PTSD is a perfect storm of psychiatric illness. It occurs after exposure(s) to a severe traumatic event(s) and it involves dysregulation of stress responses due to dysfunction of endocannabinoid signaling. The trauma becomes consolidated in the memory and emotions associated with the trauma(s) are re-experienced. PTSD is characterized by anxiety, mood swings with irritability and anger, racing thoughts, poor concentration, poor sleep, nightmares, flashbacks, depression, fear, paranoia, recurring negative thoughts, hypervigilance, hyperarousal, hyperalertness, avoidance and emotional numbing. The constant elevations of stress hormones seen in PTSD can impact nearly every system of the human body, leading to problems in neurological, immune, cardiac, endocrine and/or respiratory function. There are no pharmaceutical medications that have proven effective in treating PTSD.
Cannabis has proven to be not only the most effective medication for PTSD, but the only medication that effectively treats every symptom cluster of PTSD.
