Get a Medical Marijuana Card to Treat PTSD in North Carolina
PTSD is on the list of proposed conditions qualifying for treatment in North Carolina once a legal medical marijuana program is established in the state. PTSD can affect anyone, but veterans are especially vulnerable.
According to research between 12% to 25% of North Carolina Veterans return home with PTSD, and between 20% and 45% are struggling with a substance abuse problem, which often goes hand-in-hand with PTSD.
What is PTSD?
PTSD or Post-Traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that occurs after someone has been exposed to a single or multiple traumatic or terrifying events.
PTSD typically occurs as a result of exposure to a life-threatening event, although many intensely stressful or disturbing experiences can cause PTSD.
What are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Flashbacks & Severe Anxiety
The symptoms of PTSD can vary between patients, but they usually circulate around memories or flashbacks of the traumatic events.
Flashbacks can be a significant impairment for PTSD patients, as they can occur at nearly any time and cause extreme fear or duress as a result of re-experiencing trauma.
Flashbacks can be caused by any number of things relative to the patient and their trauma, including smells, locations, pictures, social media, nearly anything that could be associated with the traumatic event could bring on a flashback or induce a panic attack.
Other symptoms of PTSD can include:
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Difficulty with sleep
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Inability to regulate mood
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Unusual levels of anger
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Sudden onset of panic attacks
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Heightened irritability & jumpiness
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Violent outbursts
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Depressive thoughts
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Thoughts of suicide
How is PTSD Treated?
There are several treatment options available for patients diagnosed with PTSD, including psychotherapy, pharmaceutical medications, and alternative therapies.
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Often there isn’t a one-size-fits all treatment for PTSD, and a lot of confidence is put towards psychotherapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy due to the highly relative nature of how experiencing a traumatic event can affect someone individually.
Medications like SSRIs, including Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, and Effexor are usually prescribed, and in some cases antidepressants, antipsychotics, or benzodiazepines are also used.
Alternative Therapies for PTSD
There are alternative therapies available for PTSD, such as yoga, meditation, mind-body therapy, and medical marijuana.
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Often a combination of therapies will work best to help reduce the symptoms of PTSD.
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Medical marijuana is an alternative treatment option that may help with the symptoms of PTSD, and for some it may even contribute to treating PTSD very effectively.
Can Medical Marijuana Help with PTSD?
Medical Cannabis for PTSD
Medical marijuana has proven to be a potentially strong treatment option for patients suffering from PTSD.
Studies have shown that PTSD patients who tried medical marijuana over a one-year period had a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms as well as the severity of those symptoms.
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In the same study, PTSD patients were 2.5 times more likely to not even meet the DSM-5 criteria for a PTSD diagnosis after successfully using cannabis as a treatment alternative.
And as an important alternative to SSRIs, antidepressants, and narcotics, medical marijuana may even play a key role in getting PTSD patients away from harmful pharmaceuticals or away from substance use disorders.
Medical Cannabis Makes Sense for PTSD
Some of the more obvious reasons why medical marijuana may be specifically beneficial for patients diagnosed with PTSD is because of its ability to decrease stress and anxiety, increase appetite, and improve sleep and quality of life.
Especially with decreasing irritability and improving mood, cannabis may turn out to be a significantly important medication for PTSD patients.
When considering the ramifications of living with PTSD, life can seem unpleasant, dreary, and hopeless, and cannabis may offer the change in perspective that PTSD patients greatly need.
Get Your North Carolina Marijuana Card
PTSD is on the list of proposed conditions that will be approved for a medical marijuana certification in North Carolina when a program is established.
It’s our hope that patients will soon be able to apply for a medical marijuana certification and begin receiving the compassionate treatment that they deserve. In the meantime, you can reserve an evaluation appointment and get your questions about medical marijuana in North Carolina answered by visiting our website.