By Billee Sharp

Cannabis has one of the longest associations with the human race of any domesticated plant. Around the globe, cannabis and hemp have been an invaluable resource, cultivated for medicine, food and fiber for thousands of years. After a century or so of condemnation in Western society, the 21st century is witnessing the popular return of cannabis medicine to the medical pharmacopeia.

Scientific cannabis studies over the last 80 years have identified THC, CBD and many more cannabinoids, we’ve also discovered cannabinoid receptors and the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). Now cannabis medicine has solid scientific credibility, more and more research will reveal the plant’s true medical potentiality.

Most people first hear about cannabis described as a “recreational drug” which has a strong psychoactive effect on the brain, and this is documented many times through history to antiquity. A personal favorite is Pliny the Elder’s titillating account of how the native Sycthians would prepare a tent and burn cannabis inside to enjoy the vapors while singing and laughing.

Many cannabis users cite mental relaxation as their primary goal and THC is effective for many in this capacity. Others cannot tolerate the psychoactive effects of THC but will respond positively to the relaxing anti-anxiety effects of CBD and other cannabinoids that also lead to a pleasant state of ambient wellbeing.

Finding the appropriate cannabinoids and the right dosage are crucial, and self-experimenting will determine exactly what works for the individual. Self-knowledge is the essential starting point and a willingness to try out a variety of cannabinoids. Where there is resistance to THC based on previous negative experiences or just plain trepidation, experimenting with blends of cannabinoids can yield surprisingly positive results.

Synergy Wellness continues to develop unique blends of cannabinoids for differing dispositions and to treat various conditions. For a relaxing effect Synergy’s #103 4:1 CBD Indica blend, has one part THC to four parts CBD, accordingly the psychoactivity of the THC-rich Indica is mild to minimal. Another mood - enhancing blend, associated with raising mental energy and mood enhancement is Synergy’s #116 4:1 CBD Sativa blend. Here four parts of CBD are supplemented by one part Sativa, again this blend yields only a mild psychoactivity.

The best option for powerful mood modulation without any psychoactivity is Synergy’s #231 3:1 CBD/CBG blended tincture, CBD’s anti-anxietal action is combined with CBG, a cannabinoid valued as a mood booster and used for treating neurological distress with encouraging research into restoring brain function after stroke-induced trauma.

There is considerable research into the use of cannabinoids for serious mental and neurological conditions, autism, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia among them.

Dr Deborah Malka has been working with Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients for over a decade, previously known as Manic Depression, BD is notoriously difficult to diagnose and is characterized by extreme mood swings from manic mental overactivity to deep depressive periods. Dr Malka’s protocols offer cannabinoid-based medication for BD patients, who often experience mentally debilitating side effects from conventional treatments.

The breakthroughs Dr Malka has experienced with her patients relate to pairing the right cannabinoids with the symptoms that are presenting; relief of anxiety and mood elevation are typically central concerns.

Dr Malka works with an awareness of terpenes which has proven to be key in managing cycling episodes, she favors the terpene Myrcene to promote calmness and relieve sleeplessness while Limonene works well for invigorating depressive episodes. Following Dr Malka’s terpene guide Synergy’s #103 CBD 4:1 Indica or #116 CBD 4:1 Sativa both of which derive from ACDC which is rich in the terpene Myrcene, promoting relaxation and relieving agitation. While Synergy’s #124 Cannatonic 2:1 is rich in the terpene limonene which encourages mental stimulation and energy, lifting the spirits.

The special bonus gift of cannabinoids is their inherent synergistic effect. While one may be seeking relief from a mental issue, cannabinoids allow our ECS to simultaneously address inflammation, monitor and remediate cell health and balance our overall physical condition, side effects that we welcome!

The positive research into mood modulation through cannabis therapies represent a promising start to the development of new effective plant-based treatments for mental health conditions. Whether symptoms are mild or severe, there is a non-addictive effective path to mood enhancement with cannabis medicine.

Sources:

‘CBD & Bipolar Disorder’ Mary Biles. April 6. 2022

https://www.projectcbd.org/medicine/cbd-bipolar-disorder

‘History of Cannabis and the Endocannabinoid System’ Marc-Antoine Crocq. September 2020 issue

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7605027/

‘CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis’ Leonard Leinow & Juliana Birnbaum. October 2017