Category Archives: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Marijuana Better Cure for PTSD, Veteran Soldier Testifies

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“Veteran Matt Kahl has claimed that marijuana is the only drug that allows him to get over his PTSD, the side effect after two tours in the Afghanistan war.

Kbzk reported that in an interview with CBS News’ Barry Peterson (video below), Matt Kahl shared his experience with marijuana as a cure for his PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

War veteran Matt Kahl came home to America after two tours in Afghanistan, a wounded soldier, physically and mentally. Kahl’s physical injuries wracked him with pain, and the mental anguish was overwhelming he had to take 15 different medications. The medication seemed short of helpful that Khal attempted suicide ten months after his return to America.

“About ten months after I got back, I attempted suicide. I was completely hopeless,” he said.

But then he discovered the “healing” effects of marijuana which had probably saved his life.

“Suddenly, my extremely overactive, hyper-vigilant mind started to calm down, and my pain gradually started to go away, too. I needed less of these other medications,” he revealed.

Shortly afterwards, Kahl was determined to move to another state where marijuana is legal so that he could “get his life back.” So he moved his family to Colorado.

Inquisitr reported that ever since the marijuana legalisation bill went into effect in Colorado, Denver’s crime rates have dropped by 10.6 percent compared to January of this year.

Matt Kahl now works with a support group called Grow4Vets in Colorado. He and other volunteers reportedly recently spent a day putting together bags of marijuana products to give away on holidays, like Memorial Day.

Current treatments of PTSD range from therapy to prescription drugs, but according to Grow4Vets founder Roger Martin, the group wants to replace the pills with marijuana.

“Anybody that’s been on narcotic medication especially wants to get off of it,” he said, adding that he really hasn’t met anybody who “just enjoys being in a drug stupor.”

Kbzk cited another veteran, marijuana shop owner Toni Fox’s father, who came home from Vietman suffering PTSD. Fox recalled her father struggled with PTSD his whole life that he eventually committed suicide when she was 14.

“I believe in my heart of hearts that, if he would have had access to cannabis, he would be alive today,” she said.

Despite Matt Kahl’s testimony, critics are still doubtful on the “healing” effects of marijuana, considering the fact that there is little or no scientific proof that it actually helps with PTSD.”

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/557139/20140627/marijuana-cure-ptsd-matt-kahl.htm#.U64Y-5RX-uY

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/

Preliminary, Open-Label, Pilot Study of Add-On Oral Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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“Marijuana is often used as compassion add-on therapy for treatment-resistant PTSD.

This open-label study evaluates the tolerance and safety of orally absorbable Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for chronic PTSD.

RESULTS:

There were mild adverse effects in three patients, none of which led to treatment discontinuation. The intervention caused a statistically significant improvement in global symptom severity, sleep quality, frequency of nightmares, and PTSD hyperarousal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS:

Orally absorbable Δ9-THC was safe and well tolerated by patients with chronic PTSD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24935052

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/

Cannabinoids Prevent the Effects of a Footshock Followed by Situational Reminders on Emotional Processing.

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“Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following exposure to a traumatic event. Hence, what we do in the first few hours after trauma exposure may alter the trajectory of PTSD. We examined whether cannabinoids can prevent the effects of a single footshock followed by situational reminders (SRs) on emotional processing…

Cannabinoids Prevent the Effects of a Footshock Followed by Situational Reminders on Emotional Processing.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24897957

Smoking cannabis associated with PTSD symptom reduction in some patients, says study

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“Clinical research from New Mexico supports a conclusion that smoking cannabis [marijuana] is associated with PTSD symptom reduction in some patients.”

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20140523/Smoking-cannabis-associated-with-PTSD-symptom-reduction-in-some-patients-says-study.aspx

“PTSD Symptom Reports of Patients Evaluated for the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program”  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2013.873843#.U39UHBVX-uY

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/

Peripheral and intra-dorsolateral striatum injections of the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 impair consolidation of stimulus-response memory.

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“The endocannabinoid system plays a major role in modulating memory. In the present study, we examined whether cannabinoid agonists influence the consolidation of stimulus-response/habit memory, a form of memory dependent upon the dorsolateral striatum (DLS)…

The results indicate that peripheral or intra-DLS administration of a cannabinoid receptor agonist impairs consolidation of DLS-dependent memory. The findings are discussed within the context of previous research encompassing cannabinoids and DLS-dependent learning and memory processes, and the possibility that cannabinoids may be used to treat some habit-like human psychopathologies (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder) is considered.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24838065

PTSD symptom reports of patients evaluated for the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program.

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“New Mexico was the first state to list post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a condition for the use of medical cannabis. There are no published studies, other than case reports, of the effects of cannabis on PTSD symptoms. The purpose of the study was to report and statistically analyze psychometric data on PTSD symptoms collected during 80 psychiatric evaluations of patients applying to the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program from 2009 to 2011…

RESULTS:

Greater than 75% reduction in CAPS (Clinician Administered Posttraumatic Scale) symptom scores were reported when patients were using cannabis compared to when they were not.

CONCLUSIONS:

Cannabis is associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms in some patients, and prospective, placebo-controlled study is needed to determine efficacy of cannabis and its constituents in treating PTSD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24830188

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/

Modulation of Fear Memory by Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids via Cannabinoid Receptors.

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“…several studies have suggested benefits of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) for patients with anxiety disorders.

Elevated fear is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of particular anxiety disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the dietary n-3 to n-6 PUFA (3/6) ratio influences fear memory…

These results suggest that the ratio of n-3 to n-6 PUFA is a factor regulating fear memory via cannabinoid CB1 receptors.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24518289

Using cannabis to help you sleep: Heightened frequency of medical cannabis use among those with PTSD.

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“The use of cannabis for medical purposes is proliferating in the U.S., and PTSD is an explicitly approved condition for accessing medical cannabis in 5 states. Prior research suggests that people with PTSD often use cannabis to help cope with their condition…

Those with high PTSD scores were more likely to use cannabis to improve sleep, and for coping reasons more generally, compared with those with low PTSD scores. Cannabis use frequency was greater among those with high PTSD scores who used for sleep promoting purposes compared with those with low PTSD scores or those who did not use for sleep promoting purposes.

Consistent with prior research, this study found increased rates of coping-oriented use of cannabis and greater frequency of cannabis use among medical users with high PTSD scores compared with low PTSD scores. In addition, sleep improvement appears to be a primary motivator for coping-oriented use…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24412475

Cannabinoid modulation of predator fear: involvement of the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray.

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“The present study investigated the effects of systemic or intra-dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (dlPAG) administration of CB1 agonists on behavioural changes induced in rats by predator (a live cat) exposure, a model of panic responses…

These results suggest that modulation of the cannabinoid system could be a target in the treatment of panic disorders…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24438603

The endocannabinoid system: an emotional buffer in the modulation of memory function.

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“Extensive evidence indicates that endocannabinoids modulate cognitive processes in animal models and human subjects. However, the results of endocannabinoid system manipulations on cognition have been contradictory. As for anxiety behavior, a duality has indeed emerged with regard to cannabinoid effects on memory for emotional experiences. Here we summarize findings describing cannabinoid effects on memory acquisition, consolidation, retrieval and extinction. Additionally, we review findings showing how the endocannabinoid system modulates memory function differentially, depending on the level of stress and arousal associated with the experimental context. Based on the evidence reviewed here, we propose that the endocannabinoid system is an emotional buffer that moderates the effects of environmental context and stress on cognitive processes.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24382324