There has been an overwhelming amount of discussion regarding marijuana and whether it helps or hurts patients with anxiety. Both medical professionals and anxiety patients seem to feel strongly about their opinion on the matter, regardless of what it may be.
You can expect most Big Pharma companies to tell you that marijuana makes anxiety worse, and they would probably not recommend it as a treatment. Most cannabis companies and users, on the other hand, will tell you that marijuana is a great tool that can bring feelings of peace and subdue the anxious mind.
Cannabis has made a world of a difference for patients who have tried it, soothing many of their anxious tendencies. Nevertheless, there are some anxiety patients who have tried marijuana and it made their anxiety temporarily worse.
So which is it? Is marijuana an aid for symptoms that patients with anxiety face or their worst nightmare? Can marijuana worsen anxious feelings and symptoms, or does it pacify anxious behavior?
The Breakdown
First of all, let’s get one thing settled: there is no definitive answer to this question, which is one of the reasons why it is an extremely controversial topic. Every person has a different experience with cannabis, and it is not for everyone.
Answers and opinions will vary immensely depending on who you talk to and their personal reaction to marijuana.
It should come as no surprise that people have many preconceptions about cannabis as well as the type of people who use it. When a person with anxiety utilizes marijuana for the first time in hopes that it may ease their anxious thoughts, the effects really come down to their personal feelings.
Weed Anxiety
Some people may experience “weed anxiety”, which means that using marijuana in general makes them anxious. These types of people will likely have a negative experience with cannabis.
Luckily, weed anxiety is very rare and uncommon, and the only way to find out if you have it is to use marijuana and see how your mind reacts.
As long as you aren’t going into the situation with a negative mindset, already nervous for the effects of feeling “high”, it’s very unlikely that you will experience any anxiety at all.
“Weed anxiety” is most common when people:
Consume too much weed
Use weed without knowing it has a high potency
Are inexperienced with weed
Because weed anxiety is normally experienced by people who are not used to the effects of cannabis, it will usually subside over time.
Panic attacks are also a possibility when using cannabis, although they are extremely rare.
Cannabis Helping With Anxiety
Although some people experience anxiety from smoking weed itself, others find the effects of marijuana really relaxing and calming. Many people who use cannabis report a sense of well-being and deep relaxation.
That’s right–marijuana can aid in relieving a patient's anxious thoughts, if they allow it to.
In low doses, cannabis can actually really help feelings of anxiety. In high doses though, things get dicey. A large dosage of THC could actually cause a person to feel anxious, so be aware of this if you are considering trying marijuana.
CBD for Anxiety
CBD is very similar to marijuana in this respect. In low doses, it can help those with anxiety reduce their symptoms, however, in higher doses, it can cause anxiety as well.
The reason this is surprising is because CBD products contain very little to no THC. Since THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, you would think it is also what causes feelings of anxiety for some people.
However, according to research, that is not always the case.
Bottom Line
Your feelings of anxiety could be either heightened or subsided by marijuana use. The only way to find out if cannabis will increase or reduce your anxious thoughts and behaviors is to try it and see how you feel.
If you go into the experience thinking that it will make you feel anxious or paranoid, chances are it probably will.
Conversely, if you go into an experience with marijuana believing that it will calm your thoughts and help you relax, it probably will.
Whether cannabis will help or worsen a person’s symptoms entirely depends on the person as well as their conceptions about cannabis and how it will make them feel.
Try Cannabis for Anxiety Today
Lucky for you, anxiety is a qualifying condition for a medical marijuana card in the state of Virginia! If you experience anxiety and think marijuana may help, it’s worth talking to a physician about.
Schedule an evaluation online today and we’ll make an appointment for you with one of our knowledgeable, compassionate doctors.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness
safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on
education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by
providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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