It seems that anxiety disorder diagnosis are becoming more and more prevalent with each passing year. Whether this is the result of more people affected by symptoms seeking medical help than in the past or if there is some underlying universal cause, is anyone’s guess at this time. While there are many medications available to help combat anxiety in its many forms, they all too often have side effects that make some patients seek alternative forms of treatment. Recent studies by researchers at Washington State University and Michigan Technological University looked into a couple of those alternatives: marijuana use and meditation.
So, which is the better route for treating anxiety, marijuana or good old fashioned meditation? While both are very viable options for helping treat anxiety disorders and their symptoms, one can argue that marijuana would be the more effective choice versus trying to meditate while in the middle of having an anxiety attack which can be pretty much impossible for some folks. On the other hand, many would agree that reliance on marijuana alone for stress and anxiety management is not a feasible long term solution to the problem. Perhaps a combination of the two would be the most effective treatment.
Be sure to follow the link below for all of the details on these two fascinating studies!
Let’s look quickly at the new studies. The first, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, had participants smoke medical marijuana at home, and rate their symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression using an app that’s designed to help people track how different doses affect their symptoms. The team found that high CBD/low THC was best for reducing short-term depression. Low CBD/high THC was most effective for reducing stress, while any type worked on anxiety. Treatments of any kind were generally more effective for women than for men.
One concerning finding was that cannabis in general was linked to more significant symptoms of depression over the longer-term, leading the authors to say, “continued use may exacerbate baseline symptoms of depression over time.” This issue alone might somewhat defeat the purpose of using medical marijuana (or recreational pot) for mental health issues.
Marijuana And Meditation May Both Reduce Anxiety. Which Is Better?
