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Is Marijuana Good For Depression And Anxiety

Can Medical Cannabis/marijuana Be Prescribed For Depression

Harvard study casts doubt over medical marijuana treating anxiety, depression

Yes, in Australia medical cannabis can be prescribed for depression. Mental health disorders are the second largest category of medical cannabis approvals countrywide.

While reports state that depression is still one of the smaller categories of approval, there are known approvals. GPs can prescribe medical cannabis Australia-wide with few exceptions, including Tasmania where patients need specialist approval.

You can learn about eligibility and how your doctor can prescribe cannabis in our cannabis access article.

Can Marijuana Cause Anxiety

Marijuana isnt known to cause an anxiety disorder to develop in people that otherwise wouldnt have had one, but it can cause anxiety symptoms in some people. Marijuana is a complicated drug, and it can cause relaxation in some and anxiety symptoms in others. This is especially true for people that take marijuana with high levels of THC, which have been associated with symptoms like anxiety, discomfort, increased heart rate, and psychosis. Someone with an anxiety or panic disorder may see a worsening of symptoms when they take high doses of THC. If youre treated for anxiety with medical marijuana, its likely that youll take lower doses of THC than some illicit sources of marijuana can provide.

Benefits Of Medical Marijuana Studies Prove Cbd Treats Anxiety

Certain medical marijuana strains with higher levels of CBD have proven to help treat anxiety disorders. The CBD produces therapeutic affects for patients and can also help patients with Crohns Disease or glaucoma. Animal studies suggest that CBD present in cannabis lessens anxiety and reduces the severity and frequency of seizures.

According to a study published by the Institute of Psychiatry, CBD proved to offer great psychiatric potential, including uses as an antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like compound. During the study, animals who had been given CBD experienced lower levels of anxiety and depression in a series of tests, such as swimming and puzzle mazes, than animals who had not been given CBD.

Another study aimed to investigate the use of CBD for treating a social anxiety disorder. The study, published by the Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Division of Psychiatry, found that CBD was associated with significantly decreased subjective anxiety.

The study states that in the first session, subjects were given an oral does of CBD or placebo. Results suggested that CBD reduced anxiety in social anxiety disorder patients because it is related to CBDs effects on activity in specific mood-altering brain areas.

History of Medical Marijuana For The Treatment of Anxiety

Today, many states across America have legalized the use of medical marijuana, but usage still remains illegal under U.S. federal law.

Arguments Against Medical Marijuana Use to Treat Anxiety

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What Type Of Cannabis Is Normally Prescribed For Anxiety

Most doctors who prescribe cannabis will treat you slightly differently because cannabis is not your traditional one size fits all medication. Some doctors are very wary of using THC for anxiety disorders. Doctors who have practiced cannabis medicine a bit longer have the experience to use THC.

While cannabis medicine is unique to each patient, Dr Jim said that a rough approach to start with patients is as follows.

Start with a morning and afternoon dose of CBD oil. If the patient had sleep disturbances then theres potential to use a THC based formulation at night time.

In terms of administration method, the CBD and THC would likely be in an oil form.

If a patient has acute breakthrough symptoms throughout the day then a dose of flower, most likely administered via vaporisation may be prescribed. This method offers rapid onset relief for anxiety, but again needs to be used cautiously because of THCs potential to increase anxiety. For individuals hypersensitive to THC, high dose CBD flower may be prescribed.

Having a base of CBD can help reduce the impairing and anxiety provoking effects of the THC.

In conclusion, using CBD and THC in combination can often be very beneficial for patients with anxiety.

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What Are The Signs Of Depression

Amazon.com: How to Cure Depression and Anxiety with the Medical ...

Depression can be debilitating depending on the severity of the condition. There are a number of types and subcategories of depression. There are major depressive disorders. People also experience dysphonia, which is chronic low mood. There can be situational stressors which can lead to a depressive disorder, for example, postnatal depression.

However, all of these conditions have similar features. The main features for depression include pervasive low mood and anhedonia, which is the lack of ability to enjoy previously pleasurable or enjoyable experiences.

Depression can also cause changes in sleep. This can present as difficulty getting to sleep or as hyper-somnolence, wanting to sleep all of the time. A change in appetite can also be a symptom of depression. Some individuals put on weight and other people will have no appetite whatsoever.

Finally, changes in self worth including feelings of worthlessness and guilt or thoughts of death and dying or increased suicidal ideation. All of these feelings can lead to fatigue and mental and physical slowing, so that everything becomes an effort in someones life as well.

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Collecting Cannabis Impact Data

The study used data taken from an app which provides medical cannabis users a means of tracking how different doses and types of cannabis affect a wide variety of symptoms of wellbeing.

The users rate the symptoms they are experiencing before using cannabis on a scale of 1-10 and then input information about the type of cannabis they are using. Twenty minutes after inhaling, they are prompted to report how many puffs they took and to rerate the severity of their symptoms.

