Mental health is too often overlooked among life’s most complex problems, but research suggests that poor mental health can lead to a host of physical health problems as well.
Patients with chronic or terminal illnesses that qualify for medical marijuana in Louisiana have a unique opportunity to legally use cannabis for their symptoms and help treat their mental health along the way.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about medical marijuana and mental health, and how the two are linked together.
How Mental Health Affects the Body
Poor Mental Health Leads to Poor Physical Health
Many of us might not consider mental health at the root of our problems, but evidence shows that mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorders are linked to many chronic illnesses.
Poor mental health can be a temporary thing or a chronic problem, and stress is linked to an increase in dermatology problems, high blood pressure, and many common problems that can easily develop into chronic conditions.
The body works very hard to combat sickness, and when it determines that things aren’t right mentally or emotionally, it can severely impact how your body fights physical illnesses.
Positive Mental Health is Important
According to the World Health Organization, around 50% of mental health disorders begin before the age of 14, and on average people with severe mental disorders die between 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population. Partly due to an increased rate of suicide among those suffering from mental health conditions, and partly due to mental health rooting itself behind many common chronic illnesses.
Having positive mental health is an important part of taking care of your overall health and addressing mental health issues might help keep some chronic conditions from knocking on your door.
Medical Marijuana for Improving Mental Health
MMJ May Help with Some Mental Health Conditions
Medical marijuana may have a lot of research going for it, but one thing that is severely understudied is the relationship between medical marijuana and mental health. While we do know that medical marijuana can help many patients with improved mood, reduced stress, improved sleep, and better perspectives on life, for others, it may work just the opposite.
Due to differences in biology, or for unknown reasons, certain people with severe mental health disorders like schizophrenia (especially unpronounced or undiagnosed schizophrenia) may be more susceptible to the negative effects of cannabis.
Whether this is due to similar timings for when certain mental health disorders present themselves alongside traditional cannabis use, or if it is because of the psychotropic effects of THC pronouncing symptoms more obviously is currently debated, but it’s safe to say that for patients that suffer from severe psychosis, medical marijuana may not be the best treatment option.
No Link Between Medical Marijuana Use and Psychosis
On the flipside, there is no conclusive link that suggests medical marijuana use puts an average person at an increased risk for developing a serious mental health disorder such as schizophrenia, although there are plenty of anti-drug websites that would have you believe otherwise.
While cannabis is used to treat a variety of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, it’s important to note that it is usually in the capacity of additional alternative treatment options, and medical marijuana may be a great addition to the arsenal to help combat negative mental health.
How to Use Medical Marijuana for Better Mental Health
Cannabis Works Alongside Traditional Therapy for Best Results
Using medical marijuana for mental health can be a great practice to implement, and medical marijuana offers many patients a relaxing and calm approach to treating the complex nature of life.
But while cannabis can be a medical wonder for many people on its own, its most powerful ability is to work alongside other therapies like traditional counseling.
Cannabis as a medicine offers a world of benefits both physically and mentally, but it’s certainly not a replacement for more effective treatment options such as counseling or therapy.
Cannabis Can Bring New Perspectives on Life, and Health
Many patients find introducing cannabis to meditation, yoga, or journaling is an excellent way to incorporate multiple complementary therapies into one package, and cannabis can be an amazing secondary treatment to add to therapy sessions with a professional counselor.
And although cannabis is most effective when it’s used alongside traditional therapies, cannabis use itself can sometimes offer a new way to approach mental health from new perspectives.
By setting time aside to consume cannabis consciously and become aware of how your body is feeling, reacting, and thinking, you can often get a real solid grasp of where you’re at with your life, stress, and mental health.
And if nothing else, setting aside the time each day to consider how you’re feeling and thinking can go a long way in addressing issues that you may not be constantly aware of, and cannabis can often help surface those problems in a unique way.
Get Your Louisiana Medical Marijuana Certification
Positive mental health begins with the goal of giving yourself the freedom to grow and become the person you want to be. Medical marijuana offers an alternative treatment option for many patients struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, and cannabis products are available at Louisiana pharmacies for patients with a medical marijuana certification.
Beat the lines and get your medical marijuana certification in Louisiana today, and you can even get certified for medical marijuana online for ease of use and convenience.
For questions about Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, or how to become a medical marijuana patient in Louisiana, consult with one of our trusted doctors and book an online medical marijuana appointment today!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Louisiana Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (833) 253-2943, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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