By Tiffaney Conner
It makes me personally feel calm and uplifted just thinking about that as a medical option. Officially, neither has been recognized as a qualifying condition in the State of Florida yet. Since over 70% of the voters okayed medical marijuana in November of 2016, the state has seen a dramatic rise in the number of patients interested in what is happening in the Cannabis industry in Florida. Number of doctors has risen dramatically and continues to on a weekly basis. The current qualifying conditions to obtain a medical marijuana card in the State of Florida are as follows: cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Crohn’s, Parkinson’s and PTSD.
However, many people are wondering how cannabis affects both anxiety and depression. Doctors, scientists, researchers and writers in the field have been discussing, writing about and focused this topic for many decades. Many informal Studies have already been done. Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression continue to exist and as cannabis becomes more widely accepted as medicine we are learning that it is very beneficial in both conditions. In my opinion, they should both easily qualify for medical marijuana, especially considering the opioid crisis we are all currently facing. This harmless plant has both the ability to calm and to uplift with no proven mortality, ever. That fact alone should really be the primary focus and consideration of the cannabis plant worldwide.
To explore cannabis a bit further on medical levels, we need to focus about the endocannabinoid system ECS. Officially, the least studied system of the body is the ECS. It is one of the largest systems in the body and it’s affected by the cannabis plant, more specifically THC and CBD, and the other derivatives of it. There are so many aspects of this system that are being studied and researched in the United States and worldwide. The leading researcher is dr. Raphael Mechoulam in Israel. His research is well known in the Cannabis community and should continue to be shared.
The ECS effects every system in the body and could have the ability to control the emotional state as well. While in the state of Florida anxiety and depression are not currently accepted as medical justifications for using medical marijuana, they are both debilitating conditions of post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD and distantly and closely related to its origins.
My background in Psychology, in education and cannabis research for over 20 years has led me to believe and know that anxiety and depression are similar debilitating conditions, yet on opposite ends of the mood spectrum. Simplified, I see anxiety tends to be the feeling that you have when you’re unable to control what’s going on. It can look different in different people. There’s a nervous energy to be difficult to control. Anxiety can creep into social situations, at work, or when you’re in an unknown place or just uncertain. Researchers, doctors and scientists have been trying to figure out for years how to calm people down who have been diagnosed with anxiety. Medications have been patented put on the market and people have tried to get healthier with them. Unfortunately, many continued side effects have caused people to look back in the direction of the all-natural cannabis plant.
Depression on the other hand can bring on feelings of hopelessness, isolation, sadness and fear. It can be hard to motivate if you have depression and being around people can feel overwhelming or forced. Fortunately, cannabis has been known to produce a lot of contentment and peace in people’s lives. Many people who are depressed have reported that finding cannabis has brought a lot of happiness back into their lives. The most important thing about cannabis is that it enables many people to live joyful and productive lives again. This plant is often able to transform a really rough day into a much better one. The network of people who are finding that cannabis is the solution for them is growing by the day.
This is a very general breakdown of the cannabis plant. It can be looked at in two main types of categories: sativa and indica. Hybrid is also a variety but is the combination and mix of the sativa and hybrid plant. Overall the Indica plant is known for its relaxation, sedating and calming properties. Indica varieties often work very well for people with anxiety. The sativa plant is known for energy, joy, and creativity. Sativa varieties are often the best option for people with depression. This is a huge generalization because everybody has different body chemistry and will respond differently.
There are a lot of resources I will share for the end of this article and I encourage people to discover educate and start discussing cannabis as medicine.
To obtain your Florida Medical Cannabis card, schedule a stress-free appointment in our office with the State Certified Physician. Bring in your current medical record with your qualifying condition to your scheduled appointment. Our very knowledgeable and friendly staffs will assist you with the application process on-line. For more questions and information you may contact The Healing Center Medical Clinic.
The Healing Center Medical Clinic
5240 Bank Street, Suite 1 & 2
Fort Myers FL 33907
239-887-3887
THCfortmyers.com