​PTSD & Medical Cannabis

The State of Illinois recently approved Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for treatment with Medical Cannabis. In this blog, I will share some information about PTSD and how it can be managed with Medical Cannabis.

A Little Bit About Me…

My name is Anne Shragal and I have been a practicing therapist for eight years. I am the owner of Breeze Counseling, a practice with offices located in Lisle and Oak Park. I specialize in anxiety disorders, such as PTSD, and have experience working with children, teenagers and adults. I am Solutions-Focused which means I tend to find solutions to problems instead of dwelling on the issue. I believe that if we can put the puzzle pieces together in the right places, you will be able to live a fully-functioning life.

What is PTSD?

PTSD is short for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder with which those struggling can experience symptoms such as panic attacks, anxiety, depressed moods, withdrawing/isolating themselves, a decrease in energy and/or an increase/decrease in appetite. Research also shows that disruptive sleep is a very common symptom: insomnia, restlessness, difficulty turning off the brain/over thinking. PTSD is the result of exposure to a trauma which causes you to re-experience that trauma leading to altered thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

How is Medical Cannabis Helping?

For those struggling with PTSD, many are finding that prescription medications are not fully eliminating or even reducing side-effects and symptoms. Therefore, patients go in-and-out of counseling and on-and-off prescription medications. What we are discovering is that Medical Cannabis reduces, if not eliminates, symptoms without side effects. Scientists are able to extract the THC (which produces the “high” feeling) and add more CBD (the chemical that reduces symptoms). We call this a 4-to-1 ratio. Therefore, you do not need to inhale/smoke cannabis and you can fully function without getting the “high” feeling. For PTSD patients, dissolvable Medical Cannabis tablets are taken at night. For feelings of panic and anxiety, Medical Cannabis oil drops work well on an as-needed basis.

What are the next steps?

Your first step is to have an evaluation to determine if you meet the qualifications for PTSD. You are welcome to be evaluated by me at Breeze Counseling. If you meet the qualifications, you will the be referred to a clinic to get your medical card and then work with a dispensary of your choice for your treatment.

How do you get in contact with me?

You can reach me at Breeze Counseling by calling 630.506.1491 or via email at [email protected]. Please feel to visit my website www.BreezeCounseling.com for more information.