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Tag: PTSD

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Plant-Derived Cannabinoids Effective For Anxiety And PTSD According To Australian Study

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two of the most common health conditions found around the globe. International researchers estimate that hundreds of millions of people live with anxiety to some degree every day.

Additionally, hundreds of millions more people around the world suffer from PTSD to some degree, with many PTSD patients also being diagnosed with anxiety. Both conditions on their own can be unbearable, and suffering from both of them at the same time can be debilitating in extreme cases.

More and more anxiety and PTSD patients are turning to the cannabis plant for relief, and according to a recent study in Australia, plant-derived cannabinoids are an effective form of treatment. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: Patients diagnosed with anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress respond favorably to medical cannabis treatment, according to observational study data published in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology.

A team of Australian investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of oral cannabinoid formulations (either tinctures or capsules) containing various ratios of THC and CBD in 198 patients with anxiety disorders. The median doses consumed by study participants were 50.0 mg/day for CBD and 4.4 mg/day for THC. (Australian law permits physicians to authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.)

Researchers reported, “The total participant sample reported significantly improved anxiety, depression, fatigue, and ability to take part in social roles and activities.”

Among the subset of subjects diagnosed specifically with post-traumatic stress, cannabis therapy similarly “improved anxiety, depression, fatigue, and social abilities,” with CBD-dominant formulations exhibiting the greatest efficacy.

The most common adverse events experienced by participants were dry mouth, somnolence, and fatigue.

The findings are consistent with those of recent observational studies from the United Kingdom which similarly showed that cannabis therapy was safe and effective for patients with generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress.

Full text of the study, “The effectiveness and the adverse events of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol used in the treatment of anxiety disorders in a PTSD population: An interim analysis of an observational study,” appears in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology. Additional information on cannabis and post-traumatic stress is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

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UK Study Finds PTSD Symptoms Improved After Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science, Uncategorized.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major public health issue all over the world. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is estimated to be 3.9% in the general population, and a much higher rate for those that have lived in countries where war and conflict has occurred.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.”

As with most health conditions, there are varying degrees of severity when it comes to PTSD, ranging from mild anxiety all the way to full blown panic attacks occurring regularly to the point that the patient can’t function. Flashbacks and regular nightmares are also symptoms of PTSD.

Fortunately, the cannabis plant has been found by a growing list of studies to help people that suffer from PTSD. A recent study in the United Kingdom found that cannabis use is associated with improved symptoms among patients suffering from PTSD. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with post-traumatic stress experience symptom improvements following the use of cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis products in 162 PTSD patients with a physician’s authorization. Study subjects were participants in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Study participants consumed either cannabis extracts or THC-dominant flowers for a period of six-months.

Authors reported that patients showed “statistically significant improvements” in a variety of domains, including sleep, anxiety, and stress. Self-reported adverse events were typically mild in severity.

“This observational study suggests an association between CBMP [cannabis-based medicinal products] treatment and improvement in PTSD-specific, HRQoL [health-related quality of life], sleep, and anxiety outcomes at up to 6-month follow-up,” they concluded. “CBMPs were well-tolerated and adverse events manageable. … [T]his study can serve to inform future randomized placebo-controlled trials with the aim of confirming these promising effects, whilst informing current clinical practice.”

Observational studies assessing the role of cannabinoids in mitigating symptoms of PTSD have generally yielded mixed results. A 2021 clinical trial reported that the inhalation of marijuana flowers provided limited benefits compared to placebo in treating symptoms of PTSD.

Full text of the study, “Assessment of clinical outcomes in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. Additional information on cannabis and post-traumatic stress is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

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Study Associates Cannabis With Improved Sleep In Adults With PTSD

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a very serious issue all over the globe. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is estimated to be 3.9% in the general population, and a much higher rate for those that have lived in countries where war and conflict has occurred.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.”

As with most health conditions, there are varying degrees of severity when it comes to PTSD, ranging from mild anxiety all the way to full blown panic attacks occurring regularly to the point that the patient can’t function. Flashbacks and regular nightmares are also symptoms of PTSD.

Fortunately, the cannabis plant has been found by a growing list of studies to help people that suffer from PTSD. A recent study in Israel found that cannabis use is associated with improved sleep among adults with PTSD. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Haifa, Israel: The use of cannabis prior to bedtime is associated with perceived improvements in sleep in subjects diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to data published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.

Israeli researchers assessed the impact of cannabis on sleep in a cohort of 77 PTSD patients. Study participants kept a daily journal where they recorded numerous sleep measures each morning.

Investigators acknowledged that the use of cannabis was associated with self-reported improvements in sleep onset and a reduction in the frequency of nightmares. Subjects who consumed products higher in CBD were less likely to report early awakenings.

“Our data suggest that MC [medical cannabis] may help reduce nightmares and [that] CBD in particular may be important for preventing early awakenings,” they wrote. “This provides a strong basis for further hypotheses testing, potentially through clinical trials, of the sleep-inducing effects of MC and for testing CBD in particular.”

Authors concluded, “Given the high comorbidity of PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances and the potential for MC to have effects on both, a greater understanding of how patients experience the effects of MC on overall PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbances is warranted.”

Prior studies have similarly reported that cannabis products may be associated with improved sleep duration and with improvements in insomnia. The enactment of adult-use marijuana legalization has also been correlated with a decrease in the sale of over-the-counter sleep aid medications.

Full text of the study, “Post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep, and medical cannabis treatment: A daily diary study,” appears in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Additional information on cannabis and post-traumatic stress is available from NORML.

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Study: Cannabis May Reduce PTSD, Depression, And Suicidal States

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Science.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is estimated that as many as 354 million adult war survivors globally suffer from PTSD.

The condition can often lead to increased rates of depression and the sufferer experiencing suicidal thoughts. It is like living in a constant nightmare. Anyone who suffers from PTSD or has a loved one that does will often be quick to point that out.

Cannabis use has been found to help treat PTSD, and according to a new study, it is associated will lowered rates of depression and suicidal states among PTSD sufferers. Read more about it in our recent article in Cannabis & Tech Today.