Anxiety, Depression & a Pandemic,
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Cannabis can help
Dr. Bonni Goldstein is the Medical Director and owner of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education. Her practice is dedicated to education on the medical uses of cannabis for serious and chronic conditions. Dr. Goldstein earned her medical degree at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She became interested in medical cannabis in 2008 when she saw firsthand its healing effects on a friend. Dr. Goldstein recently released the book “Cannabis is Medicine: How Medical Cannabis and CBD are Healing Everything from Anxiety to Chronic Pain.” Cannabis by the Sea interviewed Dr. Goldstein on cannabis and mental health. Q: Are there any statistics or anecdotal evidence Q: Do patients typically start the discussion on cannabis as showing that more mental health professionals are willing medicine or do you? to recommend a cannabis treatment to their patients as opposed to a standard prescription? Dr: I am a cannabis specialist so when patients come to me, it is specifically because they want to use cannabis and Dr: I am not aware of any formal statistics about mental are asking for help in figuring out their cannabis regimen. health professionals’ willingness to recommend cannabis treatment, but, anecdotally, I Q What is a patient’s typical We cannot expect medical patients have patients who reported reaction? with serious conditions to get advice that their psychiatrist or from non-healthcare professionals therapist mentioned using Dr: In my talks with patients who who staff cannabis dispensaries. cannabis or CBD to treat report to me that their primary their condition. Unfortunately, care or specialist physician physicians still do not get education on the nuances of recommended that they come to see me, they are grateful the different cannabinoid medicines and how to use them, that their doctor mentioned it and was willing to discuss it leaving a large gap between just recommending the use with them. of cannabis and actually assisting a patient to find the correct cannabinoid medicines and dosing that will help Q: Are there pandemic-specific signs or indicators you look with their specific situation. for in patients with anxiety and/or depression?
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Dr: When I am assessing either new patients or established patients during an appointment, I ask how and if the current 18 Cannabis by the Sea Winter 2020
