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Can marijuana be used for eating disorder recovery? People with other mental illnesses and disorders have had success with medical marijuana, so this theory isn’t too off base.
The National Eating Disorder Association estimates 20 million women and 10 million men in the US suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime. While there are many types of eating disorders, three common types are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
These mental illnesses cause dire health consequences and often require treatment for a long road to recovery. Can marijuana help?
Endocannabinoid System & Appetite
The human body comes equipped with an endocannabinoid system. This system exists in regions of the brain controlling food intake as well as reward and energy. Cannabinoid receptors make up this system. Specifically, CB1 cannabinoid receptors promote appetite and associate reward with food. If these CB1 receptors appear deficient, it causes the behaviors and traits noticed in eating disorders patients. To fix this, marijuana can help. But it is important to note that marijuana affects each person with an eating disorder differently.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by harsh food restriction and body image issues. Recently, researchers performed a study on people with this eating disorders. They found genetic links between anorexia and many mental illnesses like neuroticism and schizophrenia. These connections allow for the classification of anorexia as a psychiatric illness. What drives this illness may, in fact, be the eating disorders brain’s deficiency in CB1 receptors. But marijuana offers a solution.
Treating Anorexia With Marijuana
Treating anorexia with marijuana works in two ways. First, it gives the