PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a psychological response to a traumatic event or events. It may not set in for months or years after a possibility, but psychologists agree that it is something authentic and even treatable. One way of managing this condition is by using CBD.
What Is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological term for a reaction after a highly stressful event, such as physical violence or military combat. Those who have PTSD have recurring memories of the stressful event, and similar events can trigger rage, fear, anxiety, and depression in the person who suffers from it. Flashbacks and nightmares are common symptoms, as well.
Often people won’t know they have PTSD until they are out of danger. It’s like the body and the mind finally allow the person to process what they have gone through. Unfortunately, many people will not recover from PTSD without therapy and medication. Intrusive thoughts, hallucinations, night terrors, anger, and violence may all arise when suffering a PSTD episode. However, in many instances, it can be a matter of using CBD for PTSD.
Can you Have PTSD?
PTSD occurs in other populations than just veterans. Anyone subject to intense or frequent psychological trauma can display symptoms of PTSD.
If you are someone who is living with PTSD, you’re not alone. Around 3.5 percent of Americans will suffer from PTSD each year.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s a non-psychoactive extract from the hemp plant that has excellent healing properties. CBD has recently gained more acceptance than it did just a few years ago. The problem has been that marijuana and hemp are essentially the same plants. The difference is in how they are bred. Marijuana is bred to contain high levels of the psychoactive compound THC. THC comes from the female plant’s flowers, which are typically dried and smoked for recreational purposes.
CBD is an oil extracted from the seeds and stems of the hemp plant, which is bred for its fiber and oil and has minimal THC. The hemp plant grows 10-15 feet tall, while the marijuana plant is short and stubby.
Growers cultivate hemp plants for a wide range of industrial uses, none relating to psychoactive drugs. CBD oil is simply another of these uses.
CBD for PTSD
Many people are not in favor of using psychiatric drugs to treat PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Instead, they are looking for natural alternatives that work but don’t have the side effects of pharmaceuticals. That’s why CBD oil is starting to attract more attention from the medical community. CBD shows signs of managing the many complex symptoms of PTSD.
How Does CBD Work?
As mentioned, endocannabinoids like CBD function help the body to regulate neurotransmitters and hormones. That means they have an essential role as a mood regulator. They can help boost or bolster a person’s mood so that they feel more uplifted or at least more capable of handling what life throws at them.
Why Using CBD for PTSD Works
PTSD is like a brain that misfires. It brings up memories and gives them disproportionate power, forcing sufferers to relive the emotions of painful moments. It’s a spike in brain activity, and like all such spikes, it disturbs the chemical composition of your brain.
The body has a built-in network designed for hormone balance and regulation. It is called the Endocannabinoid system. Think of it as a communication network your body uses to send and receive chemical signals.
The system is made up of transmitters and receptors. You can find them everywhere in your body, including in the brain. Your body makes chemicals called endocannabinoids to regulated neurotransmitters and other hormones in the body. These hormones interact with the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems to maintain a healthy balance of hormones.
You may not have thought about hormones in the management of anxiety or depression, but they play a significant role!
Endorphins are the more well-known cousin of these endocannabinoids. If you understand that endorphins minimize pain, you already understand a lot about CBD, which works similarly.
The need of using CBD for PTSD
In many studies, researchers found that people living with PTSD have lower levels of the compound anandamide. This is a crucial mood regulator that works with the body’s endocannabinoid system. There is also a possibility that traumatic events reduce the ability of endocannabinoid receptors to work, so the body experiences endocannabinoid deficiency. Supplementing the body with CBD is the only way to get the levels of cannabinoids up in the body and return to average emotional balance.
The Research on Using CBD for Anxiety Disorders
There are several scientific studies that show the benefits of CBD and its anti-anxiety properties. People with PTSD can experience massive anxiety spikes. It has been noticed that after taking CBD, one can handle stress more efficiently and manage situations that used to be overwhelming, emotionally.
Bottom Line
There is hope for you if you have PTSD. Knowledge is power, try CBD for yourself and see if it benefits your condition.
