Post traumatic stress disorder may develop after a person experiences a terrifying event like war, a natural disaster, a tragic death, or an accident. PTSD can also occur upon learning a close friend or relative was exposed to trauma.
Not everyone who suffers through trauma gets PTSD. Still, PTSD is common. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), seven to eight percent of the population will experience PTSD at some point in their lives.
Some groups are at higher risk for PTSD. The VA reports that its occurrence is 10 percent in women, who experience the trauma of sexual violence more often than men. In addition, first responders, medics and trauma professionals are at risk for developing PTSD.
These numbers may not represent the true scope of the problem, though. That’s because PTSD is thought to be underreported due to stigma of weakness.
The FDA-approved, first-line drug treatments for PTSD are Zoloft and Paxil. They belong to a class of pharmaceuticals called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that target the serotonin receptors.
Activity at the serotonin receptors influence anxiety, cognition, learning, memory, mood, and sleep. Yet, SSRIs only work for some, and many patients find that they have several intolerable side effects.
CBD also targets the serotonin receptors, but without the side effects associated with SSRIs.
Restless demeanor, sleeplessness, lack of concentration and angry outbursts are just a few of the problems that people with PTSD face. For example, trouble with emotional processing is another common pitfall.
Some with PTSD may compulsively use alcohol or other depressants, opioids or stimulants to mask symptoms. Others report an internal life of numbness, guilt, or twisted ideation.
Another major symptom of PTSD is flashbacks. According to the American Psychiatric Association, flashbacks are different from memories because they are involuntary, unwanted and recurrent. Furthermore, people with PTSD experience flashbacks as if the event is occurring in real time.
Flashbacks can occur as panic attacks, without the visuals. Still, they flood the body with fight-or-flight hormones. At the serotonin receptors, CBD intercepts these hormones and offers a reprieve from high anxiety states. In addition, CBD helps our own endocannabinoids stay around longer to produce their anti-anxiety effects.
Emotional processing of traumatic experiences can be difficult for those with PTSD. CBD works with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to calm the brain so it better processes emotional triggers. It also helps the brain forget exaggerated triggers or “fake fears” after the traumatic event is over.
Cannabinoid expert and practitioner, Dustin Sulak, DO, states that trauma memories have to be addressed or the nervous system will not rest. He finds that CBD helps with this constant, hyper-aroused state by properly storing trauma memories. This process is called “fear extinction”.
The ECS encourages homeostasis, meaning it works to restore balance and normalcy to our minds and bodies. CBD mimics and augments ECS actions towards health and wellbeing.
Moreover, CBD is pleiotropic. That is, it can perform its actions at several different target points on cells. This is how it can resolve imbalance in several different bodily systems.
After spending years of their lives struggling with PTSD, some patients find that CBD provides significant relief.
For decades, Certified Life Coach Dineen M. Cartastruggled with chronic anxiety as a result of PTSD. After dealing with her symptoms for 25 years, she tried CBD for the first time.
“I can honestly say that because of CBD, I have not only been calmer, but have been able to come off a med I had relied on for years,” Carta said. She has also been able to begin reducing her dosage of another medication that caused unwanted side effects.
Carta went on to say that her experience with CBD has been so significant that she’s sharing her success with her loved ones. “My anxiety and sleep have been so positively impacted, I recommended it to my college-age daughter.”
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