weed for depression?

[Crimson King]

there's nothing ignorant about his question, only your un-informed answer ... depression is just one of the legitimate health problems I have a recommendation for ... this is from California Prop. 215:

WHAT ILLNESSES CAN MARIJUANA BE USED TO TREAT?

Prop. 215 lists "cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief." It qualifies this by stating that its purpose is "to ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana." A recent appellate court decision in People v. Spark ruled that the question of whether the patient's medical condition is "serious" is to be made by a physician only. Physicians have recommended marijuana for hundreds of indications, including such common complaints as insomnia, post-traumatic stress, PMS, depression, and substance abuse.

see? ... there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers ... :smokin:

Image Reaper,
Firstly,thank you for not flaming me [entirely];I appreciate an actual adult on this board.I may have been hasty in my reply to that particular poster,but they gave me the impression of some kid who was screwing around and who did not have any knowlege of the medicinal uses of marijuana [which are still debated in the medical and psychiatric community regarding depression and mental illness,Prop 215 or no] and I admit to taking a shot at him/her and painting with rather broad strokes.

While I agree with the uses in the conditions mentioned in Prop 215 [I do not live in CA and we have no such laws in GA as it is a Bible Belt state and rather backwards],from my personal experience and with bi-polar individuals I have known,it exacerbated the depression.Other posters have also shared simliar experiences;that does not make us wrong,but just people with another veiw.

There is still information out there that debates if marijuana is beneficial in treating depression,which was the specific topic at hand.It depends on the age,sex,degree and cause of depression and circumstances of the individual.We can get into a cut and paste competition and post all the pros and cons we want,but we don't have the time or resources to look at every case ourselves and judge.I'm a chef who smokes pot,for Christ's Sake,not a doctor.

yes,I was wrong to post "no" psychiatrist would prescribe marijuana,but not "all" would either.

Regards.

[Storm Crow]

Hi guys, I found a couple of scientific studies on depression and cannabis that might interest you. The first is pretty high tech "Cannabinoids promote embryonic and adult hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects" http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/abstract/JCI25509v1 This is about a synthetic cannabinoid. This next one is way more readable- "Decreased depression in marijuana users" http://marijuana.researchtoday.net/archive/3/3/268.htm . If you want to research it further, just do a search on --cannabis abstract depression--and you'll get all the latest studies.

[Snake0049]

At least me and others. Weed doesn't help everyone in the same way just like certain perscription pills for depression don't work on everyone the same way.

And even if someone was using weed for depression and went off of course the depression is going to come back the same with perscription pills. As well I am taking Effexor to even out my Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Sadly Effexor isn't working as well as I had hoped and I still have some anxiety which causes depression. I was given a tanquilizer, klonopin, to take when I had the anxiety but that simply knocked me out whenever I took even the smallest dose. So what do I use? Marijuana. It works and luckily its fairly simple to quit whenever I need a break... at least for me because i use at moderation.

Thats always what its about: moderation.

But in response to getting a medical card, yes it is possible in fact I have an appointment this week to see a doctor to get a perscription for my Social Anixiety Disorder and depression.

Peace.

[Inferius]

Thats always what its about: moderation.

Indeed.
I used to have depression, caused by low-self esteem, extreme stress, and an ongoing abusive relationship.
I tried prozac, and therapy, and a stay in a mental ward.
All of them did nothing.
However, I severed the abusive relationship as best I could,
and remembered one day, Hey, they call pot Green Prozac, and since it's relatively harmless, even if I don't decide to kill myself, i'll still be fine from indulging.
Took a while, found a source, and it cured my depression.
Helped me see my problems in a new light,
Allowed me to find better answers to happyness,
releived stress, let me laugh again, and gave me something to be really
interested in. To look forward to. It can show you that the door is not closed, but you must open it and walk through.
I don't smoke everyday, every week, or even every month.
I wanted to be sure of myself, So I didn't smoke for 5 months, and nothing changed. I was healed.
I even have a little gray patch of hair for a reminder how I used to feel. If I hadn't found pot, i'd prolly be sporting a completely gray head of hair.
There is too much to life to feel depressed all the time.
We only live once.
Don't treat weed like an anti-depressant. It's not "medication". It's a KEY, to
Self-Meditation. Self-Therapy. Of course you'll still be depressed if you just get stoned and watch cartoons all day. Is that really how you want to live your life?

