Photo Credit: created by the author on Canva using a photo from BiW99 on Pixabay.com
I have taste tested many flavors of antidepressants over the years. When one didn’t work, they prescribed another. When that didn’t work, they tried increasing the dosage or combining one or two or three of them. To my surprise, they even tried adding what they call “atypical antipsychotics” to the mix. Most of these medications had some impact on me. However, the impact was not that it reduced or eliminated my depression. Only one drug has reliably reduced my depression, and that is cannabis.
I recently read an article in a scientific journal that stated that “The evidence from longitudinal studies suggest that there is a bidirectional relationship between cannabis use and depression, such that cannabis use increases the risk for depression and vice-versa.” What this means is that they believe that cannabis use increases the likelihood of depression and depression increases the likelihood of cannabis use.
I found that this article really annoyed me for two reasons:
- The authors of the article infer a causative relationship from a correlation. The depression rate is higher among people who use cannabis, and the article strongly suggests that this is because people who use cannabis become depressed. While that could be true, it could also be true that people who are depressed find relief when they use cannabis.
- Most of my life (until I was 35 years old), I was a person who “just said no” to marijuana. I did not even try it. Thanks to people with attitudes that were strongly anti-marijuana and all the propaganda against it, instead I tried all sorts of psychotropic medications that probably altered my brain in ways we will never know, and the thing is, none of them helped! When I finally did try marijuana, it was not magic, but it helped.
Most of the time, I do not enjoy taking marijuana. That might sound peculiar. Of the people I know who partake, most enjoy it a lot, but I really like to have a clear, unclouded mind. I have tried marijuana products that have a lower THC percentage. However, they simply do not help my depression as much. So, it is a balancing act between taking enough marijuana to stave off this terrible, bleak sense of despair, and a small enough dose that my head is clear so I can get some things done and remember what I ate for breakfast.
I tend to either take a very concentrated form of marijuana called Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), which may or may not be legal in Canada, where I live or I just vape the dry herb, which is definitely legal where I live. The RSO is more effective for a longer period of time, but it clouds my mind a lot. The dry herb kicks in faster, but I don’t like to vape too often because of my lungs, and it doesn’t last very long.
I think the reason this article I read and articles like it irritate me so much is that in my blackest, darkest depressions, cannabis is not a cure, but it is a temporary respite, and sometimes that is all I need to keep going. I worry that people will read information in such articles and will advise their depressed friends, clients, and patients to stay away from marijuana, and, while that might be good advice for some people, for others, like myself, it is not. For me, cannabis has been a godsend.
Yes I can totally agree with the fact that cannabis is not for everyone, and is no magic bullet. But I do fell like there is a strain out there with everyone. I also fell like terpenes is what we should be looking at when it comes to neurological disorders. Finding the right balance is crucial. Have you ever tried to grow it? Growing it has done me wonders, and just that alone provides great medicine.
I would love to grow it, but my ability to grow any plants is hampered by my kitties. They tend to knock my plants over and/or dig them up. If the plants were marijuana, I think I might cry. It's bad enough when they mess with my orchids.
I have tried strains with various terp profiles and I agree that it makes a difference. For example, for me, anything with a "citrus" profile tends to be more helpful.
So many people feel that way too .. I've never tried it, but I have researched it enough to know that it would be one of the things I used, if needed.
It's a pretty amazing plant!!!
And there are ALOT of people on here who have gotten such relief when traditional meds didn't even come close to helping!
Curious... Have you ever tried edibles? I have heard of many who prefer that to smoking.
Glad to see you Miss!!!
Great to see u Dreemy BabeZ ❣
heyyyyyyyyy honey!!! hehehehe nice to see you!!!!! hahahaha how are you!
Doing well, just busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs 💺 😀
Tryna finish up my father's estate before the Big Reset 😱
Well, the Rick Simpson Oil is edible. I could make edibles from it or from the herb, but I find the dosing more accurate from just the oil although it doesn't taste great. I dilute it with olive oil, which they say is not the best oil to dilute it with, but it does the job.
I wonder why you have not tried it. I stayed away from it for so long only to find not only does it help with depression, but, for my body chemistry, the effects are far milder than alcohol. I was very surprised. I expected something Earth shattering.
