How To Talk To Your Doctor About Weed And CBD
Tips For Asking Your Doctor About Medicinal Cannabis
It’s common to feel uncomfortable when bringing up certain subjects to your doctor. Discomfort and anxiety are common feelings to have when doctor’s appointments approach. In fact, there’s even a name for the fear of doctors: Iatrophobia.
Even if you don’t have a full-blown phobia of doctors, you may feel that you need to take caution when bringing up certain topics, like cannabis use. After all, cannabis can be a pretty taboo subject in many contexts, even though the plant is legal for recreational use in Canada and a handful of the United States.
Trust us – finding the courage to talk about cannabis with your doctor will be worth it. Consider our tips, and you’ll be ready to gain a medical professional’s knowledge of cannabis and CBD, and learn how cannabinoids can benefit you specifically.
Tip #1: Be Your Own Advocate
“Be your own advocate” is a phrase you’d most likely hear in a self-empowerment seminar, but the phrase is a must-hear mantra when seeking medical care.
Your doctor should be happy to answer (or try to answer) any of your questions. It’s up to you to ask them. Be open with your goals and needs. This approach will show your doctor that you want the best for yourself, and they’ll match your efforts.
Tip #2: Be Patient
It’s possible that your doctor won’t know all the answers to your cannabis-related questions. That’s because both cannabis and CBD are still being heavily researched. These properties are likely going to be heavily featured in medical journals over the next few years, as research progresses. Until then, doctors can only run with the information they do have.
Understand that, since many of CBD’s believed beneficial properties are not unanimously agreed upon yet, your doctor’s suggestions may not equal a final answer.
Tip #3: Do Your Research
You may see your doctor as a human encyclopedia of medical knowledge, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring your own set of knowledge to the table. Read about the particular treatment or goal you have, and present it to your doctor to earn added clarity.
Want to feel more secure with your information? Try to find more than one source that presents the same information.
Tip #4: Be Honest, And Trust Your Doctor
You may be afraid that your doctor will flat-out oppose cannabis use. However, if you can’t be open about your interest in cannabis, the exchange of information between you and your doctor won’t produce the results you need.
It’s a good idea to ask your doctor about their opinion of cannabis or CBD at large. Even if they are skeptical, you should want to know why they have the opinion that they do. If they seem unfairly skeptical, you may choose to seek advice from a different medical professional.
