How Medical Marijuana May Help with Stress Disorder

Trauma can have a lasting impact, often leading to stress disorders that 

negatively affect daily life—not just emotionally, but also physically. To heal from trauma-related stress and its physical symptoms, you need to bring balance back to your mind and body. One of the most effective ways to do that is through the use of medical marijuana. 

Given the history of cannabis in our country, you might not have a positive perception of marijuana and may be hesitant to consider medical cannabis a solution to your stress disorder and symptoms.

But what if everything you’ve ever been told about weed is wrong?

In this guide, we’re reframing the conversation about cannabis to show you how safe medical marijuana use in a controlled environment (like the comfort of your home) can be the key to your long-term relief. If you’ve been constantly disappointed by the treatment options available in traditional, Western medicine, you’re not alone—and you’re welcome here. 

Stress: It Keeps Us from Moving Forward

Stress lives in the body—our racing minds keep us from falling asleep, our worries manifest as aches and pains, and our inability to recover from past trauma keeps us from living the lives we want. 

If you’ve consulted with a healthcare professional before, they might have described your symptoms with a formal diagnosis like:

• Chronic stress disorder
• Acute stress
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD)

But whether or not you’ve sought professional care for the mental and physical impacts of stress (or received a diagnosis), you likely already know that this stress is keeping you from moving forward. In a mentally and physically aroused state (sometimes described as “fight or flight mode”), you can’t think about anything but your stressors—and you can’t stop treading water.

Starting to Heal from Stress

The first step to resolving your stress disorder is reconnecting your relaxed, stable mind to your relaxed, stable body. But how can you do that if you’re not feeling relaxed or stable? 

If you’re struggling to relieve enough stress to start working on unpacking your past traumas or mental blocks, consider medical marijuana. 

Reframing Medical Marijuana

To consider medical marijuana as a potential treatment for your stress, you might have to destabilize some preconceived notions, which can be difficult. 

But people who have found stress relief through medical marijuana treatment will tell you that:

• Marijuana is medicine – When you start thinking of medical marijuana as a medicine instead of a recreational drug, you can begin to consider how it could play a role in your healing journey. Instead of picturing yourself smoking a joint to veg out and avoid responsibilities, picture yourself adding a precise dose of THC oil to a glass of water or eating a gummy supplement before bed to ease your mind and body.

• Marijuana is safe – Marijuana purchased through legal means (like medical or recreational dispensaries) is highly regulated—it’s safe and effective, and medical marijuana prescribers have the expertise to help you find the right dose and strain. 

• The marijuana community is collectively looking for relief – Even people purchasing marijuana for “recreational” purposes often have, at their core, a medical motivation for seeking it out. If smoking a joint at a party helps them loosen up, they might be suffering from social anxiety. If they eat a gummy before bed to sleep more soundly, they might have stress-related sleep issues. Ultimately, everyone using medical marijuana is looking for something positive—and more often than not, they’re finding it.

Using Medical Marijuana to Summit the Stress Hurdle

Simply put, stress keeps us from healing. 

Perhaps you’ve thought, “I don’t have time to heal from my past because I’m too overwhelmed at work,” or “I can’t work on myself because asking myself difficult questions is too stressful.” 

Medical marijuana can be the step ladder you need to get over these feelings. In fact, using medical marijuana to achieve a more relaxed state of mind can help you rediscover the precious (and all-important) connection between your mind and body. 

Some people (including medical experts) call this relaxed state homeostatic balance—a mental and physical place where you feel safe to ask yourself difficult questions, find a respite from intrusive thoughts, and start healing. 

Beyond Medical Marijuana

Finding that state of homeostatic balance is the first step—but what’s next? 

When you’re in the right frame of mind to heal, there are numerous other holistic tools you can use to start recovering from the root causes of your stress (trauma, for instance). Many medical marijuana patients combine this treatment with:

• Therapy or counseling
• Personal coaching
• Support groups
• Journaling and reflective writing
• Creative therapies (unpacking their past through art or music, for example)

[This might be a good place for a testimonial]

Considering Medical Cannabis? Chat with an Expert at TeleLeaf

The TeleLeaf team has a deep understanding of how intensely chronic stress, trauma, and other severe conditions can impact our everyday lives. We also understand how powerful medical marijuana can be in a long-term journey to healing—because we’ve experienced it firsthand. 

If you’re looking to learn more about medical cannabis or apply for a medical marijuana card, we can help—we can also provide expert tips, connect you with fellow patients in our community, and help you find additional healing tools that can help you along your journey. 

Learn more about our mission or reach out to our team if you’re ready to relieve your stress and unlock the life you want to live.

Sources:

EXCLI Journal. The Impact of Stress on Body Function: A Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/ 

Harvard Medical School. Understanding the Stress Response. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response 

National Library of Medicine. Physiology, Homeostasis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559138/