The interest in CBD treatment in post-traumatic stress has been the subject of scientific studies for some time now, in order to discover what happens in this interaction and if it can really serve as a treatment for this psychological condition.
As in other psychological conditions, CBD is playing an essential role in the treatment of symptoms, helping to reduce them and giving the patient an indisputable improvement in their quality of life, sometimes putting itself ahead of conventional treatments, but mostly working hand in hand with them to cause a much more satisfactory result; In post-traumatic stress, according to research, CBD helps relieve symptoms improving the mental and physical health of the patient.
In this article we emphasize the interaction between this disease and the component of cannabis called cannabidiol, we also tell part of what were some studies carried out in order to prove the positive effect of CBD on post-traumatic stress, as well as its advantages, its use before other medications and more.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a very common condition in people who have experienced a traumatic incident, which can appear in the first months after the event or even many years later, thus being a disease that could be chronic, although In most cases, patients heal quickly and naturally.
Symptoms such as reliving, where the patient usually relives the traumatic incident, avoidance symptoms, symptoms of hypervigilance and reactivity, cognitive and mood symptoms, are those that characterize a patient with post-traumatic stress, taking into account that The affected person must present all of them for at least one month.
Regarding its prevalence, we have a study carried out in 2019, based on the number of people affected by the war between 1989 and 2015, where it was estimated that around 354 million adults worldwide have post-traumatic stress, of which 117 million suffer. comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression. On the other hand, another study conducted on Iraq veterans determined that approximately 17% of them would develop post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as mood disorder. anxiety and depression.
Another study analyzed children exposed to trauma, concluding that 25% of them are prone to developing post-traumatic stress; Finally, a final study verified the incidence of post-traumatic stress in homozygous twins, who have a greater risk of presenting PTSD after combat trauma, indicating the involvement of heredity.
Scientific support for the action of CBD in post-traumatic stress
The studies carried out during the investigation of this interaction are numerous, but the opportunity to generate a point of view on the treatment of post-traumatic stress with CBD, which contains the necessary bases for its consideration.
A study carried out in 2012 on patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder showed that these patients could manage the disease much better under the use of cannabis; in such a way that the capacity of cannabis to reduce the emotional impact caused by memories when there are symptoms of reliving, however, the continuity of the research was totally necessary to realize the idea.
Already in 2013, a study was carried out based on the attacks on the World Trade Center, where it was shown that post-traumatic stress is linked to a reduction in endocannabinoid levels, in the regulation of the stress response, with the conclusion that a concordance between the decrease in endocannabinoids and stress caused by trauma.
The case of a girl who suffered from post-traumatic stress as a result of the sexual abuse she experienced years ago was the subject of a study in 2016, where they introduced CBD treatment into her life, which considerably improved her sleep state, which in turn time I reduced anxiety caused by PTSD. Conventional medications that treated his condition produced very limited improvement, making it unfeasible for the desired results.
Another study from 2012, this time carried out in mice which were induced in a situation that could cause PTSD, by exposing them to a predator, they were administered CBD, resulting in a prevention of long-lasting anxiety effects. Concluding that indeed cannabidiol has beneficial properties for the treatment of post-traumatic stress.
Also in 2012, Brazilian scientists found that chronic stress reduces CB1 receptor binding and expression in the hippocampus, this has great implications in the treatment of post-traumatic stress since short and long memory is handled in this area of the brain. term.
A review carried out by researchers, such as Rafael Maldonado, head of the Neuropharmacology Unit of the Pompeu Fabra University (Spain), in articles about the importance of the endocannabinoid system in the processes of fear, anxiety and stress, exposing it in turn as a treatment accepted in these pathologies lead to the conclusion that this is due to the fact that the endocannabinoid system carries out its action on all regions of the brain where these processes are involved, through receptors such as CB1 and CB2.
Finally, we have a study that was carried out in 2009, where they investigated the effectiveness of a synthetic cannabinoid to complementary treat post-traumatic stress, using antidepressants and hypnotics as primary medications and the cannabinoid called nabilone as secondary. This resulted in a reduction, in 72% of patients, of nightmares, as well as a decrease in daytime flashbacks and an improvement in falling asleep.
How does the endocannabinoid system intervene in post-traumatic stress?
Since we know that CBD promotes the relief of symptoms in post-traumatic stress through its interaction with the endocannabinoid system, we need to know how this system acts in the body, emphasizing post-traumatic stress disorder respectively.
The endocannabinoid system was a great discovery, which was associated with cannabis and its similarity in compounds, to study the possibility of treating many chronic diseases; he Parkinson and Alzheimer's are diseases of the nervous system which is directly related to this system, since endocannabinoids are found in the central nervous system as well as in other parts of the body, therefore, there is an interaction of exocannabinoids such as CBD or cannabidiol with the endocannabinoid system produces a series of effects that have certain benefits in the treatment of these diseases.
