When you experience a life-threatening event, its memory remains with you. Some people are able to compartmentalize and handle this sort of trauma, and others end up suffering physically and psychologically because of it. The resulting condition is known as PTSD. While 70% of Americans report to have witnessed a traumatic event, a small number eventually develops PTSD at some point in their lives. At the moment, 8 million Americans have the disorder. Studies have indicated that 1 out of every 9 women develops PTSD, which means that women are twice as prone to the disease as men.
A little background
According to the National Institute of Health, PTSD was never recognized as a disorder until the 1980’s. When it eventually was, professionals saw it as a disorder affecting veterans who were unable to deal with the trauma of war. However, it is now known to affect just about anyone, from survivors of fire accidents to victims of assault or abuse. Admittedly, veterans face this disease more often than anyone else, with the Department of Veteran Affairs pointing out that it takes care of 5 million patients a year suffering with this disorder.
The hidden costs
PTSD puts a massive strain on the taxpayer; the average annual costs related to treating the disorder are estimated at $8300 per person. This runs into the billions, which is why cheaper and more efficient treatment options are being explored. One of this is the use of medical marijuana, and below are some of its benefits on those suffering with PTSD;
Helps get rid of nightmares
One of the most haunting experiences PTST patients go through is constant nightmares. As a result, they keep relieving traumatic events and end up with poor quality of sleep, hence poor quality of life. Molecular Psychiatry recently published a report that stated that certain cannabinoids have compounds that help in getting rid of recurrent nightmares, and this comes with the assurance of better sleep and lowered symptoms in general.
Symptom reduction
Science Daily has published studies that look at how symptoms of PTSD change when the patient takes medical marijuana. It was noted that there was a notable change in the recurrence of various symptoms. For example, subjects reported a decreased relieving of traumatic events. They also tended to be more comfortable than before in situations that reminded them of their trauma. There was a noted decline in cases of hyper-arousal as well.
A better handle on emotions
The study on this is scattered, but anecdotal evidence points to the fact that medical marijuana has a positive effect on emotional control. Patients report that after taking medical marijuana, they feel more relaxed, more sure of themselves and more in control of their immediate environment.
Medical marijuana takes us one step closer to helping PTSD patients live a quality life. There is a strong emphasis that the remedy is used alongside regular therapies. The reason here is that treatment should be focused toward helping the patient deal with the disorder and not just mask their pain for the short term.
Care Wellness Center in Margate Florida is now making medical marijuana recommendations available through their state certified medical marijuana doctor. With this recommendation you will be able to acquire medical marijuana through one of the state’s certified dispensaries. Call us today to book your appointment. We are centrally located within minutes of Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Parkland, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton
