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Medical Marijuana for OCD: Does It Work?
One thing that distinguishes marijuana from all traditional forms of medical therapy is the way it positively affects the body of the individual. It is a natural form of medication that has zero to almost none of the side effects that are inevitable with the preexisting drugs that a patient has to consume in today’s age and time. The main purpose of this blog is to figure out if it is possible to treat the symptoms of OCD with a medical marijuana card in hand.
Before we begin to deliberate upon this topic of discussion, it is important to first understand what OCD actually is.
What is OCD?
When we refer to a mental condition like OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, we are alluding to a thought process or outward behavior that is obsessive and compulsive. A patient suffering from this common condition does not have any control over how they think about something or how they carry out certain day-to-day functions of their life. There is a helpless urge to repeat what they’re thinking or doing for extremely long hours.
Traditional Forms of Treatment for OCD
Treating this severe mental disorder is something that is necessary. With due respect, it is not possible for a patient suffering from this disorder to conduct their routine tasks without encountering a lot of logistical and situational problems. This is why there are many treatment options that these patients can make use of to get rid of the symptoms.
Opioid Medications
The first to top the list of treatment options for CBD is obviously opioid medicines. To reduce the compulsive thoughts and actions associated with this mental issue the patients are usually prescribed any one of the following antidepressants.
- Sertraline (commonly referred to as Zoloft)
- Fluvoxamine
- Clomipramine
- Fluoxetine (commonly referred to as Prozac)
- Paroxetine
Psychotherapy
One of the most important forms of treatment for people suffering from severe OCD symptoms is psychotherapy. If there is one thing that is effective and is hopeful of considerably reducing the symptoms of any mental disorder, it is undoubtedly a form of psychological therapy. In this the patient either undergoes CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or one of its component therapy, ERP or Exposure and Response Prevention. This takes a lot of time and effort for the patient to go through these therapies and get better.
Other Treatment
In addition to the treatment options that are listed above, there are others that can directly or indirectly aid the patient in recovering from the symptoms of this disorder. These are majorly in the form of medical augmentation programs or brain stimulation therapies that they must participate in, namely:
- Intensive Outpatient & Residential Treatment Programs
- Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy
Is Medical Marijuana a Valid Treatment for OCD?
Yes, owing to specific studies that have been conducted, medical marijuana was found to be highly effective in the treatment of OCD symptoms. Patients felt real-time reductions in their compulsions, anxiety and overbearing intrusive thoughts. In fact, without undermining the extent of benefits that the patients enjoyed, the results were that almost 50% of the problems arising from this disorder were reduced with the mere smoking of cannabis over a period of time.
This was a truly worthwhile discovery that has the potential of overturning the old and outdated treatments of OCD. Isn’t it better for all of us to then begin our journey to this parallel universe full of medicinal possibilities that begin from cannabis, the au naturel and super effective plant and might end up on something that is even better!
Let us break down how exactly marijuana plays a major role in treating OCD symptoms.
Compulsions
The symptom that is more or less synonymous with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a compulsion. The unending repetitive thoughts and actions that originate from a dark place of deep fear or discomfort often become this mental monster that gets difficult to bring under control. However, with the help of medical marijuana and infused products, it is possible for people to find relief, be it momentarily or long-lasting.
The whole experience of getting better will depend on the method of consumption, the strength of consumption, and the way the body reacts to the consumption. However, to a great extent, it is possible to find relief as cannabis not only works on reducing aggressive anxiety but also on reaching a state of mental peace.
Anxiety
Another major symptom of OCD is anxiety. It deeply troubles the patient by making them overthink and have repeatedly wrong or dark thoughts. If left untreated or unsupervised for long, a patient suffering from OCD anxiety can cause serious harm to not only their own selves but also to the people around them. When severe symptoms of OCD can possibly lead to such a dangerous mental state, it is mandatory to distract the person from it by consuming the right type of medicine. This brings us to the conclusion of consuming marijuana to resolve this mental disorder. As we are well aware of marijuana working effectively for social anxiety, it gives us hope how it could also help in the treatment of OCD related or instigated anxiety.
Overbearing Intrusive Thoughts
Getting highly intrusive and overpowering thoughts is a major symptom of OCD. This is no way the “normal and everyday overthinking” that we all do. Instead, the level of intrusive, hopeless and dangerous thoughts that cross the mind of the patient can get too destructive to even outline here. In fact, there is a noticeable pattern of these thoughts taking the form of the worst fears of the patient.
Luckily for us, cannabis is found to be highly efficient in reducing the frequency of these thoughts with an overall low disruption effect. This makes for one of the more enhanced beneficial aspects of medical marijuana in the treatment of OCD.
Special Cannabis Strains for OCD
Here is a list of special cannabis strains that a patient can make use of to get rid of OCD and its symptoms.
- Cinex
- Charlotte’s Web
- Cherry Pie
- Cherry Cola
- Cannatonic
- Harlequin
- ACDC
- Three Kings
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this blog has shed enough light onto the subject of medical marijuana working effectively for the treatment of OCD and related symptoms. If there is any related inquiry the patient can seek the help of medical marijuana doctors NJ.
