Treatment With Cannabis

[Just tryin to heal]

The state I live in is getting ready to introduce a bill (which is very likely to pass) for medical cannabis use(smoke-able and cannabis oil) and PTSD, depression, and anxiety are on the list what are some thoughts on the matter.

 

[wyrd_dragon]

There's a bunch of us who benefit from cannabis use, but it's not for everyone. I'm really low energy or I'd go find some research for you. Simply put -- the benefits outweigh the risks in most cases, especially compared to other legal drugs and other things people use to self-medicate.
It's safer than alcohol and safer than benzos.

The chemical bred for in medicinal marijuana differs to the type for purely recreational usage (depending on what it's for) and there are plenty of alternatives to smoking it that have less health risks. It's also very very useful for those of us with co-morbid chronic illness, especially where pain is a factor.

A lot of the companies already providing medicinal marijuana products in the USA have great info on efficacy, chemical makeup, etc. If you do a google search for 'medicinal marijuana retail' you should find some online companies that include easy to find, well set out information.

I don't live in a place where it's legal, but I use it for C-PTSD, ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia. I would benifit from it being legalised for medicinal use at least, as it's hard to attain a regular supply, inconsistent in quality, and highly priced under prohibition.

 

[Deleted member 28986]

I've had a medical card for a little bit now, and I find it to be a big help. Great for my anxiety, insomnia, pain, muscle tension, and appetite. It can slow racing thoughts and, in higher doses, help reduce unwanted thoughts. If I have a bad emotional flashback, it can help me become calm and rational again... but if I'm still around the trigger, it's useless. It's also supposed to be amazing for PTSD nightmares, and is being studied for that in the US now, but nightmares aren't common for me right now.

There are a number of modern ways to consume cannabis. I don't think most medical users smoke it—at least not in my area. You can even get it in capsule form! In vapor form, it's a take-as-needed medicine with very fast onset, so I feel some of the anxiety melt within seconds. For me, side effects are minimal. As @DeathRay said, there are many different kinds (strains) of cannabis. If your symptoms aren't helped or if the side effects are unpleasant, it's likely that a different strain will be helpful.

There are a few negatives. Just like alcohol, food, or video games, it can be misused. However, I believe the majority of medical sources consider it much less harmful and much less addictive than alcohol and nicotine. Some sources even state it is less addictive than caffeine, oddly enough.

At the end of the day, cannabis is not a cure for PTSD. It just helps manage symptoms.

 

[anonymous]

My boyfriend (sufferer) uses it regularly - he says it helps manage his symptoms much better than his meds. And given the side effects of things like Xanax and Seroquel, I'm okay with it. Just wish it was legal where we live. It would be fantastic if he could get hold of the medicinal variety. Sometimes I marvel that it's not legal for medicinal use, given alcohol is freely available to anyone of drinking age...

 

[Deleted member 28403]

Medical marijuana would be a yes, if you ask me, unlike many other drugs, it has much less side effects, and also there is no physical addiction. Making it much easier to pull away from.

Well, thats all I got to say, good luck :)

 

[Lionheart]

. It's also very very useful for those of us with co-morbid chronic illness, especially where pain is a factor.

I don't live in a place where it's legal, but I use it for C-PTSD, ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia.

I would benefit from it being legalized for medicinal use at least, as it's hard to attain a regular supply, inconsistent in quality, and highly priced under prohibition.

@DeathRay I can relate and I so agree with you!!! I too use it for C-PTSD, ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, as well as insomnia, IBS, and other conditions. It has helped me tremendously. It is not legal here where I am either (at least not yet) and the price keeps my usage to a minimum, but I find it is the best medicine for me.

I use it in conjunction with other tools that I have learned in therapy such a self-soothing techniques, journaling, direct communication, anger management etc., etc.. and this is a great combination that I have found works well (for me).

I have heard of a strain of cannabis called "God's gift" that is a hybrid of sativa and indica and is purported to be good for helping with the symptoms of PTSD. I suppose that it contains the right levels of specific cannabinoids (THC and CBD) that work to treat PTSD.

At any rate, I find that marijuana does slow my thought processes down so that I have more control over them and this too brings relief. I enjoy smoking but would prefer to vaporize the extract if I had the choice.

@The One Who Knocks I appreciate your post as well and want to thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.

I would much rather use medicinal marijuana than any other drug (such as anti-psychotics or benzodiazepines etc.) to treat my symptoms..

