Cannabis and PTSD Treatment – Seedsman Blog

We sent out a questionnaire to our community earlier this month, asking you to share stories of how you use cannabis for medicinal purposes. We’ll be sharing a few of those stories with you in the coming days, in the hope you may see some common ground.

One story that caught our eye was that of “Bagel” (real name confidential), who turned to growing and consuming his own cannabis following a long military career.

These stories are all a part of #MedMarch on Seedsman, where we champion the benefits of medicinal cannabis. At the same time, we’re offering a buy one get one free on all medical strains.

Here’s how this vet turned to cannabis once he came home:

What brought you to using cannabis as a medicine?

I was a casual recreational user in college. After my ten year enlistment, I was discharged because of my PTSD back and knee issues. I had trouble sleeping and horrible nightmares. After trying all sorts of sedatives and tranquillizers that would get me to sleep initially but did nothing for the nightmares that woke me up constantly, I decided to give cannabis a try.

I had seen a YouTube video of veterans who had great results from it. I haven’t looked back since. My sleep and nightmare issues are still there but are decidedly more manageable.

Are there many veterans who use cannabis to help them recover both from the pain and the PTSD brought on by active service?

I know of three others and myself. I use it for pain and sleep primarily. Generally, when I need to have my mind take a rest from the hypervigilance. Cannabis has a big stigma within the military and veterans communities as use of it is grounds for dishonourable discharge. So we often see it as a boogie man.

Is cannabis offered as a medication by veterans associations?

It is not. Cannabis is still federally illegal, although most states have some kind of legal medical or recreational cannabis. The federal government manages veterans’ administrations. They aren’t even allowed to talk about medical cannabis as a legitimate treatment, let alone provide it.

Why do you prefer cannabis over traditional medications?

I like that it works with my body’s endocannabinoid system instead of directly changing my brain chemistry. The side effects of many other psychoactive drugs can be rough as well. I don’t have that with cannabis.

Do you grow your own? If so, how do you do it?

I do. I grow outdoors during my short summer. In the winter, I grow either in Coco/Perlite mix with drip irrigation or in DWC. Lately, I have been leaning on DWC as it is less stressful for me because managing the chemistry of the nutrients is easier than managing the biology in soil or coco.

Which strains do you normally cultivate?

I like to grow Alaskan Purple for the psychedelic notes really helps me to work through some issues, although I’m out of those seeds. Other than that, I’ll grow any of the Peyote strains. They all have the same mellow base with a good bit of pain relief.

Do you have a medical marijuana licence?

I do. I received my license in 2018. Luckily PTSD is one condition that allows medical marijuana in my state.

Seedsman would like to thank Bagel for his time and honesty. If you yourself are suffering from PTSD know that you’re not alone. Seedsman does not and will not condone cannabis as a sole medication, and one should always consult with a medical professional in all instances. However, we do hope this story, if applicable, helps you if needed.