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“What, me? Worry?” This iconic signature phrase was on the front cover of MAD magazine, emblazoned under the face of Alfred E. Newman. Anxiety, and the associated psychological and physical symptoms, is the most prevalent mental illness in the US—affecting approximately 18% of the population. Anxiety manifests differently in each person and it originates from a variety of risk factors including life events, genetics, and personality. And although the “What, me? Worry?” attitude is attributed to male archetypes like Alfred E. Newman, it is women who primarily suffer from anxiety disorder, twice as frequently as men. There are traditional therapies that are used to treat anxiety and its co-associated disorders. The treatment protocols and success rates vary, just like the anxiety presentation itself varies from patient to patient. Patients respond differently to different treatment options, and some may do well with a combination of techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, other complementary treatments, and a pharmaceutical medication. This multi-modal approach is wellaccepted by traditional medical practitioners even though it has varied success rates. 40
So how does cannabis fit? It depends. Some physicians and other health care providers are suspicious of cannabis, believing it will cause more harm than good—and in truth, that is a possibility. The over consumption of cannabis products containing high concentrations of THC, the intoxicating molecule in cannabis, may actually mimic a panic attack. Patients who do not consume
IT IS WOMEN WHO PRIMARILY SUFFER FROM ANXIETY DISORDER, TWICE AS FREQUENTLY AS MEN
