Dealing with anxiety can feel exhausting, especially when you haven’t found the right treatment methods. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to make living with your symptoms more manageable.
The challenge is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for anxiety disorders. Often, a combination of treatments is recommended, such as therapy and anti-anxiety medication. In addition to their existing treatments, many who struggle with anxiety have found medical marijuana to be helpful.
If you’re familiar with marijuana, you know it can help users “chill out” and feel relaxed. It may come as no surprise that many have found it helpful for relieving symptoms of anxiety. According to a 2019 study, 50% of medical cannabis patients at the time were using it for this reason.
How does it work? What types of products are most effective? We’ll break down the details so you have all the information you need on using medical marijuana for anxiety.
There are over 100 cannabinoids, or compounds that occur naturally, in the cannabis plant. We’re still learning more about how cannabis affects the body. But based on research, cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system to produce various effects.
The two best-known cannabinoids are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the latter of which is responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana.
While THC works by binding to the endocannabinoid system’s CB1 and CB2 receptors, CBD doesn’t work the same way. In fact, there’s little information on how CBD affects the body. But here’s what we do know…
Whether CBD has psychoactive properties like THC is debated, but one thing is clear – people use CBD to help relieve stress and anxiety without a noticeable “high.” It can even counteract the effects of THC when the two are consumed together.
In some cases, high levels of THC have even been known to exacerbate anxiety symptoms, like racing thoughts and increased heart rates. For this reason, many of the cannabis strains recommended for anxiety have low levels of THC.
CBD, and even low levels of THC, may be beneficial for treating anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, cannabis should not serve as a replacement for any existing treatments. Talk to your doctor first about whether medical cannabis is a good option for you.
Planning to try cannabis for anxiety? Choose a strain that can produce the effects you’re looking for.
You can always ask the budtender at your medical cannabis dispensary for recommendations as they do know their products best. But to start, it’s worth checking out one of these top-rated marijuana strains for anxiety relief.
Sativa
Content: 20:1 CBD-to-THC ratio; one of the highest CBD strains available
Effects: Relaxation, happiness
Hybrid
Content: Low THC, high CBD (up to 17%)
Effects: Relaxation, happiness; anxiety and inflammation reduction
Hybrid
Content: 1:1 THC-to-CBD
Effects: Deep relaxation, increased focus; pain, inflammation and anxiety relief
Indica
Content: High THC, around 25%
Effects: Stress reduction, full-body relaxation; relief of pain, nausea, and muscle spasms
Indica
Content: 1:1 THC-to-CBD
Effects: Relaxation, happiness; helpful for insomnia
Hybrid
Content: High CBD, low THC (usually about 20:1)
Effects: Relaxation, focus, uplifting feelings
Sativa
Content: High THC (up to about 19%), almost not CBD
Effects: Happy, uplifting feelings, stress and anxiety reduction
Indica
Content: High THC (up to about 33%), no CBD
Effects: Deep relaxation, pain reduction, euphoria
Indica
Content: 1:1 THC-to-CBD
Effects: Uplifting feelings, relaxation, mental clarity
Hybrid
Content: High CBD, low THC
Effects: Increased focus, relaxation, stress and anxiety relief
If you think medical cannabis could be beneficial for you, we’re happy to help you get started. First, review your state regulations to see if your symptoms are among the qualifying conditions for a medical cannabis card (Leafly has a helpful state-by-state guide). When you’re ready to apply for a card, contact us. We’ll answer any questions you have and help you take the next step!
Can’t meet us in person? That’s OK! Most of our clinics are still offering telemedicine services, so you can meet us from the comfort of your home.
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