Cuttler and WSU colleagues Alexander Spradlin and Ryan McLaughlin used a form of statistical analysis called multilevel modelling to analyse around 12,000 anonymous app entries for depression, anxiety and stress. The researchers did not receive any of the app users personally identifying information for their work.

Cuttler said: This is to my knowledge one of the first scientific studies to provide guidance on the strains and quantities of cannabis people should be seeking out for reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Currently, medical and recreational cannabis users rely on the advice of bud tenders whose recommendations are based off of anecdotal not scientific evidence.

The study is among several cannabis-related research projects currently underway at WSU, all of which are consistent with federal law and many of which are funded with Washington state cannabis taxes and liquor license fees.

Does Cannabis Help Or Worsen Depression

Depression has been called a disease of modernity. More than 17 million Americans are affected by it, and lifestyle factors can contribute to the disorder. Modern populations are often sedentary, sunlight- and sleep-deficient, socially isolated, and stressed, significantly affecting peoples well-being, jobs, and lives.

The relationship between cannabis and depression is complex. For some consumers, cannabis can elevate mood for others, cannabis can worsen depressive symptoms. No clinical trials to date have focused on cannabis as a treatment for depression, so its currently difficult to draw decisive conclusions about whether the plant is helpful or harmful for individuals with depression.

The research that is available suggests that the connection between depression and cannabis is very nuanced. As new studies come to light, it may be that dose, cannabinoids, and use patterns can all influence whether cannabis can ease depression or exacerbate it.

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Cannabis May Ease Depression And Anxiety Long

In a retrospective study of over 7000 adults, cannabis use improved depression and anxiety at 12 and 18 months in adults diagnosed with these conditions. The Canadian researchers who conducted the study published their findings in Psychiatry Research.

Compared with its use for chronic pain, the researchers stated that reliable evidence to support the use of cannabis to treat anxiety is lacking and available data are conflicting. To bring clarity to the issue, the researchers conducted a retrospective database study of Canadian medical cannabis patients. Patients received their cannabis from Harvest Medicine clinic, a network of specialty medical cannabis clinics across Canada.

Of the 7362 patients, 43.9% reported anxiety as the reason for using cannabis and 25.9% reported depression. The average age of the sample was 49.8. The group was fairly evenly divided between men and women .

The mean General Anxiety Disorder-7 score for patients with anxiety was 11.1 compared with 5.3 without anxiety. The scores for patients with anxiety went down over time with the most notable decreases taking place between 1 and 3 months after treatment and 2 years later.

Patients with depression reported a mean Patient Health Questionnaire score of 13.7 compared with 7.4 for those without depression. The most notable drop for patients with depression took place within the first 3 months of treatment.

Reference

What Type Of Cannabis Is Normally Prescribed For Anxiety And Depression

Oil From Cannabis Used To Treat Anxiety, Depression

Both CBD and THC formulations can be really beneficial for depression. Dr Jim said that he normally starts with a CBD dominant treatment to be used throughout the day because its the safest, and often a very effective treatment for depression.

If a patient is having ongoing issues with mood disorders, then he may start to add low doses of THC throughout the day as well.

At night, if a patient is having sleep disturbance or trouble getting to sleep a THC formulation might be necessary as well. The goal is to give patients good quality sleep.

Oil based medications are generally prescribed because of their duration of action, or the time that the effects last. With all treatments, you want to have relief of symptoms throughout the day. However, if there are breakthrough symptoms or conditions that need rapid onset, flower consumed via a vaporiser can be beneficial as well.

One other thing to note is that if you have to drive, THC may not be an option for you. Current laws state that its illegal to drive with any THC in your system. If you want to learn more about when you can drive. Please view our cannabis and driving article.

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The Trickiness Of Self

So how do we explain the fact that so many people report mood benefits from consuming marijuana? For one, THC causes euphoria, just like other drugs of abuse. Second, its possible that some of these people are confusing mood improvement with alleviation of withdrawal symptoms. Just like other addictive substances, cannabis use is habit-forming. Frequent heavy use will change the brain over time such that withdrawal symptoms set in upon reduction or cessation of use. Symptoms of cannabis withdrawal include irritability, anxiety, poor sleep, loss of appetite, restlessness, depression, and these may start within a week of cessation. In people who frequently use marijuana, use relieves these symptoms which can trick them into thinking its helping their mood.

Chronic Use May Worsen Depression

Overall, users reported that their symptoms of depression halved as a result of medical cannabis use, while symptoms of anxiety and stress were reduced by 58 percent.

On looking at how the concentrations of THC and CBD affected symptom severity, the team found that just one puff of high-CBD, low-THC cannabis was enough to lower depressive symptoms, while two puffs of any form of cannabis were tied to a reduction in anxiety.

For symptoms of stress, at least 10 puffs of high-CBD, high-THC cannabis produced the greatest benefit.

According to the researchers, these findings contradict popular notion that THC is the most beneficial cannabinoid for mental health. A lot of consumers seem to be under the false assumption that more THC is always better, says Cuttler.

Our study shows that CBD is also a very important ingredient in cannabis and may augment some of the positive effects of THC.

