Cannabis and Anxiety- The Basics of What You Need to Know

Cannabis and Anxiety- The Basics of What You Need to Know

Anxiety is a medical condition that can be caused by a variety of different things. Anxiety is different for everyone who feels it and is brought on by many different circumstances and situations that are not the same for everyone. Some people have a general feeling of anxiety due to events in their lives while others may only feel this anxiety when put into social circumstances that they are not comfortable with. No matter how or when you suffer from anxiety it is a devastating feeling that can take a major toll on many different aspects of your life as well as those around you.

There are many different pharmaceutical medications that are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. These medications include things such as Prozac, Celexa, Paxil and Zoloft to name a few. Unfortunately many times patients do not find relief utilizing these pharmaceuticals and suffer from intense side effects that are sometimes worse than the anxiety itself.

For many years individuals around the globe have been utilizing cannabis as a natural alternative to these harmful pharmaceuticals and finding great relief without the horrible side effects. Not all strains of cannabis though will provide the same relief and for some, cannabis can even make the anxiety worse so it is important that you know what to look for in cannabis strains if you are looking to utilize it to treat anxiety.

The two most common cannabinoids found within cannabis are THC and CBD. Both of these compounds provide benefits to anxiety sufferers, however, THC in high concentrations may lead to feelings of paranoia and should be avoided when utilizing cannabis to treat anxiety. Finding a strain that has a well-balanced THC to CBD ratio would be optimal.

When looking to utilize cannabis as a treatment for anxiety it is also highly advised to lean towards Indica varieties of cannabis rather than Sativas as Sativas tend to have very intense cerebral effects which could and has invoked anxiety in some consumers. So how does cannabis help treat or reduce anxiety? When THC and CBD both found in cannabis are introduced to the human body's endocannabinoid system it saturates the CB1 and CB2 receptors allowing proper communication between nerves and cells and also works hand in hand with anandamide which is a neurotransmitter that naturally occurs in the body to create a happy and relaxed feeling. Some of the recommended strains to be utilized by those who suffer from anxiety include Canna-Tsu, Girl Scout Cookies, Grand Daddy Purple, Cannatonic, Northern Lights, and ACDC