Clinical depression is a very serious illness. People with this condition have long-term, often debilitating feelings of sadness and low self-esteem. There can be suicidal thoughts. Depression makes ordinary tasks such as going to work, cooking, cleaning, even personal hygiene, very difficult.
Once the symptoms have been evaluated by a doctor, prescription medications are routinely prescribed. There are many types of anti-depressant medications: tricyclic antidepressants, MAOs(monoamine oxidase inhibitors), SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) and a few others.
A very recent analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan 2010) stated that antidepressants are only effective for those with severe depression. Those patients with mild to moderate depression had no benefits with prescribed medications. But these medications are prescribed with alarming frequency to those patients who may not benefit. Pharmaceutical companies profited $9.6 billion in 2008 on antidepressants alone. Is it about your health and well-being or about money?
To add insult to injury, the side effects from antidepressants can be serious and unacceptable for many people. Sometimes the side effects are worse than the symptoms of depression. Here are some of the side effects for each type of medication:
- Tricyclics: blurred vision, constipation, difficulty urinating,worsening of glaucoma, impaired thinking, fatigue, high blood pressure
- MAO inhibitors: weakness, dizziness, headaches, tremors, deadly if mixed with certain other drugs
- SSRIs: loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, headache, sexual problems
- SNRIs: loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, headache, sexual problems, liver failure, high blood pressure
With many of these medications, there is also what is called “discontinuation syndrome” – otherwise known to regular people as bad withdrawal! You cannot just stop most of these types of medications as you can become very ill. Patients who choose to stop these types of medications find that they must taper the dose with a physician’s supervision or they are unable to stop the medication.
Another very concerning issue regarding these medications is that there is an increased risk of suicide, especially in younger patients. The jury is still out on this but Great Britain has banned use of antidepressants in those younger than 18, and the FDA now requires all antidepressants to carry a warning that states that they carry an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Scary!
Medical cannabis has been used for centuries to treat depression. An English clergyman named Robert Burton stated in 1621 that cannabis was helpful to treat depression. It was used for depression over 400 years ago in India. In the 17th century it was prescribed by physicians in England to treat depression. In 1890, a British physician named J.R. Reynolds reviewed the previous 30 years of use of cannabis and determined that cannabis was helpful for depression and other illnesses (asthma, certain forms of epilepsy, nerve pain, painful menstrual cramps, migraines and tics).
More recently, patient surveys show that cannabis is being used by many people to treat depression with good results. Many studies also show that patients who have depression as a result of another debilitating disease, such as cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis or chronic pain, report less depression symptoms with the use of cannabis.
Researchers have found that low doses of cannabis increased serotonin levels in the brain, which helps to improve mood. Higher doses of cannabis tended to increase symptoms of depression because the serotonin levels were depleted. There are many conflicting scientific studies about the use of cannabis for depression. Currently medical cannabis is being used by many people for depression , but patients must be careful to use low to moderate doses so as not to cause worsening of symptoms. If patients find that symptoms are worsening, cannabis usage should be curtailed. Chronic heavy use of cannabis is not recommended, but in low doses patients may find the relief they need without the unwanted side effects from conventionally prescribed medicines. Other treatments in combination with medical cannabis may help to improve results, such as therapy or counseling, exercise, and a healthy diet with natural foods.
One of the benefits of being a physician-approved medical marijuana patient is that you can choose which medication strain to use based on your illness and the goal of your treatment. For example, patients with depression often find that sativa strains alleviate the symptoms that cause inactivity and sadness, while patients with anxiety and depression may find a hybrid strain to better suit their symptoms. Patients who are using medical marijuana for sleep disorders find that the indica strains are reliable for excellent sustained sleep with no “hangover” the next day.
As always we encourage NOT smoking the plant as the toxins in the smoke can damage your lungs. But there are many other ways to use the medication (vaporizers, edibles, tinctures) so that you can avoid the smoke-related side effects. And of course talking with a knowledgeable physician at MMEC can help you decide if this medication would be helpful for your medical condition.
