RESEARCH GIVES HOPE: CANNABIS PROMISING FOR DEPRESSION

Cannabis use was always advised against for depression, as cannabis users were more often diagnosed with the condition. Hence, it was suspected that cannabis could actually cause or worsen depression. Now there is research that suggests it could actually help. In this blog, we take a look at what is now known about this.

The link between cannabis and depression

When you look for information on cannabis and depression, the advice really always seems to be not to use cannabis. Research seemed to show that cannabis users were more likely to be diagnosed with depression than non-smokers. These were mainly medium and heavy users. Yet there does not seem to be a direct correlation. Genetics, environment and other factors may also play a role.

It could also be that depressed people use cannabis to distance themselves from their gloomy feelings. Heavy users may look depressed because of weed's narcotic effects on their emotions. There is also a link between cannabis and other mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and psychosis (feeling detached from reality). This is especially true for people who are already at higher risk of these conditions. The symptoms can be exacerbated by cannabis use.

Now researchers from Germany seem to have come up with results that paint a different picture of cannabis in depression. Scientists at LVR University Hospital, Essen conducted a study on the effectiveness of cannabis in treating depression. The study was published in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry of the Association for Neuropsychopharmacology and Pharmacopsychiatry.

What did the study reveal?

The study took a period of 18 weeks and began in 2021. Information was collected from patients in the real world and data was obtained from Algea Care, an online health platform. There were 59 patients participating who suffered from chronic depression and had already been treated for this with regular medication. These had not helped so far. These people would remain anonymous and help evaluate this alternative treatment. They were prescribed medical cannabis supplied by the researchers. No serious side effects were reported and almost no people lost weight during the study either. The participants reported significant and statistically relevant improvement in their symptoms during treatment. They had to rate the severity of their symptoms on a scale of 0 to 10.

At first, the average value of all participants was 6.9 points. After they had been using cannabis for 6 weeks, the value had dropped to 5.1 points. After 12 weeks, it dropped further to 4.1 and then after 18 weeks, they gave their symptoms a 3.8. In 14 patients (almost a quarter of the participants), the severity of depressive symptoms halved after only 6 weeks.|Some side effects were reported.

Some side effects were reported, however. A third of patients reported mild side effects, such as dry eyes, dry mouth and increased appetite. Two patients reported poorer concentration, fatigue and disorientation. No serious side effects, such as psychosis, occurred. The research team, which included doctors, psychiatrists and scientists, was of the opinion that cannabis is a safe treatment option for depression.

Conclusion research on cannabis and depression?

These results seem to suggest that cannabis treatment can alleviate the symptoms of chronic depression. It is only an initial study and other studies would need to be done, especially among a larger population, to draw valid and clear conclusions. That is also what the authors of this study say.

Nevertheless, these results are very promising, thinks Dr Julian Wichman, founder and CEO of Algea Care. They provide more evidence for the potential and use of medical cannabis for psychiatric conditions. In addition, this study could be the basis for future scientific projects focusing on the effects of cannabis therapy.

The study also comes right after another important development for medical cannabis in Germany. The government there is reclassifying cannabis as a non-narcotic substance. This will allow doctors to prescribe the plant as medication in the future, making cannabis more readily available at a lower cost. Even for depression, cannabis can then legally be used as a treatment.

What to do for mental complaints?

Do you suffer from depression or other mental problems? It can be tempting to start working on your own. So in some cases, cannabis can help with depression, as the above study shows. For mental symptoms, such as PTSD and depression, magic mushrooms or truffles can also provide relief. You can then go for microdosing, for instance, where you take a very small dose.

But medication is certainly not always the solution. Counselling by a psychologist or other professional is often a good option as well, and then you don't have to use drugs. So always seek advice from a doctor before you start self-medicating, and you can also mention that you are interested in using such substances.