Depression is a common condition that can affect people of all ages. Symptoms can include sadness, anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia, and even binge eating.
Despite its popularity, there is still a lot of disagreement over whether cannabis can help or exacerbate mood disorders. However, research on the topic is beginning to suggest that it may be a useful treatment option for certain types of depression.
Anxiety
When your body is under threat, it triggers the stress response — your brain interprets the physical sensations you’re feeling and activates a set of emotions that can be scary or edgy. If you are constantly experiencing fear and apprehension, it could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
Many people who suffer from chronic stress and anxiety may find that cannabis can help them deal with these feelings. It can help reduce or eliminate unwanted thoughts and obsessions that often lead to Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
If you are trying to combat symptoms of depression, you may want to speak with a naturopath who has experience working with mood disorders. They will be able to create an appropriate treatment plan for you, including herbal medications that can be used alongside a diet and lifestyle change.
Mood disorders are often treated by taking antidepressants, which can work by blocking the production of serotonin. However, antidepressants aren’t always effective and can cause serious side effects.
Another common treatment for depression is psychotherapy. These are often based on cognitive behavioral therapy and involve changing unhelpful thinking patterns that may be causing your symptoms to worsen. You can also learn to replace your negative or catastrophizing thoughts with more positive ones.
A naturopath will usually take a full medical history and perform a thorough examination before prescribing any herbs or supplements. They will also consider other factors such as hormone disruption, nutritional imbalances, altered thinking patterns and stress levels.
The naturopath will usually combine the use of herbal medications with diet and lifestyle changes to treat the symptoms of depression and anxiety. This will often involve a combination of high-THC and low-THC strains, as well as different terpenes like linalool, myrcene, and limonene.
The naturopath will usually prescribe low-THC strains as these contain a higher concentration of CBD, which has no psychoactive effect but can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. In some cases, high-THC strains can also be helpful, but a doctor should discuss this with you before recommending them.
Depression
Depression is a serious condition that can have severe effects on your life. It may cause you to lose interest in activities that you enjoy, have a decreased appetite, and have trouble sleeping. Marijuana can help you alleviate these symptoms because it is an effective mood enhancer.
Cannabis can help treat depression by boosting the levels of endocannabinoids in your body. These endocannabinoids are chemical compounds that control your senses, emotions, and other bodily functions. When your endocannabinoids levels decrease, you experience a range of negative emotions, including anxiety, sadness, and irritability.
The good news is that there are many different types of cannabinoids, or marijuana chemicals, that work to relieve symptoms of depression and other mental health conditions. Some of these include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinoid receptor antagonists.
THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, which is why it can produce euphoria and relaxation in some people. It can also help lower inflammation in the body and reduce anxiety, which are two common symptoms of depression.
CBD is an anti-depressant and a pain reliever that can be found in many marijuana strains. Studies have shown that it can reduce anxiety and stress, which are the main symptoms of depression.
While research is still in its early stages, the evidence is growing that cannabis can be a safe and effective treatment for depression. The most important thing is to use it with caution.
For beginners, it is best to start with a low dose and gradually increase your dosage under the guidance of a medical marijuana doctor. This will help you avoid any adverse reactions and get the most out of your marijuana treatment.
A variety of sativa and indica strains are useful for reducing depression. Sativa strains can improve your energy levels and boost your mood, while indica strains are effective for calming you down and soothing pain and anxiety.
If you are interested in trying marijuana for treating your depression, you should talk to a medical marijuana physician to learn more about which products could be right for you. You can also shop for medical marijuana online at St. Louis Dispensary and find out which strains work best for you.
Mood Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Mood disorders are among the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, affecting one in five youth. These conditions range from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression. Adolescents who suffer from mood disorders can have difficulties in school, relationships and activities of daily living.
Symptoms of a mood disorder may include feelings of sadness, irritability, anxiety or loss of interest in activities or socializing. They may also interfere with sleep and eating. In addition, these symptoms can cause a person to feel hopeless and worthless.
In children, it is important to identify symptoms early and seek professional help. During a psychiatric evaluation, a medical professional will tailor treatment options that are unique to each mood disorder and the child or adolescent. Medication, therapy and family support can be effective in treating many mood disorders.
There are several risk factors for mood disorders, including a family history of mental illness and life experiences such as bullying or parental estrangement. These conditions should not be ignored, as they can severely impact a person’s quality of life and ability to function in society.
Most kids who develop mood disorders lack coping skills and do not recover quickly from negative emotions. They often experience prolonged periods of anger, frustration and upset and have a hard time understanding their triggers or regulating their emotions.
These behaviors can be difficult for parents to control and can lead to tantrums, fights and other disruptive behavior. It can be helpful to work with a licensed therapist who specializes in adolescent development and behavioral issues. These therapists will be able to provide tools that can be used in the home to reinforce desired behavior and help kids learn new ways of dealing with stress.
Cannabis has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in those with mood disorders and improve their coping skills. It can also promote positive interactions and reinforce healthy behaviors at school, while reducing the effects of negative emotions.
The role of cannabis in treating mood disorders is still an active area of research, but the results of these studies have been encouraging. While more research is needed, it is believed that cannabis can have an important impact on the health and well-being of children and adolescents with mood disorders.
Mood Disorders in Adults
Mood disorders, including major depression and bipolar disorder, are common mental health issues that impact a person’s well-being. They can cause emotional highs and lows that are unpredictable and unmanageable.
Often, people with mood disorders have a combination of factors that contribute to their symptoms. These factors include genetics, brain chemicals and environmental circumstances. Sometimes, these conditions can develop from extreme stress or traumatic life events.
Some people are at higher risk for developing a mood disorder than others, such as those who have a family history of the condition. Other times, a mood disorder can develop because of a single event that turns on a certain gene.
A number of studies suggest that cannabis may be effective for treating depression and other mood disorders in adults. Specifically, the compounds in cannabis are known to activate specific receptors in the brain that regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
When these receptors are triggered, they can help regulate mood and reduce anxiety. In addition, the main chemical in marijuana — delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol — has been found to decrease the amount of serotonin that is reabsorbed by the brain.
While research on the effects of cannabis is still limited, a study conducted in 2015 suggests that it can help alleviate some of the signs and symptoms of mild depression. This is due to the fact that cannabis has been shown to activate a certain type of receptor in the brain that inhibits reuptake of serotonin by neurons.
This may be the reason why patients who are treated for depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) tend to be more likely to also use cannabis as a self-medication strategy. The researchers found that those who smoked cannabis on a regular basis had lower levels of dopamine, another key brain neurotransmitter responsible for controlling emotions.
SSRIs are currently the most commonly used medication for treating depression, but they can have some negative side effects. While many SSRIs are effective in helping patients manage their depression, the drugs can sometimes have unwanted side effects such as insomnia, weight gain, and shaking.
