Medical Marijuana For PTSD In New York

Stress Disorder ordinally referred to as PTSD can be an unending tale of horror for those who deal with it. PTSD affects almost 8 million Americans and can pose devastating effects on the sufferer as well as their loved ones. Among the prevalent kinds of coping strategies, medical marijuana has once again shown up-and-coming results to help ease the symptoms of PTSD. It is a versatile choice most people are leaning towards. Stick around and continue reading to find out more so that you can make an informed choice for yourself or your loved one altogether.

Understanding PTSD

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder can scar your life for years and often, can never really vanish. PTSD can also trigger suicidal thoughts and one’s inclination towards the ultimate end or death. Therefore identification of symptoms for PTSD is the primary task. Once this is done, seeking out medical and professional help should be the immediately following step to control the symptoms.PTSD can encapsulate an entire range of psychological disorders including everything from depression to sleep disorder or insomnia and especially develop after you have encountered any devastating incident which has traumatized you to the core — so much so that it has changed your whole outlook towards your remaining life. Generally, the stress and fear attached to the particular incident haze out within a span of weeks, but, whenever the initial response of stress, anxiety, fear, and difficult flashbacks continue to disrupt that person’s everyday life, it is most likely to be diagnosed as PTSD.

It is, however, a mystery that could concretely say why some people develop PTSD while others don’t. Interestingly, gender plays a significant role in determining whether or not you will acquire PTSD or not. Almost 10% of women face PTSD at some point in time, which is higher than the 4% likeliness of men facing the same. You are more susceptible to PTSD because of :

A genetic cause for higher chances of getting depression or anxiety.
Low presence of a neurotransmitter named anandamide responsible for suppressing negative memories.
Military confrontation, war, or violence.
Natural disasters.
Survivor of fatal accidents.
Testimonial to terrorist attacks, bombings.
Death of a loved one or a close person.
Rape or other types of sexual abuse.
Personal assault or domestic assault.
Being a victim of crime.
Dealing with a life-threatening diagnosis.

This list doesn’t indicate all plausible reasons for PTSD though. People can experience PTSD even outside the factors stated above because anything can trigger PTSD. Mostly multicipility of several factors and repetition of the same traumatic event can lead to an increased possibility for PTSD.

Symptoms Of PTSD

PTSD is classified as a distinct condition and calls for treatment when you qualify for more than one symptom for each cluster of symptoms. PTSD can reveal itself through 1. re-calling and frequent remembrance of traumatic events, 2. increased arousal or hyper-viligility, and 3. avoidance of things, person, and places you previously found solace in. The symptoms are discussed in detail below.

Obtrusive or invading symptoms include—

Frequent flashback of the traumatic event.
Recurring and uncalled memories and thoughts related to the event.
Upsetting, fearful nightmares and sleep disturbances.

Avoidance symptoms manifest as—

A compulsion to stop thinking or talking about the event.
Escaping places, people, and activities that remind you of the trauma.
Irritability and angry outbursts wrecking relationships.

Negative changes in thinking and mood including—

Feeling hopeless about life and future.
Cynical or negative thoughts about yourself.
Loss of memory, particularly about some parts of the event.
Belittling oneself with zero positive thoughts.
High mood swings and frustration.
Trouble concentrating.
Mental health issues, such as depression, phobias, and anxiety.

Arousal or activation symptoms include—

Easily shocked, alarmed, or afraid.
Always looking out for danger even in a danger-less situation.
Hypersensitivity and hyper-vigilance.
An overpowering feeling of guilt and shame.

Medical Marijuana For PTSD— A Real Deal Or A Myth?

The evidence of marijuana helping PTSD victims is sustained by very few studies. Currently, we have to heavily rely on anecdotal narratives and individual experiences, case studies, observational reports, and a handful of clinical trials to understand the effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. Therefore, medical marijuana as an effective solution might seem like a distant fiction to some. There is also an ongoing debate whether medical marijuana can in actuality help ameliorate the symptoms or in fact, exaggerate the reaction further.

To dig deeper into how medical marijuana can be beneficial to PTSD patients, we have to understand the role of the two most important cannabinoid compounds— tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) – found in cannabis. People affected with PTSD have an imbalanced endocannabinoid system and as a result, accrue to low levels of anandamide as mentioned earlier. Both CBD and THC replicate anandamide by binding to active cannabinoid receptors. One particular study in recent times suggests that medical cannabis can significantly lower down activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain, which gives a sensory experience of fear and insecurity. Low doses of THC helped in reducing associated fear and anxiety in situations projected to trigger fear. Another study concluded that medical marijuana diminishes the intensity of PTSD symptoms by more than half acutely, if not permanently. It highlighted that cannabis reduced “returning thoughts of a traumatic event, by about 62%; flashbacks by 51%, irritability by 67%, and anxiety by 57%.” Therefore, medical marijuana is expected to help the symptoms of PTSD by

Facilitating the extinction learning process, which means replacement of the traumatic memory with subsequent good memories. The extinction learning process makes people rebound from or overcome their reactionary ‘fight or flight’ response; so that they can continue living their daily lives without hindrance.
Curing sleep disorders and providing sedative features. THC can highly calm the nervous system making the body crave a goodnight sleep. It gives you a high-quality sleep without any night anxiety, constant nightmares, fits of restlessness, etc. The synthetic derivation of THC, nabilone, is used to enhance sleep, and reduce nightmares.
Blunting series of anxiety and depression and enhancing mood. This is the most popular effect of cannabis and therefore also can be used to soothe the anxiety-related trauma of PTSD patients. Low doses of the cannabinoid THC or THC along with CBD are both able to reduce overall anxiety responses and erase haunting memories.
Reducing the need for alcohol and substance abuse by PTSD patients. Most PTSD patients resort to excessive alcohol indulgence when all doors of treatment look inefficient. However, medical marijuana with a curated dose and percentage of actives rightly suited for the person’s need can cut off the deadly habit of addiction.

It is important to highlight the fact that THC can in many instances, heighten up the feelings of paranoia and uneasiness in patients. Conversely, CBD is infused to counteract the adverse effects of THC. Therefore, it is thoroughly crucial to obtain medical-grade marijuana from a certified dispensary only and strictly avoid any indulgence with the pot sold out in the streets. Self-administration of marijuana to treat PTSD can result in uncontrollable abuse and an elevated probability for more complications.

How To Use Medical Marijuana?

Many states, including New York, approved PTSD as qualifying criteria to access a medical card. Once you have received your NY medical marijuana card, medical marijuana can be obtained in various forms starting from edibles ( has delayed onset but long duration of effects), vaporizers, tinctures to pills. You can choose from a wide range of products completely based on your convenience and choice; after you consult with the physician. The best strains available for treating PTSD symptoms are Origin Kush, Master Kush, Pineapple Express, Blue Dream, Canatonic, and Grapefruit Haze. All of these strains provide a wave of euphoria, calmness and spike your inherent motivation, giving you a sensation of bliss, and are known for after-effects regarding good quality sedative features.

The versatile effects of medical marijuana, are a premier discovery for easing the symptoms related to PTSD. It helps to improve the symptoms– especially in drug-resistant patients– if not completely eradicate PTSD all at once. After all, a dash of comfort and euphoria is not unwelcome. Medical marijuana should be taken in conjunction with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and other anti-anxiety medications to get an overall uplifting experience at the end.

If you want to explore the possibility of using a medical marijuana card in New York with an authorised backing for your PTSD, please feel free to visit https://nymarijuanacard.com/.

Medical Marijuana For PTSD In New York