Some say men have a habit of refusing to ask for help, especially when confronting medical or mental health issues they may be experiencing.
“Men don’t want to seek any type of medical support, whether it be mental health or physical health. A lot of studies and surveys show that men are afraid; that there is some sort of belief that they are weak if they go to the doctor,” says Dr. Delvena Thomas, a board-certified psychiatrist and qualified medical marijuana physician. Her practice is based in Fort Lauderdale.
Changing this potentially detrimental behavior among men is a long-term project that starts with parenting, says Dr. Michael Railey Sr., a psychologist with a private practice based in Tallahassee. “I’ve got three sons, and I’ve talked to my sons openly about taking care of themselves, about starting to do that now and not waiting,” he says.
When it comes to men caring for their mental health, Dr. Thomas advises them to be self-aware of signs of behavioral changes that could warn of impending psychological distress.
“Anything that’s different than their usual routine is typically a red flag. Maybe they’re eating a lot more or they’re eating a lot less than they usually do. They’re having difficulty falling asleep. They might appear sad. They may get angry more easily. They may be snappy. Oftentimes, men also lose interest in sex and sexual appetite. Their libido decreases. That is a telltale sign of depression in men,” she says.
Identifying underlying causes
Identifying the underlying causes of a psychological issue is best left to mental health professionals like Drs. Thomas and Railey.
Both say treatment starts with a thorough health assessment, followed by therapy. As a psychiatrist, Dr. Thomas can prescribe prescription drugs, and as a medical marijuana-qualified physician she can recommend medical cannabis if the patient has a qualifying condition or a comparable ailment.
For example, post-traumatic stress disorder is a qualifying condition, but someone suffering from mental health problems with similarities to PTSD, such as chronic anxieties, might also be eligible for a medical marijuana card in Florida.
Cannabis as treatment
Dr. Thomas describes medical cannabis as a drug of limited use in her psychiatric practice, mostly helping patients cope with anxieties and overcome sleep disorders. But she says it is safer than some pharmaceuticals prescribed to treat the same issues.
“The easy fix that some of my physician colleagues will do is give someone some Ativan or some Klonopin,” she says, referring to anti-anxiety drugs. “Those things lead to issues with cognition, the ability to think and recall and maintain information and recall information. Those things are associated with premature onset of dementia. Medicinal cannabis is not associated with dementia. It’s not associated with addictive potential.”
Both doctors strongly warn against self-medicating with non-medical marijuana, whether obtained illegally in Florida or in a state where adult-use is legal. With its higher THC levels, recreational marijuana “can cause latent psychotic features to sort of come to the surface really quickly,” says Dr. Railey.
“When I was in residency back in the early 2000s, we saw studies that street marijuana . . . could actually induce psychosis,” adds Dr. Thomas.
A recent National Institutes of Health report linked “cannabis use disorder” to an increased risk of schizophrenia, especially in young men. According to the report, regular marijuana users who continue their habit despite the ill effects it has on their lives, such as job loss, indolence and apathy, likely suffer from cannabis use disorder.
Anyone in a state of psychological distress should seek professional help, says Dr. Thomas, who recommends starting with a primary care physician for guidance.
Other resources to consider are healthcare insurers’ lists of in-network mental health practitioners, a community mental health center, or calling the free 211 referral service. It can connect callers to crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention, and rehabilitation.
Visit https://bit.ly/CannabisAndMensMentalHealth to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring Dr. Delvena Thomas, a Board-certified psychiatrist and qualified medical marijuana physician based in Fort Lauderdale, and Dr. Mike Railey, a licensed psychologist based in Tallahassee discussing how cannabis use can impact a man’s mental health.
