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cafegrrrrl
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Question Mar 21, 2021 at 03:31 PM
  #1
I have some questions regarding anxiety and medical marijuana.

Can anyone share links for reputable sites about treating anxiety with medical marijuana? I can't seem to find anything other than sites run by dispensaries or sites that contain too much jargon.

My other question is does anyone here have any positive experiences using med mj for anxiety?
I just got my card a week ago and cannot believe how much I need to learn! I'm still trying to find what works for me and am already frustrated. I do think this will be a positive method of anxiety treatment IF I can find something that doesn't make me feel too drugged. I'm guessing I just need to be patient and experiment to find what works for me. Does anyone have any advice to possibly expedite the process?

Sidenote:
My therapist is all for using med mj as long as it's helpful and not harmful.
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Default Mar 21, 2021 at 05:53 PM
  #2
Hi @cafegrrrrl - welcome to My Support Forums. I am sorry you have pain. I am not sure if pain management with or without substances is more advantageous.

There are other methods to manage pain like mindfulness. I have studied Jon Kabat's Zinn's videos and have benefited by them. Mindfulness and Chronic Pain - YouTube

One of the risks with marijuana is that one may get more of the type that makes one high rather than managing pain. The problem is that not many studies are done on the long term effects of prolonged marijuana use. I think you are wise to research this and get comfortable with your options.

This may be of interest as a beginners guide although I cannot vouch for its authenticity. The Beginner's Guide to Medical Marijuana for Pain - Health Works Collective I agree getting info from dispensaries may not be the best way to learn about it until you know what you are looking for.


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Default Mar 23, 2021 at 05:49 AM
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Other than perhaps some potential in PTSD, the evidence for marijuana as an an anxiety treatment really isn’t there. There are some suggesting that it can actually worsen pre existing mental health conditions for some. That’s not to say is doesn’t have medicinal value. Just not so much in mental health. I’ll reference some studies later
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Default Mar 23, 2021 at 09:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cafegrrrrl View Post
I have some questions regarding anxiety and medical marijuana.

Can anyone share links for reputable sites about treating anxiety with medical marijuana? I can't seem to find anything other than sites run by dispensaries or sites that contain too much jargon.
I agree with CANDC that there have not been enough studies about marijuana. Historically, because of a law passed by Congress in 1970 (The
Federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, The Federal Controlled Substances Act: Schedules and Pharmacy Registration), pot was classified as a Schedule 1 drug (High abuse potential with no accepted medical use; medications within this schedule may not be prescribed, dispensed, or administered) making it harder for companies and institutions to study. Though, recently, more studies have been done and I have seen doctor's testify (to legislatures and in TV shows) about how effectively it treats seizures and nausea caused by many types of chemotherapy. I also recall seeing a show about it effectively treating PTSD. IMO, some types of anxiety might be caused by PTSD but not all but I am definitely no expert on this. I have also seen many people say that perhaps pot might cause schizophrenia (an important topic). This video which looked at the research (Does Marijuana Cause Schizophrenia? - YouTube) concludes that their might be a correlation but that only about 2.5 percent of pot users have schizophrenia verses 15 percent of people who smoke tobacco going on to develop cancer. However, perhaps we should keep in mind when looking at this comparison that cancer is much more prevalent than schizophrenia (this is my opinion, I don't know but IMO it might worsen it). Again, IMO, more studies need to be done.

I know more than one person with a medical marijuana card and I have tried pot (infrequently) but am not currently using. The regular user has studied the strains (the medical pot sold comes from less than 2 dozen strains, I can't remember the number he cited) combined in various ways. He believes some strains help with anxiety, The thing is that, IMO, pot is a natural product and is never exactly the same in the way that some years for wine are better than other years. There are hundreds of natural compounds in plants. But, his conclusion is that, in a rough way, you can use the strains the pot is derived from plus the THC vs CBD percentages plus the terpene profile in the pot--note all these things, how they effect you and then over time make an educated guess about which types of pot will help and which will worsen your anxiety.

I have had experiences with it relaxing me and I have had experiences with it worsening my anxiety. However, the main reason I now avoid it is that I have found myself "double-thinking" when I use. It is like I get this voice casting doubts on what I believe. It doesn't change my beliefs but I do find the internal arguments going on in my head quite unwelcome. It also makes me lazy but IMO this can be managed effectively by only using a small amount right before bedtime. For me, it is a shame that pot causes the bothersome "double-think" because it seemed to help with sleep (some strains) and pain so I have personally made the decision to only use if I get an extreme amount of pain (I currently only have very minor aches and pains which I can handle OK without meds). And I assume it effects people differently and do believe there are legitimate reasons to use. Hope this isn't TMI.

Last edited by TunedOut; Mar 23, 2021 at 09:54 AM..
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