However, I think everyone has to do what is right for them, you know?
I've not tried it because I have other methods that probably some would think silly. hehehe
but like you said - it works amazingly for me. and it clears my head more than anything I've found (and I'm a HUGE proponent of keeping the mind clear)
I guess the oil is edible that you mentioned.. but somehow eating oil doesn't seem appetizing hehehe
i know they have gummies and cakes that you can bake (with the herb in it) things that might be a bit nicer to eat? have you tried those? i've heard of people who really really enjoy them.
What a way to express your mind and opinion on cannabis and depressions.
One thing about cannabis is that, if used well and moderately, it could do magic and wonders towards an individual but if used excessively and irresponsible it could spell doom towards an individual.
So I'll just say you can reap the benefits of the drug if used responsibly and cannabis can be a very big cure for depression if it is used appropriately.
Because weed is a sedative and a painkiller by nature but when abused it could be the opposite and at times it depends on the individual using it.
But regardless, weed should never be a cause for depression.
I agree. It certainly helps me a lot.
That's right right there. That's how it's supposed to be. 😎👍🏻
Makes sense, and fits in with experience and expectations
Yeah, that's right.
I think most of the case studies probably comes for people that go seek help or are forced to seek help so those are the common trends...
Just like you I myself use it in some of "my balckest, darkest depressions" I really love how you worded it there because it almost is as if I found someone who understands me in the same manner. That is where I believe posts like this is SOOOO power as it brings awareness to a subject and that it is OKAY to have those feelings. Different people have different responses to different stimulus so just like you noticed how many people positively responded to you here.
<3 Keep it up I love this article and it is okay to be you and figure out what is healthy for each and every one of us. To some eating !PIZZA is a good way to enjoy life despite it being "unhealthy" but depression is one of the leading killers so to each their own and hope you find and keep finding your sense of happiness
Very nice write up. I haven't tried any joint since I don't know when (I don't smoke at all anyway) but I'd love to have legal access to any THC stuff and unfortunately here I can't. Covid gloom offered me countless nights that I wish I had this helping hand to sleep. I don't see much point in keeping it illegal making so much dough for dealers except ... the intention to let dealers make their dough.
I am very grateful that they finally legalized it here. There were parts of Canada where it was "almost" legal for years in that you could buy it from a shop, but, every now and again, the police would shut down the shops, which wasn't very friendly because, as a quasi-disabled woman who was in her mid to late 30's, I much preferred to go to a shop and talk to a polite salesperson than to go to a drug dealer. I did the latter when necessary, but I always felt like I was somebody's Mom. This was mainly because I was somebody's Mom. My adult daughter (who used cannabis way before I ever considered it) was usually the one to introduce me to her "friends," who were drug dealers. It made me uncomfortable on so many levels.
I could have gotten a prescription, but that was not without headaches. I am grateful that it is legal.
It lasts me forever because, although my tolerance is high, it is a last resort for me. This past week has been difficult, so I have resorted a few times. However, I really do prefer a clear head. When I don't have a clear head, I make bad/impulsive crypto trades, I cannot drive (and so I cannot swim), and my writing flows more easily, but requires more editing.
(I try not to crypto while high, but it always seems like such a great idea at the time, and, if I am honest, even when the decisions seem bad right afterwards, they often are better than the ones I make with more careful judgment. I have a tendency to overthink everything. I bought Husky Avax while I was high, and it has been pretty good to me so far -- I actually sold 1/4 of it because that was equal to the initial purchase price. I thought now, win or lose, I don't really lose anything.
I invest very small amounts. Tiny. I consider investing in crypto to be a sort of gambling. If I invest only what I can afford to lose, then if I lose it, I will be sad, but not devastated. If it grows, I will be so happy, though!)
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THC8 is now legal in Indiana (thank you President TRUMP!!) And I did about a 6 week trial with edibles, and it was very eye opening.
I should do an article on this, but in short, near the end, I was experiencing a very mild depressed state. Life factors also included a death in the family just prior to the 6 week trial, stress of financial planning and wills, etc and quitting my job due to lack of time. 🤷♂️
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