by Chane Leigh
PTSD can have far-reaching effects on health, functionality as well as on quality of living, which is why having access to effective treatment is so important. If you are living with PTSD or are living with someone who has PTSD, you would have first-hand experience with how challenging it can be getting through life on a daily basis- especially in such an already-stressful world. Let’s have a quick look at PTSD and then have a look at which cannabis strains would be best for you.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that is developed following a traumatic event and can cause difficulty in adjusting to and coping with life after the event. When an individual is experiencing a traumatic event, the body releases stress-related hormones to boost your energy in preparation for the fight or flight response. Many people recover from traumatic events naturally but when they do not, they get stuck in fight or flight mode. Fortunately, cannabis can help those with PTSD by reducing symptoms. In short, cannabis is able to help those with PTSD by binding to the body’s endocannabinoid system receptors which play a key role in maintaining harmony in the body.
When deciding on what cannabis to purchase it is important to seek out the correct cannabinoid profile in order to get the best for your money. PTSD patients should look for full-spectrum products. Purchasing the cannabis bud (the flower) will be optimal because it allows you to benefit from the terpenes and all the cannabinoids. Full-spectrum means you can tap into the benefits of the entourage effect. When you purchase isolated cannabis products you lose out on certain cannabinoids and terpenes due to the extraction process involved in making the products. Your cannabis chosen for consumption will need to contain at least tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in order to receive optimum relief. THC is intoxicating but is a vital component for pain management alongside CBD. If you do not want to be intoxicated by THC, look for strains that are low in THC and higher in CBD but the strain should still contain both. CBD and THC will assist PTSD management by targeting symptoms such as pain, appetite stimulation, and reducing inflammation. THC will boost your mood and CBD will help with improving sleep, reducing nausea as well as alleviating stress and anxiety.
Terpenes are responsible for the scent and contribute to the color of the cannabis plant, but they also each contribute their own benefits. So, when considering cannabis for your chronic pain, it is important to consider cannabis with terpenes. Again, full-spectrum products will be ideal since it will contain all cannabis compounds. Here is a quick overview of the major terpenes and some of their effects that can benefit PTSD sufferers.
| Name | Scent | Benefits |
| Myrcene | Musky and Earthy | Reduces inflammation and chronic pain. |
| Limonene | Citrus | Improves overall mood as well as alleviates stress and anxiety. |
| Linalool | Floral and Spicy | Reduces inflammation and relieves depression. |
| Caryophyllene | Spicy and Peppery | Reduces inflammation as well as alleviating stress and anxiety. |
| Pinene | Pinewood | Acts as an anti-inflammatory and boosts memory. |
| Humulene | Spicy, Woody, and Earthy | Acts as an anti-inflammatory, alleviates pain, and is antibacterial. |
The following strains are recommended based on the fact that they offer full-spectrum benefits thanks to the holistic compound contents which need to include CBD and its derivatives, THC and its derivatives as well as contains the terpenes myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene but most importantly linalool. When picking strains for PTSD, it is important to remember that while THC content is important for the best benefits, one should avoid too much THC potency as it would increase anxiety instead of decreasing it.
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