Triklino

Does anybody have any information on this? I unfortunately suffer from pretty intense depression, and have found that smoking as little as half a bowl a day helps my general mood and outlook for the rest of the day. Does anybody else here suffer from depression as I do and use MJ as a way to kick it? Any comments would be incredibly helpful as to how legitimate this is

Jake

I don't think drugs in general can help with depression, unless we're talking about depression being caused from something clinical such as manic depression.

You've probably heard this before, but no matter what problems are in your life, they'll still be there when you sober up.

It can't be good to always seek chemicals to fix yourself. You usually need to find something inside of yourself, not some external influence such as drugs.

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Buzzby

Depression is a clinical condition all by itself. If drugs don't help, why are Americans spending billions of dollars every year on antidepressants?

Depression, as an illness, has nothing to do with feeling bad about your life situation. It's an imbalance in brain chemicals that can be treated in several ways, including drugs, exercise, and meditation.

Again, you and the OP are talking about apples and oranges. Depression is a disease and drugs are one of the ways to ameliorate the symptoms.

Some people have had great success in using marijuana to reduce depressive symptoms. Others have found that it makes them worse. I've found that Sativa-dominant strains have the effect the OP talks about. Indica-dominant strains give me short-term relief, but as soon as I can drag my ass off of the couch, I'm right back where I started. Marijuana is a euphoric, which certainly makes you feel better for a while, but it's not the same as specific antidepressant drugs which aim to deal with the brain chemistry which causes depression, without getting you high.

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killian

I don't know. I always disliked the idea of using things like marijuana to feel *normal*. But doctors prescribe it and they know more than me, so I say toke up.

Triklino

Those are all very good and valid opinions, and I thank you all for the input .

Personally, I find that the decisions I make after I've toked up, and not even toked up to the point of being high, are clearer and more thought out. I take my time with everything and think thing's through a little better, without the negative side effects of depression, which are constant pessimism, making decisions that I know will hurt me, and putting off important decisions and blaming it on myself. Everything becomes easier to handle, whether it be good or bad.

In reference to popular anti-depressants... If what I'm taking is working, I don't want to change that for something that could potentially not work, or make me less like who I am. Pot may change my attitude from depressed to not, but it doesn't change my overall personality, which I found that anti-depressent meds do (I have many family members who changed drastically once they started taking anti-depressants, and not quite for the better).

I'd like to believe that this is a safer alternative to the over-the-counter chemicals that they will give me, which come with side-effects that I do not want. The only side effect I'm getting right now is munchies, and I consider that a good thing, since when I get depressed I have no appetite.

Personally it's made my life much easier, the decisions I make are clearer... I do wonder however how legitimate this actually is. Does anybody else here smoke pot to ease depression?

Delta

It is very legitimate. It doesn't work for everyone, but it's a proven method of treatment for clinical depression. If it works for you, that's great, because honestly, it's a much safer treatment than pretty much any anti-depressant out there.

I agree. Using pot to feel better about things in your life (such as a bad breakup) is a bad idea and a road to dependency. However, our friend here is for sure talking about clinical depression, which as Buzzby said, isn't just the "blues". It's feeling sad all the time for no outside reason.

Triklino

Thanks for the input dude, would you happen to have any links to any research that may have been done on the subject? If not that's cool, I was just wondering if there was any.

Delta

Cannabis: Potent Anti-depressant In Low Doses, Worsens Depression At High Doses

dreadful dreams :: Marijuana, depression and the brain :: March :: 2006

Feorge Gorman

...it helps.

I've been diagnosed with (among other things) clinical depression...and it helps in many ways!

There's a sense of well being when my thc level is up. I tend not to contemplate on myself so much when I'm smoking. The dreams that terrorize me in my slumber simply go away, because it suppresses the BAD ones! Don't ask me HOW...but all I know is that if I'm out for a long period of time, I can wake up screaming at the top of my lungs! And, just in case you were wondering...the bad dreams came LONG before I ever started smoking weed.

Another thing I notice is, that since I don't smoke at work, I tend to get more melancholy. I might go outside and feel really sad for no reason at all!

I consider it a medicine in my case...although these days also used in conjunction with a coupla different prescribed pharmaceuticals. There seems to be no adverse affects, smoking heavily and taking medications for depression...'cept for the occassional 'brain zap' if I smoke more than usual.

As for Marijuana helping with depression...I believe it works for me!

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feorge

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Triklino

Thanks for the links delta, they were very interesting reads. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for.


And to feorge gorman, I go through all the same crap that you do man, and I know what you mean by the general sense of well-being when THC levels are up. Unfortunately for me I developed the bad habit of smoking cigarettes because of the lack of smoke at work, and it's been a decent, if not needless thing to do at work to get my some depression symptoms. I mean I know it's unreasonable to think that you should be happy ALL the time, but... you know how it is.

It's nice to see somebody else using it the same way I am, and have it work for them! Just shows me that hey, maybe this is all I need...