Since July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, in case you were unaware, we are here to discuss it and offer some natural solutions for improving mental health. The 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from SAMHSA shows that:
Black and African American people reported having mental illnesses at rates of 16.4% (4.8 million) and 22.4% (1.1 million) over the preceding year, respectively.
Major depressive episodes rose from 9 percent to 10.3 percent in B/AA youth ages 12 to 17, from 6.1 percent to 9.4 percent in young adults ages 18 to 25, and from 5.7 percent to 6.3 percent in the 26-49 age group between 2015 and 2018. This increase occurred despite rates being lower than the overall U.S. population.
If you are Black, it’s likely that you have heard the adage “what happens in this house stays in this house” or a variation of it at some point in your life. This phrase has taught us to keep our private affairs inside our homes and to avoid discussing them with others. Many of us had to learn how to hide our feelings and emotions as children since we were not aware of counseling or treatment, which in some cases resulted in long-term mental and emotional problems.
Cannabis is one of several natural approaches that can aid people who are battling with conditions like anxiety and depression, instead of turning to pharmaceutical medications to help them cope. Studies have shown that patients who used cannabis to treat a variety of medical issues, including anxiety, had significantly improved cognitive performance, decreased clinical symptoms, and anxiety-related symptoms, as well as a decreased use of conventional medications, such as opioids, benzodiazepines, and other mood stabilizers and antidepressants, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
Cannabis also has additional health advantages, such as:
Decreasing blood pressure
Lowering inflammatory response
Preventing drug and alcohol addiction recurrence
Treating eating problems and anxiety
Handling gastrointestinal (GI) conditions
Preventing convulsions and
Fighting the cancer
Ask a holistic physician in your area if cannabis could treat your condition if you reside in a region where medical marijuana is permitted and you struggle with mental health issues or severe medical conditions.