[shoi]

i smoke and am depressed, seeing a therapist right now and she says that weed is bad for depression because it is a depressant. i'm not sure what to believe cuz she is a professional and it makes sense, but my experience MIGHT make me think otherwise. i have trouble sleeping due to depression and the weed had actually helped with that. the day after i ran out of weed guess what? i started falling asleep at 4-5 a.m. Weed sometimes helps and sometimes doesn't help, IMO. the best way to use cannabis is with self control, don't smoke just to smoke. i had that problem, i'd be stoned all day. I found out that some restraint goes a long way.

the name depressant can be misleading... it doenst mean its emotionaly depressing (ie if u do it ull be depressed), it refers to the affects it has on ur body, slowing down of reaction time, slowed heart rate, ect... pot is actually very hard to classify since it has a mix of all three (stimulant, depressant, hallusinagin) becuase it has effects of all three, but technically i think its calssed under hallusinagin due to the time distorting effects.

[Its a Plant]

Marijuana actually speeds up your heart rate. ~

[stinkyattic]

As well I am taking Effexor to even out my Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Sadly Effexor isn't working as well as I had hoped and I still have some anxiety which causes depression. .

I get panic attacks and anxiety, which also cause me insomnia and consequentially depression, and I'm taking Celexa for it. It works pretty well but not 100%.

I was given a tanquilizer, klonopin, to take when I had the anxiety but that simply knocked me out whenever I took even the smallest dose. .

I'm terrified of tranquilizers. Like, TERRIFIED.

So what do I use? Marijuana. It works and luckily its fairly simple to quit whenever I need a break... at least for me because i use at moderation.
.

It has been a fantastic combination for me too. One thing that I really like about it is that unlike commercial psych meds, you don't need the cannabis to build up in your system for a couple weeks before you reach a therapeutic level, and it treats my panic attacks instantly, without having to wait for a pill to start getting digested and into the system.

I've been experimenting with treating my insomnia by smoking hops and that is preally promising too.

[orangeman]

when i dont smoke for about month i become the biggest shithead ever. my mom makes me take st johns wort which doesnt do jack, and when i refuse to take it she bitches about how she can tell when i dont take it because im a little bastard. when i finally get fed up and say "its really because i havent smoked weed in three months since you caught me!" then she gets all pissed off and shit...

LOL. I got caught, my dad doesnt like it and it doesnt want me doing it but I still do it anyways .

[ziRomE]

been smokin for 11 years, if u smoke day and night, dont go out in the sun, have a lot of stress in your life, ruin good relationships cuz u sit on your arse, and just keep blazin the pain away you will end up like me, major anxiety and depression. use in moderation, have a life away from weed, i say use it at night, and not on the daily basis, but it all depends on your mindset. some people are well adjusted some are like myself, keeps me content with boredom which is a bad thing, especially when u have depression and GAD cuz u already dont want to do shit. just had a mojor breakup with someone i loved with a passion, she wasnt fullfilled cuz i spent all my time away from work blazin and gettin on the computer while she was right here and needed me. weed can open your eyes, it can also make u take life for granted if u just zone out all the time. never had depression before weed, cant say its the reason, cant say its the cure. this last heartbreak sent me over the edge (gotta big heart), my depression and anxiety got severe and weed no longer helped calm me down at all. got on Lexapro (SSRI), now i cant enjoy weed anymore, for some reason it just gives me major anxiety with the Lexapro, so it all depends on your chemical balance, but i dont think its a cure. so havent blazed in a month after blazin for 11 years, we're talkin pothead here, i feel better with the Lexapro and i dont feel so depressed and barely notice anxiety but im not able to enjoy weed anymore which would still be nice on occasion, so enjoy it, dont make it a day and night thing or u might end up like me, not able to enjoy it anymore. exercise and sunlight can help if your just a little depressed, go out with friends, the more of a life u have the happier u can be, set goals, dont just sit on your arse. im 27 and just moving out of my familys house and goin to school, alot of years went by blazin the depression and anxiety away and not accomplishing anything, was peacefull but no progress. im just one person though, just sayin my piece. :stoned:

[ziRomE]

oh and dont get it twisted....................still love weed, just not able to smoke it right now