Marijuana and depression

Can marijuana be considered a treatment for depression, or does it work quite the opposite? Scientists do not yet have completely clear conclusions. In this article we will try to summarise the findings so far.

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 264 million people (worldwide) are living with it and the number is growing.

There are many proven treatment options for depression, and researchers are always exploring new potential treatments. These could bring relief to people who do not feel improvement with current treatments. Marijuana may be one of these options, but we are probably a long way from any relevant findings yet. Anyway, we do know something.

Marijuana can be viewed in two ways in relation to depression. Either as a depression-relieving substance or as a depression trigger. Although many people with depression use marijuana, scientists do not believe that this drug directly causes mood disorders. Instead, recent research suggests that people with depression use it to treat their symptoms. Indeed, relief from anxiety is one of the most common reasons people report using marijuana.

Some research does show that marijuana can help people feel better if they are suffering from depression, but this is especially true in the short term. So far, no control institute in the world has labelled marijuana as an anti-anxiety drug.

Marijuana use can cause problems

Many people with depression consider marijuana a safe drug. However, studies show that marijuana can increase the risk of some serious problems in depression. It’s more of a warning, but it includes things like..:

Exacerbation of depression

For some people, marijuana intensifies the symptoms of depression. Your risk is higher if you started using the drug as a teenager, are a heavy user, or use recreational marijuana instead of medical marijuana.

Lack of motivation

When you use marijuana, you may find it more difficult to take part in activities that are good for you. One study found that about 20% of people who use marijuana for depression reported that it reduced their motivation.

Marijuana and the treatment of depression

Some studies also show that low doses of marijuana can help with depression. This may mean that the effect of marijuana on depression is likely to be dose-dependent.

Results of clinical research published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs in 2014 showed that marijuana use was associated with a reduction in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The sample of respondents reported an average of up to 75% reduction in all areas of PTSD symptoms.

Especially on the internet, you can find many stories and evidence that marijuana has really helped people with depression. However, researchers still share the view that much more research needs to be done to take into account a range of variables. Thus, marijuana definitely cannot be universally recommended as a safe option for self-medicating mental health problems. At the same time, it may indeed help some people to relieve anxiety.

The American Psychiatric Association points out that there is no scientific evidence that definitively supports the use of marijuana as an appropriate treatment for depression or any psychiatric illness. Unfortunately, given the strong links between US Psychiatric Association and pharmaceutical companies, it can be assumed that scientific studies confirming the benefits of cannabis in psychiatry will not take place in the near future.

In the Nukaseeds offer you can find great models of cannabis that can qualitatively suppress depression, such as Automaton and Banshee.

Source : softsecrets