Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition that occurs in response to severe or protracted stress, such as experiencing warfare or interpersonal violence (which may be physical, emotional or sexual). Numerous PTSD sufferers self-medicate with cannabis, and several studies indicate potential benefit.
Anxiolytic
PTSD is classified as an anxiety disorder, and is characterized by recurrent symptoms in which the sufferer relives the original traumatic event via nightmares, flashbacks and intrusive thoughts; sufferers go to great lengths to avoid reminders of the traumatic event, and spend significant periods in a state of increased anxiety and emotional arousal.
Not all individuals who experience severe trauma will develop PTSD, but prevalence is high nonetheless. It is estimated that up to two-thirds of the general population will experience trauma at some stage in life; the lifetime prevalence of PTSD varies drastically between populations, with the US averaging around 8%, and Cambodia and Algeria averaging 28% and 37% respectively.
There is abundant evidence of the endocannabinoid system’s fundamental role in the regulation of fear and anxiety–in fact, it is thought that variations in the CNR1 gene that encodes for the expression of the cannabinoids receptors may render individuals more or less susceptible to anxiety disorders such as PTSD.
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Via burnburn/marijuanaworldnews
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