A new study recently conducted by scientists in the United States sought to assess how cannabis affects feelings of well-being outside the laboratory. The study was conducted with varying concentrations of THC and CBD.

Current research background

The available research, so far has been inconclusive and limited due to decades-old restrictions on medical marijuana.

Previous research on cannabis’ ability to treat stress and anxiety was conducted with THC only strains. They also had only been administered orally and conducted exclusively in a lab.  The new study, however, emphasized more on the effect when it is inhaled.

The results showed that one puff of cannabis that was high in CBD and low in THC was optimal for reducing symptoms of depression. Two puffs of any type of cannabis was enough to reduce symptoms of anxiety. This was regardless of the type of cannabis used. Ten or more puffs of cannabis high in both CBD and THC produced the largest reductions in stress and anxiety.

Cannabis combats stress, anxiety and depression

One of the driving forces of US cannabis legalization is the hope among military veterans that cannabis may relieve PTSD. Anxiety disorders and PTSD have a lot in common.

The research showed that symptoms of anxiety were reduced in a total of 93.5% of tracked sessions. The symptoms were however were exacerbated in 2.1% of sessions and there was no change in 4.4%.

In the case of stress, symptoms were reduced inn 93.3% of the sessions, increased in 2.7% and remained unchanged in 4% of participants.

Patients inhaling cannabis saw a significant reduction in their feelings of depression. With symptoms being reduced in 89.3% of sessions. However, the study also revealed that the symptoms of depression were exacerbated in a total 3.2% of sessions, and there was no change in 7.5% of sessions.

The study also compared the impact of cannabis on these symptoms between the sexes and found that women perceived a greater reduction in symptoms of anxiety than men did.

It is also worth noting that Cannabidiol did not reduce responses to negative stimuli or reduce anxiety in healthy participants.

In another test looking at the effect of CBD on anxiety. People with social anxiety disorder performed a public speaking test. Some did the test without receiving any CBD treatment. The results showed that pre-treatment with CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment, and discomfort while participants were delivering their speech.

With the positive reinforcement of the benefits of using cannabis to treat anxiety, it would be wise for patients to seek counsel before trying it. There are cases where patients have experienced relief from stress, trauma and anxiety through Cannabis and these are encouraging. It would be best to have a psychiatric approach involving therapy, so as to get the best outcome in the treatment.