I can write this post with a degree of insight, as I (Gary Eff) have been diagnosed with one of the mental health disorders out there and that is Adult ADD, or to give it its full title, Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (minus the Hyperactivity which is generally found in childhood).
Some people, myself included, have/do, think it’s baloney and to be honest, I don’t care if it is or it isn’t, I just know I tick all the boxes of the condition! I think some people overly self diagnose and the term is too casually banded around and this makes some people wonder how real it really is.
It affects me in different ways – I’ll explain! These can be really small things that happen constantly or slightly larger things, like forgetting to pay your bills or even setting your kitchen on fire (I left a dish with papers in it on an electric hob and went out and left it)…
With ADD, your mind is constantly buzzing and you’re thinking about new things more quickly than you can shift your mind to the next. Because of this, your daily life becomes a bit hectic and you tend to forget things, usually the dull and mundane like tidying up or dealing with letters and bills
The upside is that you’re creative and come up with a lot of new ideas and can benefit from hyper-focus, meaning you can fire through a lot of work if you’re enjoying it.
I’ve tried medication for ADD over the past few years and to be honest, none of it has really helped. This has lead me to look into alternative methods to help calm the brain, so I thought I would like some online insights into how Cannabis might not only help with ADD.
Here’s what I found when doing some online research…
Cannabis for Adult Add
So, when it comes to ADD meds, they’re normally stimulant based. Strangely, this is supposed make you more focussed, and it does for a while, but in my experience, it just makes you go faster but still with multiple tabs open (both metaphorically and in reality).
Now, let’s look at a couple of stories that help us here!
On Fresh Toast ‘’Can CBD Be Used to Treat ADHD Symptoms’’
One promising 2012 paper detailed an investigation into how CBD could be used to manage hyperactivity and social interaction in rats with “reduced social investigative behaviour, hyperactivity, as well as reduced attention span.” In the study, those rats given CBD were “normalized” based on the scientific analysis.
On Ganjapreneur – ‘’Cannabis Patients with ADHD use less prescription Drugs’’ – excerpt:
A study published last month in the Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal suggests that cannabis patients with ADHD are likely to use fewer prescription drugs, including psychostimulant medications such as methylphenidate and amphetamine derivatives which are commonly prescribed to treat ADHD symptoms.
This is good news and mirrors my own thoughts. I’ve not tried Cannabis for this reason but can see where this works.
Anything that can be done to get away from big pharma meds, the better in my opinion!
Now, there are other conditions that go alongside having Adult ADD. Those are usually depression and/or anxiety. Thankfully I get neither of these to any degree as such, but I know of others who do.
Lets take a quick look at some comments on this from an online search.
Depression and Cannabis
In this post from Health.EU, it shows a wide ranging study looking at the effects of Cannabis for depression amongst other ailments like stress. https://www.healtheuropa.eu/cannabis-combats-stress/93193/
In the study the findings were:
‘’The results of the study showed that patients inhaling cannabis saw a significant reduction in their adverse feelings with depression symptom being reduced in 89.3% of sessions. However, the study also revealed that the symptoms of depression were exacerbated in a total 3.2% of sessions, and there was no change in 7.5% of sessions.
Symptoms of anxiety were reduced in a total of 93.5% of tracked sessions but were exacerbated in 2.1% of sessions, and there was no change in symptoms for 4.4% of sessions. Symptoms of stress were reduced in 93.3% of tracked sessions, increased in 2.7% of sessions, and there was no change in reported levels of stress for 4% of sessions.
The study also compared the impact of cannabis on these symptoms between the sexes and found that women perceived a greater reduction in symptoms of anxiety than men did’’.
This probably rings true with most people in that it can be heightened for certain people so you have to beware of dosage levels, but if done properly it looks like it could be beneficial according to the study.
Cannabis for Anxiety
This is the definitive post on Cannabis and anxiety from our friends at Leafly. In it, you will find a ton of valuable information and helpful content.
Really, it comes down to getting the dosage and balance right between the cbd and thc. As is stated in the post:
‘’When using cannabis for anxiety, research suggests that lower doses may offer greater therapeutic benefit. While this ideal dose differs from person to person, it’s generally recommended to start with a low dose (such as 2.5mg of THC) and gradually increase the dose—ideally adding just another milligram or two—until you feel optimal symptom relief. (Leafly)’’
Summary
Just like mental health conditions are different in severity for everyone, so is the treatment of it. If modern day medicine isn’t working for you and your laws permit, perhaps you could look at Cannabis as a serious option to help treat your condition.
If so, start slow and experiment until you get the balance spot on. It’s better to do less, than too much when it comes to Cannabis consumption.
Please remember that The Vault are not and in no way medically qualified to dispense advice. At all times you should seek the help and assistance from your physician. This article is merely here to look at people who have had experience with using Cannabis to treat mental health conditions. Whatever route you take, we wish you good luck. If you have any of your own experiences to share, please drop them below.
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