Anxiety

What is Anxiety ?

People experience mild anxiety sometimes. It is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. Normal feelings of anxiety are often proportionate to the situation we find ourselves in, such as sadness or worry immediately after a traumatic event, the feeling of butterflies before a big event, or that bill that you forgot to pay.

When your anxiety starts to interfere with your daily life there may be cause for concern. Those with anxiety disorders experience repeated episodes of intense anxiety, coupled with sudden feelings of panic, fear or terror that may subside in just a few minutes.

These are known as panic attacks and can rear their ugly heads unexpectedly. The reaction is often disproportionate to the actual danger and severe episodes can last a long time. Due to their sudden nature, difficulty to control and unpredictability, they often interfere with our daily lives and can put those afflicted in dangerous situations.

Sufferers can have more than one anxiety disorder, some of which include generalised anxiety disorders, specific phobias, social anxiety, selective mutism, panic disorders, separation anxiety, the list goes on.

What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder?

Symptoms of anxiety disorder may start in childhood and continue into adulthood. Common anxiety disorder signs and symptoms may include:

-Feeling excessively and constantly nervous, restless, or tense – often for no apparent reason
-Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom; “I am going to die” – often for no apparent reason
-Irrational fear of an object or place, such as fear of entering an elevator, or traveling by plane
-Feeling constantly weak or tired no matter how much rest you get
-Insomnia
-PTSD symptoms such as repeated flashbacks, dreams, and subsequent worry about a past trauma
-Intense feelings of dread when thinking about social or performance-related situations
-Debilitating fear of exposure, intense scrutiny, acting in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing in these situations; the fear that “everyone is looking at me”
-The constant fear of having another panic attack

Your symptoms may be coupled with:

– Having an increased heart rate
– Gastrointestinal problems
– Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
– Sweating
– Trembling
– Performing excessive and repetitive actions such as cleaning, rearranging things around you
– Self-harm such as cutting, pulling out your hair or excessively fingernail biting
– Obsessing over needless things leading to compulsive behaviour

How common is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders are very common, both in New Zealand and around the world. The World Health Organisation has warned that anxiety levels around the world have steadily increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a 25% global increase witnessed in 2020 alone.

Approximately 1 in 4 New Zealanders will be affected by an anxiety disorder at some stage in their lives, with general anxiety disorders being highest amongst young people aged 15 – 24 years, according to a 2020 study on mental health in New Zealand.

What the research shows

There is a wide array of studies that demonstrate the benefits of using medical cannabis to alleviate anxiety and sleep disorders. Research shows that the cannabinoids within the cannabis plant can inhibit or stimulate the endocannabinoid system within our bodies. This system is vital in helping us deal with traumatic life experiences as a part of a normal coping mechanism.

In 2020 the University of Auckland collaborated with GP Dr Graham Gulbransen to study the first 400 medicinal cannabis patients in New Zealand. Among other results it found that CBD oil, taken for four weeks, significantly improved the self-reported quality of life for patients with anxiety and other disorders.

In the United States, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology reported that participants were able to reduce their consumption of conventional anti-anxiety medication by 71.8%, when their prescriptions were supplemented with medicinal cannabis. Additionally, an article published in the Clinical Psychology Review found that medical cannabis showed potential for its use in PTSD.

Talk to CannaPlus+ today

At CannaPlus+, we’re committed to bringing the highest level of medical care to provide comprehensive treatment plans, with patient care at the centre of every action we take.

Medicinal Cannabis may be an alternative or adjunct medication for managing some ailments.

In the first instance, it’s important to research what the alternatives are and to talk to a health care professional.

How CannaPlus+ can help – if you would like to book a consultation with one of our Doctors to see if Medicinal Cannabis may be appropriate for you. Our dedicated team of doctors will see if you are eligible for a script and create your plan in based on your health goals. Click here to find out more and book a consultation.