Thanks to countless studies and support from the government, the stigma surrounding cannabis is a lot less prominent than it used to be. A couple of years back, cannabis was seen only as a drug that causes feelings of euphoria. Now, more people are using it for its medical benefits.
People tend to forget that cannabis has its merits for mental health too. Some studies have revealed that cannabis does indeed help people that suffer from certain mental diseases. What are the mental health benefits of cannabis and its derivatives?
Cannabis And Mental Health – What We Know
From 1980 to 2018, there have been a total of 83 studies worldwide that look into how cannabis compounds treat the symptoms caused by mental health problems. Some of the studies focused on issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, Tourette syndrome, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Despite the vast number of studies, experts claim that these aren’t actually enough. Aside from actually being a low number, the studies also had a small scope. Only a few studies lasted for more than 5 weeks and there were only a few that had a considerable amount of participants.
People that use cannabis products to treat their mental health problems stand by them. They believe that concentrates like Delta 8 products help them ease through the symptoms that they go through on a daily basis. As this is the claim of many, scientists are becoming more invested in cannabis and its effects on mental health.
Meet The Top Cannabinoids
Cannabis contains countless naturally occurring compounds called cannabinoids. Each contributes to the properties of both recreational and medical marijuana. The most prominent cannabinoids currently are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
According to science, CBD is the cannabis compound that is responsible for most of the medical benefits the plant is known for. CBD has a high concentration in medical cannabis. It is so popular that there’s an entire market dedicated to turning CBD concentrates into consumable products.
As per the users of CBD, the compound provides what is commonly described as a mellow or relaxing feeling. This feeling helps them feel more relaxed during anxiety attacks. As they are more relaxed, it helps them sleep easier as well if they have insomnia.
On the other hand, THC is the cannabis compound that is known for giving cannabis the high people get. It comes in high concentration in recreational cannabis strains. It’s also the compound that makes marijuana illegal in some states. As per most rules, THC concentration must not go beyond 1.3%
For many people, recreational cannabis is a means to relax and unwind as well because of the high that people get. It helps them focus less on their symptoms too. THC’s benefits to mental health are up for debate but for users, it’s an effective alternative to OTC drugs for their symptoms.
It will be exciting to see what the future looks like for the cannabis industry. There’s a lot of potential for it to completely change the way we treat mental health problems. As it gains more support from the public and congress, we can expect more studies to back the claims behind the miracle plant.
