More Anxiety and Neurological Studies On The Benefits of Medical Cannabis

[KindaCanna]

The human body has many types of receptors. Receptors are chemical structures, which are protein based, and are attached to our cells. They receive stimuli, or signals, from various sources. Medical cannabis, CBD, is believed to act on two receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptor sites are located in the brain and spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system, and CB2 receptors are located in the organs and other parts of the body, or the peripheral nervous system.

The exact way that CBD affects the CB1 receptors isn\’t fully known, but it may interact with and change serotonin signals. Serotonin is one of the key neurotransmitters, and it plays an important part in mental health. Low serotonin levels are common in people who experience depression. In some cases, low serotonin levels may also cause anxiety.

The primary conventional treatment for low levels of serotonin is an SSRI medication. This stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Common medications are Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac. These are only available by prescription. Some people who have anxiety may be able to manage the condition with medical cannabis, instead of with an SSRI. A person should talk to the doctor first, before making a change in the medication.

People who experience social anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder may benefit from CBD, and it may also treat insomnia brought about by anxiety. In 2011, a study looked at medical cannabis use in people with social anxiety disorder, or SAD. The participants were given a dose of 400 my of CBD, and experienced overall relief of anxiety, as compared with a placebo group. There have also been recent studies involving PTSD, especially with the symptoms of nightmares and mentally replaying negative memories. The usage of medical cannabis can either be as a sole treatment for PTSD, or as an adjunct therapy to traditional medication and cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. Overall, it can also benefit people with schizophrenia, by reducing psychosis, without causing serious side effects associated with these classes of medications, also called neuroleptics. Some of the side effects include muscle tightness, drowsiness and dizziness.

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