Cannabis and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Twenty-three states have legalized the use of cannabis for those who suffer from medical conditions like arthritis, migraines, AIDS, cancer, and psychiatric illnesses. Yes, even post-traumatic stress disorder makes the list, which means, if you are among the 7.7 million people who suffer from symptoms, you’re in luck. It appears that scientists agree cannabis may be just what you need to alleviate your anxiety related to PTSD. Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have found a connection between the human brain’s cannabinoid receptors, called CB1, and PTSD. These receptors are linked to an intricate internal engine of chemicals and neurological pathways called the endocannabinoid system, which affects our emotions, appetite, pain tolerance, and memory. Studies have been conducted on animals, showing that cannabis, together with naturally occurring chemicals in the body, stimulate CB1 receptors and interfere with memory.

Physicians at the NYU School of Medicine conducted brain scans on people with PTSD and found that they had lower levels of a certain endocannabinoid than those without PTSD. With this knowledge, not only can they better diagnose individuals with PTSD, they can treat them with a something that works, rather than antidepressants, which don’t always work. Studies have shown that those who take antidepressants continue to suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, night sweats, and poor sleep. But those who were administered a synthetic form of cannabis experienced significantly less intense nightmares, or no further nightmares at all. http://www.newswise.com/articles/brain-imaging-study-links-cannabinoid-receptors-to-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-findings-bring-first-pharmaceutical-treatment-for-ptsd-within-reach http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2008.00071.x/full

So, for those of you who are looking for an alternative to Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, or any of the other alphabet soup of drugs on the market that claim to create a Zen-balance among the sea of moody chemicals sloshing around in your brain, science is on your side. And there’s good news for those living in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, Nevada, or Michigan – they allow the use of cannabis to help alleviate PTSD symptoms. Arizona recently authorized the use of cannabis use for PTSD – the provision goes into effect January 1, 2015. http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2014/07/09/medical-marijuana-can-treat-ptsd-arizona-official-decides/12418673/

Each state’s guidelines are different, but here’s the basic rub: You need to have documentation from a “certifying” physician who can attest that you suffer from “debilitating” symptoms that interfere with your ability to carry out “activities of daily living.” http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881