Much maligned in many places in the middle of the 20th century, marijuana is currently in the midst of a renaissance. The past few years have seen tremendous legal changes that made weed more accessible to the general public as well as researchers who want to take a deeper look into its medicinal properties. Today, many people in the United States can easily order pot delivery to their homes, buy edibles from local dispensaries, and use weed-based products for medicine or leisure.
Marijuana and Depression: Can Weed Help?
Depression is one of the many conditions people are hoping that marijuana can help alleviate. It’s estimated that more than 350 million people across the world suffer from this condition. If cannabis can provide a definitive cure or reliably manage this widespread health problem, then the plant and its products can improve so many lives.
To understand how cannabis can help people with depression overcome the symptoms of their condition, it’s important to take a look at the chemical compounds unique to cannabis: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the human body. The mechanism of their interaction is not yet fully understood, but it’s well-known that the ECS plays a role in regulating various essential body functions such as sleep, memory, mood, and appetite.
A lot of research still needs to be carried out to say with finality that cannabis can help treat or manage depression. However, there’s reason to believe that using marijuana can help alleviate certain conditions that people with depression often suffer from. The plant can help in the following ways:
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
The effects of using pot can vary from one person to another, but there are common effects that manifest in many people. One of these is a heightened level of calm. This can be a boon to people who have conditions that can magnify their feelings of stress and anxiety.
According to researchers, stress can halt the production of endocannabinoids or naturally occurring cannabinoids in the human body. This, in turn, can cause a person to suffer from conditions that are commonly associated with depression. The introduction of cannabinoids from marijuana to the human body can turn this situation around and restore the normal level of cannabinoids. This can help relieve the common symptoms of depression and make it easy for a person to escape the cycle of stress and anxiety.
Manage Pain
Many cases of depression are associated with unexplained yet chronic pain like headaches and back pain. A person who is suffering from chronic pain, on the other hand, often has high levels of stress, which can then lead to depression-like symptoms. Having the capability to manage pain well can help a person reduce their stress levels and the possible symptoms of depression that come with it.
Chronic pain is the top reason why many people use medical marijuana. The active ingredients in marijuana interact with the cannabinoid receptors and activate the brain’s reward system. This interaction can lead to less pain and inflammation, offering relief to people who suffer from body pain whenever they have a bout of depression or experience high levels of stress.
Improve Sleep Quality
The use of marijuana can help alleviate anxiety, stress, and pain, and as a result, this can help a person sleep better at night. There are studies that show that using cannabis can help shorten the time it takes for a person to fall asleep. Many people also report enjoying better, more restful sleep due to using cannabis the night before. It should be noted, though, that there are also studies that claim the opposite. People who are planning to use marijuana to sleep better, then, must be vigilant about how the plant can affect their nightly rest.
Increase Food Intake
Depression can reduce a person’s appetite and lead them to rapidly lose weight or alter their eating patterns. Weed can help control this aspect of the condition by stimulating one’s appetite. The plant can also help reduce nausea that people feel as a side-effect of chemotherapy. People who suffer from depression and want to improve their appetites can check out weed products to determine if consuming marijuana will help them with their hunger pangs.
The lifting of restrictive laws surrounding the manufacture of cannabis products has been a game-changer for many people, particularly those who want to see whether or not weed can help them manage their conditions. The looser attitude toward weed has made it much safer for people to try the substance for the first time.
Instead of resorting to clandestine and sometimes dangerous methods to check out the effects of the drug, people who are curious about marijuana can procure quality-controlled products from registered online and offline sellers. They can also get straightforward information on how to safely partake in edibles, tinctures, topicals, and other cannabis products from professionals, thus reducing the risk of any improper use. Now, more than ever, a person suffering from depression has the opportunity to see if cannabis can aid them in effectively managing their condition.
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