CBD 101

Can CBD Help with PTSD?

Posted on by Kim Yates
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Brave men and women who serve our country are often scarred with invisible wounds—posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But they’re not the only Americans who suffer from this invisible debilitating illness. PTSD is a rising problem in the US among veterans, soldiers, and everyday Americans. Currently, 7.7 million Americans suffer from PTSD and another 8% are anticipated to develop this disorder. Learn what types of PTSD there are, treatment options, and how CBD can help with PTSD. 

What is PTSD?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric anxiety illness that arises after people have experienced or witnessed trauma. PTSD disconnects you from reality leaving you stuck in the emotional response to trauma. Trauma comes in a variety of ways like natural disasters, serious accidents, terrorism, war or combat, rape, death threats, abuse, domestic violence, community violence, sudden loss, sexual violence, and/or serious injury. PTSD symptoms can start right after the traumatic event or years later. 

PTSD symptoms:

  • Feeling on edge
  • Nightmares/Flashback
  • Noises making you jump
  • Insomnia 
  • Loss of interest
  • Numbness
  • Anger/Irritability 
  • Constantly on Guard 
  • Self-destructive behavior
  • Overwhelming guilt or shame
  • Feeling disconnected from other people
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4 Types of PTSD

  • Normal stress response
    • symptoms manifest as normal stress following trauma
  • Acute stress disorder
    • symptoms manifest with higher intensity and if left untreated will turn into full-blown PTSD
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  • Uncomplicated PTSD
    • symptoms manifest after one major trauma and will look like: avoiding triggers, nightmares, flashbacks, irritability, mood swings, and changing relationships.
  • Complex PTSD
    • symptoms manifest after multiple major traumas and appear as: impulsivity, aggression, substance abuse, sexual impulsivity, and extreme emotional responses such as intense rage, depression, and panic.

Treatments for PTSD

Studies have shown that the best way to find healing is with a combination of treatments. At RVDCBD we encourage you to speak and partner with your healthcare professional before beginning any treatment, especially CBD. One of the many treatments for PTSD is therapy. To learn more about therapy treatments for anxiety and PTSD click here and scroll down to long-term care. Finding a way to talk through your experiences with a professional and with others with similar experiences has been proven beneficial in overcoming and managing PTSD. There are also many types of medications to help treat PTSD.  

How CBD Can Help PTSD

Like most new drugs, CBD needs more research before it will be approved and endorsed by government organizations. Thus, as of 2019, the APA does not endorse cannabis as a sole treatment of PTSD at this time, only because more studies are needed. And studies have been done since then and are increasing. Click here to read the APA’s stance on cannabis for PTSD. However, according to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) federal studies from 2021 with veterans using CBD with higher doses of THC, proved beneficial. 

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What we do know is cannabis helps with anxiety disorders, pain, better sleep, and inflammation. CBD can even calm racing thoughts. For more on how CBD works in the body, click here or here. While CBD may not be the holistic solution, it can ease PTSD symptoms.

CBD Products that Help with PTSD

If you’re on active duty and cannot have THC, we got your back. At RVDCBD we have several CBD products that do not contain THC—gummies, tinctures, and topicals. This means you can find relief from PTSD symptoms without the psychoactive THC effects—aka being stoned. However, if you need the THC boost, check out our smokables and baking series blog articles to learn how the nonsmoker can use raw cannabis flowers and enjoy the full-entourage benefits without lighting up.

Get Help

Some people think they can just tough it out. But PTSD is no joke. PTSD can leave you vulnerable to suicidal thoughts and feelings and thus death. Treatment is super important. You’ve had RVD’s back throughout his career, and now we have yours. While CBD can help with symptoms, it is not a holistic approach to tackling the at-home-silent war that is PTSD. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and get help with one or more of the treatments listed. Above all talk to your healthcare provider ASAP. 

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