Patient Education ►
◄ Continued from page 18
Cannabis
A Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder
also be issued about edibles . As this author has warned before , edible THC consumption is prone to overdosing because of the lag time — the time between ingestion and feeling the effects — typically one to two hours . Therefore , be patient after consuming . Sublinguals , vaping , and smoking takes effect far more rapidly , thus running far less risk of overconsumption .
On the other hand , there is little risk of overconsuming CBD . Where high-quality CBD products can be obtained , one might expect to achieve some measure of success with doses of as little as 5mg in the morning and 5mg in the afternoon . Some patients may need to increase that to as much as 20mg morning and evening . Because CBD is known to be wake-promoting , it should be avoided after 5 p . m . Just be aware that quality CBD products are challenging to find . Even where a quality CBD product can be obtained , CBD alone may not prove to be effective for some SAD sufferers . They may need to combine their CBD with some small amount of THC .
A Word of Caution
Moderate cannabis use has proven to be of considerable benefit , but we must emphasize “ moderate .” A great many people who suffer from anxiety disorders abuse all manner of drugs , including cannabis , but most commonly alcohol ( little wonder alcohol is called a “ social lubricant ”). A 2009 study concluded that frequent cannabis users had a high prevalence of anxiety disorders , and patients with anxiety disorders often had a high rate of cannabis use . It was not determined if cannabis use posed an increased risk of developing long-term anxiety disorders . Another clinical study found , “ data from the National Comorbidity Study suggest that individuals with SAD are seven times more likely to experience marijuana dependence relative to the general population .” SAD sufferers who find themselves marijuana dependent are likely to experience their social anxieties returning . If that happens , immediately cut back . Consume in moderation and only as needed .
Peter Kershaw is a Patient Caregiver , an organic cannabis cultivation consultant , and extraction consultant . Contact him at
pkershaw . email @ gmail . com or text to 417-230-4445 . As with all writers within these pages , if you ’ ve benefited from Peter ’ s articles , please let him and all writers know . They appreciate your thoughts .
Notice : The information contained herein is not intended as medical advice , diagnosis or treatment , but rather a sharing of knowledge and information based on research and experience . The content is for general informational purposes only .