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Medical Marijuana for Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are prevalent in the United States, with 18% of our population silently suffering. Many prescribing physicians use anxiety medications such as Xanax, and Ativan has been beneficial to people who are experiencing side effects that are sometimes not worth the reward. If you are like others, who needed to reevaluate other treatment plants, medical marijuana may be your solution. It is beneficial and gentle but also quickly reduces anxiety so you can enjoy your life again.  

Boca Pot Doc was established to help Florida residents with anxiety, depression, and other affective disorders with competent medical care under an experienced physician’s guidance. We provide a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether medical Cannabis would be the solution you need. If your assessments prove you are a candidate who would qualify under Florida Medical Marijuana Law, we will work towards creating a personalized care plan. This play will alleviate your symptoms and help you feel better. In the past, anxiety has historically been treated with a group of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are also useful in healing symptoms of depression. Tension has also been effectively treated with medicines known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are often called “benzos.” SSRIs and Benzos are helpful for patients, but they come with dangerous side effects. SSRIs can make people feel numb, gain weight, and have problems with sexual arousal. Benzodiazepines are highly addictive and can cause brain fog. They are also not intended for long term use and have withdrawal side effects. There are many risks to be evaluated to determine your best treatment plan. 

While working with us, we will examine if Cannabis will be beneficial to incorporate into your treatment. It is for these reasons; Cannabis may be useful in avoiding the substantial side effects of other treatments. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or compliment your current treatment plan depending on your evaluation. 

Patient surveys have also shown the medical field that people have reported reduced levels of anxiety while using medical Cannabis. Patients who are looking to overcome fear are the number one reason for legalizing medical Cannabis under a physician’s supervision. 

Research has repeatedly shown us that Cannabis is effective in managing anxiety, increasing appetite, and inspiring creativity to come alive again. The reason medical marijuana is effective is due to the body’s endocannabinoid system, also called the ECS or EC system. The endocannabinoid system has two components: CB1 receptors, which are concentrated in the brain, and CB2 receptors, which are dispersed throughout your body. The CB1 and CB2 receptors are responding for sending and receiving signals from your mind to your brain. 

When Tetrahydrocannabinol and the roughly eighty-five other cannabinoids interact with these receptors, they temporarily alter the way your endocannabinoid system functions. Your endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating your appetite, memory, pain perception, and mood. As a result of medical Cannabis, these functions and tasks of the brain are temporarily altered and regulated. Because of the ECS regulates mood, patients frequently report mood improvements, increased relaxation or sedation, and lowered anxiety while using Cannabis. Marijuana can produce worse anxiety and paranoia, which is why you must work with a physician during your treatment plan. Sometimes these side effects are a dosing problem and frequency of dosing versus a treatment plan that is failing the patient. 

It’s essential to keep in mind that these acute effects are temporary, and research has shown that it is unlikely to cause long term harm. For most patients, the side effects of Cannabis are drowsiness, dry mouth or cough, and increased appetite. The medical benefits of marijuana for anxiety treatment outweigh the side effects, which are less than the side effects we see in SSRI and benzo treatment plans. 

Other research has proven that compounds found in the cannabis plant have a positive effect on gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the brain. GABA has a natural calming effect and reduced feelings of anxiety and fear by decreasing neuronal excitability, thus giving away to new research suggesting medical marijuana is a successful treatment plan for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders. It is exciting new research given the side effects of other medications that are prescribed, such as “benzos,” which have increasingly been associated with drug overdose due to their addictive properties. 

Unfortunately, “benzos” have frequently been associated with drug overdose due to their addictive properties, giving way to a demand for medically-proven, less destructive treatments such as medical marijuana for anxiety

Patients with anxiety disorder have shown improvement with the correct dosing and supervision of medical marijuana managed by a physician. If you or a loved one are suffering from anxiety and would like to try and different plans, please give us a call. All information and inquiries are confidential. We can also help guide you through Florida state laws to determine if you qualify. If you are a Florida resident age 18 or older, check out Boca Pot Doc for your medical evaluation and assistance with getting your Florida Medical Marijuana Card.