Many people deal with anxiety every day. There are a lot of ways to treat anxiety, and one of the more unconventional treatments is marijuana. At least, that’s what many marijuana advocates believe. Marijuana is very much debated with regards to its effectiveness in treating anxiety. Some say it’s effective. Others say it makes it worse. Given all these, what’s the real score with marijuana and its effects on anxiety?
Not all marijuana is created equal. Each strain is composed of different active compounds, and each of them could be responsible for how people behave when they’re under the influence of marijuana. The more commonly known active compounds are THC and CBD. Marijuana comes in different strains, and each strain can have a different effect on users. The ratio of these two components in a strain might determine the kind of effect it will have on the user.
CBD and THC may have opposite effects on a user. THC is thought to be responsible for the marijuana high and what recreational marijuana users frequently experience. Since marijuana has been used more recreationally than for medical reasons, there have been more studies on the effects of THC. For that same reason, this kind of strain is more widely available. It has only been in recent years that strains with higher CBD have been cultivated due in part to people’s awareness of its medical properties. People who used a high CBD strain have reported the calming effects of using marijuana for their anxiety. There have been studies that people who used CBD in its purest form reported feelings of calm and relaxation. On the other hand, others report the opposite effect when they use THC, observing that they become more paranoid. However, it has been found that THC in little doses has a calming effect on users. Then again, the opposite is reported with chronic use. With all these said, the properties of both these active compounds have yet to be researched to it’s potential.
Other active compounds in marijuana can also play a part with regards to anxiety. Aside from THC and CBD, there are more than 60 different chemical compounds called cannabinoids and terpenes, which is responsible for the aroma of a specific strain. In true aromatherapy style, studies have found that terpenes have anti-anxiety properties. Then again, they only make a small part of a strain and even if they do have therapeutic effects, it might be too soon to form a conclusion on its medicinal properties.
Marijuana has been known to be an effective treatment for many medical conditions such as epilepsy. However, its therapeutic properties are still debatable. Clearly, more studies need to be done on the different active compounds to determine if marijuana is truly effective in the treatment and prevention of anxiety. As awareness increases, and more people advocate the use of it for both medicinal and recreational purposes, the future of marijuana as an alternative medicine and as a treatment for anxiety looks bright.