This happens in the same way in post-traumatic stress. Where studies have shown that the amount of endocannabinoids in blood, increases significantly when the patient goes through stressful situations. Therefore, it was found that patients suffering from post-traumatic stress remained with a constant increase in endocannabinoids in the blood.
Areas in the brain that are normally associated with situations of stress and anxiety contain a significantly high proportion of cannabinoid receptors. Thanks to all this, in 2012, the association of the CB1 receptor in the processing of stress and memories was discovered through research carried out at the Langone Medical Center of New York University.
In this study it was concluded that, by placing this receptor in a plane where it is stimulated by exocannabinoids that are administered by different methods, we obtain as a result a stimulation of the brain that will help reduce or eradicate the triggers of chronic anxiety and erase traumatic memories.
CB1 receptors play very important roles in the body, some of them are appetite, pain tolerance, mood and the formation of fear memory and anandamide is a neurotransmitter that can activate this receptor, improving the mood, therefore, when these neurotransmitter levels are low, it causes a deficit in CB1 receptors, which leads to a increased stress and anxiety.
A study carried out in 2011 consisted of observing the results of patients with post-traumatic stress when inhaling marijuana, which concluded that since the components of this plant such as CBD directly activate CB1 receptors, this improved the effects produced by post-traumatic stress.
The balance between CBD and conventional medications
One of the big doubts when using CBD is whether it could be a substitute for conventional medications or on the contrary it would be more of a support for a much better effect; In the case of post-traumatic stress, when we talk about conventional medications, these are considered partially effective, and in many cases the beneficial effects are more due to placebo than due to the chemical interaction of the drug as such.
The prescription of a doctor who wants to treat this disorder will always have conventional medications which help improve it, however, the use of cannabinoids such as CBD has proven to be very effective in reducing the symptoms of the diseaseNow, we cannot recommend replacing conventional medical treatment with CBD, but we can talk about the use of CBD in the body and its noticeable improvement.
Like any other medication for the treatment of PTSD, CBD or its most common presentation, About our CBD oil, can be used to treat psychological conditions that the patient experiences, regulating the brain's response to post-traumatic stress situations, this will help the patient on a large scale. improve your quality of life and therefore your mental state.
Later we will see some of the advantages that CBD provides us over conventional medications, however, what is recommended is to be well informed and discuss it with the treating doctor, he will know how to administer these medications in conjunction with CBD or replace it if necessary. own.
Advantages of using CBD in post-traumatic stress
These are some of the advantages that CBD or cannabidiol exerts on the treatment of post-traumatic stress, allowing a notable improvement in the patient's mental quality:
- Anxiolytic effect: Anxiety is one of the conditions that a patient with PTSD goes through and CBD can regulate it, thanks to its interaction with the 5HT1A receptor. This interaction is often the focus of conventional treatments to reduce the symptoms of the disease.
- Sleep regulator: A patient who presents post-traumatic stress is very likely to be associated with a sleep disorder, since due to symptoms such as reliving, reactivity, hypervigilance and others, they usually do not fall asleep correctly, the relaxing effect provided by CBD helps with this problem, improving the patient's quality of life and promoting prompt healing.
- Anandamide production: The deficiency of this neurotransmitter is the cause of psychological conditions in a patient with PTSD, giving way to the production of stress and anxiety. CBD does not act directly on this neurotransmitter, but it promotes the production of it in the body, thus allowing a improvement in psychological problems.
- It has no side effects: In relation to conventional medications that do not act completely efficiently to treat this disease and that usually cause side effects in the body that could only worsen the state of health, CBD offers the same results as these medications, one could even say that they are greater. , offering the patient the assurance that it will not produce side effects at all.
- Goodbye traumatic memories!: One of the main functions of CBD in the treatment of post-traumatic stress is the ability to help the brain reduce the traumatic memories that patients with this condition relive, this will help the patient's recovery.
We can conclude that. . .
This cannabis compound has turned out to be an excellent option for the treatment of post-traumatic stress for patients seriously affected by this disorder, guiding the patient along a healing path, CBD promises an improvement, without side effects, of the disease.
It is important to know what are the CBD products of better quality to obtain an optimal result, informing yourself from the correct sources could ensure the quality and effect of the treatment, a doctor could offer you the help you need to better treat this disease with CBD. Consult your treating doctor!
I suffer from several diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, dysautonomia, diabetes, insomnia, migraine, stomach problems, anxiety and more. I am interested in the CBD product price and advice.