Carrie Cuttler

However, when it came to assessing the effects of cannabis use long-term, the data identified an increase in symptoms of depression.

Importantly, the study authors conclude, while acute cannabis intoxication temporarily alleviates perceived states of depression, anxiety, and stress, the repeated use of cannabis does not appear to lead to any longer-term reductions in these symptoms.

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Depression And Medical Cannabis: Considerations To Keep In Mind

If you are also experiencing anxiety along with depression, it is important to take into consideration that high doses of THC often increase anxiety, paranoia, and panic. There are also not a lot of qualitative studies that show that depression can be regulated long-term with the use of marijuana, so we dont know the short-term and long-term side effects.

How Marijuana Helps To Relieve Depression

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Information about how cannabis use affects depression is limited, but with each new study, we continue to learn a bit more. Basically, its believed that stress disrupts the production of endocannabinoidsor chemicals that impact our emotions, behavior and moreand the deficiency of these chemicals can cause depression. Cannabinoids like CBD and THC are thought to interact with endocannabinoid receptors, thus helping restore the endocannabinoid system and alleviating symptoms of depression.

Its important to note that while medical marijuana may be helpful for immediate, or short-term, relief of these symptoms, it is not recommended as a primary, long-term treatment for depression. That being said, it could be beneficial as a mood booster to supplement your regular treatment .

Animal studies have shown that THC may stimulate serotonin production, resulting in mood improvements, but high doses of the compound may worsen depressive symptoms. Non-psychoactive CBD is also known to alleviate stress and improve mood, and therefore, strains with higher CBD content may be a helpful option for those seeking depression relief.

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Understanding Neurotransmitters That Affect Mood Disorders

The following neurotransmitters are activated in the brain and influence stress, anxiety and depression disorders :

  • Acetylcholine- enhances memory and learning recall.
  • Serotonin- regulates sleep, appetite, mood, and inhibits pain.
  • Norepinephrine- constricts blood vessels and can raise blood pressure. It also triggers anxiety and some types of depression.
  • Dopamine- influences motivation and plays a role in how reality is perceived. It is the brains reward system.
  • Glutamate- is an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a role in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
  • Gamma- aminobutyric acid – is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is thought to lower anxiety.

Is Marijuana A Stimulant Or A Depressant

Marijuana can have the effect of a stimulant and a depressant. Different strains of marijuana impact people differently, and two of the most common strains are sativa and indica. Sativa is known to have more of a stimulant effect, and indica can have more of a depressant effect.

Sativa is more uplifting on someones mood. People who use a sativa strain of marijuana might expect to feel more euphoric, energetic or creative. Some people refer to sativa strains as providing a mind high feeling.

Indica strains can cause people to feel more relaxed and calm. It has more of a sedating effect and can decrease energy. People who have used an indica strain of marijuana have described feeling the couch lock. They feel very mellow, like they are stuck on the couch and cannot get up from it.

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Traditional Treatments For Depression

Treatment of depression is unique to you and the severity of your case. Its possible to successfully manage and treat mild, moderate, and severe depression.

Mild depression may respond well to psychosocial treatments, such as psychotherapy . Drugs usually arent recommended as a treatment for mild cases of depression.

Psychological treatments, such as behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy, are also a good first step for people who have moderate to severe depression.

Antidepressants are another tool some doctors use for more severe depression cases. Examples include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants. Drugs can carry potential side effects and should only be used under a doctors supervision. Antidepressants must be used with caution in children and teenagers with depression.

How Is Depression Diagnosed

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Depression is a clinical diagnosis. This means that there are no blood tests or other physical tests you can do to diagnose depression. There are also lots of overlaps with anxiety disorders.

In order to diagnose depression, doctors use questions and tools from the DSM-5, which is a manual for mental health disorders. A diagnosis of depression means that it needs to be stand alone so its not related to other conditions like thyroid dysfunction or endocrine disorders. Finally, the feelings need to cause dysfunction in the individuals life.

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Does Marijuana Help With Anxiety What The Research Says

There are two main chemical compounds in marijuana: tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol .

Both attach to specific receptors in the brain, which trigger the various sensations you feel. THC is the chemical that produces the high you experience when you use marijuana, while CBD has a more subtle, non-intoxicating effect.

Though some US states have legalized marijuana, there are still restrictions in place against using marijuana in medical research. Therefore, theres limited scientific proof that marijuana can alleviate anxiety. But that hasnt stopped people from using the drug to find relief.

A 2016 survey of medical marijuana users found that 58 percent of users say they use marijuana to treat their anxiety. And in a small 2012 study, two-thirds of college students with high social anxiety reported that they smoke marijuana to help them cope with social situations.

Given the lack of scientific research, its unclear what chemical in the marijuana plant may help with anxiety whether its THC, CBD, a combination of both, or something else entirely.

But a 2015 review of 40 preliminary studies on CBD found that this chemical may play a key role. The researchers said they found encouraging, preliminary results that concentrated doses of CBD oil, when taken regularly, could be an effective treatment for a host of anxiety disorders including:

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