In-depth Article: Can CBD Help Manage PTSD?

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD?

In short, PTSD is an abbreviation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is considered a mental health issue caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event or events over an indeterminate time period.

PTSD development results from exposure to, involvement in, or witnessing traumatic events. This may include war or military combat, sexual assault, severe accidents, severe injuries, natural disasters, or prolonged physical or verbal abuse.

Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and fear, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. PTSD is more common than people realize. It develops in 5% to 10% of people who have experienced trauma.

As awareness grows, Medical and Mental Health professionals are asking: Can CBD and other Cannabinoids help, or is their impact coincidental?

CBD is already proving it has clinical value; we just don’t know how much. Can CBD work as a stand-alone treatment, or is it more effective working as part of a treatment package?

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? 6 Key Takeaways

• According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, “about 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. have PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD.”
• Also, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, “Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. About 8 of every 100 women (or 8%) and 4 of every 100 men (or 4%) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.”
• The human body has a widespread cell-signaling network known as the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This system acts as a master regulator, maintaining a stable internal environment, a state scientists call homeostasis.
• If you are a Veteran and believe you are suffering from PTSD, contact your local VA Healthcare facility. **Tap or click for the VA National Center for PTSD page. To find the nearest VA location, tap or click the “Location” button at the top of the page**.
• Cannabinoids are an effective treatment option for patients with PTSD. Besides aiding in relieving symptoms and enhancing extinction training, they are relatively well-tolerated.
• The future of CBD in PTSD treatment depends on continued professional, quality research that addresses current limitations while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and care.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD: An Introduction, Part 1

This article is an overview and a starting point that discusses CBD Oil and its potential value as a piece of the PTSD management puzzle.

Recent research has highlighted the crucial role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in PTSD pathophysiology.

The ECS regulates fear memory consolidation, extinction, and emotional processing through cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and endogenous cannabinoids, including THC and Cannabidiol (CBD).

This post includes an overview of the Endocannabinoid System that will help you gain a better understanding of how CBD could help manage PTSD.

Work under the assumption that we don’t have all the answers, and that many of the answers we present are works in progress.

In this post, groovyhempcompany.com draws on various sources to give the reader different perspectives on the ongoing nightmare of PTSD and efforts to help understand, treat, and manage PTSD.

Full attribution is given, including live links to the source material (written articles) whenever appropriate. Please continue reading to learn more about this critically important issue.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD: An Introduction, Part 2

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, “about 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) in the U.S. have PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD.”

The Center further comments, “Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. About 8 of every 100 women (or 8%) and 4 of every 100 men (or 4%) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.

This is in part due to the types of traumatic events that women are more likely to experience — such as sexual assault — compared to men.”

The numbers clearly indicate that PTSD is an ongoing major issue, and it’s going to be here for a while. There is awareness, and people are developing reality-based solutions. Cannabinoids, including CBD, are part of some of those solutions.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? The ECS System, Part 1

Recent research has highlighted the crucial role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in PTSD pathophysiology. The ECS regulates fear memory consolidation, extinction, and emotional processing through cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and endogenous cannabinoids like THC or CBD.

What is the Endocannabinoid System? The human body has a widespread cell-signaling network known as the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This system acts as a master regulator, maintaining a stable internal environment, a state scientists call homeostasis. The ECS is a fundamental part of everyone’s physiology.

The Endocannabinoid System comprises three main components: Endocannabinoids, Receptors, and Enzymes.

Endocannabinoids are signaling molecules produced naturally by the body as needed. These Endocannabinoid messages are received by specialized cannabinoid receptors found on cell surfaces. The two main receptor types are cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2). CB1 receptors are found in the brain and central nervous system. They influence memory and mood.

CB2 Receptors are found mostly in the peripheral nervous system. They are concentrated in immune cells and are involved in managing inflammation. Once signals are delivered by binding to these receptors, they are broken down by Metabolic Enzymes. This ensures that endocannabinoids are used only as long as needed.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? The ECS System, Part 2

What the Endocannabinoid System Regulates The Endocannabinoid System’s influence is far-reaching. It impacts a broad array of physiological and cognitive processes to maintain the body’s equilibrium.

Its regulatory functions include: Mood and stress response, Appetite and digestion, Sleep, Pain and inflammation, and Memory and learning.

While the body produces its own endocannabinoids, the system can also be influenced by external compounds known as exogenous cannabinoids, primarily those found in the cannabis sativa L plant. That includes THC and Cannabidiol (CBD).

Supporting a Healthy Endocannabinoid System There are several lifestyle measures supporting the health and proper functioning of the endocannabinoid system.

Diet is an important element, as the building blocks for endocannabinoids are derived from dietary fats. Regular physical activity is another effective way to modulate the ECS.

Managing stress is also important for maintaining a healthy ECS, as chronic stress can lead to its dysregulation.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? Some Details, Part 1

DSM is the manual used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is responsible for the writing, editing, reviewing, and publishing of this book. DSM-5TR is the fifth, and most recent, edition of this book.