 

[Ladyghosthunter]

"I smoke two joints in the morning, I smoke two joints at night..I smoke two joints before I smoke two joints...then I smoke two more.."

Sorry, everyone. I was remembering a song sung to me in the past by a friend who smoked and, if I remember correctly, I was a huge pot head in high school because of my own emotional pain. My uncle/Dad was not there but bringing home all kinds of female entities to screw as my brother joined the Marine Corp. I was alone so I turned to pot to dull my aches and pains and tears. No one could hear me cry or I couldn't fight back my uncle/Dad's unending libido for women as my home became a whorehouse for him.

Medicinal use of pot is awesome however, being the US, Colorado is the only place (that I know of offhand) that has legal marijuana for prescribed patients. I wish I could blaze up a pipe twice a day however, the unending supply of pop tarts, Pepsi and Doritos would add to my weight gain. Denis Leary, the comedian, stated, "Anything you buy on the streets is safer than anything you buy over the counter." I say that pot, smoked by our Founding Fathers and used for making paper back during the 1700's, is a great and safer alternative than any anti-psychotic out on the market. You get addicted to pills like Vicodin and Oxycontin faster than pot; they are much more dangerous in addiction as they numb you to an utter stupor.

After waking up from that stupor, the pain is still there. With pot, the quality of your life increases and your overall well-being is superior in your therapy...and it's cheaper than any medication you're taking now. If I could, I pass a bowl around....it helped me get through high school....

 

[darrenS]

i have smoked off and on for 40 years , i have had a MM Card in two states and yes i use it for anxiety and ptsd, the only thing i can say , is yes it does work , but like any drug you do have to practice some restraint. Marijuana has changed considerably over the years and in dispensaries now you can get 28% THC easily. As strong as it is , it also has the capabilities to cause problems and like anything beneficial it has to be used judiciously. I have found its great for pain , anxiety and arthritis and can be used in many different ways and if you dont want the stone you just buy cbd strains

 

[Deleted member 28986]

being the US, Colorado is the only place (that I know of offhand) that has legal marijuana

The best I can tell, there are actually 13 states (plus D.C.) for which PTSD gives you access to medical cannabis:

• Alaska - available to adults; no prescription needed
• Arizona - PTSD
• California - any condition your doctor deems appropriate
• Colorado - available to adults; no prescription needed
• Connecticut - PTSD
• Delaware - PTSD
• District of Columbia - any condition your doctor deems appropriate
• Maine - PTSD
• Oregon - available to adults; no prescription needed
• Massachusetts - any debilitating condition impairing your ability
• Michigan - PTSD
• Nevada - PTSD
• New Mexico - PTSD
• Washington - available to adults; no prescription needed

There are 10 other states with medical cannabis that DO NOT recognize PTSD as a qualifying condition. However, some people with multiple issues may qualify under another condition. Your doctor may need to consider some of these conditions "severe" in order to qualify.

• Hawaii - nausea pain, seizures, muscle spasms, or wasting
• Illinois - concussion, pain, seizures, muscle spasms, or wasting
• Maryland - nausea, concussion, pain, seizures, muscle spasms, or wasting
• Minnesota - muscle spasms or seizures
• Montana - nausea, pain, seizures, muscle spasms, or wasting
• New Hampshire - very restricted; available for few conditions
• New Jersey - seizures, muscle spasms, inflammatory bowel disease
• New York - neuropathy, inflammatory bowel disease
• Rhode Island - nausea, pain, muscle spasms, wasting, or seizures
• Vermont - nausea, pain, wasting, or seizures

Laws are changing all the time, and as time passes, more states will be making it to these lists, especially the top one. And who knows, maybe my info is wrong our outdated. Hopefully not.

Maybe this list will prove helpful to someone.

 

[shandemonium]

Ditto to all of the above! And I would highly recommend edibles if you need to sleep or if you need to use during the day while at work or somewhere that's not friendly or appropriate to 'blaze up'.

But be careful, edibles are super strong! Just take a small bit to take the edge off during the day... Full cookies are great for sleeping at night

Congrats to your state! I hope it works out

 

[Just tryin to heal]

State is PA I hope it passes

 

[somerandomguy]

@Just tryin to heal: I hate to harsh your mellow but as long as the GOP controls the legislature (basically until doomsday) PA will not allow medical cannabis.