Research is close to proving that marijuana is better at alleviating anxiety than prescription anxiety meds. It’s also a lot safer. So far marijuana hasn’t killed anyone. However the mostly commonly used prescription anxiety meds like Xanax and Klonopin account for thousands of deaths in the US each year. Plus addiction to these benzodiazepines is commonplace as tolerance to them build rapidly require users to take more and more to achieve the same results. Plus the side effects of these pharmaceuticals are difficult to deal with—fatigue, disorientation and mental fogginess. Plus getting off these medications is so difficult that many user just stay on them indefinitely rather than experiencing the well-documented hell of withdrawals.
Marijuana to the rescue
The latest research published in Journal Psychopharmacology titled, Blunted stress reactivity in chronic cannabis users, supports the fact that marijuana is a well-known stress reliever. It suggests that compounds in marijuana like CBD or Cannabidiol could eventually be harnessed to deliver anxiety relief with decreased dependency, fewer side effects and less overdose potential. Al though the research is not entirely conclusive it may be the first step towards creating a cannabis-based anxiety medications.
The study took 40 stoners and 42 non-pot smokers and had them randomly complete what’s known as the Maastricht Acute Stress Test. To test the participants mental and physical stress the groups solved difficult math problems while being socially evaluated and had to dunk their hands in ice water. The results? The stoners stressed a whole lot less than the others.
These finding are consistent with others studies that show how marijuana affects the neurotransmitters related to stress. Studies reveal that cannabis compounds like cannabidiol enhances the brain’s ability to produce chemicals that calm down the body when it enters an excited state.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of acute stress on salivary cortisol levels in chronic cannabis users compared to non-users,” said Carrie Cuttler, study co-author and clinical assistant professor of psychology. “While we are not at a point where we are comfortable saying whether this muted stress response is a good thing or a bad thing, our work is an important first step in investigating potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis at a time when its use is spreading faster than ever before.”
We here at Stuff Stoners Like are comfortable saying that a muted stress response is a good thing. It’s well know that over time the strain that stress exhibits on the body can lead to serious health problems. We’re talking heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other physical illnesses. Stress can also lead to mental disorders like depression or anxiety.
We also say that nature’s stress reliever—marijuana—can be easily grown in your backyard. We suggest planting something that’s Indica dominant since those strains seem to deliver the most relaxation. Beausse each strain is different with it’s own unique cannabinoid profile and everybody has their own unique endocannabinoid system it may be necessary to experiment with a variety of strains until you find one that delivers the anxiety relief you need.
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