cannabis to treat Anxiety.
