Anxiety disorder should be distinguished from depression.
The main characteristic of depression is a low mood, manifested as a lack of interest in anything and a pessimistic attitude towards the future.
Anxiety disorder is an emotional state in which one experiences tension, anxiety, fear, and anxiety. This emotion is unpleasant and painful, with an urgent feeling.
For example, at the moment, there are still people and their families in the ICU who are anxiously waiting for the end of their COVID-19.
In addition, patients with severe anxiety disorder often have symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, dry mouth, frequent urination, urgency, sweating, and tremors.
At present, the etiology of anxiety disorder is not yet clear in the world, and it may be related to genetic factors, personality traits, cognitive processes, adverse life events, physical diseases, etc.
How to alleviate anxiety disorder?
We should know that there are no specific drugs in the world for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
We will not elaborate on psychotherapy here, but only discuss medication therapy
Currently, the treatment methods for anxiety mainly include antidepressants (SSRI, SNRI) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT, also known as psychotherapy).
The commonly used drugs for treating anxiety include duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. Taking these drugs can alleviate anxiety while also accompanied by a series of adverse reactions, such as nausea, agitation or sedation, sexual dysfunction, and SNRI related hypertension. Moreover, psychiatric drugs are generally classified as national second-class controlled drugs, and long-term use can lead to significant side effects and drug resistance.
According to research by the World Health Organization, the lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorder is 13.6% -28.8%, and 90% of anxiety disorder patients develop symptoms before the age of 35, with females often outnumbering males. There is currently a lack of nationwide anxiety disorder survey data in our country.
However, research on the treatment of anxiety and depression often goes hand in hand.
The research on cannabinoids in the treatment of anxiety and depression has been ongoing.
As early as 1621, British pastor Robert Burton suggested using marijuana to treat depression in his book “The Anatomy of Depression”. At the same time, Indian doctors were also actively using marijuana to treat patients with depression.
Compared to antidepressants, marijuana can quickly stimulate the endogenous cannabinoid system in the human body and accelerate the growth of nerve tissue. Moderate use of marijuana can help patients with depression calm their minds, improve their mood, concentrate, alleviate anxiety, stimulate appetite, and combat insomnia, thereby effectively combating stress.
On January 15, 2019, Professor Li Xiaoming’s team from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China published a paper titled “Nature Medicine”
Cannabinoid CB1 receivers in the amygdalar cholecystokinin glutamatergic influences to nucleus accumbens modular depression like behavior.
The research paper discovered a new neural circuit involved in the onset of depression and revealed a new mechanism of cannabis treatment for depression, providing a new understanding of the neural circuit involved in depression and identifying potential therapeutic targets.
After studying many cases, Professor Li Xiaoming’s team ultimately discovered a new neural circuit involved in the onset of depression – the inhibitory neurons of the amygdala projecting cholecystokinin positive neurons to the nucleus accumbens. The research results ultimately prove that cannabinoid receptors are crucial for the expression of aversion in the amygdala. Once their expression or function decreases, it can lead to overexpression of aversion in the amygdala. This undoubtedly provides strong evidence for the efficacy of marijuana in treating depression.
Numerous studies have shown that cannabidiol CBD (a psychoactive ingredient in cannabis plants) can treat anxiety symptoms
The American Institute of Psychiatry has published an analysis of CBD research, in which researchers administered CBD related drugs to animals. After a period of examination, it was found that CBD affected the animal’s nervous system.
A research institute in Brazil conducted CBD treatment on a patient with generalized anxiety. After using CBD for a period of time, the patient was able to participate in speech and other activities normally, and their heart rate and blood pressure tended to normal levels without experiencing anxiety symptoms again.
A study in Spain has shown that CBD may affect serotonin levels in anxiety patients faster than antidepressants.
Researchers have pointed out that individuals with anxiety disorders have smaller hippocampal neuronal regions than normal individuals. After giving mice CBD for a period of time, researchers found that CBD helps with the regeneration and repair of hippocampal neurons.
More medical evidence on marijuana treatment for depression
Further research and exploration are needed from healthcare workers around the world
Or the final exploration result may take three, five, or even eight or ten years
But based on the current successful cases and experimental progress
Or maybe this day won’t be too late