Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health condition, affecting millions of people every year. Nightmares frequently impact those with PTSD and can be incredibly distressing and disruptive. While prescription medications are one treatment option, a new study suggests THC could offer another.
The research, published in Nature Medicine, examined dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC sold under the brand name Marinol. The medication is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting and appetite loss associated with AIDS.
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While dronabinol mimics THC, the intoxicating compound in cannabis, the findings don’t necessarily mean smoking a joint before bed will have the same effect.
The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial included 171 patients with PTSD-related nightmares. Volunteers received either 2.5 to 15 milligrams of dronabinol or a placebo once daily before bedtime for 10 weeks.
The median age of participants was around 38, and roughly 79 percent were women. Clinicians assessed nightmare frequency and intensity using a DSM-IV scale.
The study found that participants receiving dronabinol saw greater improvements in PTSD-related nightmares than those given a placebo.
“More than a third of the patients treated with Dronabinol reported that they no longer experienced any nightmares after ten weeks. Another 21 percent reported that their nightmare burden had been at least halved,” study author Stefan Röpke said in a news release. “And about five out of six patients in the dronabinol group felt their health had markedly improved.”
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It’s not the first time researchers have found that a cannabinoid could help ease PTSD-related nightmares. A 2009 study of the synthetic cannabinoid nabilone found that 72 percent of participants experienced either a significant reduction in nightmare intensity or stopped experiencing nightmares altogether.
Outside of clinical research, sleep is a popular use case for cannabis. Many people turn to the plant to help them sleep, including people with PTSD-related nightmares. However, the jury’s still out on the long-term impact of cannabis on sleep quality; some experts believe THC may actually lead to more sleep disturbances.
Even so, the results of the most recent study on THC for PTSD nightmares are promising. With millions of people living with PTSD around the world, another potential treatment option may be welcome news.
