Anxiety is just one of the many debilitating conditions that can be helped by medical marijuana strains. It is often one of the more challenging disabilities to have to deal with because firstly, unlike pain or reduced mobility of some sort or an illness which drastically changes your appearance, anxiety is not always visible to other people.
Secondly, it clearly inhibits the sufferer in social circumstances, which is difficult to handle and can make life very restrictive. Luckily, if you are in possession of a cannabis card, help is at hand.
Recommending MMJ for treating anxiety is not as straightforward as recommending it for other types of illness. This is because, for some people, taking marijuana can actually make their anxiety worse, and throw in a bit of paranoia to boot. If you are one of these people then you need to be very careful about which strain of medical marijuana you obtain with your California MMJ card.
Watch That THC Content
Research has shown that medical marijuana strains which are high in THC content are more likely to increase your anxiety. THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol. Something you might not know is that our bodies naturally make cannabinoid chemicals.
Certain areas of our brain, which are associated with things like pleasure and memory, contain cannabinoid receptors. THC is attracted to these areas and by attaching to them, certain things like memory, pleasure and thinking are all heightened. So you can see how this might be very welcome by some people, but not great for those prone to anxiety.
The good news is that there currently many strains available that contain little or no THC. The best strains for treating anxiety are known as hybrids, which means they contain a mixture of both sativa and indica.
The main thing you need to know about these two elements is that sativa tends to be more energizing and uplifting; whereas Indica gives you a stronger higher which makes you more sleepy. Bear this in mind when selecting the best strain to help with your anxiety.
If you experience anxiety on a daily basis, the good news is that there currently many medical marijuana strains available that contain little or no THC.
Here are a few medical marijuana recommendations for you to research and sample. It’s worth experimenting with several different strains to find out which suits you best, as no two illnesses are the same and no two people react in the same way to MMJ.
Cannatonic
This MMJ strain contains 50/50 sativa and indica, as well as quite high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD), which is known to reduce anxiety. You might not get a great ‘high’ from it, but it will help to relax you without clogging your brain. It has a nice lemony, pine scent.
White Widow
By way of a contrast, White Widow contains higher levels of sativa and will give you a greater, kinda spaced-out high without leaving you too sleepy. It’s one of the more famous strains, which was first cultivated in Holland. If this is your way of dealing with anxious situations, then don’t be put off by the name!
Grandaddy Purple
A popular hybrid strain, Grandaddy Purple contain more indicas than sativas. The result of this is more relaxation and a feeling of calm, with the added bonus of persuading your body to release any stress. It’s a popular strain with cannabis card holders, featuring a mixed berry and grape aroma curtesy of its parent plant – Purple Urkle.
Strawberry Cough
One of the more popular choices for anxiety sufferers. Strawberry Cough is one of the milder strains, containing sativa and offers a good balance between relaxation and energizing. As you probably guessed, it has a sweet strawberry aroma and after-taste, but beware of the thick smoke which is responsible for the second half of the name – cough!
Chocolate Chunk
(We kid you not) this is a 100% indica strain which has a – guess what – chocolatey after taste! It’s helpful for panic attacks, as well as general anxiety, and its effects are quite long-lasting, so you don’t have to take much of it. Along with the chocolatey aroma, this strain gives off quite a musky, earthy smell.
When it comes to MMJ strains for anxiety, there are some that taste like fruit and others that taste like chocolate.
So, there are five recommended strains for you to try out if you suffer from anxiety. If you’re not yet registered for a cannabis card, it’s easy to get your medical marijuana card online, via MMJ Recs. You just need to fill out a standard medical form and upload any relevant medical documents.
You’ll then have a short evaluation – either over the phone or via Skype – with one of our medical marijuana experts. You will need to tell him or her about your disability and why you think taking medical marijuana would help alleviate your symptoms. Your specialist is highly trained and professional; everything you divulge will be treated in absolute confidence. If you’re approved for a California marijuana license, it will be forwarded to you by mail.
Once in possession of your medical marijuana card, you will be able to purchase marijuana from licensed premises, as well as buy it online. You can also grow your own plants – you’re actually allowed to cultivate up to 100 square feet of marijuana plants. Find out which strain relieves your symptoms and then grow it yourself so that you always have it to hand. It couldn’t be easier!
Hopefully, now you are on your way to making a decision that may help change your life.