PTSD is one of the most common qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Ohio. Many PTSD patients in Ohio are finding medical marijuana an effective alternative to prescription pharmaceutical medications, like anti-anxiety pills. If you have PTSD or think you might, you too could potentially get an Ohio medical marijuana card. Below, we provide you with medical marijuana card in Ohio PTSD questionnaire and expert answers.
What is PTSD?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a type of psychiatric disorder that could potentially arise in anyone who has witnessed or experienced a traumatizing occurrence such as (but not limited to:)
- A natural disaster
- A serious accident
- A shocking, frightening or dangerous event
- A terrorist act
- War or combat
- Sexual assault
- Physical assault
- Domestic abuse
- Childhood abuse
- Witnessing domestic abuse in childhood
- Childhood or teenage bullying
- The death of a loved one, particularly one that’s sudden or unexpected
- The threat of serious injury, sexual violence or death
Note that the COVID-19 pandemic could be a source of PTSD and, in fact, has been for many.
How to Know Whether You May Have PTSD
The most common symptoms of PTSD are depression and anxiety. Beyond these, many, if not most, people with PTSD exhibit one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
- Internal reminders of a traumatizing incident – Such as flashbacks or nightmares
- Avoiding external reminders of a life-threatening or other traumatizing event – Such as avoiding the location where it occurred or people present or involved
- Mood changes or changes in thinking
If you experience any of these signs, you may want to see a doctor for a possible PTSD diagnosis.
Stages of PTSD
There are five stages of PTSD, and one of them is the impact or emergency stage when the traumatizing event is fresh or still occurring; another is the denial or numbing stage. This means you may have PTSD and not even know it or be willing to admit it. But, medical marijuana can potentially help relieve the symptoms of your PTSD, which makes it worth finding out or accepting the reality of it.
This is the first step toward seeking and getting proper PTSD treatment, which happens to make up the remaining three of the five stages of PTSD.
How Is PTSD Diagnosed?
To diagnose your PTSD, a doctor will generally conduct a physical examination to identify any other potential medical problems that could be leading to your symptoms. During this evaluation, you and your doctor will likely discuss those symptoms as well as the incident or incidents that produced them.
Medical Marijuana and PTSD
The decision to consider PTSD medical marijuanas Ohio qualifying condition is based on sound scientific evidence.
Research has found that medical marijuana may benefit PTSD by potentially reducing the frequency and intensity of symptoms. As the Journal of Pyschiatry and Neuroscience reports, medical marijuana has already been found beneficial in reducing certain PTSD symptoms.
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card for PTSD in Ohio
In order to have a doctor certified to recommend (CTR) medical marijuana in Ohio give you a medical marijuana recommendation, you must first obtain paperwork verifying a PTSD diagnosis or connect yourself with a licensed Ohio doctor for an evaluation for a possible PTSD diagnosis.
Once you have your PTSD diagnosis paperwork in order, you can use mmjcard4less.com to see one of our Ohio licensed and CTR doctors to get your needed medical marijuana recommendation.
Telehealth for Medical Marijuana Evaluations
The state of Ohio now allows doctors and patients to use telehealth to conduct medical marijuana evaluations, including for a PTSD evaluation for medical card Ohio. The benefits of this are many, including reduced stress and anxiety from traveling to and from a doctor’s office, waiting in a waiting room and undergoing an in-person medical evaluation, any or all of which can trigger or exacerbate a patient’s PTSD symptoms.
This is especially true in the age of COVID, when leaving home now carries its own additional health risks. Fear of such stress and anxiety can even lead some PTSD patients to choose not to get their medical marijuana card rather than risk the possibility of experiencing or worsening their PTSD symptoms.
Telehealth allows patients to remain in the safety of their own home and receive their medical marijuana evaluation over a video call. All you need to use telehealth for a medical marijuana evaluation is an internet-enabled device (like a smartphone or tablet) and an internet connection.
Using mmjcard4less to Get Your Medical Marijuana Card With Telehealth
To use mmjcard4less to get your medical marijuana card, you must simply complete the following steps:
- Sign up at mmjcard4less – Provide your basic contact information and answer a few basic questions, including your qualifying condition.
- Present paperwork – Upload your valid proof of ID demonstrating Ohio residency and any medical records you have proving your PTSD diagnosis.
- Schedule an appointment – You can see one of our Ohio licensed and CTR doctors for a medical marijuana evaluation within 20 minutes of completing signup.
- Attend your examination – Without even leaving the comfort and safety of your own home, you can meet with your medical marijuana doctor through mmjcard4less using telehealth.
- Receive your recommendation – The doctor will submit your medical marijuana recommendation to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP,) which will contact you shortly thereafter to invite you to complete your profile on the Patient Registry.
- Complete your profile – Click the link in the email the OMMCP sends you to be taken to the Patient Registry where you’ll complete your profile.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you simply wait for up to 1-2 days (same day often) to receive an email from the OMMCP containing your activation of the digital PTSD medical marijuanas Ohio card.