Can Medicinal Marijuana Treat Depression?

• Benefits
• Research
• Risks and warnings
• Traditional treatments
• Coping
• Takeaway

Medical marijuana for depression

If you’ve been feeling sadness you can’t shake or lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, you may be suffering from depression — and you’re not alone. Depression affects some 350 millionTrusted Source people across the globe. This common mood disorder is the leading causeTrusted Source of disability worldwide. Yet many people who have depression do not get the help they need.

There are many treatments currently available, including oral medications and different therapies. Researchers are beginning to explore medicinal marijuana as an additional treatment. Here’s more about the use of medical marijuana for depression, its benefits, and its possible side effects.

What are the benefits of medical marijuana?

Benefits

Marijuana can be used as a tool for pain management.

Medicinal marijuana may relieve symptoms of anxiety.

It’s also recognized as a potential treatment for nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy.

A 2014 study published by the Hawaii Journal of Medicine & Public Health highlighted pain management as a potential benefit of medical marijuana. Participants in the study reported a 64 percent decrease in pain while using marijuana. Many also experienced a decrease in anxiety and better sleep while using the drug.

A 2012 study explored cannabis as a means of controlling spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis. On average, participants had about 30 percent less spasticity while using this treatment.

Other potential benefits include relief from:

involuntary movements associated with movement disorders

nausea, particularly from chemotherapy

sleep disorders

HIV-related weight loss

Research is ongoing in these areas to determine the short- and long-term effects of use.

Research on marijuana and depression

The evaluation of medical marijuana for depression is still in its early stages. Right now, researchers share that possible benefits include the restoration of “normal” endocannabinoid function and mood stabilization.

Scientists at the University at Buffalo have begun looking into medicinal marijuana as a possible treatment for depression caused by chronic stress. The school’s Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) has been focusing specifically on brain chemicals called endocannabinoids.

These are naturally produced chemical compounds. They play a role in motor control, cognition, emotions, and behavior. They also have a chemical makeup similar to that of cannabis.

The scientists have performed their studies on animals and not humans. Yet they have discovered that chronic stress may suppress the brain’s production of endocannabinoids. They found that this can lead to depression-like behavior.

Introducing cannabis into the system may help restore normal levels and function. This may ease symptoms of depression.

More studies are needed to assess the true benefits and disadvantages of marijuana as a potential therapy for people with depression.