What is Anxiety?

Anxiety refers to the discomforting emotion of fear, stress, and uncertainty that most people experience at one point or another. 

You might feel anxious before giving a speech or presentation, confronting a problem at work or home, or making a major decision that can have far-reaching effects. All this is normal, but when someone experiences a persistent, disproportionate, and debilitating level of anxiety, it becomes a severe medical issue. 

Many people have mild anxiety, but people with severe anxiety disorders can use medical marijuana as a medicine. It eases symptoms and offers benefits without the side effects of traditional medications.

Symptoms of Anxiety

There are several symptoms to know if you’re experiencing anxiety or simply feeling nervous about an important task. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Periods of sudden and intense fear
• Shortness of breath
• Fast heartbeat
• Difficulty concentrating
• Panic attacks

Anxiety can also lead to a number of different mental issues, including depression, ADHD, and eating disorders.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are many types of severe anxiety disorders. Some are:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is when a person is constantly fearing, worrying, and cannot focus due to anxiety for at least 6 months.
• Social Anxiety Disorder leads to a fear of social interactions and feeling embarrassed about the way one is perceived by others, and is characterized by excessive stress, worry, and sometimes even panic attacks.
• Separation Anxiety causes people to fear the loss of a loved one.
• Panic Disorder (PD) is another anxiety disorder characterized by sudden panic attacks.
• Specific phobias are also a form of anxiety—while many people have a fear of heights, public spaces, and spiders, these disorders can turn a healthy sense of caution into a paralyzing nightmare.
• Other types of anxiety disorders include OCD and PTSD.

Statistics from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America state that anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the U.S. each year, a whopping 19.1% of the adult population. Anxiety can also lead to other issues, such as insomnia, depression, appetite problems, and digestive problems. 

Anxiety is commonly treated with psychological therapy. Anti-anxiety disorders are a huge business for pharmaceutical companies, as medications like Zoloft and Prozac are often prescribed to treat them, along with such powerful tranquilizers as Valium and Xanax.

Unfortunately, these medications can cause a range of unwanted risks and side effects. Some people don’t respond favorably to treatment by prescription drugs, and the pharmaceuticals themselves can carry a high risk of addiction and abuse. This is why researchers started looking into how medical cannabis can be used to treat these all-too-common disorders.

Medical Marijuana and Anxiety

Marijuana for anxiety has long been used as an alternative treatment due to its ability to relax both your mind and body. It’s now one of the common conditions medical marijuana is used for. Not only does marijuana have a naturally calming effect, but many studies have found that cannabinoids in marijuana can help with anxiety and its associated symptoms.

A 2018 study found that marijuana significantly helped reduce ratings of depression, anxiety, and stress in users. The study found that medical marijuana users perceived a 58% reduction in anxiety and stress after using marijuana. What’s more, it only took a couple of puffs of marijuana to significantly reduce anxiety and depression, although taking 10 puffs or more had the best results.

Research suggests that CBD also has anti-anxiety properties. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis that works in conjunction with other components to provide various benefits. A 2019 study found that, after a month of taking CBD, the majority of patients reported reduced anxiety and improved sleep.

How Medical Marijuana Helps With Anxiety Symptoms

Marijuana can help with many of the common causes and symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety is often associated with a lack of sleep, depression, extreme stress, loss of appetite, and digestive issues, all of which marijuana for anxiety can help with.

Here are some benefits you can experience by adding medical marijuana for anxiety to your routine:

• Calm nerves

• Better sleep

• Sense of relaxation

• Reduces physical pain

• Lowers physical tremors

• Reduce depression

Well, let’s do some explaining. Insomnia is commonly linked to anxiety. Lack of sleep can lead to anxiety, and anxiety can lead to poor sleep, resulting in a negative cycle. Marijuana has sedative effects that can help patients get to sleep easier and get a restful night of sleep.

What’s more, research suggests that CBD helps lower anxiety and improve sleep simultaneously. Other studies have shown that CBD boosts serotonin levels in the brain and may even help regenerate neurons in the region of the brain that controls memory and cognitive function.

Medical marijuana for anxiety also has antioxidant effects, which can help reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to various physical and mental issues, including depression and anxiety. What’s more, marijuana has been shown to boost your appetite and help with digestive issues, both of which can improve your physical and mental health and reduce the negative effects of anxiety.

So, we can confidently say that medical cannabis for anxiety helps in a number of ways that help people live the way they should.

How To Use Medical Marijuana For Anxiety

Medical marijuana can be used in many ways to treat anxiety. You can use capsules, although it’s best to only use a small amount. Apart from these, some alternative methods to consume medical cannabis for anxiety are:

1: Smoking

Many patients choose to smoke Cannabis Flower to help manage anxiety, stress, and depression. This is an effective method as the effects hit you instantly, and it can help manage anxiety symptoms in just a couple of puffs. It’s best to use a relaxing indica strain for anxiety—some sativa strains can be overstimulating. High-CBD strains are also a great choice.

2: Vaping

Some users may prefer vaping marijuana or even using Vape Oils as an alternative to smoking. Vaping involves heating products without producing smoke, making it a smooth and healthy experience. Vaping marijuana also hits you instantly, much like smoking.

3: Tinctures

You might also want to consider alternative methods of consumption. Cannabis tinctures offer an easy and convenient way to get a dose of THC within minutes.

4: Gummies

Gummies are one of the most popular ways of consuming medical marijuana for anxiety. It is a lot more fun than taking capsules. It is a simple way to control your daily dosage, as each gummy contains a specific amount of THC or CBD.

As with any cannabis-based treatment, every patient’s response will be different. It takes time and practice to find the right products to treat your anxiety, but with careful guidance and physician supervision, many anxiety patients will find that cannabis can be an incredibly helpful and safe alternative to prescription pharmaceuticals.

How To Use Medical Marijuana For Anxiety

If you want to use medical marijuana for anxiety in Florida, you’ll need to get a medical card first. This also applies to other states where marijuana is only legal for medical purposes, although those in states where marijuana is legal for adult use can access marijuana much more easily.

Getting a medical card involves seeing a qualified marijuana doctor. They’ll assess your medical records and current symptoms to determine whether you qualify for medical marijuana. If you’re approved, you’ll be prompted to apply for a medical card online.

Once your medical card is approved, you can buy marijuana from dispensaries across the state. As well as various strains of Cannabis Flower, you can also buy cannabis edibles, tinctures, capsules, and more. You’ll also have access to a wide range of non-psychoactive CBD products.