It could be that they feel uneasy about meeting an unknown person or entity who catches their off-guard when least expected, or that the looming fear of attending a weekly magazine editorial keeps them in bed. Let’s be honest, we have all experienced this. Some people have a crippling, irrational fear of something.
They won’t even be seen in an airport or around it, at the local animal zoo near the pit of snakes or in enclosed spaces. No way! The people with phobias live without fear and are content to be themselves. You may have had a fear since childhood that scares you to death. The fear is so strong that you’d give anything to avoid it. You’re not the only one. Around 19 million people all across the U.S. suffer from an irrational fear of something, which makes it the most common mental disorder in the country, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
No need to worry, however, as cannabis may just be what your doctor prescribed. Over the last six or seven years, a body of research has been accumulating that suggests marijuana or some of its key compounds might help those with specific phobias to be less fearful.
The Journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry published an article from the University of Michigan. Neuropsychology In 2013, researchers found that tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, could provide phobia sufferers with a way out of the anxiety associated with their condition. Some researchers found the stoner cannabinoid to be so effective in this regard that it allowed patients to move past their fears. It’s not as if researchers got people high and then locked them up in a room to work through their fears.
The study, which involved around 30 people, used a Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm and simultaneous skin conductance response recording while dosing patients with a synthetic version of THC called dronabinol, according to Science Direct. Researchers claim that THC users showed less anxiety over time. These results show that cannabinoid-system modulators are capable of increasing extinction in humans. This could warrant further clinical trials and development.
The study is from another university. Frontiers of PharmacologyThe study, led by Chenchen Song of the University of Birmingham in 2017, shows that 10 mg injections CBD were able to reduce fear memory in rats. Chenchen Song, a researcher at the University of Birmingham led the study in 2017. It showed that injections of 10mg CBD could reduce fear memories in rats. Song claims that although these rats were not afraid of flying or heights, the CBD component made them more fearful about being eaten by predators. The compound is also effective at treating post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). Basically, just as with PTSD, certain phobias manifest themselves after a traumatic situation. CBD is a popular drug for reducing anxiety. This research suggests that CBD can prevent this fear from surfacing.
“In the more translationally-relevant stronger conditioning setting, CBD both acutely inhibited fear expression and enhanced extinction to produce longer-lasting reductions in fear,” the study reads. These observations support the use of CBD as a potential treatment for conditions like post-traumatic disorder or specific phobias.
This body of research suggests that medical marijuana could help phobia sufferers overcome their fear. These conditions are traditionally treated with beta-blockers and antidepressants. However, the drugs prescribed can become habit-forming, and they may make you feel like an animal. Even so, you can be sceptical of the effectiveness of cannabis in treating phobias. I’m. Although I’ve had a few drinks, the fear of snakes slithering by me has never diminished. Last year I got high while traveling up to the Empire State Building. This gave me vertigo which was even scarier than usual. Some strains of cannabis (such as Somari, Super Skunk Auto, and Bigfoot), have been shown to reduce anxiety when phobias start. Check with your budtender about what the other frightened cats use to overcome their terror.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. Has cannabis ever helped you overcome a phobia?