Benjamin Bey of Soul D’licious Infused and Bea Martinez of THC Production, LLC talk about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. They discuss common types of OCD symptoms. OCD diagnosis usually involves repetitive behaviors that are uncontrollable or undesirable. Additionally, they may cause significant distress or problems in day-to-day life. Common forms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder may manifest in different ways. These include taboo thoughts, lack of control, anxiety, repeatedly checking things, excessive cleaning, and more.

Additionally, Bea and Ben discuss the application of cannabis to treat OCD. Apparently, smoking cannabis can help decrease OCD tendencies by half. This occurs within a period of 4 hours or less. Finally, the two talk about a helpful app that can help you track your cannabis use to share with your healthcare provider.

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a common, chronic disorder in which a person has uncontrollable reoccurring thoughts and behaviors that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over. People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, may have symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, such as work, school, and personal relationships. The following information about OCD can be found on their website.

Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety. Common symptoms include:

• Fear of germs or contamination
• Unwanted forbidden or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
• Aggressive thoughts towards others or self
• Having things symmetrical or in a perfect order

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person with OCD feels the urge to do. These are done in response to obsessive thoughts. Common compulsions include:

• Excessive cleaning and/or handwashing
• Ordering and arranging things in a particular, precise way
• Repeatedly checking on things, such as repeatedly checking to see if the door is locked or that the oven is off
• Compulsive counting

Not all rituals or habits are compulsions. Everyone double checks things sometimes. But a person with OCD generally:

• Can’t control his or her thoughts or behaviors, even when those thoughts or behaviors are recognized as excessive
• Spends at least 1 hour a day on these thoughts or behaviors
• Doesn’t get pleasure when performing the behaviors or rituals, but may feel brief relief from the anxiety the thoughts cause
• Experiences significant problems in their daily life due to these thoughts or behaviors

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder & Cannabis

While there is no cure for OCD, there are ways to treat or manage it. Commonly, OCD can be treated in two ways. The first is psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. Many times, subjecting Obsessive Compulsive Disorder sufferers to Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) may help combat their obsessions. ERP involves gradually exposing the OCD sufferer to feared objects or obsession and having them learn ways to resist the urge to engage in compulsive rituals.

The second way to combat OCD is through the use of medications. Frequently, these medications are powerful SSRI prescriptions. However, OCD can be also be treated with cannabis. The higher the concentration, the better the results tend to be. However, it appears that THC may only help in the short term. As of now, CBD may help treat OCD in the long term.