Stress is an inevitable part of our lives in this day and age. The American Psychological Association conducted research which shows that the political future, money, and work are the most common causes of stress in Americans.   

All of us, at some point in our lives, experience stress, but chronic stress is a much more elevated form of it. According to Stress.org, chronic stress is the stress that we tend to push down or ignore.

This could arise from constant worrying about the daily life such as our jobs, bills, health, etc. Left unchecked, chronic stress not only affects your mental health but your body and immune system as well.

According to the APA, chronic stress interferes with our ability to function normally and is rapidly turning into a public health crisis. Despite all this, there’s a lack of awareness surrounding chronic stress, its symptoms, and treatments.

Before talking about how medical marijuana can be an effective treatment for chronic stress, let’s talk about how chronic stress actually works.

How Chronic Stress Works

Chronic stress can very easily become overwhelming and prolonged exposure to constant stress and pressure leads to depression. Although depression is commonly caused by the brain’s chemical imbalance, the rigorous demands of our everyday routine can also inflict it.

Endocannabinoid system in our brain is the part responsible for our behavior, our feelings, our thought process and our responses. Chronic stress can greatly affect this part and lead to mood swings, depression, and mental breakdowns.

Chronic Stress Works

How Medicinal Marijuana Helps With Chronic Stress

In a recent University at Buffalo study, researchers were studying the relationship between the endocannabinoid system and chronic stress. These researchers found that cannabis has the therapeutic potential to combat chronic stress-induced depression.

Although we knew that THC and CBD—compounds found in cannabis—can mirror our chemical responses, the study shows that THC and CBD can replicate the chemicals missing from our endocannabinoid system. This means that cannabis can serve as a mood stabilizer.

An older study also indicated that THC has the potential to be an effective anti-depressant when taken in low dosages. Basically, THC raises our serotonin levels, which works similar to prescription SSRIs.

These research studies indicate the potential of medicinal marijuana to replace prescription drugs such as Zoloft and Prozac. These drugs contain artificial compounds that can alter brain functions significantly.

Medicinal marijuana eliminates the side effects of artificial drugs which is why the consumption of marijuana for chronic stress can prove to be an effective treatment.

As the research continues to pile up in favor of medicinal marijuana for the treatment of other ailments such as PTSD and anxiety, soon enough it’ll be considered a viable treatment option for chronic stress.

At Indica MD, our goal is to make access to medicinal marijuana easier for those who need it the most. Through our streamlined procedure, residents of California and New York can obtain their medical marijuana cards online. To get yours, get in touch with us now!