Cannabis and Mental Health
Hey folks! We’re back again for another blog post all about the herb that you love. October 10th is World Mental Health Day, which is a day to reflect on the value mental well being brings to our everyday life and to obliterate the stigmas surrounding mental health disorders. So, since we’re all about doing away with negative stigmas around here, this week we’re going to be talking about the importance of mental health and what cannabis can (and can’t) do to help. As always, none of us here are doctors. So don’t take what we say in regard to mental or physical health as gospel, anything we tell you is either anecdotal or based on statistics that are readily available online.
Some Facts
Did you know that over 5 million Canadians qualify as having some kind of anxiety or mood-based disorder? That’s a lot of us who are suffering, many in silence due to the long-standing attitudes regarding mental illness. While these attitudes are slowly shifting and there is a willingness on the part of society to talk about and address what it means to bear the weight of an unhealthy mind, a lot of work still remains to be done. A sad reality is that 1 in 3 people who do seek aid for their mental health report that they don’t receive the help they need even when they talk to a health care professional.The results of not receiving the help you might desperately need during a mental health crisis can be dire. Many people with poor mental health and end up turning to alcohol and other harmful substances to try to alleviate their anguish or can end up hurting themselves and others.
Weed and Wellness
Which brings us to cannabis. I know a lot of people talk about cannabis being a useful tool for combating or alleviating symptoms of mental health disorders, but it’s important to be clear: Cannabis is not a replacement for therapy and medication. Which isn’t to say that it has no use in regard to helping to improve your state of mind, it simply isn’t a permanent fix. That being said, there have been many people with PTSD and other disorders that have found some relief from moderate use of cannabis. However, if used in excess, some studies have shown that cannabis can actually make some mental health issues WORSE. The moral of the story here is that more research into the effects of cannabis on our mental health needs to be done. For the meantime though, cannabis use in moderation is the advised stance when it comes to maintaining the fine balance that is your mental well being.
Which is to say..
The climb to good mental health is a steep one, and one that can’t be tackled alone. Talking to a doctor is a great first step, even if it’s just to find out what your options are. If you are like many Canadians and find it difficult to advocate for yourself with your doctor, there are great resources available to help, such as The Canadian Alliance on Mental Health and Mental Illness, which is an advocacy group dedicated to supporting people in getting the help they need.Mental health is just as important as physical health, and we owe it to ourselves and each other to try to work towards a better standard of care for everyone when it comes to our well being. If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Dial 9-8-8 anywhere in Canada to reach a suicide crisis hotline, which is available 24/7.