Cannabis – a Healer of PTSD?

Since cannabis research has increased over the past years and medical cannabis has become quite widespread, its benefits to help anyone with a minor to major health condition are more known than ever before. Usually, these types of health conditions are linked to physical pain due to cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and similar diseases. Many don’t realize that cannabis can pretty much be a great comforter for psychological issues as well, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  

PTSD can occur after any traumatic experience. Yet, so far, the focus has been mainly on the benefits of cannabis on war veterans, while sexual assault victims go through trauma as well and are already enormously benefitting from taking medical cannabis as a natural remedy.  

According to an online survey from a nonprofit organization named Stop Street Harassment in January 2017, more women are victims of sexual assaults than men in the US: 81 % of women and 43 % of men have reported going through such experiences.  

In particular, after the international “Me Too” – movement in 2019, many more people, both famous and not famous, have become inspired to speak up and reveal their personal stories about their own sexual assault experiences and how they are overcoming this trauma. Some are starting to talk about how cannabis has helped them a lot whenever they are facing their PTSD symptoms in forms of anxiety attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, drastic emotional changes, etc.  

Ashley Manta is a great example. She is a  sex educator and cannabis personality has become one of those individuals who is pushing this kind of “cannasexual” movement forward when she says: “I wanted to give people permission to take their healing journey into their own hands and use cannabis as a tool in that journey.” With her idea of combining sex education with cannabis-based off on her own personal traumatic experiences- calling out her rapist in her blog in 2015- and her unique career path in that direction, she provides very insightful tips. While coping with her own PTSD, she discovered that cannabis helped her more than the antidepressants and Xanax that she was taking. Plus, it actually even improved her sex drive. This became a dealbreaker for her which she wanted to share with others.  

Even scientists have confirmed that cannabis can to some extent relieve PTSD. This is indicated in the high production of the stress hormone cortisol after any kind of traumatic experience that appears when the individual goes through issues with sleeping, eating, digesting, focusing, etc. These are also known as “fight or flight” responses. Other studies have shown that cannabis has the potential to restore the balance between the body and the brain by affecting the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) in a therapeutic manner by improving sleep, reducing nightmares, and lowering stress levels.  

If cannabis can improve one’s quality of life when coping with PTSD and similar psychological conditions, then this should be brought to attention so many more people can benefit from it- considering they consume it wisely and safely.  

How Can Sapphire Risk Help?

Tony Gallo and the team of experts and consultants at Sapphire Risk Advisory Group have worked to secure medical marijuana and recreational cannabis businesses in 37 states. Follow us on social media to stay up to date with more security best practices and cannabis industry updates!