OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is a common condition affecting between two and three percent of the population.
Even though the disorder affects hundreds of thousands of people, researchers still do not focus on it. Since 1997, there is no new medication formulated for OCD.
Researchers concentrate on other disorders such as PTSD and Depression and not OCD. No wonder cases of using CBD for OBD have increased in America.
Many have tried marijuana products and edibles like Punch Edibles to get relief.
There is little known on the use of medical marijuana for OCD or any known link between weed and OCD. However, the little known details on marijuana and OCD make those with the disorder seek it to relieve the symptoms. So, does weed help OCD? Read on to learn more.
CBD for OCD: How Common Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
More than two percent of the population suffers from OCD, which is at least one person in every fifty people in the population. Actually, there are more people with OCD than with bipolar depression. Even then, the disorder still does not get the attention it deserves, and this is why most people still do not know about it.
What Causes OCD?
OCD presents intrusive obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors that can take a lot of the patient’s time. The thoughts might be too much that they impair the normal function of the brain. Again, people with OCD might suffer feelings of anxiety, which further worsens the obsessions and compulsions.
Everyone gets intrusive thoughts at any time of the day. However, most people are able to dismiss these thoughts with ease and move on to other things. However, a person suffering from OCD is not able to dismiss the thoughts. Instead, the thoughts keep coming back and again like the junk mail that won’t stop flowing in.
Using neuroimaging, researchers have found that OCD results from miscommunication between different parts of the brain as a result of problems with neurotransmitters. However, scientists still do not know the root cause of the problem or why the neurotransmitters would fail to work efficiently. The causes of OCD might be a mix of neurobiological, behavioral, genetic, environmental, and cognitive factors. The disorder is more prevalent in women than men – up to 75 percent of those suffering from the disorder are women.
OCD can also result from learned behavior, which becomes repetitive – the behavior is mostly triggered by anxiety. Most OCD victims will be taken through psychological OCD therapy, and then they take antidepressants. However, these methods take long, and that is why patients seek medical marijuana for OCD.
Learn more about using different vaping devices and marijuana on Vaporizer Chief.
Marijuana and OCD: What Does The Research Say?
Firstly, it is thought that using recreational marijuana or medical weed with a high concentration of THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis that induces the feeling of being ‘high’) could increase feelings of anxiety in users. Since anxiety is a common co-occurring condition for OCD sufferers, using high-THC cannabis could, therefore, be a step in the wrong direction. However, this isn’t proven and studies into cannabis and anxiety have so far produced differing findings, just like those looking exclusively at weed and OCD.
There is no much research supporting the effects achieved when you use CBD for OCD. According to research, three cases can be used to show the link between weed and OCD. Most of the studies conducted have yielded mixed results.
Two studies conducted in 2010 and 2013 respectively found CBD to reduce compulsive behavior in mice. The mice would bury marbles before the study, but after CBD was administered, the mice stopped burying the marbles. However, the marble-burying behavior in mice is not a totally accurate representation of OCD for humans.
To reveal more about the link between weed and OCD, another study was conducted in 2016, where CB1 receptors were deleted in given neurons in mice. CBD indirectly disrupts CB1 receptors. After the deletion, mice were not able to form habits. According to the researchers in this study, mice were changing from goal-oriented behavior to habitual behavior due to activities in the CB1 receptors.
There is no extensive research to answer the question, does weed help OCD? The lack of research comes from the fact that marijuana is still legal in most parts of the world. Again, OCD is not widely researched, like other mental health conditions such as PTSD.
Types Of Medical Marijuana for OCD
Jack Herer
Jack Herer is a strain that has a high percentage of CBD. The strain boosts mood and enhances focus. If anyone is dealing with anxiety and depression, this strain can help them fight them off.
Pineapple Express
If you need to feel happy and keep off intrusive thoughts, this strain will help you do just that. When you take this strain of marijuana, you will get a feeling of bliss. It is also great when you are battling anxiety and depression.
Northern Lights
There may not be evidence that using medical marijuana for OCD will help, but most people who use Northern lights claim that it slows down the mind and body, giving them more focus. When the mind is slowed down, a person is able to control the urges that result in OCD.
Lamb’s Bread
If you need to beat anxiety and stress, Lamb’s Bread is another strain that you can try. The strain gives you a lot of energy, especially if you cannot motivate yourself to do something that needs to be done.
Always Speak To A Doctor Before Using CBD for OCD
There might be a link between weed and OCD, but do not forget that weed, like any other controlled substance, causes psychosis, especially if taken for a long time. As such, you need to talk to a doctor before taking medical marijuana for OCD. The doctor will assess your situation to see whether your symptoms warrant you to take medical marijuana or you can do with other medications. Again, the doctor can give advice to you on the best strain to use and give you a prescription if you reside in an area where a prescription is needed to purchase medical marijuana.
Conclusion
Does weed help OCD? The stimulating and energizing effects of weed can help beat stress, anxiety, and depression, which are predisposing factors to OCD. However, there is still no evidence that using CBD for OCD will help. Some people believe that using marijuana for OCD will help, and others believe that marijuana will result in psychosis. Again, it is not clear which, between CBD and THC, helps with OCD.