For more than three thousand years, people have used cannabis as a treatment for many different types of ailments. However, the people with mental health conditions are the ones who’ve benefited the most from the use of cannabis. When used under the supervision of a psychiatrist, cannabis is an effective natural remedy for a variety of mental health conditions. So, how can cannabis help mental health? To understand this, we need to take a look at the chemical makeup of cannabis and how it works.

An average cannabis plant contains approximately four hundred compounds. However, only 4 of these 400 compounds are of significance. The four main compounds in cannabis are delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), and cannabinol. Apart from cannabidiol, all of the compounds are psychoactive with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol being the strongest one. The cannabis plant contains a significant amount of delta-9-THC.

When you smoke cannabis, the compounds present inside it quickly enter your bloodstream from where they’re transferred to the brain and other parts of the body. When cannabinoid receptors in your brain bind to the delta-9-THC, you get the feeling of being ‘high’ or ‘stoned’. It is important to note that our brain produces THC-like compounds known as endocannabinoids. Although it isn’t chemically similar to the endocannabinoids produced by the brain, THC can bind with the same receptors to interfere with the normal functioning of the receptors. Found in different parts of the brain, these receptors can influence concentration, memory, sensory, emotion, time perception, and pleasure. Moreover, when cannabis binds with them, these receptors can affect the skin, the ears, the stomach, and the eyes.

When cannabis binds with the aforementioned receptors, it can induce a sense of pleasure and increase a person’s capacity to concentrate, organize information, use information, and work. Following are 5 mental health conditions that you can relieve by using cannabis.

Insomnia

The inability to sleep or insomnia is a mental health problem that affects many people in the United States and around the world.  If you’re one of them then you should consider ingesting medical cannabis. You can ensure a good night’s sleep by taking a cannabis cookie or brownie with a glass of milk before hitting the bed.

Migraines

Just like insomnia, migraine is a common mental health problem. At times, cannabis is more effective at treating migraine than the meds produced specifically to treat migraine. After you consume it, cannabis slows the rate of neurotransmitters in your brain regressing inhibition. This in turn helps to relieve the different types of headaches including migraines. While you may feel sleepy after using it, cannabis will relieve the pain, hypersensitivity, and nausea associated with your migraine.

Anxiety

Cannabis allows the people suffering from anxiety to have a normal life. After you use it, cannabis relaxes your mind and elevates your mood. Moreover, it slows down your thought processes to break up the negative or upsetting thought patterns in your mind. Ultimately, all of this helps to relieve the anxiety in you.

Bipolar Disorder

Unlike the people with other mental health conditions, the people with bipolar disorders do not suffer alone. Instead, their mental health problem affects their family and the people they interact with each day. A mood stabilizer for people with bipolar disorders, cannabis calms the mood swings and bring relief to sufferers.

Depression

Depression is a mental health problem that affects each one of us at some point in our lives. The good news is that you can easily relieve depression by using cannabis. Just like anxiety sufferers, the people suffering from depression can break their negative or unproductive thought patterns and elevate their mood by using cannabis. While it isn’t a miracle cure for depression, cannabis can relieve the negative thoughts that cause depression to help you live a happier and a more fulfilling life.

Cannabis can help the people with mental health problems including those suffering from the conditions mentioned above. A natural and safe alternative to addictive and potentially dangerous prescription drugs, cannabis is a mental health med recommended by many physicians today. Considering the aforementioned information, it is easy to see why!