Health - Use of cannabis with anxiety and depression

[ksoles9250]

Is it unhealthy or dangerous for a person who has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety to use cannabis? Is it still unhealthy and dangerous if they are taking medication to treat these problems?

[herostyle]

If you don't mind doing some reading, here's a few links for ya:

Depression
Cannabinoids promote hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant
Cannabinoids promote embryonic and adult hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects -- Jiang et al. 115 (11): 3104 -- Journal of Clinical Investigation

Antidepressant-like activity by blockade of anandamide hydrolysis
Antidepressant-like activity and modulation of brain monoaminergic transmission by blockade of anandamide hydrolysis

Decreased depression in marijuana users.
Decreased depression in marijuana users.

Antidepressant-like activity
Antidepressant-like activity and modulation of brain monoaminergic transmission by blockade of anandamide hydrolysis

Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV-positive marijuana smokers: caloric intake, mood, and sleep.
Clinical Studies and Case Reports

Nabilone improves pain and symptom management in cancer patients
Clinical Studies and Case Reports

The perceived effects of smoked cannabis on patients with multiple sclerosis.
Clinical Studies and Case Reports

Cannabis and Depression
AAMC: Cannabis and Depression

Association between cannabis use and depression may not be causal, study says
IACM-Bulletin

Marijuana use and depression among adults: Testing for causal associations.
Marijuana use and depression among adults: Testing...[Addiction. 2006] - PubMed Result

Do patients use marijuana as an antidepressant?
Do patients use marijuana as an antidepressant? [Depression. 1996] - PubMed Result

Reputation Comments on this post:

	most excellent post
	I like the multiple references in answering the OP. Good work.
	thx for the links
	very nice info

[cra$h]

marijuana has left swim with a guilty conscience, wether guilty or not. Cops go by, and swim gets all shady, taking note of every motion the cop makes, so it has caused swim his anxiety. as for depression, weed eventually gets bored. The ones that blaze every day for years, and still get the same kick are few and far between. Most end up moving to better, stronger drugs.

[ZaNMaTo_SaN]

Originally Posted by cra$h

marijuana has left swim with a guilty conscience, wether guilty or not. Cops go by, and swim gets all shady, taking note of every motion the cop makes, so it has caused swim his anxiety. as for depression, weed eventually gets bored. The ones that blaze every day for years, and still get the same kick are few and far between. Most end up moving to better, stronger drugs.

Whatever puts a bullet through your fuel tank, buddy.

[Richi]

When it comes to depression, every case is different. It depends on the individual and whether or not it works for them. I might suggest a friend give it a shot, if I knew a lot more about their history, and severity of depression.

[showtime939]

Tonight swim smoked with his gf. swim was going to a buffet and wanted to get munchies before. Swim smoked and got a terrible high. Extreme anxiety while driving, an almost burning and or pounding chest. swim was worried he would get pulled over n thrown in jail and get ass raped. swim could barely even talk at dinner. swim thought he was a piece of white trash and didn't belong at such a nice resturant..swim has low self esteem so that is probably why.

[ZaNMaTo_SaN]

In my FOAF's experience with Marijuana, It never gave him anything that wasn't already there. Not all Weed sessions are happy and great, just like in situations without it. But if you plan things out, utilize the right time and place, the chances of a good experience are almost full proof.
The main point to understand is: Don't blame the drug for things that are actually you.

[cigol]

Originally Posted by showtime939

Tonight swim smoked with his gf. swim was going to a buffet and wanted to get munchies before. Swim smoked and got a terrible high. Extreme anxiety while driving, an almost burning and or pounding chest. swim was worried he would get pulled over n thrown in jail and get ass raped. swim could barely even talk at dinner. swim thought he was a piece of white trash and didn't belong at such a nice resturant..swim has low self esteem so that is probably why.

no one wants that now

[unema]

