Stressed Out Mice Chose Weed For Relaxation
Why Cannabis Really Is The Top Choice For Combating Stress
No one is immune to stress.
Even animals can feel stressed out. And when organisms are exposed to stress, we’re forced to examine our behavior and soothe ourselves. And we’ll always go back to what works for us.
That’s why the results of a recent study involving stressed-out mice caught the attention of the public as well as the scientific community: the mice repeatedly gravitated towards weed to relieve them of stress. They weren’t trained to do so, nor were they tasked to do so. It seemed as if the mice’s biology prompted it, as it likely found cannabinoid consumption soothing.
The study, conducted by researchers from Washington State University and published in the Neuropsychopharmacology journal, sought to understand what motivates cannabis-seeking behavior patterns. They found that mice who had higher stress levels consistently gravitated towards cannabis, compared to less stressed animals. To better understand motivations and behaviors, the investigators analyzed several traits, including cognition, social behavior, arousal, and reward sensitivity. They then devised intricate profiles for each rat then observed them for an hour per day for three weeks.
During the observation period, they were given the choice to consume marijuana by triggering the release of vapor whenever they placed their nose into a port. Researchers took not eof how often the rats triggered the vapor release with their noses.
“We ran rats through this extensive battery of behavioral and biological tests, and what we found was that when we look at all of these different factors, and all the variables that we measured, stress levels seem to matter the most when it comes to cannabis use,” explained Ryan McLaughlin, an associate professor at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
“If you want to really boil it down, there are baseline levels of stress hormones that can predict rates of cannabis self-administration, and I think that only makes sense given that the most common reason that people habitually use cannabis is to cope with stress,” adds McLaughin.
Additionally, they identified that long-term stress was the critical determining factor. Temporary stress caused by mentally challenging tasks or physical exertion didn’t trigger the rats to seek weed. Similarly, when the rats’ stress levels were measured after being exposed to a stressor, this wasn’t enough to get them to crave weed.
“Animals that were less flexible in shifting between rules, when we tested them in a cognitive task, tended to show stronger rates of cannabis-seeking behavior,” McLaughlin said. “So, animals that rely more heavily on visual cues to guide their decision-making, those rats, when we tested their motivation to self-administer cannabis vapor, were also very highly motivated rats,” he added.
Another interesting takeaway from the study was that researchers noted a pattern: the animals with high stress levels and low endocannabinoid levels had a higher chance of administering weed. Since the human body needs a healthy level of endocannabinoids to achieve homeostasis, we can understand better why some people genuinely crave THC, since it may substitute endocannabinoids in their system.
“Our findings highlight potential early or pre-use markers that could one day support screening and prevention strategies,” McLaughlin adds. “I could certainly envision a scenario where having an assessment of baseline cortisol might provide some level of insight into whether there’s an increased propensity for you to develop problematic drug use patterns later in life,” he said.
Cannabis Is Best For Stress
There is a solid and growing body of research proving that cannabis is excellent for managing stress. And this is much more than just convenient; it’s important because for so many of us, stress is just part of life.
However, despite the sources of stress evolving with life, the solutions to combat stress have remained largely unchanged.
That’s why people reach for a toke or two after a tiring work day, or use it regularly to cope. The findings of the WSU study support these claims and further solidify them, which is important at both the medical and scientific levels. More than just a stress aid, it explains the biological reasons why cannabis works so well for humans.
Keep in mind that the human body is already primed to receive cannabis, thanks to the endocannabinoid system. Stress forces the body to go into overdrive, causing increased cortisol levels, cognitive hypervigilance, rapid heart rate, disrupted sleep, and much more - but when we consume weed, the endocannabinoid system helps restore balance by acting as a brake. These all prove that stress isn’t just emotional or mental; it’s very much physical, hence these symptoms.
There is a wonderful variety of cannabis products out there, which we can use for managing stress. For some people, THC works best, while for others, a hefty dose of CBD is truly effective. If you don’t know where to start, you can also try medicating with CBD.
After all, cannabis is the safer, natural choice. Many still make the mistake of medicating and numbing themselves with alcohol to combat stress, when alcohol is a well-known carcinogen with multiple serious side effects.
In a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder, they analyzed the use of marijuana among subjects with increased anxiety. They were asked to medicate with state-regulated marijuana products containing either THC or CBD. The patients’ baseline levels of stress, depression, and symptoms were then measured, as well as two and 4 weeks after the trials.
According to the investigators, they noticed profound changes in their Depression Anxiety Stress (DASS) scores throughout the trial. They found that those who consumed high CBD products revealed better improvements, suggesting that CBD is effective for managing stress. In addition, the participants didn’t increase their alcohol consumption. “Among a sample of individuals underrepresented in research, both CBD and THC were significantly related to improvement in mood but not to alcohol use, with participants using CBD demonstrating more improvement over the course of the entire study period..” wrote the researchers.
“These results suggest that CBD may be helpful in reducing negative mood in the short term without increasing risk for disordered alcohol use,” they concluded.
CONCLUSION
Cannabis is the best substance out there for managing stress. It supports the body instead of suppressing its functions, as it interacts with the endocannabinoid system to regulate mood and calm the nervous system.
Unlike sedatives or alcohol, cannabis doesn’t just numb emotions or discomfort. It can help deep recovery from the inside out through reduced inflammation and improved sleep.
DO ANIMALS ENJOY WEED, READ ON...
