PTSD Treated With Cannabis Right Here In Utah
by MADELINE FERGUSON
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was once a diagnosis reserved for war veterans (first called “shell shock”), but psychologists are coming to understand that past trauma can come in all shapes and sizes and affect people of any age, background or place in life.
PTSD is defined as “a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury.”
The classic definition of PTSD has recently expanded, a lot of experiences can be considered trauma if the person has long-lasting emotionally distressing effects from the event. Symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, depression, anxiety, agitation, self-destructive behavior and much more. It can be a debilitating condition but luckily there are quite a few treatment options, but it may take time to find the right combination.
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Some of the most common treatments include talk therapy, movement therapy, medication and EMDR. Lately, medical marijuana has made its way into the PTSD treatment conversation. PTSD is on the list of qualifying conditions for many states’ medical cannabis programs, including Utah’s.
One federally funded study showed incredible results in using cannabis to treat PTSD. The placebo-controlled, double-blind study showed that patients treated with high THC cannabis (at least eight percent) noticed a significant improvement in symptoms. After the study, some participants no longer met the criteria for diagnosis. That’s incredible.
“Over the course of a year, the study found that cannabis users reported a greater decrease in the severity of their PTSD symptoms. They also were more than 2.5 times as likely to no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as those who did not use cannabis,” the study concluded.
PTSD is a unique mental health condition because research has demonstrated that it is essentially curable in some cases, while many mental health disorders are classified as treatable and not curable and it’s even more unique that cannabis (with therapy) is proving to be a viable path to recovery for patients. Future research in this field will be exciting.
Qualifying Condition Criteria In Utah For PTSD
The criteria to qualify for a medical cannabis card in Utah for treatment of PTSD is as follows:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is being treated and monitored by a licensed health therapist (defined here), and that:
has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider by the Veterans Administration and documented in the patient’s record; or
has been diagnosed or confirmed by evaluation from a psychiatrist, masters prepared psychologist, a master's prepared licensed clinical social worker, or a psychiatric APRN
So, there are some boxes to check but if you are currently in treatment in Utah, treating PTSD with medical cannabis is a viable option for you if your consulting therapist or physician agrees.
As always, this article is not medical advice, it is important to consult with your treatment team about your personal health journey and treatment options.
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