Awesome links herostyle, that will have me busy for the next hour or so

As for SWIMS experience, SWIM was never diagnosed with depression or anxiety however he was a heroin addict for 2 1/2 years and was pretty sure he suffered a bit of depression. Before SWIMS heroin binge he smoked a lot of weed but slowed it down severely during the H years. When he tried getting off the shit, depression, along with the horrible, HORRIBLE sickness came in full swing but he found some heavy pot smoking would actually make him feel happy which is an unknown emotion during the times of w/d. This was amazing as it is extremely hard to kick the monkey. SWIM had no access to meds like suboxone or benzos or sleep meds many of the times he tried to kick but MJ was always there for him. He had to suffer during most of the day as he was surrounded by people that would not approve or give him the chance for a toke so he was restricted to night time relief. When it came though oh was it a blessing. It took SWIMS mind to a good place, he felt complacent and hopeful that he would get through this exhausting time. It even helped with the insomnia. His first time kicking with herb on hand, SWIM made it almost two weeks before unforseen events triggered the little devil to rear its ugly head again. That was the longest since the addiction began.

SWIM is now clean 28 days w/o the help because he needs and wants to maintain complete abstinence for as long as possible. MJ will still be explored as SWIM sees it as a medicine and mind expanding substance.

This is SWIMS story of how, just recently he discovered it helped infinant amounts in recovery helping to cope with anxiety and depression brought on by heroin. If SWIM could, he would indulge in a very miniscual amount of cannabis to help through the rough patches, not because he is weak and needs it, but because everytime it was used, he learned something about himself and his recovery as well as distracting SWIM from even thinking about relapse.

Well Im tired and rambling incoherently, sorry haha but Im REALLY out of time, gotta go report to the boss this minute, haha. Wish I could go back and edit and add more but oh well.

Peace
-unema

[chrisn]

It is hard to make generalizations about marijuana's effect on anxiety and depression as everyone has different results.

However, one thing that is most often true for everyone is that marijuana potentiates existing anxiety. A friend of mine has suffered from anxiety and depression much of his life, and started smoking weed 18 months ago. For a while he was pretty sure that the marijuana was actually helping his depression. He was feeling so good that he decided it was time to get off the medications he has been taking much of his life. He got of of his SSRI first, and recently he stopped taking his Wellbutrin. And now when he smokes he has been getting crippling anxiety, and he has largely had to cut off all marijuana use. So he found that weed served him better while he was still on his medication.

So depending on the person and their current situation in life, weed can have a multitude of effects. No clear answer.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good way to explain how everything affects everyone slightly different

[molly pitcher]

it REALLY depends on the individual, depression and anxiety are biological and have to do with the body and mind, neither of which are exactly identical to anyone else's. as for SWIM, she's been diagnosed with major depression since early high school with the onset in 5th grade. SWIM has been smoking mucho since 9th grade and is healthy as a horse!

[flake77]

I wouldn't say depression and anxiety are exclusively biological. Marajuana definately helps swims mild depression and anxiety but obviously there are better alternatives in many cases.

[madmatt3d]

I'm depressed and have anxiety issues.

Last week i smoked a lot of pot, and during that week i felt better.

My 2c

[Pavelo]

Originally Posted by madmatt3d

I'm depressed and have anxiety issues.

Last week i smoked a lot of pot, and during that week i felt better.

My 2c

Didn't you have fear that you will get extremely more anxious when high?

[Synesthesiac]

Originally Posted by Pavelo

Didn't you have fear that you will get extremely more anxious when high?

swim does. swim never used to, but after it being a daily habit for many years the buzz started to change, and now whenever swim smokes the stuff he gets amazingly paranoid, so much so he cant bear to be around anyone. So swim has not used the stuff in a good few years now. This is probably because swim started using heavily at too young a age, from 13 right up to 19-20. But most people are fine on it, swim seems to be one of the unlucky few, maybe genetically determined.

If you get paranoia, stick away from skunk. skunk generally has high THC and low CBD, and when the antipsychotic effects of the CBD are not there to counter the psychotomimetic effects of THC this can lead to severe anxiety, and in extreme cases psychosis type symptoms. You can get tests to check the THC and CBD content of weed nowadays, I recommend that.

[cobetcknncoio3]

SWIM used to use cannabis when he was going through depression. i would say, it's better to responsibly smoke the herb in a healthy state of mind to fully appreciate what it does, rather than abusing it to escape from problems, which SWIM did alot. personally, i would get some kind of anti-depressant from a doc to solve the problem, rather than smoke chronic to escape from the problem.