The DSM-5-TR classifies PTSD within the “Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders” category. The current diagnostic criteria require exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or sexual violence.

PTSD is not as simple or cut and dried as we would like it to be. The healthcare community understands there are several PTSD subtypes.

These include normal stress response, acute stress disorder, uncomplicated PTSD, co-morbid PTSD, and complex PTSD. Each subtype is managed differently.

There are Risk Factors that increase the probability of suffering from PTSD.

These include prior trauma exposure, working in high-stress professions, existing mental health conditions, childhood trauma, family history of mental health issues, and lack of social support.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? Some Details, Part 2

Current Treatment Approaches Standard PTSD treatment frequently combines psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions and treatments. Evidence-based psychotherapies include:

• Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy: Helps patients gradually focus on and deal with trauma-related memories and situations.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Deals with trauma-related thought patterns and behaviors.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Processes traumatic memories through guided eye movements.

Pharmacological treatments mainly include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other antidepressants. Treatment resistance is a big challenge and issue.

Information for Veterans If you are a Veteran and believe you are suffering from PTSD, contact your local VA Healthcare facility.

• **Tap or click for the VA National Center for PTSD page.**
• **To find the nearest VA location, tap or click the “Location” button at the top of the page**.

There is also PTSD information on this webpage that is very relevant to Veterans.

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? Some Science, Part 1

Read these excerpts from an article that is an excellent 1st step for a deeper understanding of CBD and PTSD,

**As reported in the March 4, 2021, issue of Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology,**

“Objectives: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis of extreme anxiety caused by a traumatic event. Less than 10% of individuals who have experienced severe trauma will develop this disorder. Treatment options include various psychotherapies, but not all patients respond to them.

Different pharmacological approaches have been explored as potential adjuvants, including using cannabinoids to target the endocannabinoid system to reduce the symptoms and enhance extinction training over the associated fear memories.

This review was aimed to determine the effects of using cannabinoids for treatment of PTSD.

Summary and outlook: Cannabinoids have been shown to be an effective treatment option for patients with PTSD. Besides aiding to relieve the symptoms and enhance extinction training, they also are relatively well tolerated.

Common adverse effects included light-headedness, forgetfulness, dizziness, and headaches.”

Use of cannabinoids for the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology, March 4, 2021 by Marika L Forsythe and Andrew J Boileau. Both are affiliated with the Department of Anatomy, Saba University School of Medicine, The Bottom, Saba, Caribbean Netherlands. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.

(**Tap or click to read the entire article**.)

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? Some Science, Part 2

Read these excerpts from an article that provides insights into the CBD and PTSD research process.

**As reported in the August 4, 2022, issue of Contemporary Clinical Trials,**

“Background: The burden of illness for PTSD is staggering and confers significant interference in work, social functioning, as well as increased risk for other physical and mental health problems. Recently, there’s been considerable attention paid to the potential therapeutic use of cannabidiol (CBD) products in the treatment of a variety of physical and mental health problems.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a logical therapeutic target for combating PTSD and other fear-based disorders, given that cannabinoid receptors and other molecular mediators crucial for ECS signaling are richly expressed in a variety of brain regions that govern the regulation of learned fear and defensive behavior.

Conclusion: This is the first placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating (a) CBD for the treatment of PTSD; and (b) the first study to test the relative efficacy of CBD Isolate vs CBD Broad Spectrum.”

Use of Cannabidiol (CBD) oil in the treatment of PTSD: Study design and rationale for a placebo-controlled randomized. August 4, 2022 by Michael J Telch, Caitlin M Fischer, Eric D Zaizar, Mikael Rubin, Santiago Papini. Contemporary Clinical Trials, Published by Elsevier Inc.

(**Tap or click to read the entire article**.)

Can CBD Help Manage PTSD? Final Thoughts

PTSD is a medical/psychological disorder. Currently, dedicated researchers and healthcare and behavioral science professionals are working hard to develop and implement PTSD Management Solutions involving CBD.

The evidence for CBD in PTSD treatment has evolved significantly since 2020, with growing preclinical support and promising early clinical results.

The Endocannabinoid System’s role in fear memory processing provides a strong biological rationale for CBD’s therapeutic potential. Currently, prescribing cannabinoids to manage PTSD is not backed up by high-quality clinical evidence.

Large-scale, well-designed clinical trials are necessary to establish CBD’s efficacy, optimal dosing, and safety profile. The best approach appears to be CBD as an addition to evidence-based psychotherapies.

Individuals with PTSD considering CBD treatment should consult with qualified healthcare providers familiar with both trauma treatment and cannabis medicine. Under no circumstances should a person with PTSD attempt to manage this issue by themselves.

The future of CBD in PTSD treatment depends on continued professional, quality research that addresses current limitations while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and care.

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