At Chacruna: Using Cannabis to Treat the Effects of Trauma

Michelle Thiessen, Sarah Daniels & Zach Walsh

We are all impacted by experiencing or witnessing traumatic events such as violence, accidents, and the death of loved ones. As we struggle to find ways to deal with the symptoms that can persist in the aftermath of experiencing trauma, cannabis is increasingly being hailed as a potential solution. Nearly 90% of adults in the USA have experienced a traumatic event severe enough to meet criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).¹ Of those of us who experience such a trauma, nearly 10% go on to develop full-fledged PTSD, a disorder that involves difficulty recovering from the traumatic event, and includes feeling irritable and jumpy, avoiding reminders of the trauma, intrusive memories, nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, and a pervasive sense of doom.² In some cases, people may even feel as if the traumatic events are happening again. The symptoms of PTSD are severe on their own but are often made worse as sufferers may withdraw from family and friends, engage in problematic substance use, and experience suicidal impulses. Sadly, a sizeable portion of people who have PTSD do not respond to frontline treatments such as medication and psychotherapy. Due to the severity of PTSD, and the lack of effective treatment for many of those who suffer, the potential for cannabis to treat PTSD has been met with much hope and enthusiasm. Although we are not yet at the point where we can decisively say that cannabis is helpful for treating PTSD, research that can help answer this question is underway. As we wait for further results, a number of interesting findings have led scientists to believe that cannabis may help some people who struggle with the aftermath of trauma. In this article, we will take a look at some of the science behind the claims that cannabis can help treat PTSD... continue reading.