Do all cannabis users have PTSD?

A few months ago I was in my mother’s house helping out in a family crisis. One day, sitting at the kitchen table, I got some unwelcome news and in response, my body starting trembling and I started hyperventilating. After a few minutes of this, I calmed myself down with the help of breathing exercises but the effect of it lasted days, like tremors after an earthquake.

A few days later, it happened again. Each time, I felt a total lack of safety. My fear was primal but also unfounded. Nothing had actually changed except my perception of events. However, in the moment, logic was useless. Somewhere deep in my psyche my life felt threatened and my body responded accordingly. I wondered if this response was PTSD?

On a recent episode of Cannabis 101, Dr. Matt Chalmers, founder of Pillars of Wellness, said that, “Most people who use cannabis because it makes them feel at peace have PTSD,” explaining that cannabis shuts down all the “fear, hate, anger, terror, pain, anxiety” housed in a part of the brain called the amygdala.

WHAT IS PTSD?

According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a “disorder that develops in people who have experienced a shocking, scary or dangerous event.” Not a very helpful definition considering it applies to almost everyone.

The body has an in-built system to deal with stressful events, found in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), known as the fight-or-flight response. The system kicks in during times of stress, danger or intense exercise. Its actions include increased heart rate, loss of appetite, constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, raised blood pressure and sweating.

These actions occur when the adrenal glands release adrenalin into the bloodstream. They prepare the body for danger by increasing oxygen intake and alertness, enabling the person to react accordingly. The actions happen automatically, triggered by an event in the physical or emotional environment, meaning they’re not something we can control.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) keeps these actions in check; think of the SNS as the gas pedal and the PNS as the brake. The PNS is controlled by the HPA-axis (hypothalamus – pituitary gland – adrenal glands). If stress or perceived stress continues, the HPA releases cortisol. When stress dissipates, the HPA lowers cortisol. Persistent high levels of cortisol can lead to health problems.

STRESS V. PTSD

Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. Under the right conditions, it can push us to our limits, enabling us to reach new heights. But acute or persistent stress is no joke, as it affects core physiological functions including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous and reproductive systems.

A 2021 study linked stress to anxiety, depression, pain and fatigue. Today, the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, respiratory conditions and stroke are linked to emotional impact of stress, which is why the medical community refers to stress as a “silent killer.”

The list of conditions linked to acute stress is long and includes insomnia, anxiety, obesity, digestive problems, muscle tension, diabetes, headaches, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, heart disease, colds, eczema, chest pain, high blood pressure, lowered immunity, depression, irritability, high blood pressure, decreased libido, changes in appetite, changes in motility and increased use of drugs and/or alcohol.

However, there are some key difference between acute stress and PTSD. Whereas acute stress lasts up to a month after a traumatic event and is typically characterised by disassociation, the symptoms of PTSD can last for years and include avoidance, changes in mood and cognition, heightened sensitivity to environment and possible re-experiencing of the event via nightmares and/or intrusive thoughts.

One of the main differences in PTSD is how it impacts brain function. The amygdala, located in the centre of the brain, is the body’s natural alarm system. It alerts us to the present of danger, inciting a response that keeps us safe. Studies show that people with PTSD tend to have an overactive amygdala. Studies also show that people with these symptoms can experience relief with cannabis.

DO I HAVE PTSD?

I left Ireland more than twenty years ago after I was sexually assaulted. I passed out drunk on the couch of a family friend one night and woke up with him on top of me. He swore, “Nothing happened.” Seven weeks later I discovered I was pregnant. The family members who knew wrote the event off as a drunken shag. It was not.

I chose an abortion to avoid having this man in my life for the rest of my life – a possibility that horrified me. I did more than get him out of my life, I ran, leaving my family and native country behind. I left home and took up binge-drinking. When I finally quit booze ten years ago, I used cannabis to rebuild my life.

I believe cannabis saved me, enabling me to stay connected to some part of myself that still cared about the things that mattered to me. Cannabis enabled me to just be with myself and in doing so, find peace. But it would appear I have some issues to confront and am not sure cannabis can help now. Cannabis can show the way but it’s not the way. Some things, like confronting fears, you gotta do alone.

Cannabis and mental health is a big topic I’m going to be exploring in coming months with the help of relevant experts. If you want to know more, hit that follow button.