A new study published by the psychology Journal “Frontiers in Psychiatry” has all but confirmed the benefits of smoking weed.
While investigating the effects of medicinal weed amongst clinically depressed and anxious study participants, researchers discovered that that using cannabis had lower depression scores compared to their non-smoking counterparts. Tg
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health problems affecting millions around the world. While therapy and psychological treatment can help stop the symptoms, many around the world either do not have access to this medical care or don’t have enough money to afford it.
Erin L. Martin, one of the authors of the study, said that many victims of anxiety and depression are using medicinal weed as a way to help manage their symptoms.
She says that her patients have used a variety of products, with some using strictly THC products, others using CBD products and others using a THC-CBD mix. However, despite their widespread use amongst mood disorder patients, researchers still don’t how much is needed or in what variety to produce positive results.
With that being said, Martin does say that weed is a great option for those who either can’t afford to go on antidepressants or those that have adverse reactions to the medication.
“Traditional antidepressants may effectively treat these disorders in a lot of people,” she says, “but they do not work for everyone and can have unpleasant side effects.”
The unpleasant side effects of anti-depressants such as SSRIs and TCAS are almost a laundry list. Some of them include:
- Agitation
- Indigestion
- Weight Gain
- Weight Loss
- Dizziness
- Lowered Libido
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Dry Mouth
- Hearth Rhythm Problems
- Psychosis
- Diabetes
“People are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products, especially products high in CBD, to try to treat symptoms of anxiety and depression, even though scientific research in this area is both limited and shows mixed results.”
Considering the alternatives, medicinal cannabis use might be a prescription that many will prefer.
In the study, Martin and her colleagues tested 368 medicinal weed users and 170 patients (a total of 538) who considered using weed but have yet to use it. Over a period of four years, participants were assigned to complete an assessment to report their growth and condition.
After four years of assessments, Martin and her team discovered that cannabis users experienced many benefits of smoking weed. Her patients reported lower levels of depression, higher quality of life, better sleep and less pain, as well as fewer depressive symptoms.
“Medicinal cannabis products, especially products high in CBD, may help to treat symptoms of depression, improve sleep, and increase the quality of life,” Martin said.
Related: What is CBD: The Complete Guide to Cannabidiol
“There is also some evidence that medicinal cannabis may alleviate symptoms of anxiety, particularly if administered over an extended period of time, but this is less clear from our results and warrants further study.”
Cannabis has long been used in rituals and medicinal practices but is only now receiving the attention that it deserves within western medicine, especially CBD. Martin’s study adds to a huge library of evidence that already proves CBD’s benefits in treating a wide range of symptoms.
Many around the world are also giving it to their pet cats and dogs.
However, good science still needs to follow the structure and while these findings are exciting, Martin acknowledges that her study “could be partially attributable to a placebo effect or to people being more likely to complete the study if they found medicinal cannabis products effectively treated their symptoms,”
In other words, the benefits of smoking weed are not 100% for certain, but it does suggest the possibility for more funding dedicated to the research of THC, CBD and cannabis.
If you are struggling with sleep, pain, anxiety or any other quality-of-life issues, why not give CBD a try? As Martin says, “medicinal cannabis products, especially products high in CBD, may help to treat symptoms of depression, improve sleep, and increase quality of life.” At the very least, trying it out for yourself is worth the effort! Buy weed online from the most trusted online dispensary.
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