Ron Paul Supports Medical Marijuana: 5 Mental Disorders Treated with the Substance

It is a known fact now that Republican Congressman and presidential frontrunner, Ron Paul, with former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank are looking to legalize medical marijuana and they believe that this decision could come as a boost for people suffering from cancer and the ones undergoing chemotherapy.

In accordance with Ron Paul's support for the substance, let's have a look at the healing powers that marijuana possesses against mental conditions.

Curing Anxiety: Although some may argue that marijuana tends to cause mild anxiety sometimes as a side-effect for users, most have agreed to the fact that the substance's use cause the users to experience mood-elevating effects along with a very relaxing mental condition, and pushes the user towards a normal life without suffering from anxiety. Medical marijuana, according to previous studies, is known for causing a desirable slowing down of thought processes. This can, in turn, help mend some of the distressing cyclical thought patterns which plague anxiety sufferers.

Healing Bipolar Disorder: Medical marijuana, surprisingly, can considerably calm down the mood swings that are exhibited by those suffering with Bipolar Disorder. Studies have shown that cannabis works as a mood stabilizer for sufferers. Lithium, which has traditionally been diagnosed for sufferers, takes several weeks before it actually starts working and is also known for causing long term damage to the heart, kidneys, and thyroid gland.

Lithium is also known for reining emotions in to a distasteful and numbing degree, which is something that is not faced by marijuana users. On the contrary, marijuana smokers report feeling a satisfying effect long after the high itself has detoriated (the mood stabilizing effect of the drug).

Relief from Insomnia: People suffering from insomnia should consider switching to medical marijuana. It is to be noted that a brownie or a cookie can be taken before bed with a glass of milk, which should ensure good sleep throughout the night. However, users should be aware that the effects of medical marijuana will not be felt for up to an hour at least.

Medical marijuana could be a desirable alternative to other addictive drugs such as Xanax, as marijuana is not habit forming. Users have often reported feeling clear-minded and relaxed after ingesting medical marijuana, sleeping through the night, and having more pleasant dreams.

No More Depression: Studies have suggested that those who use marijuana once or more weekly, reportedly, have fewer episodes of depression than the rest of the lot. Medical marijuana can be smoked or ingested to lift the mood and lighten those up who particularly suffer from depression.

Similar to the sufferers of anxiety, the lasting effects of medical marijuana helps to break unproductive or negative thought cycles which so often get out of control for the sufferer. Nonetheless, remember that marijuana is not a wonder cure for either depression or anxiety and it is quite unhealthy to cover the root problem instead of fully treating it. However, marijuana can help the user live a more satisfying life while he works with a therapist to cure the symptoms.

Relief from Migraines: It is very interesting to note that migraines can also be treated with medical marijuana, and have sometimes shown better effects than the actual migraine medication. This is because when the marijuana is consumed or smoked, retrograde inhibition helps to slow the rate of neurotransmitters in the brain.

People suffering from horrific headaches will know that this is due to an overload of neural stimulation and the above news could come as a relief for them. Retrograde inhibition also relieves the pain and other symptoms which are known to attend a full-blown migraine, including sensitivity to lights and nausea.

In reality, migraine medication has often been tagged for dangerous side effects, which includes increased blood pressure and making the user tired. Medical marijuana can make some users feel slightly sleepy but the doze can always be adjusted so that the migraine sufferer will still experience relief from nausea, pain and hyper-sensitivity while not becoming as drowsy as they would have been with regular migraine medication.

In conclusion, remember that medical marijuana provides us with a safe, natural alternative to dangerous, habit-forming drugs and has lot more to offer than to just push it away, stating that marijuana is for dirty hippies.

(Information from the Weed Blog)